A fielding team for the Husky Mounted Detection System, or HMDS, installed new Program of Record ground-penetrating radar panels to vehicles in the Route Reconnaissance and Clearance Course, R2C2, at Fort Leonard Wood.
In addition, this team provided a one-week training course to the Counter Explosive Hazard Center's instructors. These instructors train selected operators in the capabilities and functions of specialized route clearance equipment and add on components for operations in an explosive hazard environment. The HMDS is a counter explosive hazard system that provides standoff detection and marking of landmines, and improvised explosive devices in support of area access route clearance operations.
According to the HMDS Fielding Team Chief, the team's visit to Fort Leonard Wood transitions the HMDS instruction responsibilities to the CEHC instructors for the R2C2 inclusion, while the team continues to install and train other units receiving their program of record HMDS.
The seven-day course is meant to create a greater number of knowledgeable HMDS instructors, fully briefed on operation of the new equipment.
The HMDS Fielding Team Chief said, "The guys we're teaching here, they're going to start teaching Soldiers that come through the R2C2 course, so we're giving them a little bit more than we'd give the average student in terms of troubleshooting."
HMDS Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Sgt. 1st Class Erick Albera, said the fielding of the new system at installations within the U.S. will help increase readiness of deploying units.
Prior to this fielding, Fort Leonard Wood was the only installation where Soldiers could receive training on the HMDS before deploying overseas. "Within the last year, Soldiers would have to come through this course," he said. "They would get a one-week training and they would jump on these systems overseas."
"Now, home station units are getting the equipment fielded so they can use it in field training exercises (at home station)," he added.
(Editor's note: Counter Explosive Hazard Center contributed to this article.)
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