Staff Sgt. Christopher Phelps got down on his hands and knees and carefully looked over an 81mm mortar shell.

Assigned to the 49th Ordnance Battalion and stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky, Phelps was one of 24 Soldiers taking part in a Team Leader Training Academy (TLTA) hosted at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) this week.

The TLTA utilized intense, real-world exercises to help identify and select future team leaders within the explosive ordnance community.

"This training segment is a tough challenge; the scenario is that the shell is next to an Afghan farmer's barn," Maj. Matt Kuhns, operations officer for the 3rd Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) on JBLM, explained. "He has to verify the ordnance, devise a plan, and then lead his team back to build a sandbag barrier around the shell.  And then he has to destroy it without damaging the wall of the barn."

Twenty yards away was a plywood wall that represented the barn wall.  If the protective barrier failed - if Phelps made a mistake - shrapnel from the exploding shell would damage the plywood.

Triggering a small, electrical charge, the mortar shell was destroyed.  There was no damage to the plywood.  Phelps and his team had succeeded.

"The point here is to use intense, real-world training scenarios to help identify potential team leaders," Kuhns continued.

For the first time, JBLM's 3rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD) hosted the 20th Support Command's (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Explosive, or CBRNE) training.

Providing support were Soldiers from JBLM's 555th Engineer Brigade, 4th Stryker Brigade and 110th Chemical Battalion.

Soldiers from around the country took part. They confronted 12 different training exercises centered on responding to events in Afghanistan, Libya and the United States.

"We've learned a lot from Afghanistan; we put this training package together when Libya was in the news, and we are also responsible for working within the country should a threat be discovered," Kuhns explained."We have to be aware of a lot, everywhere."

Farther down the training range, a medium-sized car was identified as being a VBEID, or vehicle borne improvised explosive device. Smoke has been seen coming out of the trunk in a metropolitan area.  Officials were alerted, and EOD Soldiers from JBLM and FBI agents were called to the scene.

"We've got to be able to work in a joint effort with a lot of agencies," Kuhns continued.

Sgt. Daniel Cummings, 63rd Ordnance Battalion, Fort Drum, New York, finished climbing into a bomb suit and headed toward the car.

"He's got to check out the vehicle, place a small explosive in it and destroy it," Capt. Bryan Sand from the 759th Ordnance Battalion in Fort Irwin, Calif., pointed out. "He also has to be able to improvise should the situation call for it." 

Once Cummings returned, a small explosion blew the front door open on the vehicle.

"These Soldiers are super," Lt. Col. Frank Davis, commander, 3rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD) commented. "These young Soldiers have an opportunity to learn critical lessons from the very best in the explosive ordnance community."  

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