HMEAC, 12-14 November 2012

This level of HME course was intended for non-EOD qualified personnel who may come across this hazard when carrying out various duties primarily in enemy environment. The course attendees were taught to recognize individual precursors that are often used in the HME manufacturing process, as well as the final HME products. Great emphasis was also placed on recognition of various manufacturing equipment and clandestine HME laboratories. Last but not least, initiation of proper emergency procedures (marking, reporting, C-IED drills) constituted another important part of the course curriculum. Besides EOD COE SMEs the chemistry-related topics were (and will also continue to be) lectured by experts from the University of Pardubice, Faculty of Chemical Technology (Czech Republic). Ammunition Testing Centre (ATC) in Nováky provided excellent premises and knowledgeable SMEs as part of the Host Nation Support. Based on the request from NATO and PfP nations, this basic-level course will be delivered again in 2013 by means of 3 iterations.

The HMEAC (in 2013 the HMEC-A: HomeMade Explosives Course - Awareness) constitutes very important part of pre-deployment education and training which is of absolute necessity not only for the EOD operators, EOD team leaders/commanders and EOD staff officers, but also for the troops operating "at the front lines". These soldiers - security forces, special forces, combat/logistic patrols, military engineers/searchers, etc. - are most frequently the first individuals/units who encounter this kind of threat when operating "outside the wire". Therefore, members of armed forces who are not EOD/IEDD qualified will remain the principal target audience of the HMEAC (HMEC-A) in 2013.