SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Service members and interagency partners from across the Department of Defense and federal, state, and local organizations gathered September 22, 2025, on Oahu to take part in the five-day Maritime Operations for Bomb Technicians (MOBT) course. The training placed participants in one of the most challenging operating environments, the maritime domain, to strengthen explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) capabilities and joint readiness.
The weeklong certification combined classroom instruction, pool drills, and shipboard practical exercises. From swims in full gear and lockout/tagout safety checks to counter-IED response scenarios on vessels and shorelines, the course emphasized technical proficiency, adaptability, and cooperation between diverse agencies.
Unlike conventional EOD programs, the MOBT course brought participants into unfamiliar waters.
“The maritime operations for bomb techs course is distinguished, in the fact that Army training is very land-based. This gives us an opportunity to utilize our organic Army assets for water vessels and port operations,” said U.S. Army Maj. Travis Staub of the 303rd Ordnance Battalion.
Participants were challenged physically and mentally as they adapted their skills to new environments.
“The most physically demanding portion is definitely the swim,” said Sgt. Daniel Harris of the 74th EOD Company. “It’s a whole different experience swimming in boots, a plate carrier, and a helmet.”
Harris added that shipboard operations required a new way of thinking.
“We’re not used to working on ships like this. It’s a whole different ball game, there are hazards on board that can hurt divers and EOD techs, and people may still be on board when we respond,” he said.
While the scenarios tested endurance, the greatest lessons came from working together.
“The big lessons here would be learning to communicate with folks and learning to work together as a team so everybody’s on the same sheet of music,” said Joel Rex, FBI Hazardous Devices School Maritime Program Instructor.
Rex highlighted the unique nature of the course, which brought together participants from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, FBI, ATF, and Honolulu Police Department.
“It’s been a unique opportunity for us to work with all these groups. Everybody’s really worked together. Nobody’s tried to take over or one-up anybody else,” said Rex.
For Special Agent Bomb Technician Russ Mochizuki with the Honolulu Division of the FBI, interoperability was critical.
“Since all of these agencies have varying techniques and sometimes different equipment, it’s good for us to work together as a team so that in a real situation we can effectively protect the American public,” Mochizuki said.
In addition to honing technical skills, the MOBT course laid the groundwork for enduring interagency cooperation in maritime EOD operations.
“This course is providing a foundation to have an equal language barrier,” said Staub. “They’ve really understood the equipment and they’re really getting after it these past five days.”
Harris agreed that the partnerships formed were just as important as the training itself.
“The most rewarding part about the training experience so far is definitely the interagency piece,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed working with the FBI, ATF, and the rest of the branches, keeping those lines of communication open so that we can have joint training in the future.”
As the course concluded, participants left with new skills, strengthened professional networks, and a deeper understanding of how to face maritime explosive threats together.
“When you can bring them all together, it all works very harmoniously, and everybody’s getting the job done quite well,” said Rex.
From full-kit swims to below-deck disruptions, the course tested not only technical ability but also the cooperation needed to respond as one team. MOBT demonstrated that combat-credible EOD forces are built not in isolation, but through joint and interagency commitment.
| Date Taken: | 09.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2026 17:02 |
| Story ID: | 556702 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, EOD technicians train for maritime operations, by SGT Deneisha Owens-McParland, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
