The team of C-IED specialists from the operations and intelligence branches of the headquarters had the opportunity to provide 25 personnel familiarization on basic C-IED, mine awareness and search techniques.
Preparing the Force, one component of NATO’s C-IED approach to defeating the IED system, includes C-IED skills that every member of the military should know and be able to utilize. The course participants were provided with the opportunity to practice a number of these skills.
Event organizers said that considering the recent history of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the fact none of the students had received any instruction in countering IEDs or dealing with landmines was both a surprise and a challenge as the team had to go "back to the basics” in order to ensure the course objectives were met.
Despite the high temperatures and the need to work through an interpreter the level of interest and energy demonstrated by the soldiers was summed up by First Lieutenant Slavisa Sobot.
"A lot of knowledge was presented here with lots of experience, the training should be five days instead of three so we could improve our skills even more,” Sobot said.
In addition to the basics of C-IED, the participants were also given the opportunity to see how these skills fit into the other pillars of the C-IED system; Defeat the Device and Attack the Network.
"Keen and professional, the soldiers of 6 Brigade Reconnaissance Company are now a little better prepared to undertake their tasks, and the members of the JFC Naples MTT are a little more practiced for the opportunity to pass on our knowledge and experience," said MTT Team Leader, Lieutenant Colonel Chip Madic
Story by Allied Joint Force Command Naples Training and Exercise Branch