Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Volume 5 Issue 1 The Journal of Mine Action Article 17

April 2001

The U.S. Army's Countermine Training Support Center and Humanitarian Demining Training Center

Joseph M. Donahue Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation

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Recommended Citation Donahue, Joseph M. (2001) "The U.S. Army's Countermine Training Support Center and Humanitarian Demining Training Center," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 5 : Iss. 1 , Article 17. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol5/iss1/17

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Donahue: The U.S. Army's Countermine Training Support Center and Humanitarian Demining Training Center

Asia & the Pacific CTSC & HDTC

The U.S. Army's Countermine Training Support action community will be much better for specific mine action services. equipped to interact and cooperate in RONCO was tasked by DoS to the field. " Collaboration between provide HDTC with rwo experienced Center and Humanitarian Demining Training Center military and NGO mine action mine action technicians ro serve as organizations is essential to resolving instructors. During the author's In response to fo rmer Presid ent Clinton's Landmine policy directives, th e U.S. Army rhe global landmine contamination attendance at HDTC, a large portion problem with greater efficiency and of the technical instruction was Engineeri ng School fo rmed the Cou ntermine Training Support Center and th e speed. This collaboration should begin provided by these RONCO Humanitarian Demining Training Center at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. at rhe training institutions within these instructors: "Bart" Bartholomew, a communities. former Special Forces soldier, and Clarke George, a former Navy EOD government personnel deploying to By Joseph M. Donahue, Survey primary center for humanitarian mine Staffing technician. They have conducted mine affected countries. The training Action Center, VVAF action knowledge and skills. The rwo humanitarian demining operations in may be received either at Fort Leonard centers share facili ties and a joint CTSC/HDTC has an expen­ Bosnia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kuwait and Wood or through an MTT. Background mission statement and provide enced and diverse staff consisting of Nicaragua. Participation in the suppor t to U.S. governmen tal eight civilian (including rwo RONCO HDTC program is an important parr )emining he U.S. D epartment of agencies, international organizations, contractors) and three foreign military of the larger RONCO contribution to Defense (DoD) possesses a and other institutions involved in personnel. Two periodically seconded the broad range of U.S. government The Humanitarian Demining T mine action resource whose counrermine operations and humani­ by USAES to support CTSC, while mine action actiVIties. O perations O rientation Course is a existence is nor widely known in the tarian demining. Recently, H DTC SO/LIC funds the HDTC school and two-week program of instruction humanitarian demining commu nity. hosted the author as rhe first member personnel. HDTC sraffis drawn from rraining aimed at preparing U .S. Army Special In May 1996, the U.S. Army Engi­ of an NGO to attend training there. the special operations, explosive ord­ Operations Forces (SOF) to train neer School (USAES) at Fort Leonard I came to attend HDTC because nance disposal (EOD), combat engi­ CTSC/H DTC provides several foreign military and government Wood, Mo., established the Counter­ of continuing efforrs by members of neering and commercial communities. different mine action courses. T hese civilia n personnel ro implem ent mine Training Su pport Center demining programs." It further ex­ the NGO and U.S. m ilitary com­ The three foreign military exchange courses are targeted ar different national mine action programs. These (CTSC). In September of that year, plains that the "government program munities aimed at creating more personnel, Maj. Griffin and Warrant audiences, and may be taught either SOF personnel travel to numerous rhe Office of the Assistant Secretary is to train the trainers, including opportunities for positive interaction Officers Esrall and Clegg, are from rhe at Fort Leonard Wood or by Mobile countries to train their hosts how to of Defense fo r Special Operations and equipping rhe host nations to sustain and mutual support. The HDTC basic United Kingdom, New Zealand and Training Team (MTT). set up and conduct demining Low Intensity Confli ct (SOIL! C) es­ their own demining programs. The demining course is tailored for each Australia, respectively. These instruc­ operations. The humanitarian tablished the Humanitarian Demin­ U.S. Department of Stare [DoS] and mil itary ream attending the course to tors have extensive experience con­ ountermine Course demining training team consists of ing Training Center (HDTC) at Fort the Defense Department coordinate ensu re that the team has the ducting humanitarian demining and several SOF elements: Special Forces Leonard Wood, Mo. Both were cre­ rhe funding and priorities to meet the knowledge it needs to conduct a related operations in countries that CTSC conducts a two-day personnel conduct the train-the­ ated in direct response to the Presiden­ demining needs of each individual successful "train-the-trainer" program include Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambo­ coun term ine sustain ment-trammg trainer portion for host nation de­ tial Land mine Policy Directive of May nation." in the host country that includes dia, Estonia, Kosovo, Mozambique, course for U.S. military engineer units miners, Civil Affairs personnel 1996. This document directs "lrhe] CTSC is a countermine training knowledge of the NGOs working in Swaziland and the Solomon Islands. preparing ro d eploy overseas. T his conduct mine action center training Department of Defense to ... signifi­ and information center, and although that country. Richard Kidd, program training may be provided at Fort and Psychological Operations cantly expand its human itarian d iscussed in rh is article, ir is not the manager for SAC, said, "By initiating RONCO Leonard Wood or through an MTT personnel conduct mine awareness demining program to train and assist focus. The p rimary subject of this collaborative efforts in the classroom, ar the unit point of origin. CTSC training. EOD personnel from all U.S. other countries in developing effective p iece is HDTC, the U.S. military's members of various sectors in the mine RONCO Consulting Cor­ maintains up-to-dare information military services are also included if poration is an international services regarding counrermine training, rhe mission requires their participa­ firm that provides advisory, training, doctrine and mine awareness. This tion. HDTC conducts an average of CTSC/HDTC Mission Statement implementation and man agement course focuses o n mil itary units and two courses each month and has assistance to private and public sector personnel. trained more than 850 student trainers clients. RONCO is the only U.S. firm since inception. Countries that have "The mission of CTSC/HDTC is to serve as training and information centers concern ing rhar has developed and uses "free vtme Awareness Training benefited from rhe program include countermine and demining operations, demolitions, UXO and mine awareness, and running" explosive detecting dogs Armenia and Azerbaijan (Beecroft booby traps. The centers research the latest lessons learned, tactics, techniques and (EDD). In August 1999, RONCO Mine awa reness training is Initiative-see page 113), Bosnia, procedures, and the use of mines by the United States and foreign countries. The was awarded a humanitarian demining integrated into both rhe CTSC and Cambodia, Chad, Djibomi, Ecuador, centers incorporate acquired information into current lessons and provide innovat ive contract by rhe DoS. DoS's Office of HDTC programs of instruction. Estonia, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, and realistic mine training tailored to a unit's needs. The centers also develop training Humanitarian Demining Programs However, chis training may also be Mauritania, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and training aids in support of countermine and demining operations/training." (Bureau of Political-Military Affairs) provided as a stand-alone course and Oman, Peru, Thailand, Yemen and d irects RONCO through task orders is available to all U.S. military and Zimbabwe.

