Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      An Army explosive ordnance disposal technician, assigned to the 630th EOD Company, performs counter improvised explosive device techniques during a joint service EOD field training exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, May 23, 2017. EOD teams from each of the four service branches, deployed to five different countries across the AOR, gathered for joint service EOD training, which allowed for the exchange of tactics, techniques and procedures between service branches. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Hehnly)CENTCOM EOD teams link up for joint service field training
                        
                        
                        An Army explosive ordnance disposal technician, assigned to the 630th EOD Company, performs counter improvised explosive device techniques during a joint service EOD field training exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, May 23, 2017. EOD teams from each of the four service branches, deployed to five different countries across the area of responsibility, gathered for joint service EOD training, which allowed for the exchange of tactics, techniques and procedures between service branches. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Hehnly)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

CENTCOM EOD teams link up for joint service field trainingPublished June 5, 2017
                    
                    
                    386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
            **SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) --**Explosive ordnance disposal teams from across the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility participated in a weeklong joint field training exercise May 22 to May 26, 2017, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.
The 386th Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight coordinated and hosted the joint training operation that brought together EOD teams from each of the four service branches, deployed to five different countries in the area of responsibility.
“In a real world deployment, it’s normal for EOD teams to support units from other branches and training together improves cross service communication and familiarization and sharing of TTPs,” said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Vallejo, a site leader and planner for the exercise from the 386th EOD flight. “We had nine teams from eight different units deployed to a forward operating base, working in three AOR’s on realistic scenarios based on current contingencies.”
The purpose of the exercise was to provide realistic joint service EOD training to new team leaders and team leaders in training, allow for the exchange of tactics, techniques and procedures – known as TTPs – between service branches, and share training best practices throughout the AOR.
For the first few days, each team worked on separate problems while cross-talking and being aware of the other teams working in their AOR. The individual teams interrogated various improvised explosive devices, performed combat life-saving procedures, and used live demolitions and various robotic platforms.
The final day brought all the teams together to complete a mission with named objectives along the route. On this day, the joint service group worked as one to interrogate weapon caches, search and clear buildings of IEDs and disarm suicide vests on hostages while taking simulated fire from enemy combatants.
“These are bigger problem sets than usual,” said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Pazdur, an EOD technician who participated in the exercise. “The biggest part here was interacting with the other services and learning how to manage multiple aspects at once to include team members, other teams and the on-scene commander. When all those different aspects come together, it makes it more realistic.”
EOD technicians all have the same foundation and are trained to the same standard as they attend formal joint service training when they enter the career field. As the EOD technicians progress in their careers within their respective branch they tend to develop their own TTPs and specialize in certain areas based off the needs of their branch’s mission. For example, the Air Force EOD technicians are used heavily in the support of flying missions, whereas, the Navy EOD technicians are used largely in support of special operations missions.
“This joint training is a great opportunity to see and share the different tools and techniques used by the other branches to complete their missions,” said Army Staff Sgt. Bryce Granger, an EOD technician with the 630th EOD Company. “It’s also beneficial for the younger soldiers. They have to think on their feet and run problems as we hit upon a lot of different training areas, to include unexploded ordnances, improvised explosive devices, combat life-saving skills and casualty evacuation.”
Beyond trading TTPs, another primary objective for the joint exercise was to develop the younger EOD technicians into team leaders.
“All the older EOD techs have been through wars, whereas the younger guys haven’t had much of that experience in war, so we rely on the older generation to teach us,” said  Air Force Staff Sgt. Daniel Giansanti Jr., an EOD technician with the 386th EOD flight. “This whole week was dedicated to running operations. All the skills we have learned over the years were put to the test. Having a week-long exercise was beneficial because we got to test our skills, be evaluated by senior techs and then adjust for the next day.”
The observing senior EOD technicians were purposely mixed up and not from the same branch in order to provide outside perspectives from their training and experience to be shared with those team members running the operations.
“We are trying to spin up the new team leaders that are getting ready to fill the roles of the seasoned EOD veterans,” said  Air Force Master Sgt. Roger Hughes, a master EOD technician with the 386th EOD flight. “To get all that training and experience in a joint service environment is huge for our guys.”training 



joint 



IED 



EOD 



Navy 



386th EOD 



improvised explosive device 



combat live saving 



centcom Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil