Photo By Master Sgt. Jocelyn Ford | A Micro Tactical Ground Robot is maneuvered by a 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer...... read more read more
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The 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal team conducts various training two to three times a week, and when EOD trains they welcome others to play along.
Tech. Sgt. Philip Douglas, EOD flight chief, stated that the team provides training for other agencies around base, such as counter-improvised explosive devices, ordnance recognition, as well as X-ray interpretation for ATOC personnel, improving their recognition of suspicious items as passenger baggage goes through the scanner.
May 30, the EOD team and the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron K-9 unit conducted a full mission profile training operation. Three EOD teams, with embedded K-9s, performed a dismounted patrol, clearing their way through Al Dhafra Air Base to reach their final objective.
“This isn’t something we get to do all the time,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph Schmidt, 380th ESFS EOD team leader. “Doing a full mission, from start to finish dismounted, gives us all a great experience to work not only within our teams but with another entity such as the K-9.”
The joint training is also beneficial for the K-9 team, providing insightful collaboration for both units.
“The more practice the better,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel De Leon, 380th ESFS kennel master.
The handlers are given training and are informed of what EOD would do in specific situations, but seeing it firsthand in a practical exercise provided benefits that don’t come with reading a training manual.
“A lot of times, we don’t necessarily integrate an actual mission setting like this,” said De Leon. “It gives [the handlers] eyes on.”
De Leon added the exercise also allowed the handlers to teach EOD tactics in working with military working dogs.
The relationship between EOD and K-9 is familial but sometimes there is disconnect, according to Staff Sgt. Jacob Dent, 380th ESFS MWD handler.
“For us, EOD and K9 are kind of like cousins,” said Dent. “We are family, but we don’t always get to talk about certain things.”
With limited training opportunities to exchange information, the joint exercise was very practical to Dent. He even dispelled some preconceived notions about the outcome of the training and discovered he was limiting his scope.
“There were things that I didn’t take into consideration that I probably should have,” said Dent. “Next time, when we come out here and do it again, I will keep that in mind.”
Dent went on to say that he is definitely interested in more hands-on training with EOD.
While training is crucial for the success of multiple operations, it’s a necessity and the bulk of the EOD mission, according to Douglas.
“We provide a valuable service that nobody else can,” said Douglas. “It is one of those things that you don’t want to have to use it, but if we are needed, you want to have us on hand. A lot of the things we do are perishable skills. If we are not constantly training, we are not going to be the best that we can be.”
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2019 02:26 |
| Story ID: | 325662 |
| Location: | AL DHAFRA, AE |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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