Multi-National Division North East

Courtesy Story

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – An Oregon Native works with the Iraqi army bomb disposal units and Iraqi police counter explosive teams. He teaches the IA tactics, techniques and procedures on how to defeat a network of people who place and build improvised explosive devices all across northern Iraq.

The details of the training get as intricate as hair molecules at a post blast site. Navy Chief Petty Officer Ryan Burton is the program manager for the Iraqi police and Iraqi Army Partnership in the Salah ad-Din province. He's assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Mobile Unit 12, from Virginia Beach, Va., which arrived in Iraq Oct. 30.

The unit is deployed as Task Force Troy – North, which provides Multi National Division- North with counter IED support.

Burton is on his fourth deployment and has noticed a change in his mission from his previous deployments. Before, his mission was to diffuse IEDs directly. But now, he is here mostly to train Iraqis on how to complete counter-IED missions. He said he only takes part in missions, when the Iraqis request it.

"They are handling calls as we speak," he said. "We're just here to help improve their abilities. They want to learn and they know what it is they need to do."

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Iraq, Burton has noticed the Iraqi counter-IED forces have improved significantly.

"They're doing very, very well," he said. "Every month, every week, more and more progress is being made."

Even though many do not associate the Navy with deploying to a desert, their EOD forces operate in any setting around the world where they are needed, working with all branches of service including Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs and the Secret Service.

"The Navy is the full spectrum of counter IED operations," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Ford Ewaldsen, deputy commander of Task Force Troy- North. He added that the Navy receives identical training as the Army, Air Force and Marines, but the Navy goes through an additional training for underwater demolition.

It is through this training that the American military has learned a vast knowledge of counter-IED information. This knowledge has helped Americans fight the explosives and now the servicemembers will use their knowledge to help the Iraqis secure their country.

"They already have a competent and able force to get the mission done," said Navy Cmdr. Chris Merwin, commander of TFT- N. "But we're trying to give the Iraqis the ability to counter any IED threats when American forces pull out. That's our ultimate goal."

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