thedrifter
02-07-06, 06:29 PM
Soldiers find block of gold worth $110K
By Maj. Tom Bryant
February 7, 2006
TIKRIT, Iraq (Army News Service, Feb. 7, 2006) – A unique challenge for two Soldiers arose recently with the discovery of a very special doorstop in the terrain team’s work space: a 25-pound block of solid gold.
“I noticed it during the relief-in-place with the unit before us, sitting under the table in the office,” said Sgt. Teresa Burroughs, a terrain analyst in the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. She said the outgoing unit “used it as a doorstop in the summer.”
During a recent cross-training session in the Terrain Team office, Master Sgt. Jay Phelps noticed a brown shape on the floor. He tried to move the shape with his foot, but it didn’t budge.
Phelps picked up the dense block and wiped away some of the dirt. After scraping his knife across the block, Phelps was relatively sure he’d found something.
“I couldn’t be certain, but I thought this is probably a block of gold,” Phelps said.
Phelps and Burroughs immediately notified the commander and secured the block in the company safe. Burroughs, due to depart for two weeks of leave, took a small piece of the ingot with her for testing in the States.
Back home, Burroughs called on a jeweler to determine the block’s composition. The jeweler confirmed that it was around a ten karat amalgam of gold.
The estimated value of the block is nearly $110,000 U.S. dollars.
Integrity priceless
Phelps and Burroughs never wavered in making the right decision; they agreed the gold was not theirs and should be given to the proper Iraqi authorities.
“You of course think to yourself, ‘Wow, there’s a kids’ college tuition, a house, and tons of people you could help with that money,” said Phelps. “And then you immediately know it’s not worth it.”
A second source was used through the Tikrit Provincial Joint Coordination Center to confirm the block’s composition when a local jeweler used a scrape test involving nitric acid to further grade the gold’s quality.
The gold block will be returned to the government of Iraq in the coming weeks.
Both Phelps and Burroughs agreed this has been the most unique occurrence on the deployment – or any deployment – to date.
“It ultimately came down to what your integrity is really worth,” Burroughs said. “My parents taught me that money isn’t everything, and what I’ve done in the Army is more important.”
(Editor’s note: Maj. Tom Bryant serves with 3rd BCT Public Affairs.)
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/uploads/medium/OCPA-2006-02-07-082036.jpg
Master Sgt. Jay Phelps and Sgt. Teresa Burroughs hold the 25-pound block of gold they discovered in their office at FOB Speicher.
Staff Sgt. Jesse C. Riggin
Ellie
By Maj. Tom Bryant
February 7, 2006
TIKRIT, Iraq (Army News Service, Feb. 7, 2006) – A unique challenge for two Soldiers arose recently with the discovery of a very special doorstop in the terrain team’s work space: a 25-pound block of solid gold.
“I noticed it during the relief-in-place with the unit before us, sitting under the table in the office,” said Sgt. Teresa Burroughs, a terrain analyst in the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. She said the outgoing unit “used it as a doorstop in the summer.”
During a recent cross-training session in the Terrain Team office, Master Sgt. Jay Phelps noticed a brown shape on the floor. He tried to move the shape with his foot, but it didn’t budge.
Phelps picked up the dense block and wiped away some of the dirt. After scraping his knife across the block, Phelps was relatively sure he’d found something.
“I couldn’t be certain, but I thought this is probably a block of gold,” Phelps said.
Phelps and Burroughs immediately notified the commander and secured the block in the company safe. Burroughs, due to depart for two weeks of leave, took a small piece of the ingot with her for testing in the States.
Back home, Burroughs called on a jeweler to determine the block’s composition. The jeweler confirmed that it was around a ten karat amalgam of gold.
The estimated value of the block is nearly $110,000 U.S. dollars.
Integrity priceless
Phelps and Burroughs never wavered in making the right decision; they agreed the gold was not theirs and should be given to the proper Iraqi authorities.
“You of course think to yourself, ‘Wow, there’s a kids’ college tuition, a house, and tons of people you could help with that money,” said Phelps. “And then you immediately know it’s not worth it.”
A second source was used through the Tikrit Provincial Joint Coordination Center to confirm the block’s composition when a local jeweler used a scrape test involving nitric acid to further grade the gold’s quality.
The gold block will be returned to the government of Iraq in the coming weeks.
Both Phelps and Burroughs agreed this has been the most unique occurrence on the deployment – or any deployment – to date.
“It ultimately came down to what your integrity is really worth,” Burroughs said. “My parents taught me that money isn’t everything, and what I’ve done in the Army is more important.”
(Editor’s note: Maj. Tom Bryant serves with 3rd BCT Public Affairs.)
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/uploads/medium/OCPA-2006-02-07-082036.jpg
Master Sgt. Jay Phelps and Sgt. Teresa Burroughs hold the 25-pound block of gold they discovered in their office at FOB Speicher.
Staff Sgt. Jesse C. Riggin
Ellie