25th ID Soldiers in Kuwait get counter-IED training

Photo By Spc. Daniel Bearl | A convoy of humvees carrying 25th Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion Soldiers rolls through an IED training lane in Kuwait. The Soldiers are conducting training before moving into Iraq to support the division's mission there.  

KUWAIT

08.21.2006

Courtesy Story

25th Infantry Division   

by Spc. Daniel Bearl
Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division Public Affairs

It's a common phrase to hear in the Army, and for Soldiers in Kuwait it's a way of life.

25th Infantry Division Soldiers preparing to deploy to Iraq spend weeks training, preparing and getting acclimated for life and combat in the desert.

Along with weapons, security and other training, service members here train on counter-improvised explosive device (IED) measures to combat one of the most prominent threats they will face during their deployment.

Through a combination of classroom and practice lane training, these Soldiers are learning about this common enemy tactic and how to prevent or react to it.

"This is outstanding training," said one of the counter IED trainers in Kuwait. "It's what all Soldiers need."

The names of the course instructors are withheld for security purposes.

Soldiers who are likely to encounter IEDs due to frequent convoys or patrol missions, spend over eight hours in the classrooms and in practical exercises. All of this is done in the hot Kuwaiti summer, where temperatures frequently reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit or more during the day.

"This is the best training I've had for anything like this," said Sgt. Johnathan Wallis, from 25th ID Special Troops Battalion. "We're actually here in the desert and the trainers have a lot of knowledge."

The classes and training lanes are operated by Military Professional Resources, Inc., a collection of former officers and non-commissioned officers who specialize in military training.

The training lanes include a variety of scenarios involving intersections, buildings, bridges and other factors to complicate the reactions to an IED attack on a convoy. During the lanes, Soldiers in the training unit rotate through leadership positions so that everyone has a chance to experience the decision making process necessary for reacting to an attack.

The lanes took several weeks to construct, said one of the IED trainers at the site.

"The whole focus is to give the Soldiers an overall view of how to act in these situations," he said, adding that when Soldiers get to Iraq they will receive additional training. "This is the most realistic and current training these guys are ever going to see."

• Date Taken: 08.21.2006
• Date Posted: 08.21.2006 14:10
• Story ID: 7519
• Location: KW