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FORT STEWART, Ga. — According to globalsecurity.org Iraq is one of the most heavily mined nations in the World, with unexploded ordinance problems that date back to World War II.
Since 1980, millions of mines have been placed to protect its border during the long war against Iran, hinder invasion during the Gulf War, and subdue the Kurdish population in Northern Iraq. The proficiency and frequency of IED attacks has increased with time as many of our enemies have gained extensive knowledge about how to ambush military convoys. In turn, the U.S. Military has adapted to the serious threat.
In response to the threat, the Army has focused on IED prevention courses. At Fort Stewart, Ga., Master Sgt. Tom Busby and Sgt. 1st Class William Lake have built a program that is a testament to the Army's evolution in IED defense.
During an IED attack, Soldiers scramble to make decisions as they face explosions, suicide bombers, RPGs, and the threat of civilians with unknown intentions. This all can happen quickly. In Iraq, this is the worst of days, but, at Ft. Stewart it is played out in four scenarios that take place on a state of the art training lane built to combat an evolving enemy threat.
The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, from the Oregon Army National Guard, benefited from the realistic training as some of its members went through the IED defeat course on May 10. The lane is part of a two day course that begins with an all day session in the classroom before heading out to an action packed lane with what the Oregon Soldiers said is some of the best Army training they have ever been a part of. Sgt. Christopher Glad, an intelligence analyst with the 41st HHC IBCT, said "the training was realistic, current, relevant and done in a manner which got everyone involved."
Lake, the Assistant NCOIC in Charge of the program, said he helped build it from the ground up. "This practical exercise is IED defense, plain and simple, and it's the most important training these Soldiers are going to have before they go to Iraq," said Lake. Lake and Busby (the NCOIC of the program) said they have done extensive training and planning to ensure Soldiers are ready to combat the threat of IEDs. This training includes hours of initial briefings where they attain the most updated material from an elaborate train the trainer course. Busby said "It is a requirement that everyone involved with teaching and planning the course has been deployed." They explained that just about everyone has been a part of an IED attack. "That's why we're here, we've all seen it," said Lake.
The lane includes an extremely important human element that involves role players who speak Arabic and have lived in the Middle East. Jay Tisserand, Deputy Manager of the Valbin Corporation said his company provides Foreign Language Speakers and local civilian role players for Army training exercises. Role players like Kawa Kurd, an employee of Valbin, and a former Kurdistan national who fought for years in a militia against Saddam Hussein's Army provide an example of how the training is realistic and relevant. Kurd said "I have seen what it's like in Iraq and this training is as close as you can get to that without being there."
The training lane loops around a long stretch of road and has four scenarios that test Soldiers situational awareness. After receiving an intelligence briefing, HMMWV convoys move along the route and gunners are able to fire blank rounds. In the first scenario, an IED will go off, if it is not spotted. During the same scenario, a role player who is claiming to be an innocent civilian turns out to be a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest. The decision making process during the encounter is an example of what could be a life or death threat from an actual insurgent.
After that, the convoy moves into a village where numerous distractions occur. The civilians claim to be friendly as they approach the Soldiers and eagerly try to engage in conversation. Again, the decision making process must be done quickly, and is critical to how the scenario plays out. It ends with a series of IED explosions and an RPG being fired. The key is to get out of the initial threat quickly and reassemble for a future fight.
Next, the convoy moves to an intersection where they are cut off by a truck that simulates a vehicle borne IED. It is followed by a daisy chain of IEDs which is two or more explosive devices wired together so that a single signal will detonate all the munitions at the same time. The group reacts to the enemy contact, assesses the possibility of a secondary threat, and again moves out as quickly as possible.
For the final scenario, the convoy moves past a point they have already seen and gets hit by an IED that is placed in a culvert. This is done to show that just because something wasn't there the first time doesn't mean it won't be there the next.
Lt. Andrew V. Reed, a Signal officer with HHT 1/82 Cavalry, who was the patrol leader for his group said the scenario helped create cultural awareness, and showed how to deal with IED situations that involve civilians, insurgents and interpreters. "It is good training for what to do when making contact because of the decision making process that occurs," said Reed.
According to Busby, the technical aspects of training are great, but the best way to prevent an IED attack is to "keep your head up, be aware of your surroundings, and know your environment and local customs. Situational awareness is the biggest thing, and it's more like police work where you have to gather information and then know how to use it." Lake echoed these sentiments by saying, "State of the art equipment like the Counter Remote Control Improvised Explosive Device can help, and armor will save you, but it won't stop every attack." "That's why the human mind is the best tool."
The exercise helps prepare Soldiers to adapt to combat situations on the modern battlefield. Glad said "By far, this is the best training lane I've ever been through." SFC. John Deschner from the 41st HHC IBCT said that overall the lane was a confidence builder and an extremely helpful learning experience as Soldiers focus on the threat of IEDs before heading to Iraq.
As enemy tactics, techniques and procedures for IED use improve, the U.S. Military continues to evolve with the latest technology and equipment to engage the threat. Every attack cannot be stopped, but high quality training courses like the IED Defeat Course created by Busby and Lake at Ft. Stewart, Ga., play a vital role in developing the most important tool, the human mind.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2009 12:11 |
| Story ID: | 35159 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 446 |
| Downloads: | 412 |
This work, Oregon Guard Prepares for Iraq with Explosive Training at Ft. Stewart, by SFC Cory Grogan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
