Delaware National Guard

153rd Military Police train up for Bosnia deployment By CW2 Dave Skocik It was serious business. The subject was land mines -- how to detect them, mark them, warn others, and most important, how to avoid becoming a statistic in war-torn Bosnia. Two dozen members of the 153rd Military Police Co. of the Delaware National Guard listened intently to briefings by Sgt. 1st Class Deane J. Cressman and Sgt. 1st Class Jerry Vavala, both of the 72nd Troop Command. The soldiers, volunteers scheduled for a 180-day rotation to Bosnia next year, will support the nation's commitment to peacekeeping in that part of the world. Practical training followed classroom instruction as soldiers crawled along pre-marked, one-meter wide lanes probing the ground for inert mines under the watchful eyes of instructors. In the real world, however, mines are placed on roadways, paths, foot and vehicle bottlenecks, checkpoints, near obstacles and buildings, in clearings, rest areas, and under innocent looking "souvenirs" left lying on the ground. All metal, including dog tags and jewelry, must be removed before searching for mines. Constructed of metal, plastic, or composite materials to avoid detection, mines can be detonated by timing devices, magnetism, pressure, shifting soil, or even chemical reaction. Sharpened sticks are used to gently probe no more than an inch or two into the ground at a 30-degree angle. The proper way to hold the stick is palm up with one end of the stick lying loosely over the heel of the hand. This allows critical give if the stick unexpectedly strikes a mine. Because mines come in many sizes from a foot-wide tank buster to a several-inch antipersonnel unit, a two-inch search pattern is necessary. "Watch your angle and pressure," chided Vavala as a student pressed his sharpened stick too firmly into the rocky ground. The cause of his "fatal" misjudgment was frustration with the slowness of the process, which took about 15 minutes to cover a two-foot area. Another important area of instruction was summed up by the old Army maxim "if you didn't drop it, don't pick it up." The point was to resist the temptation to examine interesting looking objects, souvenirs, or even ordinance, all of which could be booby trapped. An instructor related the story of a soldier on a previous deployment who found a smoke grenade. Upon closer examination he discovered a C-4 charge had been added and would have detonated had the grenade been used. A student added a personal story about a fellow Desert Storm veteran from Alabama picked up and examined a small mine hooked to a parachute. He didn't survive the mistake. The next block of instruction involved searches of people and vehicles. The procedure is necessarily meticulous, using not only traditional pat downs but also carefully feeling areas of loose clothing like collars, bloused areas of BDUs and even inside of head gear. Similarly, the proper way to search vehicles for weapons or explosives was covered in practical exercises. Morale among the soldiers was high and all of the training was taken seriously. "Everyone here is a volunteer," said 1st Lt. Bryon K. Pope. The hundred plus soldier unit was approached and asked if they were willing to support the mission. The response was quick with most seeing it as an opportunity for real-world training. Most of those leaving are single but some are married with dependents. "This assignment is part of our duty. The training makes it real. It will become more real as we get closer to deployment," said another soldier who preferred anonymity. Sgt. 1st Class Deane J. Cressman of 72nd Troop Command gives a block of instruction on the position of land mines to the 153rd M.P. Company for their up-coming deployment to Bosnia. (Photo by Spc. James Pernol) 1st Lt. Bryon K. Pope shares information, as Spc. Robert T. Houser, Sgt. Dan C. Moore, and Spc. William J. Krupa listen carefully. (Photo by Spc. James Pernol) Sgt. Stefan P. Talibisco of Elsmere removes Sgt. Maj. Mike L. O’Brien’s soft cap to see if he is hiding anything in his hair. (Photo by Spc. James Pernol) Cpl. Adam G. Coleman of Marydel searches a truck looking for anything out of the ordinary. (Photo by Spc. James Pernol) Sgt. Stefan P. Talibisco pats down Sgt. Maj. Mike L. O’Brien of 72nd Troop Command after contraband has been discovered in his truck. (Photo by Spc. James Pernol) Pfc. Chris C. Grevis pats down Cpl. Adam G. Coleman with Cpl. Ramses M. Branch standing guard. (Photo by Spc. James Pernol) Sgt. 1st Class Patrick M. Rossi of Elkton, MD. navigates his way through a simulated mine field as he probes for mines. (Photos by Spc. James Pernol) Rossi detects a possible Anti-personal mine. Rossi uncovers the Anti-personal mine. Rossi places a marker over the mine to show where it is located. | HOME | BENEFITS | FAMILY SUPPORT | EMPLOYER SUPPORT | HISTORY | RETIRED MEMBERS | WEBMAIL | 2001 Delaware National Guard