"A critical part of our mission is training the Iraqi security forces in
everything they need to know to replace U.S. forces as far as conducting
counter-IED operations," Lt. Manuel Orozco, detachment commander, said
The course has focused on isolating and neutralizing improvised
explosive devices, including car bombs and mines. The 15th EHT, one of four
such teams in the army, was said to have undergone months of intensive
training to work in Iraq, Middle East Newsline reported.
"The training we went through as a unit certified us to be able to
instruct other units in IED defeat, area clearance, and mine detection
operations," Sgt. James Williams, a technical intelligence analyst with the
15th EHT, said.
The seven-member U.S. team was assigned to help the 130th Engineer
Brigade to track explosives and clear routes. The team was also ordered to
serve as a military training squad for Iraqi combat units.
Officers said a key focus of the Iraqi training would be evidence
collection. They said this would enable Iraqi investigators to identify
bombs and their producers.
"We train the trainers, so the Iraqis can take what they learn from us
back to their own units and teach them how to effectively counter the IED
threat," Orozco said.
