The Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community will celebrate its 78th birthday on August 22, 2019. In a joint message to the force, EOD Group One Commodore, Capt. Oscar Rojas, and EOD Group Two Commodore, Capt. Rick Hayes, looked back on Navy EOD's venerable history with an eye towards confronting the threats of the future. Read the full message below.
EOD Warfighters,
This week marks 78 years since the Navy's first Mine Disposal Class graduated in 1941. Since the dawn of Navy EOD, we have continuously evolved by embracing technological advancements and sharpening our most vital weapon – our people – in order to maintain a flexible and resilient force able to cope with unexpected challenges. In this renewed era of great power competition and empowered non-state actors, we must continue to anticipate the adversary’s next move and not become a reactive force. We must rely on our strengths as a community and remain the strong, professional force critical to combat success in every conflict and theater since our humble beginnings. We are the force of choice to enable combat operations and offensive maneuver for conventional, joint and special operations forces operating from the sea through the littorals and ashore in denied areas. We are Navy EOD, and we eliminate explosive threats so our fleet and nation can fight and win – whenever, wherever, and however it chooses.
Command Master Chief Harris, Command Master Chief Brittain and both of us want to highlight three of our most elite warriors serving today. Our annual peer-nominated leadership awards recognize those who epitomize our ethos and lead with valor.
Please join me in congratulating:
- EODCS William Weber, assigned to Expeditionary Exploitation Unit (EXU) 1, for earning the Force Master Chief Anthony Santino Leadership Award
- LT Bryan Bond, formerly assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 and currently assigned to Carrier Strike Group 2, for earning the Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman Leadership Award
- CWO4 Dirk Palmer, formerly assigned to EOD Mobile Unit 2 and currently assigned to EOD Group 2, for earning the Commander Kevin Childre Excellence Award
Their focus on training and mentorship, selfless leadership and operational excellence sets the standard for the community and allows us to strive to become a nation undeterred by explosive threats.
To the nearly 2,000 active duty Navy EOD technicians and our countless veterans, happy 78th Birthday.
Sincerely,
Capt. Oscar Rojas and Capt. Rick Hayes