Air Force explosive ordnance disposal units, protecting service members everyday

Photo By Spc. Howard Ketter | Air Force Staff Sgt. Evan Knight talks with a member of the Japanese military during a joint training exercise.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

03.17.2009

Story by Spc. Howard Ketter 

20th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - In the civilian world they would be referred to as a bomb squad, but in the Middle East, ordnance disposal is the responsibility of explosive ordnance disposal units.

The 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron EOD is the crew behind the explosions heard in their Middle Eastern location every Friday.

"Our mission is to provide force protection, investigate suspect packages and we also take care of a lot of [unexploded ordnances]," said Master Sgt. Thomas G. Smith, flight chief, 386th ECES EOD.

Smith said that his team receives calls from U.S. forces and foreign nationals who find submunitions in the open desert.

"We get calls from Special Forces Viper Teams and even local Bedouins," said Smith.

When the 386th gets a call, they go out and assess the site. Once the UXO is identified, they either take it to their range to dispose of it or evacuate the area and dispose of it in place.

"We blow most submunitions in place, but a lot of times they're just buried scrap metal and we just leave them alone," said Smith.

The team detonates UXOs at a range every Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

"We chose one day to do routine detonations so that service members would know that it's us and not an attack," said Airman 1st Class Gerald Bruno, EOD technician, 386th ECES EOD.

Bruno, who is on his first deployment, said their training is mentally tough and very worthwhile.

"We have to be well trained, because we are affiliated with another EOD team who works in the field. If one of them gets hurt, we have to step up to replace them," said Bruno.

The team constantly trains, reading EOD publications and going over what Bruno calls "things you need to be outside the wire." They read several storyboards and come up with random scenarios as a part of the training.

Bruno said that the team hasn't had any improvised explosive device calls so far, but the team still trains to be able to handle the situation if it were to occur.

"An IED can be as complex as a person's imagination and resources," said Bruno.

The 386th ECES EOD is also training their security forces comrades to search vehicles and they are working with the military working dog handlers as well.

Whether disposing of UXOs or training to counter IEDs, the 386th ECES EOD team is constantly working to ensure the safety of service members in the Middle East.

• Date Taken: 03.17.2009
• Date Posted: 03.17.2009 05:04
• Story ID: 31225
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW