Leaders visit Task Force Currahee, discuss C-IED operations

Written by U.S. Army Sgt. Christina Sinders
Task Force Currahee Public Affairs

Paktika Province, Afghanistan – The director of the Joint IED (improvised explosive device) Defeat Organization, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael D. Barbero, visited Task Force Currahee, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division to discuss counter-IED methods, techniques and equipment April 26th, at Forward Operating Base Sharana, Afghanistan.

Along with U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Todd M. Burnett, the senior enlisted advisor for JIEDDO, Barbero received an operations and information brief on programs designed to combat IEDs including those TF Currahee’s started when they began their deployment in August 2010.

The explosive ordnance disposal company attached to TF Currahee is training an Afghan National Army EOD team and disposed of more than 15 IEDs along several routes in the province.

In addition the ANA Route Clearance Company is training with TF Currahee’s route clearance packages. They learned to use equipment similar to what International Security Assistance Forces and coalition forces use to sweep the roads and routes in the province for IEDs, as well as how to safely dispose of IEDs.

After the brief, Barbero and Burnett went to the EOD lane where the ANA EOD team leader and his team were training with their TF Currahee EOD partners.

“This mission you and your soldiers are training for is critical for the safety of both the people of this province and for the (Afghan National Security Forces) to be able to manuever to protect the people,” said Barbero to the ANA EOD team leader. “We have found that it takes two things for an EOD team to be effective. First, they need good soldiers on the ground with the skills and the ability to notice when something doesn’t look right. And second, to have strong leadership to push the soldiers in their training so that while they are doing this dangerous, yet necessary mission, they can do so safely and effectively.”

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Darrin Ricketts, the deputy commander for TF Currahee and native of Springfield, Ohio, said it was an honor to host Barbero and discuss what is and isn’t working in the counter-IED fight.

“Lt. Gen. Barbero and his JIEDDO team are working non-stop to mitigate the effects of IEDs and keep our Soldiers safer on the battlefield,” he said.