JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Soldiers from the 555th Engineer Brigade showcased their engineer operations and systems skills to counterparts from a delegation of the Indian Army Feb. 19.
During the visit the Indian Army officials discussed and compared route-clearing procedures and received other engineer training classes.
"We showed them tactical on the ground aid, combined arms breaching, just to show them what capabilities we bring to the fight, so they can learn from us and take it back to their country as well," said 1st Lt. Aditya Iyer, with 555th Engineer Brigade, I Corps, liaison officer during the event.
During conversations with the delegation, Iyer learned that the most complicated threat the Indian Army faces is improvised explosive devices.
"They want to know how other countries who have encountered IED's through Iraq and Afghanistan, are trying to fight it and what we've learned throughout our years of counter IED fights," Iyer said.
To show what U.S. Soldiers use to counter IED, the engineers used the mine clearing line charge (MICLIC) and hand-held mine detectors in a live fire range simulated minefield.
The Soldiers carefully aimed the MICLIC system at the minefield. They then took to their humvees for cover.
Suddenly, a loud boom shook the ground as the MICLIC fired projecting a rocket over the range during the simulation. Attached to the rocket was a rope that would normally have C4 connected to it. In a real event this would have detonated on the minefield to clear a path.
"It'll blow off and pretty much clear whatever it is to help us maneuver through the area we're going through," said Sgt. Kevin Barrera, an engineer with the 570th Sapper Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade.
The Soldiers followed with hand-held mine detectors as they slowly crossed the field searching for unexploded ordnance.
"We're clearing whatever the MICLIC wasn't able to take care of, trying to find what is deep buried," Barrera added.
Throughout the visit, the delegation observed some differences in their procedures. They asked questions regarding the MICLIC and other counter IED training and compared their tactics with that of the engineers.
"They noticed a lot of similarities, we have more mounted capabilities then they have," Iyer said. "They conduct the same operations but mostly dismounted."
The Soldiers performed all tasks as though it were a real-life scenario to give the delegation good mine clearing procedures.
"The Indian Army officials truly believe this was a fruitful event," Iyer said. He said they are going to take back and send recommendations hopefully to continue these kinds of training exercises and implement the procedures learned.
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