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. Asia & the Pacific . CTSC & HDTC

Practical Exercises means of maintaining quality control over our efforts." The Beecroft Initiative Several practical exercises (PE) are To speed the pace of reducing the techniques. To dare, approximately one audience of special operators may not conducted during the course, and rraining Products landmine th reat that endangers quarter of the world's humanitarian have previous mine action experience, students are tested daily by written popu lations in Armenia, Azerbaijan deminers have been trained under this HDT C faculty provide broad examination and/or evaluated PE. CTSC/HDTC is recognized for and Georgia, and to strengthen program o r ar rhe U.S. Army's background regarding policies, These exercises follow a similar production of high quality mine confidence and security in the southern Humanitarian Demining Training standards, area of operation and the progression to char of real world mine action training aids. The centers Caucasus, the DoS implemented the Center at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. sectoral distinctions between the action operations. The students are develop training products to support • Joe Donahue using a Guartel MD-8 "Beecroft Initiative," an innovative The Government of Georgia humanitarian, military and com­ tasked to work thro u gh a mine mine awareness, counrerm ine and mine detector in the Fort Leonard Wood training lanes. C/o Joe Donahue multilateral program. Under this hosted this innovative training mercial mine action communities. contamination problem from initial demining activities. Among these initiative, U.S. military personnel program at the Gori military base near Among the blocks of instruction taught survey through completion, with training aids are sets of mine conducted simultaneous humanitarian Tbilisi, Georgia. Georgia, Armenia and are: everything from mine field accidents information cards for Bosnia, Korea, demining uaining of select groups of Azerbaijan each contributed 20 sold iers to media visits in between. The mine Rwanda, Mozambique, Eritrea, (paramed ic) skills for TMAC medics. Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani and civilians (for a total of 60 students) • Global Landmine Situation action PE focuses on a specific mined Ethiopia, Angola, and Central and General, technical and clearance area in the notional country of "Fort South America. Each card has a picture survey operations were also taught, as soldiers and civilians at a military base to be educated regarding modern • U.S. Demining Policy Leonard Wood" following a protracted of a landmine on one side and were UXO identification and in Georgia. They caught their fellow humanitarian demining techniques by • International Demining insurgency and is woven into the app licable technical data o n the demolition. sold iers up-to-date humanitarian 70 U.S. Army demining experts. The Organizations (Military, United curriculum throughout the course. reverse. CTSC/HDTC has also The two Navy personnel demining skills, allowing those trained 70 U.S. soldiers were primarily Special Nations and NGOs) According to Col. Barry Shapiro, chief developed three-dimensional mine attending the course were preparing to serve as force multipliers by Forces operators ("Green Berets") from • International Mine Action of Joint U.S. Military Advisory boards. Each set of boards is a country, fo r a deployment to Yemen. Their returning home to train others. Robert the I Orh Special Forces Group. T he Standards (Under development by Group-Thailand (JUSMAG-THAI), with individual boards showing several commanding officer said, "U.S. Navy M. Beecroft devised this initiative while U.S. contingent also taught the the United Nations Mine Action "The Humanitarian Demining landmines found there. In addition, EOD technicians support U.S. he served as Principal Deputy Assistant conduct of informacion campaigns for Service (UNMAS) Operations Orientation Course has CTSC/HDTC staff assembles demin­ Humanitarian Demining Operations Secretary in the Bureau of Political­ supporr of mine awareness education. • National Mine Action Org. been a key element in the United ing toolboxes that include demining (HDO) worldwide. Following HDTC Military Affairs at the DoS, proponent The HDTC program is logically • Survey, Levels 1-3 State's efforts in development of the han d-rools, inert landmines and mine training, these technicians are normal­ of the Office of Humanitarian