Leadership and Experts Witness Advanced HME Training at EOD COE

On 17 June 2025, during the first iteration of the 2025 Homemade Explosives Course – Advanced (HMEC-A), held from 16 to 20 June at the Military Training Area (MTA) Lešť, Slovakia, the Director (DIR) Colonel Frantisek MIHALOVIC (SVK-A), Deputy Director (DDIR) Lieutenant Colonel Blake ZENTENO (US-A), and selected Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) of the EOD Centre of Excellence (EOD COE) participated in a comprehensive onsite observation.

The delegation observed live demonstrations showcasing the synthesis and detonation of homemade explosives (HME), including the full technological process of mixing and initiating HME shots. These live-action scenarios provided an authentic operational training environment, enabling students to respond to complex and hazardous situations with confidence and accuracy.

In addition to spectating, the leadership team took part in a participatory demonstration on improvised detonators, gaining firsthand insight into the intricacies and threats posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). This segment exemplified the course's emphasis on practical, experience-based learning.

A guided tour of the simulation training areas, including the Simulation Technologies building and multiple HME scenario lanes, gave the observers a complete view of the course infrastructure. This tour reinforced the EOD COE’s dedication to quality assurance, ensuring that every aspect of training delivery meets NATO educational standards and remains operationally relevant.

The direct involvement of DIR, DDIR, and SMEs reflects the Centre’s proactive approach to maintaining training excellence. Their on-site presence reinforces the critical importance of quality assurance, allowing for immediate feedback, curriculum validation, and continuous course refinement based on real-world needs.

By embedding leadership into the heart of training, EOD COE ensures its programs remain forward-looking, high-impact, and quality-assured.

About HMEC-Advanced

HMEC-A introduces responding personnel to the precursor chemicals and synthesis techniques used by criminal and terrorist actors in the manufacture of homemade explosives. The course trains students to recognize hazardous substances—both mixed and partially mixed—process contaminated sites for evidence, and safely neutralize threats. Delivered in a realistic field environment, HMEC-A bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world EOD operations.

https://www.eodcoe.org/.../education.../hmec-advanced/

Text, photo: Mr. Vladimir VOSTIAR (SVK-A, LTC Ret.)