Our Troops At War Part 2

More than sixty people have been killed in Iraq since Sunday morning. Rockets have been falling into neighborhoods many considered safe. Evansvilles 163rd and Jaspers 151st are in Kuwait now, acclimating to the weather and gearing up for the big push into enemy territory. This is specialist Steven Schmitts first tour of duty. Hes grouped with Evansvilles 163rd Alpha Company and has the most dangerous job a soldier can have fighting in Iraq. "I sit up on the truck, l scan and make sure I dont see any I.E.D.s and people with AK 47s." Schmitt says being under a constant threat of attack is difficult. Convoy security is the lifeblood of the war and what the enemy most often targets. I.E.D.s are the primary threat, but Schmitt says there not the only one. "Civilians on the battle field can be just as dangerous as an insurgent, you just dont know, you dont know if you have to shoot." Armored vehicles help protect our soldiers on the battle field but a classroom is where they learn the skills to survive. Soldiers are going to make mistakes and class room instructors know that. But through repetition the army hopes they will only make them in the class room and not in a war zone. "Our instructors are doing it for us, to keep us safe. When their hollering at us its to get it into our heads its going to save your life." New technology taught in a classroom is helping our soldiers determine who the bad guy is on the battlefield. Its called biometrics, which uses fingerprint and iris scanners. These devices can identify known terrorist and insurgents. Soldiers in Evansvilles 163rd practice on each other, practice Schmitt says may one day save his life.