An Iraqi Army engineer navigates a Talon robot through a makeshift improvised explosive device training course at Combat Outpost Al Kindi, Mosul, Iraq, Dec. 30, 2008. Photo by Pfc. Adam Blazak, 11th Public Affairs Detachment.

Coming across an IED isn’t a rarity here, and defeating these weapons is no easy task.  However, significant strides are being made.

Simply put, “It’s intense every time,” said Loveland, Colo. native, Staff Sgt. Jeron Pilger, training cadre, 59th Mobility Augmentation Co., 84th Engineer Bn., 18th Engineer Bde . Although specialty trained Soldiers can go and examine a suspected IED, it is always preferred that a robot go first.

The engineering company currently uses two robotic technologies to visually interrogate suspected vehicle-borne and roadside IEDs. In essence, they use the robot before sending out a Soldier, Pilger said.

With this lifesaving technology, the engineer company realized the importance of sharing the knowledge, so they teamed up with their Iraqi counterparts for an afternoon of robotics training.

Pilger was part of the team of engineers who helped implement the robotics training program for an engineer regiment in the 2nd Iraqi Army Division.

Conducted at Combat Outpost Al Kindi, the training focused on improving the Soldier’s agility and basic care and maintenance of the robots, plus a hands-on portion, Pilger said.

“We made it as realistic as possible,” said Brooklyn, N.Y. native Sgt. Marvin Blaise, lead instructor of the training, 59th Mobility Augmentation Co., 84th Engineer Bn., 18th Engineer Bde.

During the practical training exercises, IA Soldiers maneuvered the robots throughout a makeshift training explosive course in order to interrogate suspected IEDs from a safe distance.

One of the Soldiers participating in the training, Pvt. Salem Hamo, Eng. Regt 2nd IA Div. said that in the past “Soldiers would pick up the IEDs by hand, but using the robots makes the job safer.”

“We did the training to make them better,” Blaise said. “This was just one step closer to making that happen.”