structured to cover all mine action • Manual Demining Equipment and T hai Mine Action Center [TMAC]. boards. T hese toolboxes are provided ly assigned as team members of larger D emining Programs. subject areas, from "digging in the Clearance Techniques (Equipment, T he course has ensured that the U.S. to Special Forces teams deploying to SOF contingents sent ro conduct The DoD O ffice of the Assistant weeds" to national policy. HDTC planning and execution, and Special Forces instructors and advisors conduct train-the- trainer missions. HDO in such places as Yemen, Secretary of Defense for Special standard practice is to teach methods demolitions (including live-fire) are providing the appropriate Finally, CT SC/HDTC produces inert Thailand, Vietnam and Bosnia. Navy Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict and techniques in accordance with the • Program Management knowledge and expertise ro the Thai training mines for recognition and EOD technicians focus upon training­ (SOLIC - Peacekeeping and Human­ U.N.-administered International Mine • Explosive Detecting Dogs program. Humanitarian demining famil iarization training. the-trainer, and work with other itarian Affairs) is charged with Action Standards (IMAS). Blocks of • Mine Awareness assistance is an important part of our military forces and NGOs to meet the overseeing the U.S . military's "train­ instruction are rotated among faculty • Mechanical Clearance engagement program with Thailand, he lmplementers demining needs of a given country. the-trainer" program. Under this members based upon areas of expertise • Accident Investigation and the course has provided a valuable The experience ofHDTC has signifi ­ program, Special Forces personnel train and experience. Students are • Country-specific Brief I attended the HDT C course cantly increased the sensitivity of U.S. foreign deminers at overseas sires in en couraged to provide input and • Public Affairs with an Operational Detachment Navy EOD operators to rhe unique modern humanitarian demining comment. Because the primary target Alpha (ODA or "A-Team") from 2"d needs of humanitarian operations, and Battalion, I" Special Forces Group specifically, the teamwork required Special operator (Airborne), as well as Navy EOD tech­ among host nation, foreign military working in a trai ning nicians. Based at Fort Lewis, Wash., andNGOs to train and educate local that o f a preceding ream, where David D. Baker was recently the first more fo rmal safety training program lane during a 1" Group's area of operation is Asia forces to create a safe environment." applicable. One of 1" Gro up's FBI employee to attend the for irs personnel." Practical Exercise at and the Pacific Rim. The members of Numerous SOF personnel have detachments recently began another Humanitarian Demining Operations SA Baker said that although the HDTC. this "A-Team" have international conducted humanitarian mine action deployment with TMAC. Orientation Course. Asked why the FBI does n ot conduct demining experience in countries that include rotations since the program began FBI perceives a need to send agents to operations, the HDTC course "was Thailand, Korea and Madagascar. The more rhan four years ago. These ederal Agencies HDT C , he said, "International very beneficial, as it p rovided the FBI ream worked with TMAC for nearly deployments rypically last for three o perational commitmen ts ro w ith train ing on the threat of three months from O ctober through months and are part of a "building HDTC courses are open to nor investigate and coll ect evidence o n landmines, m ine field recognition and D ecember 2000. block" approach to mine action only military servicemen and women, terro rism-related attacks against emergency action drills if a mine field Training provided to T MAC training and capacity building. In bur to members offederal agencies and Americans have significantly increased is accidentally entered." Now the FBI included primary first aid for all other words, a deploying ream will other organizations. Federal Bureau of in areas of the world chat have mine will be better able to coordinate with personnel and ad vanced m edica build irs program of instruction upon I nvestigation (FBI) Special Agent problems. The FBI saw a need for a military, internatio nal and N GOs in https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol5/iss1/17 • 104. • 105 • 2 Donahue: The U.S. Army's Countermine Training Support Center and Humanitarian Demining Training Center

