Combat engineers: What it takes to clear the way

AFGHANISTAN

03.14.2012

Story by 1st Lt. Jeffrey Balka 

7th Engineer Battalion

Engineers clearing routes in Afghanistan.

The soldiers and leaders of 3rd Platoon, 630th Route Clearance Company meet early this morning. As is the norm for combat engineer soldiers, they have a long day ahead of them. Most days start in the same manner, between two and three hours prior to their scheduled mission start time in their motor pool where they park their vehicles. Each soldier and leader in the platoon knows his task before his arrival, and starts without being told. Drivers inspect their vehicles, gunners ensure their weapons are in good repair, and leaders go over the day’s mission. Preparation culminates with an informal huddle just prior to mission time. For 3rd platoon, prayers and words of encouragement are common, but today, Pfc. Joseph Grumney from Kent, Ohio, accompanies private 1st class Kevin Moss from Detroit, Mich. in an inspirational free-style rap. Everyone shares a good laugh over the duet, which is surprisingly well done. With mission preparation complete and the vehicles ready to go, 3rd platoon leader and platoon sergeant, 1st Lt. Josh Miles from Fort Worth, Texas, and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Dalton from Avon, N.Y., give their final guidance.

The soldiers of 3rd platoon then exit FOB Shank, driving their mine resistant ambush protected vehicles through the rough terrain of Logar province, Afghanistan. Their mission is to clear the roads of improvised explosive devices, the enemy’s most deadly weapon.

Once outside FOB Shank, 3rd platoon’s drivers carefully maneuver their MRAPs through heavy civilian traffic toward the route to be cleared that day. Arriving at a predetermined location, teams of Soldiers lead by their squad leaders, Staff Sgts. William Carpineti from Little Falls, N.Y., and Michael Green from Springfield, Ill. search for IEDs that may be hidden further from the road. The rehearsals conducted prior to the mission manifest themselves in the coordinated movements of the dismounted teams and the vehicles keeping just behind. While the soldiers on the ground move along the shoulders of the road searching for signs of potential IEDs the gunners atop each vehicle scan their designated areas for potential enemy threats.

Each team moves through the challenging terrain adjacent to the road. Such techniques mean walking through back alleys, orchards, and sometimes up mountains. While doing so, the Soldiers still manage to greet Afghan civilians with a wave and “Salaam Aleikum.” The patrol continues to its turn-around point and reconsolidates in its vehicles without finding any IEDs or sustaining any explosions.

Sometimes a well executed route clearance mission will not find any IEDs. The mission today took place in a relatively peaceful area. Unfortunately, not every mission goes this way. Sometimes RCPs discover IEDs and will have to secure the site for an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team. Even this scenario is better than sustaining an IED detonation to a vehicle or one aimed at search teams. This however is reality for the members of a route clearance platoon. Third platoon, just as the other route clearance platoons in the 7th Engineer Battalion, is well trained, well equipped, and lead by a very competent group of individuals who push their platoons every day to make the roads of Afghanistan safer for military forces as well as Afghan civilians.

• Date Taken: 03.14.2012
• Date Posted: 03.15.2012 12:20
• Story ID: 85288
• Location: AF