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379th Explosive Ordnance Disposal conducts dual mission

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason Barebo
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  The 379th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit conducts a dual mission here in Southwest Asia.

In addition to their traditional role of responding to suspicious packages and unexploded ordnance removal and disposal, they also serve as an equipment hub for other EOD units throughout the area of responsibility.

"Because we are in a low threat area, we perform more of a supply role for other units deployed forward," said. Staff Sgt. Jonathan Salisbury, 379th ECES EOD, deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

"We inventory any new equipment coming in, test it for functionality and hold it here until another unit needs it," he said.

The 379th EOD also receives non-operational equipment from forward deployed units, resends operational equipment back, and, if possible, repairs the broken equipment for later use, said Master Sgt. Ralph Godfrey.

If a unit in the AOR has a piece of equipment break by either normal use or more hostile action, they call the 379th EOD flight for a replacement part or a whole new equipment item, said Tech. Sgt. David Fitzgerald, 379th ECES EOD, deployed from Mountain Home AFB.

The 379th EOD flight is able to quickly ship the item to the requesting unit and eliminate lag time of shipping from the U.S., he said.

"Sometimes repairs can take days or even months," Sergeant Godfrey said.

"All EOD units have to be ready to respond immediately and forward units sometimes respond several times a day.

The 379th EOD unit works hard to stay sharp and ready .

"We still have to stay current with our monthly requirements here," Sergeant Salisbury said. "At a minimum we conduct live explosive scenarios once a month to stay current on our qualifications.

"We also conduct scenarios with different ordnance items and aircraft in the event that we do have to respond we will be able to hit the ground running," he said.

These operations can also serve a dual purpose by allowing the 379th EOD specialists to test new and repaired equipment.

"We also get the opportunity to see what our tools are capable of which in turn gives us confidence if we need to employ one of these tools in a real world situation," Sergeant Fitzgerald said.

"We aren't directly in the fight, but everything we do here is in direct support of other units throughout the AOR," Sergeant Godfrey said.

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