Soldiers, explosive ordnance disposal team work together against improvised explosive devices

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Anita Stratton | Tech. Sgt. Vincent Pagano, operations sergeant with the 407th ECES explosive ordnance disposal team explains the EOD mission to Soldiers of Task Force Volunteer 2/162 IN Oregon National Guard and TF Geronimo,2/108th CAV Louisiana National Guard, March 17, at Camp Adder, Iraq. The EOD team explained what their duties are at the scene of an improvised explosive device and showed the Soldiers what equipment they use to identify and dispose of the IED.  

CAMP ADDER, IRAQ

03.17.2010

Story by Sgt. Anita Stratton 

41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team

CAMP ADDER, Iraq - The Soldiers of Task Force Volunteer 2nd Battalion 162nd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon National Guard, and their counterparts Task Force Geronimo, 2nd Squadron 108th Cavalry, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Louisiana National Guard, attend a training from an explosive ordnance disposal team March 17, at Camp Adder, Iraq.

The training is in conjunction with the relief-in-place process as the 41st IBCT prepare to redeploy and the 256th IBCT take over the mission.

The Air Force's 407thExpeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron EOD technicians discussed how the vehicles protect the Soldiers from IED blasts.

"The up-armored Cougar MRAP [mine-resistant ambush protected] with the updated armor is absolutely wonderful," said Tech. Sgt. Vincent M. Pagano, EOD operations sergeant. The additional armor surrounding the vehicle adds layers of protection for the Soldiers.

They presented their equipment and explained their role in the improvised explosive device and explosively formed projectile disposal process. They have three ways to identify the explosive device.

"We have a robot system called the Talon, a bomb suit and a truck-mounted device," said Tech Sgt. Pagano. "We ensure the site is safe, take care of the device, make sure no one is hurt and clean the area."

To help EOD to be successful in their job, the Soldiers should cover any damage to the vehicles, stay out of the blast area and not pick up anything that may be related to the explosive device.

They should also mark the area, note the distance from the device to the marked area and what side of the road the device is on. They should continue doing their job of securing the area while the EOD team does their job.

"We take samples and do chemical analyses to tie the device to other events that happen in the area," Pagano said. The collected information goes to the National Ground Intelligence Center. The Center puts the information in a database for future reference.

"The information collected will help everyone get out of here," said Staff Sgt. Bart Matthews, an EOD technician with the 407th.

"IEDs are the biggest threats to keeping our trucks out on the road," said Staff Sgt. Keith Engle, a Portland, Ore. native, and platoon sergeant for C Company 2/162 IN. "This is the most important training we will have out here with our current mission."

• Date Taken: 03.17.2010
• Date Posted: 03.28.2010 14:54
• Story ID: 47349
• Location: CAMP ADDER, IQ