386th EOD team constantly alert

Published Jan. 21, 2009
By Army PFC Howard Ketter
20th Public Affairs Detachment

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- In the civilian world, they would be referred to as a bomb squad, but in Southwest Asia, ordnance disposal is the responsibility of explosive ordnance disposal units.

The 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal team is the crew behind the explosions heard in their Persian Gulf location every Friday.

"Our mission is to provide force protection, investigate suspect packages, and we also take care of a lot of [Unexploded Ordnance]," said Master Sgt. Thomas G. Smith, 386th ECES EOD flight chief.

Sergeant Smith said his team receives calls from U.S. forces and foreign nationals who find submunitions in the open desert.

"We get calls from Special Forces Viper Teams and even local Bedouins," he said.
When the 386th gets a call, they go out and assess the site. Once the UXO is identified, they either take it to their range to dispose of it or evacuate the area and render it safe.

"We blow most submunitions in place, but a lot of times they're just buried scrap metal and we just leave them alone," said Sergeant Smith.

Airman 1st Class Gerald Bruno, 386th ECES EOD technician, on his first deployment, said their training is mentally tough and very worthwhile.

"We have to be well trained, because we are affiliated with another EOD team who works in the field. If one of them gets hurt, we have to step up to replace them," he said.

The team constantly trains, reading EOD publications and going over what Airman Bruno calls, "things you need to be outside the wire." They read several storyboards and come up with random scenarios as a part of the training.

Airman Bruno said the team has not had any improvised explosive device calls so far, but the team still trains to be able to handle the situation if it were to occur.

"An IED can be as complex as a person's imagination and resources," said Airman Bruno.

The 386th ECES EOD also trains their Security Forces comrades to search vehicles and are working with military working dog handlers as well.

Whether disposing of UXOs or training to counter IEDs, the 386th ECES EOD team is constantly working to ensure the safety of servicemembers in the Middle East.