Asia & the Padfic CTSC & HDTC

evidence collection and grave Forces trained at HDTC leave with a the detachment technician who prepare selected members of the driving forces behind the creation ontact Information exhumations near mined areas. Safely clear understanding of the Land mine actended the same HDTC course as conventional units to advise of CTSC/HDTC. neutralizing landmines around mass Impact Survey process they are likely the author. The "Team Tech" demon­ commanders regarding unit mine He emphasizes the continuing Dr. Steve Grzyb graves, without destroying evidence, to encounter in the field. These same mated clear familiarity with Land­ awareness training. DoD commitment to the humanitar­ U.S. Army Engineer School is an important consideration for teams visit most countries undergoing mine Impact Survey procedures. This Similarly, through a participatory ian mine action community: "Hu­ CTSC/HDTC ATSE DOT CM national and international law survey. New Zealand exchange understanding is facil itating the work presence in the "schoolhouse," mine manitarian demining is clearly an Department of Instruction enforcement agencies involved in the Warrant Officer Fred Esrall, an of the NGOs involved in the Thai action NGOs will develop a clear evolving mission area. It is a viral piece 320 Engineer Loop, STE 370 investigation and prosecution of war Engineer officer, and HDTC civilian Survey, TMAC and the U.S. govern­ understanding of U.S. military of the Army's contribution to the Na­ Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473- crimes and crimes against humanity. instructor David Cornell, a retired ment in Thailand. capabilities and objectives in their tional Security Strategy. The Counter­ 8926 SA Baker, a certified bomb technician U.S. Army EOD technician, attended The potential for other U.S. shared arena. HDTC Director Steve mine Training Support Center and Tel: (573) 563-6199 and FBI Los Angeles' Weapons of the course and provided valuable military humanitarian demining Grzyb, and other DoD and DoS Humanitarian Demining Training E-mail: [email protected] Mass Destruction (WMD) Coordina­ input. reams to positively influence national officials have expressed interest and Center are tremendous venues for Website: www.wood.army.mil.crsc tor, says that he will now develop a HDTC reciprocated for the and international authorities and support for this concept, a nd equipping our soldiers with the ski lls mine awareness and safety course for invitation to the Survey Training humanitarian implementers regarding discussions are under way between and knowledge that they will need to Joe Donahue FBI employees based upon the Symposium by inviting SAC to send Landmine Impact Surveys indicates HDTC and SAC as to how this might sa fely and successfully deploy into an Survey Action Center (SAC), WAF instruction he received at HDTC. staff members to rhe two-week HDTC that a SAC presence during HDTC be accomplished. Two of the major in creasingly complex international 200 I S Street NW, Suire 3 I 0 international demining NGOs have environment. In order to succeed in Washington, DC 20009 "I have witnessed the mine clearance handiwork of a number of foreign stared that the idea is one rhey would the humanitarian demining arena, it Tel: (202) 483-9222 support. is critical rhar the Army work in close Fax: (202) 483-66 I 0 military personnel trained by U.S. forces that were, in turn, trained at HDTC, Lt. Gen. Robert Flowers, former concert with other [DoD] agencies E-mail: [email protected] and based upon these experiences, I can attest to the exceptional quality, commanding general of USAES and and [NGOs] in order to share experi­ Website:www.landminesurvey.org rhe current commanding general, U.S. ences and exchange information." • rigor and discipline of the HDTC program of instruction." - Pat F. Patierno Army Corps of Engineers, is one of All photos courtesy ofthe author.

