What can be done about IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices)?

Soldiers are trained to follow orders without question, so there is no thinking involved.

According to statistics, there are far fewer soldiers in actual combat than in those in support roles.

I wanted to join the infantry just because I thought that I would have an advantage because I am tall and had some school yard fights… but because of these IED’s I applied last night to be a cook or steward in the Canadian military. My Grandpa was a combat engineer in world war II and maybe I should go into that profession, seeing I hate land mines… and would like to rid the world of them.

@YARNLADY not true, soldiers are trained to follow orders yes, but at least in the US army they are also trained to think, soldiers are at their best when they are told what to do but not how to do it.

@talljasperman yes soldiers do worry about IEDs and any other threat they are facing.

My son served in the U. S. Navy.

@WestRiverrat Good point. I suspect they are taught how to recognize danger, and avoid it whenever possible.

The news we read and hear is about the ones who are injured, not about the thousands who are not.

Since IEDs are so easy to make, there really is no way to prevent them. So long as there is charcoal, manure, and sulfur springs, there will be gunpowder, even if it’s not as good as modern cellulose-based powder. Accordingly, detection is the key. Work on detecting them more reliably, avoiding obvious traps, and you’ll be golden.

As for it affecting recruitment, most who enlist know they can get injured/maimed/killed in a variety of other ways, so IEDs are not really a deterrent.

@YARNLADY When it comes to following orders, there is usually enough leeway to allow for thinking; you are often given a desired result and left to your own devices on how exactly to achieve them.

To put another view on your question, why would anyone step foot inside an automobile knowing that more Americans will be killed by autos this year than any war.

It’s much the same as enemy snipers that are hidden far out of sight until they single out their victim. Seeing someone die suddenly is often the first sign they are present. Both tactics are used to demoralize and change behavior of the targeted group. There are ways to stop the people from both kinds of attacks sure, but obviously they all aren’t stopped.