MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- A Marine motor transport convoy carrying armaments, medical supplies and other mission essential provisions rumbles through the rugged terrain in some remote location in the mountains of Afghanistan.
The convoy maneuvers through the rocky terrain moving at a speed of 40 miles per hour.
Fully armed and vigilant, all Marines in the vehicles keep their eyes on their surroundings, knowing a momentary lapse in judgment or complacency can forfeit all their lives.
At a distance, hidden behind some rubble and overgrown greenery, lies a Taliban insurgent waiting to see if the convoy will fall victim to the improvised explosive device he concealed at the side of the road.
To his disappointment, he looks on as the convoy screeches to a halt 40 meters from where he placed his IED and watches them slowly fall back away from the danger area.
Whether in a convoy or on foot patrol, nearly all service members in today’s military are familiar with a similar story like the scenario presented above.
Sometimes the story ended well and sometimes it didn’t.
According to Icasualties.org, an organization who receives their numbers based on monthly reports from the Department of Defense, so far this year 300 coalition service members have lost their lives to IEDs in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In an effort to deter the numbers of service members falling victim to roadside bombs and IEDs, military personnel conduct regular training on how to recognize and identify IEDs.
Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 Marines participated in an IED training course at the north side dump here as part of exercise Thunder Horse June 23.
The IED training course was conducted by Sgt. Ryan Wilhite, an MWSS-171 explosive ordnance disposal assistant team leader.
“If the Marine learns this, whether he’s a lance corporal or a captain, he’s going to have this knowledge retained,” said Wilhite. “The younger Marines, as they pick up rank and leadership positions, can pass this information on to others.”
Wilhite said learning the information covered during the IED course can potentially save the Marines’ lives if they ever find themselves in combat.
During the training, the participating Marines learned the components used to create IEDs, how they work and where they might be placed to kill them.
Whilhite said the insurgents are clever in how they create and employ their IEDs.
IEDs have been hidden between the pages of a book and the leaves of a magazine.
While many of the IEDs are made from materials insurgents might have at home, some are made from discarded materials left behind by other service members, which can be set off to explode at a distance by a signal or trigger device.
“Be vigilant and keep your eyeballs moving,” said Whilhite. “Look for things that are out of place and recognize the things that are in place. Look for what’s out of place because that’s typically where your IEDs are.”
The IED course the Marines participated in included a motor transport course and a foot patrol during which they had to identify various threats.
If an alarm sounded, the Marines knew they drove in the wrong place or stepped on the wrong spot.
Pfc. Cody Winskey, an MWSS-171 motor transportation operator, took part in the training and had only one thing in mind as he and his team maneuvered through the IED course.
“Don’t kill everybody (is what I was thinking),” said Winskey. “I couldn’t live with myself if I had to lead two trucks of Marines and got them all killed because I didn’t see one little thing.”
One of the threats the Marines faced during the IED course was nearly invisible having the thickness of a fishing wire.
Winskey said all Marines should do the training, and if they are ever confronted with the threat, it is equally important for them to realize something as small as a fishing wire can set off an explosion.