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| (Oct. 10, 2003) -- Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) members and Polish Army soldiers conduct a safe disposal area (SDA) site survey. The SDA will eventually be used to destroy unexploded ordnance found in the Al Hillah area. The Navy EOD team, in conjunction with the Polish army, is in the area to provide Improvised Explosive Device (IED) response. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Phil Beaufort. (RELEASED) |
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Navy EOD Team, Polish Security Operate in Iraq
Story Number: NNS031107-26
Release Date: 11/9/2003 9:01:00 AM
By Lt. Cmdr. Lisa Brackenbury, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/ Commander, 5th Fleet AL HILLAH, Iraq (NNS) -- For Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Task Force 56 personnel stationed in Al Hillah, Iraq, life is pretty surreal.
Working alongside Polish Army soldiers and living in an abandoned palace overlooking the Euphrates and the Babylon ruins has definitely been a unique experience thus far for these San Diego-based Sailors.
Deployed to Iraq since early August, the team was originally stationed for more than two months north of Baghdad at Camp Anaconda in the city of Balad within the dangerous Sunni Triangle. Working with combined Army-Navy EOD teams, their missions included searching for weapons caches, destroying unexploded ordnance (UXO), and disarming Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in the continuing effort to restore peace and stability in the area. There, the team rendered safe multiple IEDs, and were themselves hit by an IED while traveling in a Humvee convoy. Fortunately, no one was killed or seriously injured.
After their stint in Balad, the highly mobile team moved more than 250 tons of gear and equipment via helicopter and convoy 55 miles south of Baghdad to Al Hillah and Camp Babylon. Designed to protect the historic Babylon ruins next to the Euphrates river from looters, the camp is home to a number of coalition countries supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, including Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, all under the command of the Multinational Defense force Southeast, or MND(SE).
“MND(SE) asked us to come down here to Al Hillah to provide IED response,” said Lt. Jeremy Thompson, EOD team leader. “Although we’re technically in the rebuilding phase of OIF [Operation Iraqi Freedom], Iraqi civilians and property, as well as coalition troops in the region are still threatened by IEDs and other small arms attacks from insurgent groups, even down here in Al Hillah. We’re here to lower and hopefully eliminate that threat by finding and disarming IEDs, as well as destroying any unexploded ordnance we find.”
Insurgent groups are using unexploded ordnance (UXO) – found in numerous weapons caches throughout Iraq – to make the IEDs.
“Find and destroy the UXO, and sources of IED materials disappear,” Thompson added.
The team has particularly enjoyed working with the Polish Army forces, whose assignment includes providing perimeter security for the Navy EOD team whenever they leave Camp Babylon on a mission.
“The Polish forces are providing valuable security for our Navy guys,” said Lt. Cmdr. Marty Anderson Jr., EOD coordinator for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, 5th Fleet. “They’re a small team, so when they have to leave Camp Babylon to conduct a site survey, or more importantly, to respond to an IED call, it’s beneficial to have a capable, experienced security team for force protection.”
Despite significant language barriers – just two of the Polish soldiers speak fluent English and none of the Sailors speak Polish – the teams bonded incredibly well in just a few weeks. The teams also overcame a few technological challenges, such as their use of different kinds of radios. Thanks to intensive bilateral training in convoy and general security tactics, emergency procedures and communication signals, these Polish and American service members now operate as a single integrated and coordinated team.
“Even though they had never worked with EOD teams before, the Polish learned quickly,” Thompson said. “They really put a lot of trust in us, and we put a lot in them. We’re grateful for the job they’re doing. Having to disarm IEDs is one thing, but having to do it in a hostile environment is another. I trust them completely.”
“The Polish are really phenomenal,” said Mess Management Specialist 1st Class (EOD/SS) Edward Blanton, EOD team technician and collateral duty intel officer. “I feel just as safe with them as I do my other guys. I’m just hoping the Polish-English dictionaries we asked for arrive soon.
For related news, visit the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/ Commander, 5th Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cusnc. |
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