Explosive training of WAT subjects

– The patients are undergoing 2 trainings. The first concerns working with explosives and is to prepare soldiers for safe use. The second, in the case of WAT, takes place 1 year after the first, is already an teacher training. At that time, the students learn how to train their future soldiers from engineering units as commanders,” explains the officer (we do not uncover the names due to the nature of the service), a lecturer in the engineering cycle at the Centre for Training of Engineering and Chemical Forces.

An detonation in respective ways

At the beginning of training for military students there was a large dose of theoretical knowledge, completed with an exam. After it came the time for the first classes, in which soldiers learn, among others, how to make a fuse and 3 types of networks that initiate the charge: fire, electrical and non-electric. At first, they work with exercise loads, but ultimately, they will besides execute real detonations utilizing real explosives. “The Podchorzyżes are tasked with installing an explosive device and detonating, e.g. to destruct bridge bays or any another component of infrastructure”, explains Major Krzysztof Heltman, lecturer in the engineering cycle at the Centre for Training Engineering and Chemical Forces. He adds: – Of course, we do not usage real bridges for specified training, but certain parts of them.

While performing the task, a soldier must usage his knowledge, but besides his ability to number quickly. The military uses respective basic types of cargo: 75 g drill cartridges, 200, 400 and 1000 g TNT cubes, and 8 kg cylinder loads to blow up massive engineering facilities, concrete, reinforced concrete or steel structures. "The cognition of the principles of the usage of cargo and, of course, safety is not everything. The trained sapper must be able to execute appropriate calculations to find how many grams of TNT is needed to accomplish the desired effect before deciding which burden to usage and what method to initiate the detonator. This cognition is acquired by students at university. In our case, they test it in practice – explains Major Heltman.

Destroy and build

Use of explosives is 1 of the most crucial skills in engineering troops. It is not only about eliminating undesirable objects – e.g. the enemy's infrastructure or own to hold the activities of enemy troops. Explosives are besides utilized for the construction of engineering components specified as trenches or tranches. “In real warfare there will not always be time and anticipation to build trenches utilizing e.g. excavator. That's erstwhile you usage explosives. Detonation is being carried out to make the ground ejected and a appropriate depth appears. In the winter, with hard-frozen ground, it is softened in this way besides – explains Major Heltman.

Each of the stages of the training ends with a test which subjects must pass to complete training at the Wrocław Centre. However, WAT students do not complain about requirements. It's very valuable knowledge. In the future, I would like to service in engineering troops, so I am happy with this course. Its subject is besides interesting – emphasizes elder Corporal Dawid Kurczyński.

Classes in Wrocław will last until the end of September.