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    EOD: Thinking outside the box

    BEAUFORT, SC, UNITED STATES

    09.08.2016

    Story by Lance Cpl. Ashley Phillips 

    Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

    The training was put together to provide an opportunity for the EOD technicians to sharpen

    their skills and maintain overall operational readiness for the unit. The Marines built improvised

    shaped charges, tested their hard line wire system and disposed of unexploded ordnance during

    the training event.

    “We are sharpening our skills,” said Sgt. Arcangel Barragan, an EOD technician with

    MWSD-31. “We always practice what we do before we need to do it in a real situation. That way

    we know exactly how it works and when it will go off. In this particular situation we are testing

    out different shape charges on different materials and what kind of reaction we get.”

    The unit uses shaped charges to dispose of ordnance when it cannot be moved from the

    location it was discovered. If the ordnance can be moved, they take it back to the range to

    dispose of it.

    “We use shaped charges to cut into a piece of ordnance without actually detonating,” said

    Barragan. “It’s just enough to start burning out the explosives inside of it.”

    After creating the shaped charges and placing them on the unexploded ordnance, the Marines

    set up a hard line wire system to run the electrical impulses through that detonate the shaped

    charges.

    “We’re doing demonstrations for the air station’s upcoming air show using a similar hard line

    wire system setup,” said Sgt. Stephen Gomez, an EOD technician and the range safety officer

    with MWSD-31. “This training not only helps become more familiar with the system but it also

    helps us find better ways to use it and identified any issues that could come up.”

    After everything was set up, the Marines moved across the range into a bunker area and the

    charges were detonated in three series. The traditional and improvised charges detonated as

    planned.

    “We are always training and using different methods on the ordnance to see if there is a

    better way,” said Barragan. “In our job, thinking outside the box is encouraged. It allows us to

    improvise on the spot and learn from each other.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 09.08.2016
    Date Posted: 09.15.2016 16:38
    Story ID: 209777
    Location: BEAUFORT, SC, US

    Web Views: 60
    Downloads: 1

    PUBLIC DOMAIN