Personnel
Henry (Dru) Skelton
Manager
Milsearch-BPKP EOD Joint Venture Company,
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Currently based in Vientiane, Dru has over 32 years military experience in the armament and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) fields.
After 32 years service in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Dru’s career has provided him with extensive experience in aircraft weapons engineering, ammunition storage, risk assessment, and transportation, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) including Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD).
Dru joined the Air Force as an apprentice in 1976, and worked in a variety of roles gaining knowledge of several weapon systems, aircraft types, and ordnance design. In 1991 he was commissioned as an Armament Engineering Officer and was responsible for armament engineering, armament equipment logistics, and explosives inspection and safety. During this time Dru underwent Armament Officer Specialisation, Fundamentals of Blast Loading and Structural Response Analysis, and Demolition Operator training.
In 1998 Dru attended the United States Navy EOD Schools at Eglin Air Force Base Florida and at Indian Head Naval Air Station Maryland. In 1999 he attended training at the Defence Explosives Ordnance Disposal School (DEODS) Chattenden, Kent, England, undergoing EOD and IEDD training.
Dru spent a number of years as the Officer in Charge of the RAAF’s EOD element, purchasing specialised equipment and building the RAAF’s EOD capability, supervising IED and EOD training within the RAAF, disposal of bulk time expired explosive stores and conducting numerous Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) clearances on Defence Air Weapons Ranges (AWRs) and Defence Practice Areas (DPAs). He also acted as the Base Armament Manager, providing specialised armament advice to the Base Commander and to various Defence headquarter elements.
Dru Commenced work with Milsearch in 2008, serving on several UXO clearance tasks including a period managing Milsearch’s UXO clearance operations on ExxonMobil’s major LNG Project near Port Moresby in PNG. Since April 2009, Dru has performed the role of Manager for Milsearch BPKP EOD Joint Venture Limited based in Vientiane. In this role he continues to manage and direct extensive clearance operations throughout Lao PDR for a diverse range of clients, both commercial, humanitarian, institutional and government.
