KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- The 8th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight conducted routine vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detection training at Kunsan Air Base, May 27-28.
This training simulates scenarios seen in contingency locations where a vehicle rigged with explosives is driven to entry control points with the intent to cause damage and harm to people and property.
"Our vehicle-related training is very in-depth due to the number of ways a vehicle can be used as a weapon," said Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 8th CES EOD team member. "A vehicle has multiple power sources and the ability to carry a large number of explosives, so there is a high risk and high damage probability."
EOD has a variety of IED detection methods. During this training scenario, they used a remotely controlled robot to open the vehicle’s doors to determine what kind of explosives were in the vehicle.
"The most challenging aspect of this process is locating and determining how the circuits work in the car," explained Patterson. "There are so many components in a car, so you have to find what doesn’t look right and figure out how to render it safe."
After identifying the explosives using the robot, an EOD team member donned a bomb suit to investigate how the explosives were connected to the vehicle. EOD personnel also trained on long-range reconnaissance using range finders to determine distance and if the vehicle had any distinguishing marks at larger distances, said Staff Sgt. Jameson Baehler, 8th CES EOD team leader.
After deeming the vehicle was ‘safe’, the vehicle was relocated to EOD’s demolition range to properly dispose of the vehicle.
The demolition range portion of the training focused on removing all IED components and unexploded ordnance from the vehicle. This process has been used to render safe VBIEDs quickly and safely.
EOD’s continuous training in various scenarios helps ensure they are mission ready and prepare to keep the Wolf Pack safe.