By Marine Staff Sgt. Luis P. Valdespino Jr.
Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan Public Affairs
GARDEZ, Afghanistan – Polish soldiers assigned to mentor Afghan national army soldiers recently underwent counter improvised explosive device training, earning high praise from other coalition troops.
Like other Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams, the Polish soldiers assigned to mentor the 203rd ANA corps received similar training before deploying to Afghanistan. They still saw the additional training administered by International Security Assistance Force and Task Force Phoenix personnel as an opportunity to reinforce their skills as mentors.
The training was especially significant for the soldiers because they were involved in an ambush attack during their first week in country.
"In my opinion each training is important, even if repeated," said Polish Navy Lt. Cmdr. Zbigniew Zachariasz, the international security cooperation training officer for Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. "You see more things – more possibilities; you can develop skills better and better."
During the training, instructors created a scenario in which the Polish soldiers encountered five "IEDs," as well as several possible IED indicators. Instructors demonstrated several types of IEDs, including remote-controlled IEDs, pressure-plate IEDs and stringed IEDs.
The Polish OMLT identified all the IED indicators planted by course instructors Sgt. 1st Class Raymond E. Odum, the counter IED chief senior assistant for ISAF, and Kris A. Anderson, a counter IED advisor with Ronco Consulting assigned to ISAF.
The instructors said the Polish OMLT performed better in the exercise than any previous group they had taught.
"They did an outstanding job. They're the first ones to actually find all the IED indicators," said Odum.
The exercise also saw the OMLT soldiers respond to a scenario with an improvised IED attack that "disabled" a vehicle from their convoy and create a secure perimeter.
Having been in Afghanistan for a couple months may have played a part in their training success, in that they were very aware alert during the exercise.
"I think it played a big role – they had actual experience with IEDs (while they have been in country)," Odum said.
Anderson told the OMLT soldiers they really impressed him with their skills during the exercises, and he encouraged them to share the training experience with the ANA soldiers they mentor.
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