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      Portrait photo of Sgt. BivinsTech. Sgt. Dylan Bivins, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal noncommissioned officer in charge of training, poses for a photo at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 20, 2021. Bivins cleared more than 115,000 square feet of land for ordnance and aircraft wreckage during a Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency mission, in early spring 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Michael S. Murphy)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Andersen EOD technician completes DPAA Vietnam missionPublished July 25, 2021
                    
                    By Senior Airman Michael S. Murphy
                    
                    
                    36 Wing Public Affairs
            **ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFNS) --**The Vietnam jungle canopied overhead as the explosive ordnance disposal Airman entered his bamboo hut where a birthday cake covered in blue and white frosting, and a group of teammates were waiting for him.
“I know that doesn’t sound like much,” said Tech. Sgt. Dylan Bivins, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal noncommissioned officer in charge of training. “I had gotten news that day that my cousin had passed away, and I was having a pretty rough time. The team made me feel really good in that moment.”
Bivins was an EOD team leader on a **Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency** mission at an undisclosed location in Vietnam, early this spring. Bivins led his team through a 32-day mission, and cleared more than 115,000 square feet of land for ordnance and aircraft wreckage. His leadership said his guidance ensured the safety of 117 DPAA personnel and local nationals.
The DPAA mission is to return service members from past conflicts to the U.S., where proper burial ceremonies can be given.
“EOD personnel are primarily on these missions in case any unexploded ordnance are encountered,” Bivins said. “We are responsible for directing a safe course of action in the event any are found.”
Bivins worked alongside a U.S. Navy EOD technician; together they would search for and set up new dig sites using metal detectors to locate new dig sites.
“Our metal detectors were useful in determining areas with a lot of aircraft wreckage in hopes that the area would also contain MIA personnel remains,” Bivins said.
Since 1973, the remains of more than 1,000 American service members killed in the **Vietnam War** have been identified and returned to their families with full military honors.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Bivins said. “All EOD techs that I’ve come across have absolutely loved it. It’s a chance for us to get away from our day-to-day tasks, potentially do some EOD work and participate in a very humbling mission.”
Bivins said one of the hardest tasks he and his team overcame was simply the weather. The heat made it difficult at times to complete the rigid labor needed. He recalls some nights trying to sleep and the weather either being uncomfortably hot or bracingly cold.
“Our welcome letter mentioned that the mission would likely be the most grueling work of our life,” Bivins said. “I stayed at a base camp where we slept in small bamboo huts near our worksite. The bugs were practically unavoidable.”
Bivins’ mission in Vietnam gave him a different perspective on how EOD technicians work. He said he always felt prepared, but there were moments that surprised him.
“It was a little bit of a shock when we moved some leaves and dirt, and there was a UXO right under our noses,” Bivins said. “In Guam, we deal with UXOs routinely. The difference is we’re not the ones that discover them. We just render them safe and then take them to our disposal range.”
Those in the 36th CES/EOD were not surprised with Bivins’ outcome while in Vietnam. They said they knew they were sending one of their best to complete this mission.
“Tech. Sgt. Bivins is one of our most proficient EOD techs at Andersen,” said Tech. Sgt. Kurt Ziobro, 36th CES/EOD flight chief. “His vast experience encountering **WWII**-era munitions on Guam combined with his impeccable decision-making skills make Sgt. Bivins a vital asset to the recovery of our missing heroes.”
Those interested in volunteering for a DPAA mission should consult with the unit deployment manager. More information on the DPAA mission can be found on their **website**.AFWN 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Pacific Air Forces 



PACAF 



36th Wing 



Andersen Air Force Base 



AAFB 



explosive ordnance disposal 



EOD 



POW/MIA 



Vietnam 



military honors Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                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 fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                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 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM 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