GyBill
10-25-2006, 08:44 AM
DEC Teaches Marines Dynamic Breeching Techniques
Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan - Everyone has heard the story of the three little pigs and how the wolf's effort to blow the third pig's house down is thwarted by the strength of solid brick and mortar.
The moral of the story has several interpretations, but Marines in the Dynamic Entry Course would offer their own moral: the wolf should have brought explosives.
The Dynamic Entry Course, which runs on Camp Hansen twice a year, teaches Marines to enter barricaded facilities using explosive devices and simple tools while ensuring minimal damage to targets and using the minimal materials necessary, according to Master Sgt. Carl Holden, the course's chief instructor.
"In a training situation, you will never get closer to explosives than during this course," Holden said.
III Marine Expeditionary Force's Special Operations Training Group, which operates the two-week course for Marines with explosives experience, graduated its most recent class Sept. 26.
The course, which was comprised of combat engineers, SOTG instructors, explosive ordnance disposal and reconnaissance Marines, taught the students several methods of breaching and how to construct various dynamic entry devices.
Holden said students had to keep up with the demands of the fast-paced course, which required them, among other things, to correctly construct charges and calculate two safe distances that correspond to their charge.
One distance tells the Marines how close they can be without cover during detonation, and the other is calculated for explosions detonated behind cover. The distance for detonations utilizing cover is roughly half that of when there is no cover.
"Moving up to the (target) and feeling the concussion (from the explosion) is just a rush to me," said Sgt. Brandon L. Fenstermaker, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. "That's why I love this job."
To ensure safety, Marines used a breacher's blanket - a light Kevlar shield that protects from debris, and instructors looked over devices to ensure they were properly constructed before charges were detonated.
"Constructing the charges is like setting up dominos," Fenstermaker said. "It takes a long time to prepare, and with the push of a button, it's gone in a second."
Along with the explosive devices, Marines also trained to use various tools such as crowbars, sledge hammers and torches to "muscle" their way through doors. With the right tools, even reinforced concrete walls can be breached.
Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan - Everyone has heard the story of the three little pigs and how the wolf's effort to blow the third pig's house down is thwarted by the strength of solid brick and mortar.
The moral of the story has several interpretations, but Marines in the Dynamic Entry Course would offer their own moral: the wolf should have brought explosives.
The Dynamic Entry Course, which runs on Camp Hansen twice a year, teaches Marines to enter barricaded facilities using explosive devices and simple tools while ensuring minimal damage to targets and using the minimal materials necessary, according to Master Sgt. Carl Holden, the course's chief instructor.
"In a training situation, you will never get closer to explosives than during this course," Holden said.
III Marine Expeditionary Force's Special Operations Training Group, which operates the two-week course for Marines with explosives experience, graduated its most recent class Sept. 26.
The course, which was comprised of combat engineers, SOTG instructors, explosive ordnance disposal and reconnaissance Marines, taught the students several methods of breaching and how to construct various dynamic entry devices.
Holden said students had to keep up with the demands of the fast-paced course, which required them, among other things, to correctly construct charges and calculate two safe distances that correspond to their charge.
One distance tells the Marines how close they can be without cover during detonation, and the other is calculated for explosions detonated behind cover. The distance for detonations utilizing cover is roughly half that of when there is no cover.
"Moving up to the (target) and feeling the concussion (from the explosion) is just a rush to me," said Sgt. Brandon L. Fenstermaker, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. "That's why I love this job."
To ensure safety, Marines used a breacher's blanket - a light Kevlar shield that protects from debris, and instructors looked over devices to ensure they were properly constructed before charges were detonated.
"Constructing the charges is like setting up dominos," Fenstermaker said. "It takes a long time to prepare, and with the push of a button, it's gone in a second."
Along with the explosive devices, Marines also trained to use various tools such as crowbars, sledge hammers and torches to "muscle" their way through doors. With the right tools, even reinforced concrete walls can be breached.