IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

Meet the guy who defuzes them.

We go up to the bomb, and beside the empty tin are several pounds of carefully cut angle-iron pieces, chunks of PE4, which is a Russian plastic explosive, and bars of TNT. The bomb had not yet had the fuse in place. Presumably someone would have shown up tonight to finish the job.

An hour has passed since the beginning of the operation, and traffic is severely backed up in both directions. The team abandons the idea of ambushing the saboteurs. Instead, 1st Platoon scouts fan out over the area looking for a likely detonation spot, and find a second IED.

This is Asberry's 14th IED disposal and he's due to rotate out soon. Another EOD man was recently killed at his work. It's hard to believe that anyone would want this job, but Asberry says he loves what he does. Admission to the seven-month-long school to qualify as an assistant is highly competitive.

Careful...there is some rough language in this one.