The U.S. Army reported Thursday that it has teamed up with Canada’s army to teach strategies on handling improvised explosive devices and mines to a platoon of the Mongolian armed forces at the multinational peacekeeping exercise Khaan Quest 2016.Cpl. Janessa Pon, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, writes the training helped the MAF prepare for a future United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan where minefield threats are common.
“We’re equipping the MAF with the skills necessary to counter improvised explosive devices and stay safe while executing peacekeeping missions,” said Army Sgt. Andy Hicks, 388th Clearance Company, 841st Engineer Battalion explosive ordnance disposal technician.
Army noted participants took classes and executed practical applications of the training that included several scenarios including mine identification, location marking of mines or unexploded ordnance and mine probing using issued gear.
MAF hosted the Khaan Quest and was co-sponsored by the U.S. Pacific Command and supported by U.S. Army Pacific and MARFORPAC, the report said.
