LCpl Bartrum & Grant Undertake EOD Training
Lance Corporal Co-shae Bartrum and Lance Corporal Ashley Grant will “become the first women in the battalion to join a team of soldiers trained in the detection of explosives,” the RBR said.
A spokesperson said, “Lance Corporal Co-shae Bartrum and Lance Corporal Ashley Grant are developing skills in Barbados as part of the US Southern Command-sponsored Exercise Tradewinds 2024. They are joined there by Acting Warrant Officer Class 2 Runekco Edwards, who is delivering explosive ordnance disposal training alongside counterparts from French, US and Mexican forces.”
Lance Corporal Co-shae Bartrum
LCpl Bartum, from Sandys, explained, “We’re part of the EOD search team, so they’re teaching us what to look for, how to spot things that are out of the ordinary. We also learned the different components of an IED.”
Acting Sergeant Major Edwards, 41, from Paget, added: “They covered the disruptor – that’s how to destroy ordnance; and also the different types of switches: time, command and victim.”
The spokesperson said, “Explosives in the first category are set off by a timer; command IEDs are operated by the bomber from a distance; and victim-operated IEDs are designed to explode when activated by the victim, for example via a trip wire. The students also tried on heavy protective clothing known as a bomb suit.”
Lance Corporal Ashley Grant take part in EOD training at Exercise Tradewinds 2024.
LCpl Grant, from St George’s and a member of staff at the Grotto Bay Beach Resort, said she and LCpl Bartrum put themselves forward for the training. The 33-year-old added, “I try everything once – it’s either I like it, or I don’t. That’s the way that I learn and progress.” LCpl Grant highlighted that she does not take for granted the opportunities provided by the regiment. “I’m very appreciative of being selected,” she said.
LCpl Bartrum, who is an animal grooming assistant in civilian life, said part of the reason she wanted to join the course was her interest in the work it involved. She added, “It’s a challenge, and also shows other females ‘you can do it too’. Because we are the first two females to do it, it gives others a bit more encouragement.”
From left, Lance Corporal Co-shae Bartrum, Lance Corporal Ashley Grant and Acting Warrant Officer Class 2 Runekco Edwards represent the Royal Bermuda Regiment at Exercise Tradewinds 2024.
The spokesperson said, “Students on the EOD course include members of units based in Barbados, The Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, and Mexico. They will learn how to effectively use devices that can assist in searches for explosives, and strengthen their skills in teamwork and communication.
“The ongoing Tradewinds 2024 is a two-week, Caribbean-focused, multi-dimensional exercise that covers ground, sea, air and cyber domains. It allows forces and other agencies to carry out joint training focused on increasing regional cooperation to counter cross-border organised crime and to perform humanitarian or disaster relief operations.”
LCpl Grant highlighted how the RBR’s participation put Bermuda “on the map”. She added, “Out of all the countries that are here, we’re another flag on the pole. “It doesn’t matter how small you are, you can still have a big impact.”
The serious part of me says well done Lance Corporal Co-shae Bartrum and Lance Corporal Ashley Grant.
The not so serious part of me says that we will now be better prepared for the next bomb threat to L.F. Wade International Airport.
Hmmm. Are bomb threats the responsibility of the BPS or the Regiment? The best way to handle bogus email threats delivered from foreign IP addresses is to block such emails using a variety of simple techniques in the first place.
In common with many third world jurisdictions, in Bermuda it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the functions of the Bermuda Police Service and the functions of the Royal Bermuda Regiment.
Where the coast guard is concerned, it is impossible to distinguish between the functions of the Bermuda Police Service and the Royal Bermuda Regiment.
The Regiment gets called out when the Big Guy needs to impose his will on the population with curfews, roadblocks, and illegal ID checks. All the things the BPS would like to do so I see your point. Kudos. I can hardly wait for the next pandemic crisis – Bird Flu.