FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Soldiers from the 65th Ordnance Company (EOD), based at Fort Wainwright, recently took part in a weeklong field training exercise here to teach them what to expect immediately after an explosion and how to handle the evidence it leaves behind.
The soldiers of EOD are trained and equipped to reduce, defeat and exploit unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices, and weapons of mass destruction.
The soldiers learned to identify and neutralize potential threats and use evidence from the blast site to possibly identify the attackers’ identity and motives.
First Lt. Sean Blew, an EOD specialist from the 716th Ordnance Company (EOD) stationed at Joint Base Richardson-Elmendorf, Alaska, said he had done post blast analysis before, but not in this depth.
“The instructions were informative and well put out,” Blew said. “I would recommend it.”
Sgt. Robert Elliot, an EOD specialist with the 65th, said this training was a requirement for all EOD specialists before deploying into a combat zone.
“I have done this type of training before,” Elliot said, “but this was more user-friendly, more directed toward the junior experienced guys.”
Elliot said he liked the “realistic scenarios” that were in place.
During the training, they learned how to identify, collect, record and transport evidence that could be used to bring attackers to justice.
“This is just one small facet of what we do,” Elliot said. “We have a broad scope [of missions].”
Elliot said he had a good reason for choosing the EOD specialty when he joined the Army.
“I wanted to save lives,” he said.