Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Taresha Hill | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii- Trainees Erin Callahan (left), Special Agent with...... read more read more
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii- The 303rd Ordnance Disposal Battalion (EOD), 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command hosted a Post Blast Investigator’s Course March 6-10, here.
The week-long course taught by the FBI, was a collaborative effort between the 303rd OD Bn. (EOD), FBI's Honolulu Field Office and the FBI’s Explosive Unit, and provided basic knowledge of conducting a post blast crime scene (bombing) investigation to 40 personnel from nine military, federal and state agencies. The training was instrumental to building key relationships amongst bomb techs, investigators, and prosecutors from throughout Hawaii.
“The training this week developed relationships with interagency partners that operate throughout the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility in support of developing Partner Nation Rule of Law and Attack the Network (AtN) capabilities,” said Lt. Col. Shawn Kadlec, the battalion’s commander.
The course not only allowed for 303rd OD Bn. (EOD) to enhance its interagency relationships, but to also increase its own bomb technicians’ expertise and readiness to support the PACOM AOR.
“The skills and knowledge gained by our EOD Technicians and intelligence staff members apply equally well to conventional ordnance threats and the associated Weapons Technical Intelligence (WTI) and AtN responsibilities of EOD units at all levels of command," said Kadlec.
The trainees received instructions in several different areas, which included: Introduction to Explosives; Construction of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED); Booby Traps; Improvised Explosive Threat; Bombing Investigations; Forensic Examinations and Post Blast Crime Scene Search.
In addition to learning how to process a post blast crime scene, another crucial aspect of the course was to have the trainees develop the skills necessary to properly collect and preserve evidence for forensic examination.
“We are learning different techniques as far as evidence collection and search patterns and also the requirements that the FBI and the other agencies need in order to produce a proper forensics package for any criminal activities,” said Sgt. 1st Class Donald Pearl, battalion operations noncommissioned officer and course coordinator.
FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician and course instructor, Mark Wells said, “The goal of this class is to get everyone on the same page, so that when we are working together on a large scene, everybody is speaking the same language and doing things the same way.”
While the training was focused on civilian law enforcement scenarios and procedures, the overall Post Blast Assessment (PBA) processes learned, forms the foundation for PBAs in a tactical environment regardless of whether the attack utilized IEDs or conventional munitions.
“The training this week is a recognition and continuation of the effective joint and interagency partnerships that were successfully utilized in the Counter-IED fight in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Kadlec.
Kadlec added, “Closer to home, the personal relationships and procedural understanding developed over the course of the week will prove invaluable in the event that an IED attack is carried out in Hawaii and we have to respond in support to the local police and FBI.”
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2017 19:59 |
| Story ID: | 227622 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 113 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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