Sgt. Michael J. Carden
MNC-I PAO
April 14, 2005
MINES
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq " Engineers from the Alabama Army National Guard have cornered the market on mine detector training for Coalition troops in Iraq.
Each week a team of Soldiers from the 200th Engineer Battalion, Ala. ANG, designated as Team 14, teaches a 5-day class training new groups of combat engineers on the tactical and technical operation and maintenance of the Army Navy/Portable Special Search-14 mine detector.
The AN/PSS-14 is the latest development in mine detection technology available to the U.S. Military, said 1st Lt. Steven Witherington, officer-in-charge, Team 14.
Team 14 conducts their training at Training Area 14 on Camp Victory. The team members are the only personnel in the Operation Iraqi Freedom theater with the knowledge, capability and facility to train personnel on the AN/PSS-14 system, said Witherington, a 29-year-old native of Grady, Ala.
What makes the AN/PSS-14 system unique and superior to previous mine detector systems is that it combines ground penetrating radar and highly sensitive metal detector technology.
"This unique combination enables the system to reliably and consistently detect low-metallic anti-personnel and anti-tank mines," according to the Web site www.Cyterracorp.com.
Previous mine detector systems didn't have ground penetrating radar capabilities, which allow an operator to determine the depth and size of an object up to 12 inches in the ground.
"The ground penetrating radar uses (beeping sounds) to map out the size, shape and depth of what ever is buried in the ground," said Sgt. Ronald Todd Gates, trainer, Team 14.
"After using it for awhile, an operator will actually be able to tell where the buried object begins and ends."
"I've seen guys who are really familiar with the AN/PSS-14 system use it. They can pretty much tell you exactly what's in the ground."
Witherington said. "Instead of just knowing something's buried in the ground like with the old (mine detector) systems, the AN/PSS-14 actually tells you how deep and how big the object is.
If someone is really familiar with it and uses it enough, they'll be able to tell if something as small as a bullet or something as big as a weapons cache is buried."
The first day of Team 14's AN/PSS-14 course is strictly classroom material. They show students PowerPoint slides going over the theory of mine detection, how the AN/PSS-14 works, its capabilities and how to maintain it.
The rest of the 5-day class is hands-on. The students learn tactics, techniques and procedures of the system, and are tested by searching for targets on one of six 'real-world" simulation lanes, which are about 3 feet wide and 25 to 30 feet long.
"We don't tell the students that they're searching for mines," said Cpl. James Holcomb, trainer, Team 14. "They are searching for targets, because in a real-world situation the only way to confirm that a target is a mine is if you see it in the dirt or has been dug up."
Some of the AN/PSS-14 techniques taught by Team 14 are operator stance; sensor head position and height; and sweeping speed.
The sensor head is the circular, flat component of a mine detector that the operator hovers over the ground, said Holcombe, a 27-year-old native of Livingston, Ala.
"These basic fundamentals are important because if the students don't use them, they're not going to find all of their targets," Holcombe said. "If we don't enforce the correct techniques and teach the students the proper (tactics, techniques and procedures) during our class, it may cost a Soldier his life out in the field."
In order to graduate, the students must find nine targets in their test lane. Along with the targets, small pieces of shrapnel and debris are buried in the lanes. This helps the Soldiers identify and separate actual targets from trash, Gates explained.
If the students fail to find their target requirement, they are allowed one re-test. If they don't find their targets on the second try, they have to attend the course again.
"The Army gives you a second chance on everything," said Gates, a 42-year-old native of Demopolis, Ala. "Out here, in the real world, if you miss something, you don't get a second chance.
It only takes one minor mistake to lose a foot or leg or even your life."
A group of combat engineers from the 113th Eng. Bn., Indiana ANG, who are currently conducting combat operations in Mosul, Iraq, recently participated in the AN/PSS-14 class.
Many of them were already familiar with the older model, the AN/PSS-12, and were thoroughly impressed with the capabilities of the new mine detector system.
"It's a lot different from the AN/PSS-12 that we've been using," said Sgt. Gershom Parr III, combat engineer, Company C, 113th Eng. Bn. "The class is pretty good. I really like how this system is set up and the addition of the GPR capabilities.
This system and class will definitely help us out a lot on our missions when we go back to our unit."
With the AN/PSS-14 training, Team 14 hopes that other engineers will take what they've learned back to their units and base camps and will apply the training to real-world missions they are tasked with every day.
The possibility of setting off a landmine or piece of ordnance is a danger the AN/PSS-14 and Team 14's class can help prevent.
"This is one class you have to take seriously," Gates said. "If our students can take one of their young Soldiers and show him how to use this system, it may save a life in a hostile situation.
We're here for them and we're here to train. If you are out there in a real-world situation and you don't know how to operate your system, it's no good to you."
| Date Taken: | 04.18.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 04.18.2005 09:45 |
| Story ID: | 1619 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 331 |
| Downloads: | 8 |
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