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Final Chapter Engineer 39 January–April 2014 T he 15th Explosive Hazards Team (EHT) is embed- ded within the 130th Engineer Brigade headquarters in Afghanistan, giving it a sphere of that spans the theater. After 5 years of nondoctrinal manning, this is the frst properly manned EHT led by an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) offcer, as described by the Army modifed table of organization and equipment. The team manages and conducts blow-in-place (BIP) training for the theater; synchronizes tactical needs with the Rapid Equip- ping Force (REF) for sourcing solutions; and gathers and coordinates tactics, techniques, and procedures between route clearance battalions. Operating under the theater engineer brigade, it feeds the theater common operational picture for mobility. What was a tactical-level unit when the EHT concept was born in 2008 is now an operational-level plug-in with a theater-wide problem set. Five years ago, doctrine was new and evolving, the team was not manned appropriately, the mission was unknown, and the Iraq combat theater was by the arrival of the frst EHT. EHT capabilities were misunderstood, and the team struggled to fnd validity and relevance in the com- bat theater. The ensuing combat proof of concept did little to improve the situation. In fact, multiple EHTs have been deployed nondoctrinally since. However, the proof of concept resulted in some focused after action review comments to the Engineer Regiment, the U.S. Army Engineer School, and the Center for Army Lessons Learned. Ideally, these com- ments helped improve subsequent deployments and refne- ments of the EHT concept. A look at the EHT today adds validity to this assumption, as it looks very little like its 2008 predecessor. The EHT concept today is the result of a signifcant evo- lution. Doctrine and employment have changed considerably in the past 5 years. Multiple units have deployed as EHTs at different levels within the theater task organization. Some have been manned more appropriately than others. But until now, none have included the requisite EOD personnel. As fate would have it, the current, appropriately manned theater EHT will also be the last deployed to Afghanistan and possibly the last deployed to combat. T he frst appearance of the EHT in doctrine was in Army engineer feld manuals published around 2006 to 2007. As early as 2003, the engineer and ordnance branches had begun formulating plans for the EHT through Final Chapter Explosive Hazards Team: Explosive Hazards Team: EN McDonald.1.indd 42 3/12/2014 1:28:47 PM