Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center -- “The overall course is 20 training days long,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steve Tamm, EOD Operations Officer, EOD Advanced Training Center. “During that time they learn about different aspects on how to supervise an EOD response element.”
Teams received their tasking from the Combat Operations Center, with information on different scenarios that they may encounter in their daily tasks or in different areas of operation. Once a team has established itself and grabbed the gear that they will utilize during the training, they head out to the scenario response site with an instructor. While on site, the instructor critiqued the students on their leadership skills and the manner in which they directed their teams during each scenario.
According to the instructors, this is the first time the exercise also included U.S. Air Force personnel as part of a push to better the interoperability of the EOD units across the armed forces. This effort is reinforced via a courtesy invite to EOD units from sister services whenever these exercises take place. According to Tamm, it is crucial for the armed forces to have the same comprehension when it comes to efficiency and interoperability within the EOD community.
“Being able to train with the Marine Corps and getting their experience has assisted in opening my mind as an EOD tech,” said Senior Airman Trenton Broxterman, 23rd Civil Engineering Squadron, Air Force Base Georgia. “Taking what I learned from another branch and going back to an Air Force unit, I can better teach different EOD procedures because there’s more than one way to conduct EOD operations. If you have more tools in the tool box, you can get the job a done a lot easier.”
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