Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Kara Handley | 200313-N-UP025-009 IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (March 13, 2020) Side boys salute Cmdr. Matt...... read more read more
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IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (NNS) -- Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11 held a change of command ceremony today at Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach with Cmdr. Matthew Fay relieving Cmdr. Evan Colbert as commanding officer of EODMU 11.
Colbert, raised in Boise, Idaho, and a 1999 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, assumed temporary command of EODMU 11 in January 2020. His next assignment will be working at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One on Naval Amphibious Base Coronado as the deputy commodore.
“To the men and women of Mobile Unit Eleven, your achievements are awe inspiring and something to be proud of. But of all the individual and team accolades mentioned today, what stands out to me most, what you should be most proud of, is not what you did but how you did it,” said Colbert. “You met adversity with poise, focus, tenacity and teamwork. You repeatedly stepped into the breach assuming incredible personal risk while demonstrating a relentless spirit, unparalleled mission accomplishment and an unyielding commitment to tour country, unit and teammates.”
Fay, raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a 2003 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, is reporting to EOD MU11 from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Virginia Beach, Virginia where he served as the future operations officer.
"Having started my EOD career at Mobile Unit Eleven in Whidbey Island, there is no place I’d rather be taking command and no other group of men and women I’d rather be working with than here at Mobile Unit Eleven" said Fay.
Capt. Oscar Rojas, commodore, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One, provided the keynote remarks. He said, “You are receiving an outstanding team in Mobile Unit Eleven, who is designed to be ready for war today and in the future. It is my job to provide you the manning, equipment, and training that is required to help you win every time you go into harm’s way. By working together, we will create the most lethal, resilient, and mission ready Navy EOD and Diving Force the world has ever known.”
The family of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Second Class Curtis Hall was also in attendance. Hall, a former member of EODMU11, was killed in action while conducting combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 6, 2007.
“We remember Curtis as a dedicated, hard-working, reliable professional. Friendly, easy-going, and larger than life. Rest assured Curtis’ memory lives on here at Mobile Unit Eleven,” said Rojas. “We also hope you know how much we admire your family’s sacrifice and know that you always have a second family here in Mobile Unit Eleven. Curtis was part of the venerable Navy EOD legacy, and I know the leadership here challenges the unit to live up to that legacy every day.”
EODMU 11 provides operational EOD capability to include the location and identification, rendering safe, recovery, field evaluation, and disposal of all explosive ordnance, including chemical and nuclear weapons. U.S. Navy EOD is the world's premier combat force for eliminating explosive threats so the Fleet and Nation can fight and win.
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/.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2020 16:22 |
| Story ID: | 365202 |
| Location: | IMPERIAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | BOISE, IDAHO, US |
| Hometown: | PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,230 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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