01/22/2021

Dariel C. De Venecia

BS CRIM 1E – 1

ROTC REACTION PAPER:

IED AWARENESS

Improvised explosive device (IED) is defined here as an explosive device that is placed or
fabricated in an improvised manner; incorporates destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary
chemicals; and is designed to destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract. IEDs may incorporate military
stores, but they are normally devised from nonmilitary components. They are as varied as “command-
detonated” pipe bombs, “booby-trapped” military ordnance, and car bombs. They always contain
explosive materials, detonators, and triggering mechanisms; they are often cased and may use shrapnel.
The term improvised may apply either to the construction of the device or to its use by irregular forces.
Thus, a mine produced for regular forces may be considered an IED if it is used by irregular forces, but
an unmodified mine placed by regular forces is not considered an IED. Explosive devices designed to
disperse chemical, biological, or radiological material are generally not classified as IEDs and were not
considered for this study. Throughout history, and with varying effectiveness, groups have resorted to
the use of IEDs to advance a particular cause or wear down an adversary. IEDs are used by terrorists to
strike soft targets and by insurgents as weapons against a stronger enemy. They can be made at
relatively low cost, are relatively easy to construct and emplace, and can achieve both strategic and
tactical results.