Photo By kevin walston | Soldiers, assigned to Task Force Dragon’s 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 214th Infantry...... read more read more
Subscribe
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - The threat of improvised explosive devices are an ever-present threat that Soldiers must always be prepared for when conducting force protection missions, and a local course provides them with the edge they need to counter the threat.
Soldiers, assigned to Task Force Dragon’s 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 214th Infantry Regiment of the Theater Response Force, recently completed the 40-hour course designed to increase their expertise in IED threat recognition and train them to identify threats in and on the ground, said Jerry Gentzel, instructor assigned to Program Executive Office Ammunition, Close Combat Systems.
“When using their detective equipment, all of which are designed for easy operation right-out-of-the-box, they have to be patient and take their time during the clearance process,” he said. “It’s easy to become impatient, but we teach them to trust their equipment and take their time to ensure the safety of their team.”
Because of the inherent risks present within the Bagram Ground Defense Area, Sgt. 1st Class John Duncan, 2nd platoon sergeant, considers the training his Soldiers received as an invaluable part of their mission accomplishment.
“Based upon our mission, this training was top-notch and is something we urgently needed in order to stay sharp,” Duncan said. “We can employ the techniques we’ve learned over and over again and based upon any advance intelligence we receive, it could surely be the difference between success and failure.”
Duncan added that he considers the equipment and training received a combat multiplier, and according to 1st Lt. Nick Wright, platoon leader, this quarterly training gives his Soldiers the confidence they need when performing a difficult mission.
“We provide force protection and try and prevent the threat of indirect fire rockets being fired toward Bagram,” Wright said. “Parts of my company are out in the BGDA with Coalition forces everyday…these techniques and training allow us to mitigate the risks to the base and ourselves.”
Sgt. 1st Class Richard Church, noncommissioned officer in charge of Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Operations Command, said Soldiers are taught enemy tactics, techniques and procedures in IED emplacement so they can not only recognize the signs, but detect them to ensure no one gets hurt.
Instruction focuses on the 5Cs: Confirm, Clear, Call, Cordon and Control.
“We teach them reporting procedures and exactly what to do when they find something,” he said. “We also provide this same training for the Georgians, Czechs, Polish, Romanians and the Australians.”
Church said over the past few weeks, more than 500 U.S. and Coalition Soldiers have received the training, which begins in the classroom with in-depth instruction into the basics of what they’ll demonstrate in the field.
“We focus on proper identification techniques and awareness in the classroom, then take them out to the IED training area so that they can practice the techniques we’ve discussed,” he said. “We take a look at real-life events, and recreate those events for them.”
Church, a 13-year veteran serving on his 5th deployment, said that one of the biggest things he wants Soldiers to remember is to be patient when employing their clearance procedures and to know when to call EOD.
“They see us handling a piece of ordnance and we don’t want them to become complacent,” he said. “If they believe they’ve found something, they have to notify us so we can respond and make a determination. I’d rather they be safe and we respond to a false alarm than for them to take an unnecessary chance and risk injury to themselves or their team.”
https://www.facebook.com/usforces.afghanistan/posts/393272920876297
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2015 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 181192 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 334 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, CIED Training invaluable for mission accomplishment, by kevin walston, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
