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EOD Company tackles the Griffin Missile system

Photo By Sgt. Danielle Rodrigues | Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company attempt to disable a Griffin Missile...... read more read more

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

10.16.2015

Courtesy Story

II Marine Expeditionary Force

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- After strapping 8.1 pounds of C-4 onto highly explosive materials that were extracted earlier in the day, Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion safely detonated and properly disposed of the explosives at Camp Lejeune, Oct. 15.

The Marines were tasked to disarmed disassemble Griffin Missiles during the training event.

“When we get a missile for the first time, it doesn’t come with a set of instructions on how to disassemble,” said Gunnery Sgt. John Key, an EOD technician with the unit. “We have to draw up our own plans on how to take it apart, extract the explosives and then dispose of the explosives safely.”

The Marines being proficient in removing and disposing of all hazardous materials in a device, thus disabling the explosive, is a crucial aspect of the EOD mission. By

Key added that this type of mission is very similar to one that has a high likelihood of being encountered while deployed overseas. He stressed that is important for the unit to become experts in the techniques now, so in a more stressful environment their actions are second-nature.

Marines within the unit conduct training of disarming missiles as part of their training and readiness standards to prepare themselves for future operations.

“If we were in a battlefield situation, and we came across something we’ve never seen before [we will have] the ability to disassemble that piece of ordnance and hopefully give us a better idea of how it’s going to affect troops and give us an idea on how to defeat it,” said Staff Sgt. John Hall, an EOD technician with the unit.

When unusual or unique ordnance is encountered by the unit, they disable and disassemble it and after fully understanding the weapon system are able to provide information to other units within the Marine Corps. The inert missiles will be used to continue training the EOD community, preparing them for the next ordnance the Marine Corps sends.

“With the information that we recorded throughout this training, we plan to send some photos and even a missile out so [other EOD] Marines can get a hands-on type of training with this missile,” Hall said.

Marines with the unit continue to train in order to maintain proficiency in their military occupational specialty that includes identifying, rendering safe and disposing of ordnance and hazardous materials in any theatre of operation that the Marine Corps needs them.