Marines maintain watchful eye during counter IED training at ITX 1-16

Photo By Staff Sgt. Immanuel Johnson | Lance Corporal John Roan, center, a squad leader with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment gets carried away from the simulated improvised explosive device blast by another Marine and Navy Corpsman while conducting counter-IED training during Integrated Training Exercise 1-16 aboard Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 29, 2015. Marines at ITX demonstrate core infantry mission essential tasks while conducting offensive and defensive operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Immanuel M. Johnson/Released)  

TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

10.29.2015

Story by Cpl. Immanuel Johnson 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

MARINE AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment kept their standards high and awareness higher as they tackled the counter improvised explosive device course during Integrated Training Exercise 1-16, aboard Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Oct. 29, 2015.

“Today we are training to identify improvised explosive devices; going over different situations and scenarios to prevent IED detonation and casualties,” said Lance Cpl. John Roan, a squad leader with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.

Whenever Marines conduct counter-IED training they start from the basics to make sure Marines receive the information together as a unit.

“We take them through all the classes, teach them everything from components of IEDs to initiation systems,” said Jason Ross, a counter improvised explosive device instructor, with the Marine Corps Engineer School. “The goal is making sure they know how to operate in an environment where IEDs are a threat.”

There are different tools used to identify IEDs. Some of these tools include metal detection operations, and observation techniques.

“From there we also teach Marines a homemade explosives recognition class and how to recognize the ingredients that go into making a homemade explosive,” Ross said. “We have very basic scenarios and have multiple instructors walking them through, making sure they understand and apply everything they’ve learned in the class.”

Marines back home (Lejeune) receive counter-IED training in their everyday exercises, live and non-live fire training to maintain proficiency in identifying IEDs.
“From the moment we stepped off, we communicated with each other effectively,” Roan said. “My guys identified the IEDs; once we took causalities we assessed their injuries and pushed forward. From beginning to end we did well.”

“What 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment is out doing here at ITX is getting evaluated through everything they have learned about IEDs to this point along with their pre-deployment training,” Ross said. “When they leave here and they deploy we’ve got a good feeling that they can operate in any given environment.”

• Date Taken: 10.29.2015
• Date Posted: 11.01.2015 12:44
• Story ID: 180530
• Location: TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US