Do not touch it. Do not kick it. Just mark it, take a grid and notify your chain of command. When dealing with unexploded ordnance on the battlefield, or in the training area in this case, it is essential to follow all safety precautions and notify the proper personnel in a timely manner.
Prior to the start of the 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment live-fire exercises as part of Noble Partner 18, the Grafenwoehr, Germany based 702nd Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade provided unexploded ordnance training to the Soldiers at the Vaziani Training Area, Georgia, July 31, 2018.
“Today we conducted a safety brief to inform [the 2CR Soldiers] of the hazards that are associated with the energetic materials found in [unexploded ordnance] throughout the ranges and how to properly report it up through their chain of command so we can clear the space to free up maneuverability of the battle area,” said Spc. Kwanique Jones, explosive ordnance technician, 702nd EOD.
702nd EOD provided a four-man team to support the multinational exercise through target insertions, range sweeps and EOD assistance for any stuck rounds, misfires or dud ordnance. Their primary role is to mitigate any explosive hazards found in the training area.
“As soon as we got here, we touched ground to the ranges and started our target insertions,” said Jones. “We started our range sweeps and [conducted reconnaissance] of the areas that the Soldiers will be maneuvering through.”
The training provided valuable information, highlighting the reporting procedures, the capabilities of the EOD team and the UXOs the Soldiers could potentially encounter during their upcoming live fire exercises.
“Safety is paramount in all training exercises so it’s terrific to get such training from such experienced people,” said 1st Lt. Robin Brooks, executive officer, Cobra Battery, Field Artillery Squadron, 2CR.
Noble Partner 18 is a Georgian Armed Forces and U.S. Army Europe cooperatively-led exercise in its fourth iteration. The exercise is intended to support and enhance the readiness and interoperability of Georgia, the U.S. and participating nations during a multinational training operation. This exercise provides leaders at all levels the opportunity to exercise their staffs in command and control and execution of combined planning for complex joint operations.