91st BEB Soldiers Breach and Clear

Photo By Sgt. Jacob Hester-Heard | U.S. Soldiers with the 91st Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, detonate a mine clearing line charge fired from their M1 assault breacher vehicle at the Camp Aachen training area, Grafenwoehr, Germany, Jan. 23, 2019. Ironhorse conducted Combined Resolve XI Phase II in support of Atlantic Resolve, an enduring exercise to improve the interoperability between U.S. forces, their NATO allies and partner nations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Jacob Hester-Heard)  

GRAFENWOEHR, GERMANY

01.23.2019

Story by Spc. Jacob Hester-Heard 

382nd Public Affairs Detachment

Grafenwoehr, Germany – Soldiers with Bravo Company, 91st Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, fire and detonate two M58 mine clearing line charges, or MICLICs, from an M1 Assault Breacher Vehicle during Combined Resolve XI Phase II near the Camp Aachen training area, Grafenwoehr, Germany, Jan. 23, 2019.

It’s not currently a common practice for U.S. Army ABVs to fire and detonate two or more MICLICs during the same breach – but the two 91st BEB Soldiers who participated were more than excited to give it a shot.

“Every time, it gets easier,” said U.S. Army Spc. Travis Lee, a combat engineer and driver for the ABV, assigned to B Co, 91st BEB. “We got out there today, we put all the nerves aside, made sure we went through all our safety checks, and did everything correctly.”

For his first double-breach attempt and an ABV loaded with over 3,500 pounds of C4 explosives, Lee said he wasn’t taking any chances.

“Carrying MICLICs is very dangerous – It’s 1,750 pounds of C4 each,” Lee said. “When you have two of them, it’s not something to play with.”

Catastrophic failure was the last thing they were worried about. According to Lee, they’ve never had a problem with safety – and his tank commander agrees.

“I think we set the standard,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Nairm Vega, also a combat engineer assigned to B Co, 91st BEB, and tank commander aboard the ABV. “We’re basically going to recreate the standard operating procedure for the ABV and MICLIC.”

Now that they’ve qualified, Vega and Lee are leading the way for fellow Soldiers and combat engineers. Not only does the Ironhorse brigade have an important asset it can count on, it has two Soldiers who are exceeding the current SOP, and training for the field and the fight of the future.

“Everything went according to plan,” Vega said. “We rolled up on site, we did that breach, and when we got those MICLICs off – it was amazing.”

• Date Taken: 01.23.2019
• Date Posted: 01.31.2019 12:11
• Story ID: 308372
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, DE