Engineers seek out IEDs for locals’ safety

Photo By Sgt. Eugenio Montanez | Lance Cpl. Brandon Domingue, an engineer with Engineer Platoon, 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, from Junction, Texas, counts AK-47 rounds from a weapons cache here, Aug. 1. The Marines found several caches in the area including weapons, improvised explosive devices and the material to make them.  

DURZAY, AFGHANISTAN

08.14.2010

Story by Cpl. Eugenio Montanez 

1st Marine Division

DURZAY, Afghanistan – In an area riddled with improvised explosive devices, engineers took the lead during patrols to ensure the safety of the riflemen behind them and local Afghans nearby over a 10-day operation here.

“In front of the patrols with our metal detectors, we find the IEDs and mark them. We then call the explosive ordinance disposal team and get rid of them,” said Cpl. Jarod Upchurch, an engineer with Engineer Platoon, 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion.

Often, IEDs are impossible to spot visually. To keep locals and Marines safe, the engineers, attached to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, guide patrols over road, that sometimes seem more like mine fields.

“There were a lot of explosive devices in the area,” said Upchurch, from Rogersville, Tenn., “Sometimes we had to mark off areas for Marines to go around every two or three meters.”

The engineers also found many weapons and IED making material caches in the outskirts of the town.

“One of the caches had 2,000 rounds for a 50-caliber weapon. We’ve found many things like this,” Upchurch said. “It’s important to find these because it’s one less weapon pointed at us.”

A lot of responsibility falls on the engineers when it comes to keeping the Marines safe, explains Cpl. James Gardner, an engineer with Engineer Plt., 3 rd CEB.

“Without our metal detectors, the Marines might as well walk blind folded through the roads,” Upchurch said. “Without a metal detector it wasn’t question of if they’re going to hit an IED, but when.”

With the help of engineers, the Marines were able to avoid any IEDs in the area for the entire operation.

“Fortunately no one in this company was injured or killed by IEDs and that means we did our job well,” Gardner said. “I’m very happy that we accomplished to get everyone in and out safe.”

• Date Taken: 08.14.2010
• Date Posted: 08.14.2010 10:39
• Story ID: 54582
• Location: DURZAY, AF