Photo By Sgt. Spencer Case | Sgt. 1st Class Dalibor Kospic, and explosive ordinance detonation specialist with the...... read more read more
TALLIL, Iraq - A decade after civil war left thousands of unexploded bombs scattered throughout their homeland, troops from the newly consolidated army of Bosnia and Herzegovina are helping coalition forces dispose of unwanted ordnance in southern Iraq.
The only platoon from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Iraq arrived earlier this year. They served briefly in Al Taqqadum before moving to Logistical Support Area Adder in late February, where they now work under the command of Georgia's 648th Engineer Battalion.
The Bosnian unit's mission is to supplement civilian contractors in identifying, removing and safely detonating all unexploded ordnance (UXO) in an area where a weapons stockpile was hastily destroyed during the drive to Baghdad in 2003.
Though that initial explosion had destroyed much of the weapons, it flung miscellaneous bits, called "kick outs," in all directions over an area of 13 square kilometers. These kick outs pose a threat to both the local population and coalition troops, as they can be used to make improvised explosive devices.
As citizens of a war-torn country, the Bosnian troops have seen the devastation wrought by UXO first hand. This gruesome knowledge makes their mission intensely personal.
"A lot of children in my country lost their limbs, lost their lives, because they were playing with those items scattered all around," said Sgt. 1st Class Almir Halilagic, an explosive ordnance technician for the Bosnian platoon, "and my job is to prevent that. Every mine and every UXO I remove and I destroy is maybe one life or one limb more."
On a warm morning in March, the Bosnians dismounted from their vehicles in a dirt field to form a semicircle around Capt. Amir Hibic, deputy commander of the Bosnian explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) unit.
They listened attentively as Hibic gave the briefing, running through a list of security procedures in their native language that can be referred to as Serbian, Bosnian or Croatian depending on the speaker. As always, he cautioned them to stay safe.
When the briefing was over, the troops formed a line resembling a standard "police call" for trash, scouring the ground for anything resembling a bomb.
Some of the shells were obvious and at other times, only the tip of a cone or bent fin protruded menacingly from the parched soil, warning the Bosnians to choose each step carefully.
The fact that the explosives have been exposed to the elements for so long only made the Bosnians" job more hazardous.
"The explosive's molecular structure could change during the time, depending on conditions: the sunlight, the moisture, whatever," Halilagic explained. "So if that process occurs over a long time, they could change, becoming more stable or unstable than they were originally."
As the Bosnians comb the desert, Soldiers of 648th stand lookout in their armored humvees to discourage local children and sheep-herding Bedouins to stay away from areas that have not been cleared.
This scene shows the tremendous progress of the Bosnians in the last few years and gives hope to Iraq following the same path to a unified and independent country.
Just last year, two separate armies functioned in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Army of the Republic of Serbia. The Bosnian EOD platoon contains troops from both armies, who display patches on their shoulders indicating which army they were in before.
Last year also saw the birth of EOD experts as a career field in the Bosnian army after the troops completed nine months of training with U.S. contractors.
Despite the fact that they are relative newcomers in the world of EOD experts, U.S. military leaders have been impressed by the Bosnians.
"They've been productive, they've been safe and they've been professional in the way they've gone about their business," said Lt. Col. Mark Davis, the commander of the 648th.
Once the day's sector had been cleared, the Bosnians transported the ordnance to a blasting area nestled between two twenty-foot dirt hills. The Bosnians placed the ordnance on the ground beside a six-foot-deep crater that is all that remains from the previous day's work.
Unfortunately, the Bosnians had to postpone their favorite part of the job - the detonation of the ordnance. Capt. Predrag Viskovic, the liaison officer between the Bosnian platoon and the 648th, said the detonations are spectacular, creating mushroom clouds that resemble atomic explosions.
He described the smell of burning phosphorous as a pungent, "biting" scent that becomes pleasant over time.
For Halilagic, it is the sound of the explosion that gives the most satisfying adrenaline rush.
"Everything you do in this job is for that final bang," Halilagic said.
With several months left in theater, the Bosnians can expect many more "bangs" to come.
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2006 08:49 |
| Story ID: | 5971 |
| Location: | TALLIL AIR BASE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 298 |
| Downloads: | 18 |
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