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OSTRAVA, Czech Republic — Members of the 18th Engineer Brigade’s Emergency Management Assessment Team participated in NATO days in the Czech Republic Sept. 17 to 19, sharing their capabilities with the local people and other NATO forces here.
Throughout the three-day event, members of the team demonstrated numerous Soldier EMAT tasks, including how to properly don a self contained breathing apparatus and an M40 mask, as well as how to don and operate in a fully-encapsulated suit.
The team also displayed and demonstrated the use of multiple pieces of equipment used to detect and identify the presence of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards.
The event was important not only for the 18th Eng. Bde. team but also for the other forces that participated, said Sgt. Adam Mautino, an explosive ordnance disposal team leader for EMAT and a native of Tulsa, Okla.
“It gave them the chance to meet us, see who we are and know that we’re knowledgeable in what we do,” Sergeant Mautino said.
Sergeant Mautino demonstrated the capabilities of the PackBot to the many Czech people and NATO servicemembers present.
The PackBot is an unmanned tactical mobile robot used by explosive ordnance disposal technicians to assist in remote reconnaissance.
“It all goes hand in hand. Our partnership with the Czech army and other NATO forces is more solid now,” said Staff Sgt. Lonzo Shelley, a senior medic for EMAT and a native of Los Angeles, when asked about the benefits of the event.
NATO days allowed the team to form a stronger partnership with not just the Czech forces but also with Belgian and Austrian military forces, he said.
NATO days in the Czech Republic was the second such event that EMAT participated in this year. The 18th Eng. Bde. team also participated in Czech Ground Forces day in June.
