Monday, January 9, 2012

New ANA Counter-IED Team demonstrates skills

From MoD:

A Military Operations news article



An Afghan National Army soldier from the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Team demonstrates his IED detection skills [Picture: Sergeant Steve Blake RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]


9 Jan 12

The Afghan National Army's (ANA's) newly-formed Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Team recently demonstrated their proficiency in front of the ANA's 3/215 Brigade Commander, General Sherin Shah, and Task Force Helmand Commander, Brigadier Patrick Sanders.


The demonstration was also watched by the Commanding Officers of the UK's Engineering Group and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Task Force who have been mentoring the Afghan team.

The ANA's C-IED Team has been built up from bare foundations in just a few years.

There are now highly-trained C-IED operators and instruction in C-IED awareness for Afghan warriors during their initial training.

In recognition of how far they have come in such a short time, members of the ANA were presented with ISAF certificates of commendation by General Sherin Shah.

Captain Nathan Blencowe, Royal Engineers, is the British officer mentoring the ANA C-IED Team. He said:

"Having successfully completed months of technical Explosive Ordnance Disposal [EOD] training at the Engineering School in Mazar-e Sharif, northern Afghanistan, the bravest and most competent soldiers are assigned to the most challenging and busiest area of operations, namely Helmand province....


Read the rest here.

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