Courtesy Photo | 1st Lt. Michael T. Elliott, the maintenance officer for the 774th Ordnance Company...... read more read more
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FORT RILEY, Kansas – A U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer developed an innovative solution to a cable breakage issue on a critical x-ray imager that is used for EOD operations around the world.
1st Lt. Michael T. Elliott, the maintenance officer for the 774th Ordnance Company (EOD), developed an inexpensive modification for the SmartRay Vision x-ray imager.
Elliott was assigned as the maintenance officer when he arrived at the 774th EOD Company.
“From that moment, I began verifying all current issues with EOD gear and spearheaded solutions to maintain, repair or replace items in coordination with the 79th Ordnance Battalion (EOD) S4 section,” said Elliott. “For our Smart Ray Vision X-ray imaging systems, most faults required minor fixes. However, we initially had multiple systems inoperable due to a common issue with the cable, which interfaces with the comm trigger.”
While inspecting the imager cables together with Sgt. Trevor S. Madden, Elliott discovered the same issue.
“Soldiers were inadvertently gripping and turning the wrong spot, causing damage to the solder joints,” said Elliott.
Together with the Regional Support Center on Fort Cavazos, Texas, Elliott navigated the Request for Maintenance Action process with the Smart Ray Vision company’s customer service team, to address the issue.
“Using electrical tape, I applied it where the back two ferrule nuts meet, creating a positive block that prevents improper handling and damage. The feedback on this fix has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Elliott. “This simple step prevents a critical piece of EOD equipment from becoming non-mission capable due to avoidable damage.”
The 774th EOD Company is part of the 79th EOD Battalion, 71st EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military’s premier multifunctional and deployable CBRNE formation.
From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of military operations and domestic authorities.
Elliott knows full well the importance of the equipment used by EOD techs since he previously served as an enlisted EOD technician for 12 years.
Elliott served in the 766th EOD Company on Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the 74th EOD Company at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He later served at the elite 21st EOD Company on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 21st EOD Company takes on Weapons of Mass Destruction.
“I always intended to join the military to be part of something larger and looked forward to unique opportunities military service provides,” said Elliott. “While attending college, I decided to enlist, specifically with the goal of becoming an EOD technician.”
A native of Trenton, Florida, Elliott earned his bachelor’s degree from the National American University in a partnership program with the Defense Nuclear Weapons School.
“The highlight of my job is leveraging my experience to drive impactful changes in the EOD field and to mentor Soldiers,” said Elliott. “I take pride in being someone others trust to find solutions, whether related to EOD or not. My defining characteristic is tackling problems directly and creating solutions, regardless of how challenging the process may be.”
| Date Taken: | 12.23.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2024 11:38 |
| Story ID: | 488224 |
| Location: | FORT RILEY, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | TRENTON, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 198 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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