'Iron Claw Academy'

Photo By Spc. William Hatton | Sgt. Adolfo Fontanez, an engineer from 130th Engineer Battalion who hails from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, sets up the lights on a Buffalo for a night mission. The Buffalo is a vehicle used during route clearing missions performed by Iron Claw Soldiers.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

12.27.2006

Story by Spc. William Hatton 

7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

By Pfc. William Hatton
7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – More than 400 Soldiers have been through the 'Iron Claw Academy,' a course developed to aid Soldiers in defeating the battle against improvised explosive devices and explosively formed projectiles.

"'Iron Claw' is the term associated with Soldiers who go out on missions searching for IEDs and EFPs," said Sgt. 1st Class Pablo Rivera-Lopez, a course instructor from Puerto Rico with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Battalion, attached to 1169th Engineer Group, 1st Cavalry Division. This course teaches Iron Claw Soldiers what to do when searching for IEDs and EFPs, he added.

The course, primarily geared toward combat engineers, teaches tactics used to better know and find dangerous devices, know what to do when attacked and what tools can be used to a Soldier's advantage, Rivera-Lopez said. Though initially established for engineers, the course is available to any military occupational specialty, Rivera-Lopez added.

The first class to graduate was in November 2005. Since then more than 400 Soldiers have graduated from the course, including 131 Iraqi troops, according to Maj. Edwin Cruz, 130th Eng. Bn., and a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Soldiers from the 5th Engineer Bn., 1st Eng. Brigade, established the course more than a year ago, Cruz noted.

Tactics play an important part of the instruction, Rivera-Lopez said. He said the class is important because it allows troops to gain a better perspective of what is going on.

"I thought the class was going to be redundant with information I've already heard a dozen times, but the things taught in class were actually very valuable," said Sgt. Vance Zemke, a San Francisco with Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division who attended the course.

• Date Taken: 12.27.2006
• Date Posted: 12.27.2006 10:54
• Story ID: 8683
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