Engineer assets leave theater with detachment re-deployments

Photo By Capt. Laura Beebe | The 10th Survey and Design Detachment case their colors signifying the end of not only their unit’s mission in Afghanistan, but the mission and need of a Survey and Design Detachment in theater.  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

12.30.2013

Story by 1st Lt. Laura Beebe 

130th Engineer Brigade

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The Theater Engineer Brigade has been home to many different engineer assets since its establishment. Throughout the month of December, many of the specialty engineer assets were taken out of Afghanistan when the detachments with those particular missions re-deployed from theater and were not replaced.

Early December saw the exit of the Survey and Design detachment and the Explosive Hazards Team from theater when the 10th and 15th Eng. Detachments cased their colors on Bagram Air Field.

Whatever remaining need for these abilities will now rest on the shoulders of those left in various staff positions within the Brigade.

The 49th Mine Dog Detachment also cased their colors this past month as they became the last mine dog unit in Afghanistan.

The combat battalions have a small number of dog handlers within their formation to give them the ability to operate independently; however, they now must solely rely on those internal assets for all missions ahead of them.

These re-deployments come at a time when the U.S. is curtailing many troops serving in Afghanistan. Although it is always difficult to lose high performing units, higher headquarters is looking to the remaining personnel in theater to cover gaps left and work in a more expeditionary environment.
The units that departed leave this ongoing conflict with a long list of accomplishments behind them. Col. Diana Holland, JTF Sapper Commander, said the brigade is only confident in their ability to continue the mission without them because they have always performed above and beyond expectations.
The Explosive Hazards Team has been responsible for the training and expertise on improvised explosive devices in theater. With Soldiers in both Bagram and Kandahar, the two major hubs in Afghanistan, they provided subject matter experts on the tactics, techniques and procedures seen by the enemies of Afghanistan.

The EHT tailored training for incoming soldiers to the region where they would be primarily operating. This training included Blow In Place (BIP) courses and the Reception, Staging, Onward movement and Integration (RSOI) training. Soldiers such as Sgt. Joshua Judson, with 15th EHT, also looked for new equipment and tools that could be used to better help the combat engineers on the ground defeat devices being used.

The Survey and Design Team has had oversight and responsibility for all major surveying projects as well as creating the designs for projects throughout the Coalition Joint Operations Area-Afghanistan (CJOA-A).

Soldiers with the team have traveled across the country of Afghanistan to capture data, assist units and advise construction cells. The S&D team was closely linked with the brigade construction and engineering section (J7) to ensure coordination at all levels.

The soldiers left in the J7 section now take on any future responsibility left by the S&D detachment for all future projects.
The Mine Dog Detachment has given support to hundreds of named operations and missions during their time in theater. They not only provided the expertise in dog handling techniques to the combat units, but also assisted the units whenever required.

With so few dog handlers in the Engineer Regiment, many of the handlers and the dogs have deployed numerous times with the same mission. Sgt. 1st Class David Richmond, the detachment NCOIC and kennel master, explained that being with the last dogs in theater was somewhat surreal. He had deployed numerous times with many of the same individuals , and now their job and requirement in country had come to an end.

Joint Task Force Sapper continues to plan and war-game the increasing requirement to consolidate the engineers across Afghanistan. The biggest hurdle remains however, to not take away assets to quickly leaving potentially devastating effects.
Lt. Col. Sebastian Pastor, JTF Sapper chief of staff is confident in the staff to not only complete this task, but to do it in the smartest approach feasible.

• Date Taken: 12.30.2013
• Date Posted: 01.01.2014 08:49
• Story ID: 118722
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF