EODRay
Active member
Initial Success or Total Failure
That's the motto of EOD. It's on our T-shirts, bumper stickers and coffee cups. It doesn't always hold true, but it's the mindset that we go into every incident with. In Nov or 2004, I got away with a mistake that should have cost me my life. Yesterday a friend did not.
His name was Bos Mohamed. He was a local national in his 30's with a wife and kids. The Civil Mine Reduction Group (CMRG) is a fairly new program here in Afghanistan. They are the ones designated to take EOD's place when we are gone. At our location, we have 8 individuals that make up our CMRG.
We were responsible for getting them setup, equipped and trained to start taking care of the IED's. We got them housing (tent in our compound, badges, bedding), equipment (AK-47's, HMMWV's, flak vests, uniforms, tools, rope, bang sticks, jammers mine detectors, etc) and training (ran them on IED lanes, sweeping techniques, disruption, etc).
Throughout this process, we became quite close to these individuals. After all, we were their lifeline for anything that they needed. From boots to belts to backpacks, much of the things they got came from us personally. A lot of things that they needed just weren't provided any other way and we didn't want them to not have it. These men have proven themselves dependable and courageous.
Yesterday the team flew into an area that needed to be cleared because it is going to be one of the polling sites for the elections on the 5 April (election day). We sent 4 CMRG guys with the ANP (police) to clear one hilltop while we cleared another. They had cleared two IED's already and estimated that there were around 20 on that hill. On the third IED, Bos Mohamed war right on top of the small IED (about 10 lbs of explosives) doing something when it went off. It blew him about 40 feet. He was initially coherent as first aid was started but died before the medevac bird arrived.
When we were back at base, the Jordanian SF that is partnered with us, prepared the body according to Muslim tradition. They had just finished the service in the Mosque and were loading the body back into vehicle to take him to cold storage when someone grabbed me and an 18X (medic) and said we need you two at the motor pool. The only info they had was that there was an explosion in a vest and 5 guys got fragged. I grabbed my body armor and backpack and they drove us down there.
When I hear that a vest exploded, I think suicide vest. That was not the case. A unit was clearing out their trucks upon returning from a mission. Someone tossed out a flak vest and when it hit the ground, something went off. Apparently one of the Soldiers had picked up a 40mm grenade that hadn't gone off while they were out on mission. When the item was jarred from the impact, it fragged 5 Soldiers. The injuries were not too severe and the should all make a full recovery.
This is unfortunately too common of an incident. Soldiers don't understand fuze functioning of these items and don't realize how sensitive some of them can be when they are dud fired.
My Team Member escorted the body to Kabul (Where Bos Mohamed's family lives) today. Also, we are giving the CMRG some time off to deal with their loss and get their heads right again. For me, that means that I am going solo again (only EOD tech) for this 5 day mission over the elections. It is in the exact same valley that the incident occurred yesterday……so I'm sure I'll be busy. The rest of the IED's are still waiting for me.
The good news is that this should be my last mission. When I get back it will be time to pack up and start the re-deployment process……….hopefully for the last time.
On top of it all, last week I tore my meniscus in my right knee. An orthopedic surgeon looked at it and said that I needed to go back to Bagram Air Field to get an MRI and then probably fly home for surgery from there. I told him that I was about to leave and that I would just wait till then. The deal was that I wouldn't go out on any more missions though. Well, this mission just went from 6 EOD personnel to 1. If I don't go, they won't have any……and I can't let that happen. So if you're of faith, I would appreciate a few prayers for the next 5 days.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings again and I'll give an update when I get back.
Ray
That's the motto of EOD. It's on our T-shirts, bumper stickers and coffee cups. It doesn't always hold true, but it's the mindset that we go into every incident with. In Nov or 2004, I got away with a mistake that should have cost me my life. Yesterday a friend did not.
His name was Bos Mohamed. He was a local national in his 30's with a wife and kids. The Civil Mine Reduction Group (CMRG) is a fairly new program here in Afghanistan. They are the ones designated to take EOD's place when we are gone. At our location, we have 8 individuals that make up our CMRG.
We were responsible for getting them setup, equipped and trained to start taking care of the IED's. We got them housing (tent in our compound, badges, bedding), equipment (AK-47's, HMMWV's, flak vests, uniforms, tools, rope, bang sticks, jammers mine detectors, etc) and training (ran them on IED lanes, sweeping techniques, disruption, etc).
Throughout this process, we became quite close to these individuals. After all, we were their lifeline for anything that they needed. From boots to belts to backpacks, much of the things they got came from us personally. A lot of things that they needed just weren't provided any other way and we didn't want them to not have it. These men have proven themselves dependable and courageous.
Yesterday the team flew into an area that needed to be cleared because it is going to be one of the polling sites for the elections on the 5 April (election day). We sent 4 CMRG guys with the ANP (police) to clear one hilltop while we cleared another. They had cleared two IED's already and estimated that there were around 20 on that hill. On the third IED, Bos Mohamed war right on top of the small IED (about 10 lbs of explosives) doing something when it went off. It blew him about 40 feet. He was initially coherent as first aid was started but died before the medevac bird arrived.
When we were back at base, the Jordanian SF that is partnered with us, prepared the body according to Muslim tradition. They had just finished the service in the Mosque and were loading the body back into vehicle to take him to cold storage when someone grabbed me and an 18X (medic) and said we need you two at the motor pool. The only info they had was that there was an explosion in a vest and 5 guys got fragged. I grabbed my body armor and backpack and they drove us down there.
When I hear that a vest exploded, I think suicide vest. That was not the case. A unit was clearing out their trucks upon returning from a mission. Someone tossed out a flak vest and when it hit the ground, something went off. Apparently one of the Soldiers had picked up a 40mm grenade that hadn't gone off while they were out on mission. When the item was jarred from the impact, it fragged 5 Soldiers. The injuries were not too severe and the should all make a full recovery.
This is unfortunately too common of an incident. Soldiers don't understand fuze functioning of these items and don't realize how sensitive some of them can be when they are dud fired.
My Team Member escorted the body to Kabul (Where Bos Mohamed's family lives) today. Also, we are giving the CMRG some time off to deal with their loss and get their heads right again. For me, that means that I am going solo again (only EOD tech) for this 5 day mission over the elections. It is in the exact same valley that the incident occurred yesterday……so I'm sure I'll be busy. The rest of the IED's are still waiting for me.
The good news is that this should be my last mission. When I get back it will be time to pack up and start the re-deployment process……….hopefully for the last time.
On top of it all, last week I tore my meniscus in my right knee. An orthopedic surgeon looked at it and said that I needed to go back to Bagram Air Field to get an MRI and then probably fly home for surgery from there. I told him that I was about to leave and that I would just wait till then. The deal was that I wouldn't go out on any more missions though. Well, this mission just went from 6 EOD personnel to 1. If I don't go, they won't have any……and I can't let that happen. So if you're of faith, I would appreciate a few prayers for the next 5 days.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings again and I'll give an update when I get back.
Ray
