Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization

Moderator's Note

Thread closed as there is new, main thread 'IEDs: the home-made bombs that changed modern war': http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=16303

HASC, 19 Nov 08: JIEDDO: DoD's Fight Against IEDs Today and Tomorrow

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Although JIEDDO spends more than $4 billion annually under these three lines of operation and reports significant progress, this study concludes that it is not clear how well the organization is accomplishing its mission. Our findings include:

♦ JIEDDO is supposed to be the focal point for all Department of Defense actions to defeat IEDs; however, JIEDDO does not actively lead all DOD C-IED efforts.

♦ JIEDDO relies on certain C-IED statistics to justify its claims of success; however, these metrics do not effectively capture or accurately reflect its performance.

♦ One of JIEDDO’s strengths is its large budget and flexible appropriations; however, considering the substantial appropriations JIEDDO receives, additional oversight would serve the mission and the nation well.

♦ The Department quickly turned an ad hoc Army Task Force into today’s multibillion dollar JIEDDO; however, despite the recent decision to institutionalize the organization, questions concerning JIEDDO’s future remain. For instance, some believe JIEDDO’s “laser-like” focus on the IED threat is essential, while others suggest that JIEDDO should expand the scope of its mission to counter other asymmetric threats.

This report examines these and other issues surrounding JIEDDO. The Subcommittee offers findings and recommendations to the Department of Defense as it continues its battle to protect service members from IEDs—the number one combat killer in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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A simulated IED emits a firestorm as experience the concussion and noise of an explosion during Theater Immersion Training.

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This description of the cover photo says it all. Remember the early 70s in BCT when you were hunkered down in a ditch listening to supersonic 700-grain bullets zinging by? What purpose did that remotely serve?

Fact is the blast effect is zilch compared to the debris coming back at you and the stones and sand flying 300 meters at breakneck speed. This situation prepares you for nothing. I see no useful purpose if the trainees are going to a war zone. Well, it does look good for the congressmen :wry:

Case in point: We perform our training in real environments to include Bosnia (VBIED Defeat) and Lebanon (cluster munitions and mine clearance). If our students can’t hack real life, then there’s little reason to continue wondering if your potential teammate will cut the mustard while being shot at.

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Find and Develop a Countermeasure within 12 months.

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A very unrealistic situation: We spent 10 years looking for a single 60 year-old mad bomber placing victim operated IEDs in a residential area. Only our teamwork and forensics would later lead us to him. Perhaps had we had 4 million bucks to play with, we could have put a plain-clothes cop every other square meter and caught him sooner.

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Attacking IED networks is a lot like fighting organized crime and gangs.

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I applaud JIEDDO’s employment of LEOs… They’re on the right track.

In sum, the report places unrealistically expectations in trying to justify funds spent and ground gained against an unconventional enemy. Congress is not prepared to fund a quick, dirty and swift-handed approach against IED makers, but is content in creating powerpoint to woo and aw the public.