GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - The 702nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, held demolition training here at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, March 26-29.
The intent of the one -week training exercise was to increase the company's deployment and response readiness by emphasizing the importance of demo safety, basic demo techniques and procedures, as well as EOD tool focused training. Throughout the event, the focus remained on getting back to the root of an EOD technician's primary responsibility: safety.
The 702nd's demolition event consisted of realistic, scenario-based, EOD incidents to reaffirm the mission of the explosive ordnance disposal corps; preserving life and property.
Day one covered two very important explosive ordnance disposal tools; the MK2 Mod 1, which is a .50-caliber dearmer and provides EOD technicians the capability to render safe small firing devices and fuses; and a percussion actuated neutralizer, or PAN, used for disrupting improvised explosive devices or suspicious packages. Soldiers set up the tools step-by-step using live .50-caliber cartridges. After the firing of the MK2 Mod 1, Soldiers proceeded to set up various PAN shots on vehicles on the range. Using different slugs and water shots, Soldiers were able to get a better feel for the power and standoff distances used when facing different targets.
Day two began with a basic demo class from Sgt. Adam Mautino, a senior team member of 702nd's team 1-2. Soldiers then proceeded to the range and exercised their knowledge on both electric and non-electric firing systems as well as detonation cord. They utilized knots and whipping which is a method of priming C4.
702nd Soldiers used days three and four to follow up the basic demo by using knowledge of shaped charges, water bottle charges and detonating cord to remotely cut, breech and disrupt their way into suspicious packages and simulate improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.
"This week was a great opportunity to see where all of the new Soldiers were in terms of demo work, and give the experienced members a chance to really train them and enforce safety as well as having a great refresher for all," said Sgt. Dustin Bussard, a senior team member in 702nd's team 1-3.
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