FORT DRUM, N.Y. (May 12, 2016) -- Senior leaders assigned to 210th Brigade Support Battalion "Providers," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, conducted a Claymore mine range May 10 on Fort Drum.
The exercise was designed as a train-the-trainer event that bolstered the confidence and knowledge of the weapon systems capabilities among those responsible for teaching the battalion's Soldiers.
"What we'll do is take this (information) back to our formations and teach our subordinate leaders so we can have subject-matter experts throughout our ranks," said Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Whyte, 210th BSB senior enlisted adviser.
Those selected to prepare, emplace and detonate the mines had attended a Leaders Professional Development held April 29, hosted by explosive experts assigned to the 41st Brigade Engineer Battalion who discussed the ordnance's specifications and employment tactics.
First Lt. Leighona Powell, personnel officer, described the LPD as an essential step in safely executing any live-fire range.
"Initially it was a PowerPoint instruction, in which we went over the basics of what a Claymore mine is, maximum effective ranges, and what the practical uses for the device are," Powell said.
"It helped us today because we had the hands-on experience," she continued. "So when we set up the live ammunitions, we knew what was required from us and how to do it, so we were not fumbling (around) when we were actually emplacing it."
Claymores are anti-personnel mines, employable in nearly all environments, and they are primarily used to enhance perimeter security and deny enemy personal freedom of maneuver -- all things vital to protecting a brigade support area and the supplies within.
"With the 210th BSB, we would emplace Claymore mines as part of our perimeter defense, which would be supported by one of our gun positions," Whyte said. "However, we wouldn't necessarily use it unless the BSA is potentially being overrun or a small squad or team is close enough to that particular sector where we would need to defend that area."
Whyte explained that the Army is going back to a linear warfighting concept that prepares units to fight a peer-to-peer battle and win. He said that training on enhanced protective tactics will give his unit the advantage it will need to protect personnel and equipment essential to the success of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team's mission.
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2nd BCT, 10th Mountain Division
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