Kazakhstani Sappers share Explosive Ordnance Disposal smarts with Iraqi army

Photo By Sgt. Daniel West | Iraqi army explosive ordnance disposal trainees examine a stick of TNT before a controlled detonation under the supervision of a Kazakhstani Sapper on Forward Operating Base Delta, Sept. 25, 2008.  

AL KUT, IRAQ

09.26.2008

Story by Sgt. Daniel West 

Multi-National Division-Central

By Sgt. Daniel T. West
41st Fires Brigade

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – Kazakhstani soldiers conducted a three-day course in basic explosives handling and safe demolition techniques for 10 Iraqi army soldiers at FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, which concluded Sept. 25, 2008.

"It's a good chance for us to share our experience with them," said Azat Mukhamadiev, liaison officer for the Kazakhstani contingent. "Our officers are graduates of military academies and have extensive experience in practical exercises and training our troops."

The training consisted of two days of classroom exercises, followed by a controlled detonation conducted by the Iraqi and Kazakhstani soldiers.

"We taught procedures for finding and destroying unexploded ordnance, as well as the safe amounts of explosives to use in destroying certain devices," said Maj. Nurzhan Kulmanzhanov, commander of the Kazakhstani Sapper Platoon. "We also covered how to safely transport explosives and their basic composition."

The Iraqi soldiers were appreciative of the training.

"This will help a lot," said one IA soldier. "It helps the Iraqi people, because when they see a bomb or a rocket, they can call and, once we've finished the training, we will be able to destroy it safely."

The training was designed to prepare the soldiers for the official IA explosive ordnance disposal training course at Rusmaya.

• Date Taken: 09.26.2008
• Date Posted: 09.28.2008 03:37
• Story ID: 24229
• Location: AL KUT, IQ