CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan – U.S. service members participate in an Explosive Ordnance Disposal course to learn how to set up explosive ignition systems on electrical and nonelectrical basic demolition procedures Nov. 5-6 at Camp Hansen.
The EOD course’s purpose is to teach basic demolition effects, explosive theory, safety considerations while on the range, and how to set up demolition charges.
“A lot of people we bring out enjoy what we do because coming out on the range is something different from what the Marines are typically used to on a day-to-day basis,” said Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Mark Dende, an EOD technician with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installation Pacific. “It’s nice seeing the excitement that these Marines have when they come out and try something new.”
The Marine Corps EOD mission is to support the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Supporting Establishment, Homeland Defense, Special Operations Forces, and other government agencies.
This is done by detecting and locating, accessing, diagnosing, rendering safe and neutralizing, recovering, exploiting and disposing of hazards from foreign and domestic, unexploded explosive ordnance, improvised explosive devices, and weapons of mass destruction that present a threat to operations, installations, personnel, or materiel.
“I was a little bit nervous coming here today because well, they are explosives,” said Cpl. Kailyn Bassett, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron. “When setting up the electrical demolition, we got walked through everything first, and the instructors made sure we were being safe and reiterated the safety procedures.”
While on the EOD range, the students set up two different demolition procedures, electrical and nonelectrical. After finishing basic demolition familiarization, they had the opportunity to learn how to set up wiring and explosives around different sets of objects.
The procedure on handling explosive items varies depending on the type, however, there are a firm set of procedures that must be followed. The EOD Marines go to a formal school which teaches how to exploit explosive ordnance.
“The instructors made a huge impact on the flow of the course,” said Bassett. “The instructors broke things down really carefully for us. They worked with us and made sure we understood what we’re doing.”
Date Taken: | 11.07.2019 |
Date Posted: | 11.08.2019 03:32 |
Story ID: | 350816 |
Location: | CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP |
Web Views: | 153 |
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