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FORT JOHNSON, La. – U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians recently trained together to confront and defeat explosive drones.
Army EOD technicians from the Fort Johnson, Louisiana-based 705th Ordnance Company (EOD) and EOD Airmen from the Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana-based 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron, EOD Flight, conducted training on Unmanned Aerial Systems on Fort Johnson.
The 705th EOD Company “Roosters” are part of the 242nd EOD Battalion, 71st EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military’s premier multifunctional and deployable CBRNE command.
From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and multinational operations.
Capt. Joel A. Greene, the commander of the 705th EOD Company, said the training improved the capabilities of both units.
“This training enhanced the overall capability, survivability and knowledge of evidence collection,” said Greene, who is from Douglasville, Georgia, and graduated from Kennesaw State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Greene said the training gave the EOD techs the opportunity to review tactics, techniques and procedures for taking on the emerging explosive threat. He added that training enabled the EOD techs to build confidence based on real-world scenarios.
1st Sgt. Brian M. Meroni, the senior enlisted leader for the 705th EOD Company, said the 705th EOD Company supports around 10 Brigade Combat Teams a year during combat training at the Joint Readiness Training Center on Fort Johnson.
The company also supported U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, during training rotations in Senegal, Niger, Tunisia and Chad.
In addition to enabling combat training and overseas military operations, the 705th EOD Company covers domestic response mission in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi, from responding to discovered unexploded military munitions to supporting VIP protection missions.
Originally from Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Meroni earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University. Meroni has served in the U.S. Army for 18 years and deployed to Iraq twice, Afghanistan and Syria.
Meroni said all joint service EOD technicians need to be ready to defeat explosive drones.
“The emerging UAS threat is continually evolving and so is our understanding of how to address the threat. Unmanned Aerial Systems are a multidomain threat and require a multidomain solution,” said Meroni.
“Army EOD techs role in the solution only addresses a portion of the problem. While it still is a very important role, without the interoperability of joint services and across governmental agencies, the threat will continue to evolve. Each service has its own areas of emphasis and area of expertise based on its experiences and doctrine,” said Meroni. “The different perspectives when working together allow us to maintain an edge and support the warfighting mission.”
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2025 11:44 |
| Story ID: | 492141 |
| Location: | FORT JOHNSON, LOUISIANA, US |
| Hometown: | DOUGLASVILLE, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | ELKHORN, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 236 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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