ISLETA PUEBLO, N.M. -- Airmen from the 377th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight partnered with the Pueblo of Isleta in October to safely identify and neutralize 115, WWII and Cold War-era military munitions discovered on tribal land. This marks a significant step forward in long-term safety, environmental stewardship, and the growing partnership between the Pueblo and Kirtland Air Force Base.
The operation focused on former military training areas where the legacy munitions were located. Though the ranges have not been used in generations, the Pueblo and the Air Force continue to work together to ensure the land remains safe for community members, wildlife, and cultural sites.
The Pueblo of Isleta’s Governor said the Air Force’s involvement demonstrates a strong and growing partnership.
“We truly appreciate the Air Force coming out here,” Eugene Jiron, Isleta Pueblo Tribal Council Governor said. “Seeing everyone working together shows we have a strong partnership with Kirtland. This cleanup matters to our community, we have families who graze cattle here and we allow hunting in these areas.”
Safety of the Pueblo community was the driving factor in the joint effort. “Knowing these munitions are being safely removed gives us confidence that our hunters and cattle grazers can be out here without danger,” the Governor added.
For Kirtland’s EOD technicians, the mission reflects the core values that guide all operations on and off the installation: safety, security, transparency, and responsible stewardship. The 377th Air Base Wing’s role in the nuclear enterprise, supporting DOE/NNSA and the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, requires the highest levels of technical expertise and safety discipline. That same expertise is applied when clearing legacy munitions throughout the region.
The Governor highlighted the importance of protecting cultural and environmental resources during cleanup activities.
“We have cultural sites in this area,” he said. “Cleaning up this land helps protect those sites and ensures the environment is safe.”
The Air Force coordinated closely with Pueblo leaders throughout the operation, ensuring tribal sovereignty, environmental concerns, and cultural preservation requirements were respected at every stage.
For many in the Pueblo, the cleanup symbolizes progress toward restoring lands long impacted by historic military activity.
“These munitions were left here a long time ago and seeing them finally cleaned up shows the partnership is real,” the Governor said. “We’re grateful for what the Air Force and the government are doing for us.”
As Kirtland continues its mission as a center of nuclear expertise, operations like the Isleta cleanup demonstrate the Wing’s commitment to safety extending well beyond the installation boundary. This commitment is further strengthened through robust interoperability with tribal environmental agencies, ensuring seamless communication and coordinated action in addressing potential hazards. For the Pueblo, this partnership represents not only a safer community today, achieved through integrated safety protocols and shared resources, but a foundation for continued collaboration in the years to come, built on mutual respect and a commitment to interoperable systems for environmental monitoring and emergency response.
Looking ahead, the Pueblo and Kirtland hope to continue the partnership across other areas that may contain buried ordnance.
For the Pueblo, the partnership represents not only a safer community today, but a foundation for continued collaboration in the years to come.