Photo By Staff Sgt. Melissa Bright | A member of an Iraqi Federal Police 56th Sustainment Brigade Explosive Ordnance...... read more read more
BAGHDAD - For two weeks, a small group of four federal police EOD technicians with Iraq's 56th Sustainment Brigade have made their way to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal compound on Camp Prosperity, located in the International Zone of Baghdad, from their Headquarters Compound sited in the Red Zone, to work with Soldiers belonging to the 162nd EOD Company out of Fort Riley, Kan.
The comprehensive EOD/Improvised Explosive Device Disposal training program provided by the 162nd included threat analysis, incident management; understanding of IEDs to include their various components, functions and the resulting consequences of each type; robotic vehicle deployment and use; and render-safe procedures while wearing a bomb suit.
For about four hours a day the two groups worked together in a small collection of buildings and vehicles maintained by the 162nd that are surrounded by low walls and palm trees.
The purpose of the compound is to allow freedom of movement with the robot and provide realistic locations for the placement of an IED for the hands-on training portion of the class.
The instruction usually began with a lecture from one of the instructors accompanied by a power-point presentation detailing the information in Arabic and English before teachers and students stepped outside to look at the remains of a simulated explosion or practice with a multi-camera robot.
Staff Sgt. Ricky Warren, a Weapons Intelligence Technician from the 203rd Intelligence Battalion in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md., covers the importance of using basic forensics when on an explosives scene to aid in identifying the device used, how they were made and their composition.
This can include, but is not limited to, properly cordoning off of the area to protect what evidence remains at the scene; monitoring the fire department's use of water to reduce the amount of evidence potentially destroyed or washed away; and acquiring photographic documentation of the scene itself.
Often, information leading to the identification of the perpetrators can be found using the smallest bit of evidence, but, cooperation and proper procedures must be followed.
Warren relayed a true story involving a store owner reporting the discovery of a piece of metal inside a can of tomato sauce in their market one-thousand meters away from the scene of an IED attack.
That piece of metal was from the vehicle that had carried the explosive device and led to the identification of the attacker.
Staff Sgt. Eric Hausseker, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the EOD Company, communicated to the students that they will need to maintain their ability to adapt in response to the creativity of terrorists and stay ahead of the game by researching the new products available for use in the field.
That's not all though, "Really, there are a limited number of ways to render these things [IEDs] safe, but each team and person has their own adaptation. We have a saying that if you ask three EOD guys how to do something you're likely to get six answers back."
The day before their graduation Capt. Jeremy Yancey, the senior EOD advisor at the Headquarters Company for the Federal Police Transition Team, watched as the students participated in several of the scenarios using both hands on identification and the robot and comments on the skills they have displayed.
"The Iraqi's have worked with so little for so long and accomplished amazing things with those limited resources. All we are here to do is add to their toolbox, show them some additional techniques and share our experiences."
Ironically enough, one morning of training the American team awoke to find an unidentified container just inside their doorway.
"We had to secure the area, X-ray the container and dispose of it. To be honest, it was a nice break to be able to use our skills rather than just teach them," said Warren.
Several hours and a couple laughs later, the team determined the object to be an amnesty box that had been dropped off in the wrong location. The experience had turned into a great teaching opportunity; it was proof positive that skills learned today will be put to use in a variety of ways tomorrow.
On graduation day, the cumulative learning accomplished by the students was assessed through a particularly difficult scenario that required them to locate and remove an IED with a secondary trigger device while being observed by Brig. Gen. Faris Abdul Hameed Hatam, their EOD directorate commander.
Everyone took turns working the robot or preparing the render-safe device to ensure all were comfortable functioning as a team. At the end of the event the students, the instructors and Faris stepped outside to review their procedures and discuss any that needed improvement.
Afterwards, Faris thanked Yancey for all the help the U.S. has given to support his section and federal police officers in general.
"Before we had direct contact with the IED, we lost many lives, had many injuries. Now we have training with the greatest Army in the world, better equipment and protective gear. How can we do anything but succeed?"
Iraq's federal police EOD have 200 graduates of this course with an additional 70 slated to run through the training over the next several months. Moreover, they have trained 35 forensic scientists and 12 EOD trainers. This particular group was unique in that it was led by one of the only IFP females to be qualified on EOD.
With the IFP EOD teams placed around Iraq's high population areas, they are tactically prepared to be utilized when and where needed.
Emphasis on the importance and need for their members to maintain this particular skill has led the IFP EOD to institute regular continuing education classes to belay the loss of this highly perishable skill.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2010 15:31 |
| Story ID: | 51799 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 810 |
| Downloads: | 326 |
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