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    Navy EOD Technician awarded USO’s George Van Cleave Military Leadership Award for 2019

    EODMU11 Sailors Awarded Bronze Stars with Valor

    Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Kara Handley | 190627-N-UP025-005 SAN DIEGO, Calif. (June 27, 2019) Capt. Oscar Rojas, commodore,...... read more read more

    NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

    12.06.2019

    Story by Lt. Kara Handley 

    Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One

    Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician First Class Petty Officer Travis Holland, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, was honored by the United Service Organization (USO) with the George Van Cleave Military Leadership Award during the 58th Armed Forces Gala and Gold Medal Dinner on December 4 in New York City.

    The USO George Van Cleave Military Leadership Award is the USO of Metropolitan New York’s way of publicly recognizing the outstanding commitment, exceptional service, sacrifice and achievements of military members who have shown extraordinary dedication to their country. The award is given to service members from each branch of the Armed Forces, who through their selfless commitment to the United States of America, inspire others to lift the spirits of their comrades, their families, and the American people.

    Holland, from Golden, Colorado, said being honored by the USO was a surprise. He said, “I have been truly honored by it. The whole process from start to finish has been a new adventure, and I am humbly grateful to be the one representing such an amazing team.”

    The Navy awarded Holland the Bronze Star Medal, with the ‘V’ device authorized for valor, earlier this year for demonstrating superior tactical acumen on a 2018 deployment overseas where he conducted clearance and site exploitation of an underground enemy headquarters while supporting Special Operations Task Force-West in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Holland identified 15-20 enemy fighters preparing to throw grenades into the main cavern of the headquarters and positioned himself in the open to shield his team from a potentially fatal blast, while also engaging enemy combatants.

    Holland enlisted in the Navy in 2008 and served as a naval aircrewman with Strike Fighter Squadron 136 before transferring into the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal community. After completing training at the Naval Dive and Salvage Training Center and Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, he reported to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eleven where he has since deployed to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq.

    U.S. Navy EOD is the world’s premier combat force for eliminating explosive threats so the Fleet and Nation can fight and win wherever, whenever.

    For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.
    For more news from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, visit www.navy.mil/local/eod1/ or follow us on Instagram, @officialnavyeod or Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EODGROUP1/.

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 12.06.2019
    Date Posted: 12.06.2019 14:21
    Story ID: 354571
    Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, US
    Hometown: GOLDEN, COLORADO, US

    Web Views: 1,025
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN