225th Engineer Brigade

Story by Lt. Col. Pat Simon

BAGHDAD–Army combat engineer Soldiers now have a new weapon in the fight against deadly improvised explosive devices.

U.S. engineers demonstrated the Ground Torch System during a training session at the 225th Engineer Brigades Task Force Iron Claw Academy, Oct. 20.

The system gives Soldiers the ability to snuff out bombs and trip wires that are hidden in heavily vegetative areas throughout Baghdad. Soldiers can now simply use the torch to burn thick shrubbery from a safe distance away.

"This is the Army's version of the Marine Corps' torch that they have been using for a long time," said Jason LaHaye, Lake Escobar, Calif., the civilian chief trainer. "Army units in Balad [Iraq] are using it with success. This is the first unit in Baghdad to use it."

Spc. Heather Todd from Lisbon, Ohio, with the 1192nd Eng. Company, one of the first to test the system, was in awe by the amount of heat delivered by the system at long distances.

"It's a new experience for me." Todd said excitedly. "I love it. It's definitely an adrenaline rush."

Soldiers not only were able to fire the torch during the training, they also learned how to properly mix the fuel for the burn; similar to what you would learn in a high school chemistry class. But it was the act of pushing fierce heat downrange that got them fired up about this weapon system.

"I immediately put this on the top five on my list of cool things I have done," said Staff Sgt. Joseph Ray, of Baton Rouge, La.

The new torch means less of a need to manually cut branches and other vegetation along roadsides which reduces security risks for both Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers.

"We recently had to push lots of heavy equipment and manpower to Mahmudiyah and we could have really used this [torch]," said Ray. "We have a lot of [Brigade Combat Teams] asking about it."

Todd's unit is among the first group to use the anti-IED torch during route sanitation missions.

"Yeah, they said they have a few missions ahead. Hopefully, I will get to be a part of those," she said.

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