NGOs course. The author was able to anend classes would be beneficial. SAC and in July and August 2000. HDTC are discussing the feasibility In the inreresr of expanding the While there, he provided a fou r­ of creating a formal visiting insrrucwr understanding of other organizations hour block of instruction regarding program. regarding Landmine Impact Survey, Landmine Impact Survey and mine NOTES FROM UNITED NATIONS MINE ACTION SERVICE Vietnam Veterans of America action in Thailand and Yemen, as he he Future: Expanding Clvil- Foundation's (WAF) Survey Action had participated in SAC missions ro 11ilitary Cooperation in Mine continued from page 100 Center (SAC) invited HDTC to send those countries and was able to share ction Training two instructors to the first-ever Survey extensive na rio nal mine action involved in ad vocacy efforts, and descriptions and budget requirements Training Symposium in August 1999. background with the students. T he H DTC is planning several develops publications such as for all U.N. mine-action programs and The intent of this invitation was Special Forces ream attending the initiatives for the near future. A five­ Landmines magazine, and other public projects, be rhey implemented by to ensure that Special Operations course was preparing for their day humanitarian demining orienta­ information items. UNDP, UNICEF, or any other U.N. deployment w work with TMAC in tion course for international officers agency o r program. UNMAS also Thailand, and the two U.S. Navy is under development. In addition, a R L. 1b·.,. confers on an ongoing basis with the EOD technicians were preparing for train-the-trainer course is planned that The vast majority of U.N. mine­ donor community to discuss priorities a mission w Yemen. Incidenrally, these will prepare selected members of action activities are funded from and gaps in funding. voluntary donor contributions, so two divers would be among the initial conventional units to advise com­ on ream to inspect the USS Cole manders regarding unit mine aware­ resource mobilization is instrumental to the success of U.N. mine-action United Nations Mine Action Service following the terrorist attack in ness training. A new multi-million endeavours. As U.N. focal point, 304 East 45'h Street, Room FF-357 Ocwber 2000. T he benefits of this dollar CTSC/HDTC training facility UN MAS coordinates resource mobili­ New York, NY 10017, USA joint NGO/mili rary training would was completed in October 2000. The zation for the U.N. system and Tel: (212) 963.1875 become apparent several months later facility includes state-of-the-art manages the Voluntary Trust Fund fo r Fax: (212) 963.2498 in Thailand. classrooms, a booby-trap house Assistance in Mine Action. Each year E-mail: [email protected] The new, multi-million dollar aSCI While visiting the SAC and representing va rying environments a consolidated "Portfolio of Mine­ Website: http:/ /www.un.org/Deprs/ HDTC training facility at Fort Leonard to dpko/mine/ Wood, Mo. Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) Survey and d evices, and mine lanes and related Projects" is also prepared in Thailand in December 2000, ranges. Instruction will begin in outline funding needs, including brief Richard Kidd was able to interact with February 2001 in the new faci li ty. will

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