Photo By Staff Sgt. Jes Smith | Spc. Kevin R. Casto, a dismount with 1st Platoon, B Company, 40th Engineers Battalion,...... read more read more
Subscribe
TARIN KOT, Afghanistan -- Its early morning and the sun hasn’t yet risen, but that doesn’t stop soldiers from 1st Platoon, B Company, 40th Engineers Battalion, 170th Infantry Brigade, based out of Baumholder, Germany, from conducting rigorous inspections of their equipment in preparation for a very important mission.
These engineers are conducting route clearing missions to find improvised explosive devices which are the number one threat to Afghan and International Security Forces in Afghanistan. It is the task of units like the 40th Engineers to find and dispose of these dangerous devices.
B Company was originally deployed to the Khandahar, area of Afghanistan but was moved North to Multi National Base Tarin Kot in the Uruzgan Province. Their mission is to support Combined Team Uruzgan, which is staffed by members of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, based out of Vilseck, Germany, and members of the Australian Defense Force. Until B Company arrived in Tarin Kot CTU had no engineer assets to conduct route clearance operations.
Sgt 1st Class Jason M. Solomon, the platoon sergeant for 1st Platoon said that the route-clearing missions allow coalition forces as well as local civilian traffic the ability to move freely around Tarin Kot.
“I think it helps the civilians be more open to us if we are allowing them freedom of movement,” said Solomon, a native of Granite City, Ill. “They don’t have to worry about themselves or their children getting hurt from what the Taliban are trying to do.”
1st Platoon also known as the Lead Farmers has a multitude of equipment to help clear the roads. They range from mine resistant vehicles designed to withstand incredibly large blasts to highly sophisticated detection equipment designed to find even the best-hidden IED’s.
However, none of this technology compares to the soldiers on the ground.
“You can see things better from the ground than you can through a big thick windshield," said Solomon.
Staff Sgt. Joseph R. Wagnitz, the squad leader, 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, who is also in charge of the Platoon’s dismounting operations, said that when he was in Iraq they primarily used mounted operations to conduct route clearance; but that in Afghanistan there is more emphasis on getting out of the vehicles and walking the routes.
“They want us to find command wires,” said Wagnitz, a native of Green Bay, Wis. “Command wire” refers to the small copper wire used to detonate IED’s
Walking the routes just doesn’t allow for the detection of command wires but it also allows the Lead Farmers an opportunity to engage the local population.
“50 percent of our find rate is from them,” said Wagnitz. They work really well with us.”
Everyday the sun rises and before that happens soldiers from B Company will have already hit the roads of Tarin Kot to not just look for IED’s but to also interact with the people of the city.
They will find the IED’s and clear a path for Afghanistan.
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2010 11:15 |
| Story ID: | 57537 |
| Location: | TARIN KOWT, AF |
| Web Views: | 293 |
| Downloads: | 19 |
This work, 40th Engineers keep roads safe in Afghanistan, by SSG Jes Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
