KFOR EOD teams conduct joint demolition training

Photo By Sgt. Lynnwood Thomas | Moldovan Army Cpt. Igor Fillmon, a KFOR Regional Command West Explosive Ordnance Disposal team member, works alongside U.S. Army Sgt. Blake White, a KFOR Regional Command East Task Force EOD team member, at a demolition site in Pristinia, Kosovo, Aug. 15, 2019. Joint demolition training increases the teams’ ability to work together by sharing knowledge of how each team operates, ultimately contributing to a safe and secure environment for the people of Kosovo. The EOD teams primed and detonated various explosive remnants of war to contribute to the safety and security of Kosovo. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lynnwood Thomas, 40th Public Affairs Detachment)  

PRISTINA, KOSOVO

08.15.2019

Story by Spc. Grant Ligon 

40th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Regional Command East’s Task Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Soldiers alongside Kosovo Security Forces and Swiss, Ukrainian and Moldovan EOD teams conducted a joint demolition training in Pristina, Kosovo, Aug. 15, 2019.
TF EOD leaders said the demolition training disposes of collected explosive remnants of war in a designated, controlled environment. ERW are explosive munitions left behind after conflicts have ended and remain a threat to the safety of civilians.
Joint demolition training increases the teams’ ability to work together by sharing knowledge of how each team operates, ultimately contributing to a safe and secure environment for the people of Kosovo.
Regional Command East’s TF EOD officer-in-charge, 2nd Lt. Kevin Ray, with the 702nd Explosive Ordnance Company said disposing of ERW found in the area of operations is significant to creating a safer place for the people of Kosovo to live their lives.
“When we remove those hazards from the area, we make the region safer for the people of Kosovo,” said Ray. “We’re removing those threats from the environment and people are able to move more freely.”
KSF EOD teams are the first responders for all unexploded ordnance found within Kosovo. KFOR EOD teams, under a tier-three response assist, if necessary, and help remove ERW from areas of operation.
Ray said some TF EOD members’ operational experiences are from Afghanistan and Iraq. This training allows them to learn from EOD teams who have operated longer in the Balkans region.
For EOD Platoon Commander, 2nd Lt. Petrit Loxha with KSF Mining Company, joint operation demolitions help continue the fight against the explosive threat. The EOD field has developed and working with the other teams help enhance knowledge for future missions.
“The cooperation that we have with the other teams help us work better and understand each other’s procedures,” he said. “The way we work in future operations will allow us to be more synchronized.”
Loxha said their hope is by removing the fear of encountering an explosive device, community members will go out and visit every part of Kosovo. Every mission, he said, is one-step closer to that goal.
“That’s one less device to threaten their life,” he said. “We constantly try to work towards achieving the ultimate goal, to get rid of every dangerous explosive device.”
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• Date Taken: 08.15.2019
• Date Posted: 08.28.2019 10:12
• Story ID: 337698
• Location: PRISTINA, ZZ