Sgt. John W. Springs stands atop a Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance Vehicle, called "Bonecrusher," at a forward operating base near the district of Delaram, Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Jan. 19. Springs is a combat engineer with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion.
Vehicles like the Buffalo are an integral part of the Route Clearance Platoon attached to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. SPMAGTF-A's mission is to conduct counterinsurgency operations, with a focus on training and mentoring the Afghan national police. SPMAGTF-A supports the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to provide security and services to the Afghan people. Photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
Story by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
Date: 02.26.2009
FARAH PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – He sat and pondered the question, “What is the best part of your job?”
Displaying a big grin he responded, “knowing that we’ve ruined the enemies’ plans as they’re observing.”
Sgt. Mario L. Spencer, a combat engineer with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion and the vehicle commander of “Bonecrusher,” a Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance Vehicle, was satisfied with his answer.
On Route 515, a once-notorious, unpaved, barren road riddled with improvised explosive devices, a team of U.S. Marine Corps engineers led by Spencer routinely put their patience to the test while clearing the roadway of enemy threats.
Bonecrusher is part of the Route Clearance Platoon attached to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan, operating in the southern region of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
As a six-wheeled, blast-resistant armored machine, Bonecrusher uses a 30-foot remote controlled robotic arm tipped with pitchfork-like fingers and a camera to inspect and remove explosive threats. The vehicle is designed for clearing routes of IEDs, land mines and other explosive hazards.
Additionally, the Buffalo is resistant to rocket propelled grenades, hand grenades and small arms fire attacks. Without Bonecrusher, engineers would risk excavating their explosive finds by hand.
“It saves a lot of lives,” Spencer and his team said of the Buffalo.
Route 515 is a main thoroughfare for local Afghans, as well as a military supply route, that runs approximately 43 kilometers between the district centers of Delaram and Bakwa. It stretches through villages surrounded by farmland patterned in the shape of what Spencer calls “waffle cones.” The terrain naturally creates numerous narrow passageways, which insurgents use to orchestrate ambushes.
“It used to be the most feared route,” said Spencer.
Clearing the route makes the area safer for local travel, increasing commerce in the area and creating an efficient path of travel for Marine convoys. It also provides vehicle traffic a smoother path vice traveling across the area’s rugged farmland.
“Sitting still and moving methodically slow,” is how Spencer described his route clearance duties. “It’s a job only for the patient.”
The Marines have to be constantly aware of enemy threats on and off the road. Roads laced with IEDs, small arms fire, RPGs and complex attacks combined with the threat of indirect fire all pose threats to their mission.
“You’re always being watched out here, and they can watch from anywhere,” Spencer claimed.
The insurgents have been known to use inexpensive homemade explosives and military-grade explosives taken from mortars and other munitions. The team collectively keeps a cool head about the threat of IEDs, having had previous experience in Iraq.
Along Route 515, Marines with 3/8 have established combat outposts to keep a watchful eye on the surrounding area in which they operate. Elders from surrounding villages have approached the Marines and told them most of the villages in the area had been abandoned by the families to escape insurgent activity.
Spencer says it’s easy to tell which villages have been abandoned. During daylight hours, if no one comes out to wave and say hello to the convoy as it passes, it’s likely empty.
“Once the combat outposts were [constructed], locals noticed we had a permanent presence, and they started [informing us about insurgents operating in the area],” said Spencer.
Some Afghans tell the Marines where IEDs are placed and wish for them to be careful.
“They see we were trying to better their way of life by [defending] the road so they don’t have to go around,” said Spencer. “Now they can actually go across the street to see their neighbors without getting [hurt].”
The Afghan national police patrol alongside the Marines to assist in providing security in the area. Currently, plans are underway to pave the road. Upon completion, responsibility for security will be handed over to the ANP, with the Marines in support.
Since arriving in Afghanistan in August 2008, Route Clearance Platoon has been hit by a few IEDs, but it has successfully found and disabled nearly two dozen.
“Due to our persistence in clearing Route 515, the road is no longer as much of a threat,” Spencer said.
An abandoned village lies near Route 515 in the district of Delaram,
Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Jan. 19. Elders from
surrounding villages told Marines that most of the villages in the area
had been abandoned by families fleeing insurgent activity. Combat
engineers with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion use the Buffalo Mine
Protected Clearance Vehicle, affectionately named "Bonecrusher," to
clear the roads of improvised explosive devices, making the area safe
for the local population. Vehicles like Bonecrusher are an integral
part of the Route Clearance Platoon attached to Weapons Company, 3rd
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element
of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan.
SPMAGTF-A's mission is to conduct counterinsurgency operations and
train and mentor the Afghan national police and Afghan national army.
U.S. Marines are in Afghanistan to reinforce success and sustain the
momentum of the ongoing progress by alliance forces. Photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
Sgt. Mario L. Spencer sits atop a Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance
Vehicle, affectionately named "Bonecrusher," on Camp Barber, Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan, Feb. 6. Spencer is a combat engineer with 2nd
Combat Engineer Battalion and the vehicle commander of Bonecrusher.
Spencer's team is part of the Route Clearance Platoon attached to
Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the
ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force -
Afghanistan, operating in the southern region of Afghanistan.
SPMAGTF-A's mission is to conduct counterinsurgency operations, with a
focus on training and mentoring the Afghan national police. SPMAGTF-A
supports the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its
efforts to provide security and services to the Afghan people. Photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
Sgt. John W. Springs stands atop a Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance
Vehicle, called "Bonecrusher," at a forward operating base near the
district of Delaram, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Jan. 19. Springs
is a combat engineer with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion. Vehicles like
the Buffalo are an integral part of the Route Clearance Platoon
attached to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment
(Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air
Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. SPMAGTF-A's mission is to conduct
counterinsurgency operations, with a focus on training and mentoring
the Afghan national police. SPMAGTF-A supports the government of the
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to provide security and
services to the Afghan people. Photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
Three Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance Vehicles await their next
mission while staged on Camp Barber, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
Feb. 6. Combat engineers with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion operate the
Buffalos, which are an integral part of the Route Clearance Platoon
attached to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment
(Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air
Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. SPMAGTF-A's mission is to conduct
counterinsurgency operations, with a focus on training and mentoring
the Afghan national police. SPMAGTF-A supports the government of the
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to provide security and
services to the Afghan people. Photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
Sgt. John W. Springs stands atop a Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance
Vehicle, called "Bonecrusher," at a forward operating base near the
district of Delaram, Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
Jan. 19. Springs is a combat engineer with 2nd Combat Engineer
Battalion. Vehicles like the Buffalo are an integral part of the Route
Clearance Platoon attached to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th
Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special
Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. SPMAGTF-A's mission
is to conduct counterinsurgency operations, with a focus on training
and mentoring the Afghan national police. SPMAGTF-A supports the
government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to
provide security and services to the Afghan people.
Photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
Sgt. John W. Springs stands atop Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance
Vehicle, called "Bonecrusher," at a forward operating base near the
district of Delaram, Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
Jan. 19. Springs is a combat engineer with 2nd Combat Engineer
Battalion. Vehicles like the Buffalo are an integral part of the Route
Clearance Platoon attached to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th
Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special
Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. SPMAGTF-A's mission
is to conduct counterinsurgency operations, with a focus on training
and mentoring the Afghan national police. SPMAGTF-A supports the
government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to
provide security and services to the Afghan people. Photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
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