IED Search

Sgt. John Sheets, Bravo Company, One Five, checking for "improvised explosive devices"Aug. 14, 2009. USMC photo Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

Ringo and Lance Cpl. William Childs at Fortress 93

In the past three months, Cpl. Ringo and Lance Cpl. William Childs have found 10 IEDs on the roads used by One Five. Ringo out ranks Childs? As well he should, after all, does he not lead by the nose?cheeky caption by moi--USMC photo Lance Cpl. John McCall the

story by Cpl. John McCall
is totally and completely by McCall. well, except for the one sentence lead. Which I deleted under the BLOG-law of GetToThePoint Already.

If it wasn’t for Ringo, a lot of our trucks would have hit IEDs,” said Lance Cpl. Leonard Valdez, 21, a radio operator from Santa Ana, Calif. “We have been real lucky having Ringo around.”

Marines with Combined Anti-Armor Team 2, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3, have been given the task of keeping a road known as “Red Dog” free from IEDs.

One group from CAAT 2 occupies an observation post called “Fortress 93.” It is one of many observation posts that make up the picket line along Red Dog. After vehicle convoys ran into trouble with IEDs being planted earlier this year, CAAT teams were fielded to address the issue.

“The picket line was put in place so we could stop IEDs from being planted on Red Dog,” said Lance Cpl. Dan Guider, 22, an infantry assaultman from Woodbury, Minn. “Since it was set up, there haven’t been any IEDs.”

When the Marines moved into their current positions, Ringo came with them. Along with his handler, Lance Cpl. William Childs, Ringo sniffs out explosive materials that have been placed by enemy insurgents along main roads used by 1/5.

Marines with CAAT 2 provide security for vehicle convoys that resupply 1/5’s forward operating positions, but sweeping for mines and IEDs is a daily occurrence for Ringo and the Marines.

Within the past three months Ringo has sniffed out 10 IEDs. His most recent find, Sept. 20, included five separate IEDs. It was during a re-supply convoy. CAAT 2 Marines were sweeping a road using Ringo and uncovered the first two IEDs.

“After Ringo found the first two in the road, a sweep team was sent out and they found three more,” said Childs, 21, who hails from Santa Cruz, Calif. “If Ringo had missed the first two, we would have just kept going. He saved some lives that day.”

Ringo and Childs have been a team for 10 months now. Childs was originally an assaultman but became a dog handler after completing a five week course.

“They taught us all about how to use them (the dogs) to conduct sweeps,” Childs said. “We learned how to take care of the dogs, do things like treat battle wounds and ways to keep them healthy in this environment.”

1/5’s Weapons Company only has two dogs and dog handlers at different locations, so Ringo and Childs are constantly working. Whenever a patrol goes out from Fortress 93 or a resupply convoy needs a nearby road swept for bombs, Ringo and Childs are there.

He does his best to train Ringo as often as possible but doesn’t want to wear the dog out, Childs explained. Ringo is the only dog for the CAAT teams with 1/5, so both Childs and his dog are on almost every patrol and convoy.

Childs and Ringo continue to maintain their constant work flow, providing 1/5 with a valuable skill that saves lives and defeats the enemy’s attempts to injure Marines.

“I love being a dog handler,” he said. “It is a lot of work but it is all worth it when you know that you’re making a difference.”

Mines and IED's FB Fiddlers Green

NCO's from Three Eleven, Cpl. Juventino Meza, left, sweep for mines or IED's as Cpl. Armando Rivas follows along in Helmand province, Afghanistan photo USMC Sgt. Christopher R. Rye

Radio Check-Thumb Check

Cpl. Joshua King, a scout observer with 2ndANGELICO, checks his radio after they survived an IED explosion that rolled his vehicle in Helmand province Aug. 18, 2009.photo Sgt. Christopher R. Rye

Work Place Accident Observed by Gunships

Apache gunships with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, TF Pegasus, observe a construction work place accident during the installation of an Improvised Explosive Device in southern Afghanistan.

Bravo 4th LAR, Two More Items for Your Checklist

Bravo 4th LAR will saddle up the war pigs in the fall for Afghanistan. Until then, your reserve meetings will be a maelstrom of activity in preparation for your date of departure. Your checklist is chock full of NCO must get done items. Everything from shots to power of attorney, access to bank accounts to:Questions. Millions of Questions. One that never failed to amaze me was the girl friend question as next of kin. No. A girl friend is NOT repeat NOT next of kin. You want her to be notified Marry Her. End of Questions. Ok.

Right. Here's two more. One is A.L.L. Afghan Lessons Learned. Everything you wanted to know about IED's. Check it out.

The other is Michael Yon's report on Enemy TTP and after Action Review. Vital Intell. The enemy you about to face has the experience of a WWII gunny just back from island hopping in the Pacific and much more as this area has been practicing war tactics since Alexander the Great passed through.

You are not going up against the Iraqi it's too hot to fight team. This is not empty your clip against the infidels and run away bunch. Nope. This is the A-team. Drove the Russkis out and intend to do the same to you. A recent news story had a Marine expressing his surprise opinion that not only will these guys stand and do the toe to toe with you they will pin you down and maneuver around to kick you in the ass. Shocking. The fact that we are the cutting edge of innovation and still the word can not filter down to the tip of the spear is an endless source of wonderment does not surprise me. In October 1965, I recall my DI words of intell: "you'll be going up against bows and arrows and punji sticks smeared with shit."

This bunch will maneuver on you. Michael Yon report on Enemy TTP will show you how. Pass it on. Read it and read it-- until it becomes part of your DNA. Make it your quest.