NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. - Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, Supply Officer, Lt. Kevin Clarida, was awarded the Vice Admiral Robert F. Batchelder Award in a ceremony Aug. 25.
The Navy League presented the award to Clarida at a ceremony held at Naval Station Norfolk, Vista Point, honoring a total of five supply officers throughout the fleet.
“I’m honored to have been nominated by my command,” said Clarida. “Even more so to have been selected for the Batchelder Award.”
The Batchelder Award recognizes the most exceptional supply corps officer who has made a significant contribution to supply readiness. The award was established in 1983 in memory of Vice Admiral Robert F. Batchelder, a supply officer who served in the Navy from 1917 to 1957. Each year the Navy League awards the top officers serving in the supply corps field.
"I think it's a tremendous testimony to his commitment to the Navy and to his professionalism," said Lt. Cmdr. Scott Kraft, commanding officer of EODMU 5. "The award speaks for itself to be selected from all nominees. He would not have been awarded if he was not highly competitive and highly capable."
Clarida was recognized for his duties as supply officer for EODMU 5 and his deployment to Afghanistan where he was responsible for managing $350 million in supplies and equipment to support eight diversified explosive ordnance disposal units from U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, and the U.S. Air Force. As supply officer, he managed more than 1,800 supply items including EOD robots, used to fight against improvised explosive devices, tactical mine-resistant ambush protected all terrain vehicles, used to mobilize the units, armory, ammunition, generators, scopes, night vision, and host of other supply items to support the EOD units.
Clarida said he and his team worked a lot of man hours to support all the units and he recalls 2010 as being one of the busiest times he’s experienced since he became a supply officer six years ago.
“I only wish that the personnel who worked with me in were here so that I could assure they receive the credit they deserved,” said Clarida. “They were a major part of me being nominated.”
EODMU 5, part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, are skilled technicians who are experts in explosives, diving and parachuting, and in underwater locations. They render safe all types of ordnance, including conventional, improvised, chemical, biological and nuclear explosives. Each EOD mobile unit deploys for mission specific worldwide deployments in support of joint Naval and combined task force commanders.