Photo By Cpl. Sullivan Laramie | A Marine with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion,...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, conducted an EOD field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 13–23.
The exercise allowed the Marines to take on a multitude of challenges they may encounter on deployments and in garrison. In training, however, they could learn from their mistakes.
“This is a culmination of explosives response training to ensure that we are proficient in knowing these devices and can properly employ our tools, equipment and teams not only in the Middle East, but also in the United States,” said Sgt. James Thornton, an EOD technician with the unit. “Situations are always evolving, always changing and always getting more complicated as technology advances. We have to stay on track and on par with the technology.”
The company’s mission is to locate, identify and disarm dangerous material such as improvised explosive devices. That mission extends not only to combat zones, but also to friendly nations and within the United States.
“The war may be drawing down in Afghanistan, but there are still devices placed in the United States or in other countries Marines go to,” Thornton said. “There aren’t just IEDs in the Middle East targeting the military. There are bad people out there targeting civilians and government officials in other places as well.”
The Marines faced various scenarios during the exercise, which included IEDs located in buildings, sports stadiums, and explosives used in hostage situations. The circumstances of each scenario differed and prepared the EOD technicians to face threats found on deployments and at home.
“We have to use every tool we have in our arsenal to render IEDs safe,” Sgt. Keith Winkeleer, an EOD technician with the unit. “This training is important because all around the world people who don’t like other people are building IEDs. It’s our job to minimize that threat so the environment and people are safer.”
To combat the threats, the Marines brought the wide variety of equipment they have at their disposal. Remote-controlled robots and explosion-resistant bomb suits gave members of the unit the ability to investigate and remove each threat with little risk of life and limb.
“This helps our junior technicians gain experience and understand the tools in their toolboxes,” Winkeleer said. “Skills can diminish, so we need to keep those skills polished, and if our enemies change tactics then we have to change something. We have to keep learning from what they’re doing so we’ll know how to beat them.”
| Date Taken: | 07.23.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.27.2015 14:54 |
| Story ID: | 171229 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 171 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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