Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time. Commander: 505-853-7258. Fort Chaffee Prairie. The 21st Ordnance Company (EOD WMD) activated at Kirtland AFB in 1998 for response to CONUS and OCONUS IND/RDD threats. The medic inserted a chest tube to reinflate Dawsons collapsing lung and prepared him for medevac. until 0400 est. For 35l I would prefer to be a ranger with that MOS but I wouldnt mind being a conventional one. A U.S. Army Soldier from the only airborne Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or EOD, Company was presented with the nation's second highest award for valor in Washington D.C., Feb. 17. I cant think of another place in the Army that embraces those characteristics more than EOD. Equipment is just one issue for bomb-disposal technicians. During the Global War on Terrorism up to this point, 28th EOD Company Soldiers have earned 32 valorous awards, including two Distinguished Service Crosses and 21 Purple Hearts. This company conducts advanced specialized training to prepare for missionsaugmentingthe 75th Ranger Regiment and other special operations forces throughout the world. Want to write for Task & Purpose? Though they are not technically part of the 75th Ranger Regiment, which supports the secretive units of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) on missions, the soldiers of the 28th operate exclusively within its orbit. The 28th EOD Company is part of the 192nd EOD Battalion, 52nd EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. Department of Defenses premier all hazards formation. There are many ongoing initiatives associated with outfitting our troops with the latest technologies that provide better protection and posture E.O.D. Doc, I think somethings wrong with me, Dawson said to the medic standing over him. During the 72-hour event, the candidates completed an Army Physical Fitness Test, an extended foot march, personal and team evaluations, and an interview board. Members of the 28th maintain a combat presence supporting Special Operations.. Logan Gregory, assigned to the 767th Ordnance Company, writes down components of an improvised explosive device during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C. Completely disregarding his own wounds, Sergeant Dawson immediately moved to assist the platoon medic treating Corporal Hargis, the citation read. They are all specifically screened for a position within the company based on their ability to think critically while embroiled in life-or-death situations, said Staples. 20th CBRNE Command. A 14-year veteran from Sutter Creek, California, Knudsen said the Airborne EOD company has a rigorous selection process. techs, Crawford said, noting the prevalence of improvised explosive devices on todays battlefields. But while soldiers treated the wounded, soldiers another string of pressure plate IEDs went off, instantly killing a combat nurse assigned to the team. "The idea of being right out there on the front line from the get-go is really not a foreign concept anymore. (US Army courtesy photo) Soldier Systems Daily is in no way affiliated with the US Government. All three are located at Fort Bragg. techs are always with them. Like the rest of his career field, Dawson and his skills were desperately needed on the front lines, despite them often not having the same level of resources and staffing as their fellow soldiers. He has since walked a 10k and took part in a triathlon where he swam a quarter-mile, biked 11 miles, and walked a 5k without help. The original goal, Abood said, was to try blending EOD troops into the 82nd Airborne's GRF. At first it wasnt really a big deal, Dawson said. The majority of the candidates were U.S. Army lieutenants completing training at the Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, which is the school for EOD technicians for all branches of services. The 28th EOD Company (Airborne) was established in 2011 to support special mission units, including the 75th Ranger Regiment. Sgt. After a successful 10-month deployment, the platoon returned home and Keim was sent to Fort Lee for the Captains Career Course. As an EOD tech, the most memorable missions stand out because they were either really good or really bad, Dawson said. CBRNE Central Staff He was awarded the Bronze Star for his efforts on deployments from January to May 2017 and December 2017 to March 2018. One of the most critical areas to continue the consistent individual and team success is a decentralized command. The 28th deploys more frequently than any other EOD Company due to the higher operational tempo incurred from supporting the Special Operations Command. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. This entry was posted The EOD first sergeant received the 2021 Excalibur Award in 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions. by CBRNE Central Staff March 2, 2016, 3:39 pm. Both units have rigorous selection processes. This company conducts advanced specialized training to prepare for missions augmenting the 75th Ranger Regiment and other special operations forces . 636th EOD Company - there were several EOD detachments (2nd, 3rd, 21st and 121st) assigned to the 57th also. In the case of the 28th, the Army has placed the burden of high-risk, specialized missions on a small cohort of service members, according to seven current and former members of the unit who spoke to The Times. Chad O. Sgt. And the way I would want to get into regiment as a 35l or 11b is with a option 4 then volunteer for rasp in airborne school. For more information on the 21st OD CO (EOD WMD), please visit our DoD CAC protected milSuite group. If you are interested in assessing, please contact usarmy.bragg.52-eod.list.192d-eod-bn---28th-recruiting@mail.mil . Qualified EOD technicians submit a packet to attend assessment and selection, which is comprised of both mental and physical tests, said Knudsen, who has deployed to Iraq once and Afghanistan three times. technicians, but soldiers from the 28th say that has yet to happen. Joseph M. Peery, and Staff Sgt. Private Sector/Industry Garrett C. Baker, Assistant S2 (Intelligence) and unit public affair representative, 52nd Ordnance Group (Explosives Ordnance Disposal)October 24, 2018. By Capt. "In my eyes, the most important thing about actually being able to be a part of the first wave is not necessarily excitement," said 1st Lt. Sean Connors. 28th EOD Company assess every individual into the company. First Class Jeffery M. Dawson received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nations second-highest medal for valor, in 2015. Dawson, 32, is one of just over three dozen highly trained explosive-ordnance disposal technicians who currently serve at the 28th Ordnance Company, the Armys bomb-disposal unit solely devoted to supporting the 75th Ranger Regiment, a large Special Operations light-infantry unit. Ive never seen Soldiers with more loyalty and trust in the first sergeant and it is 100 percent well-placed.. He had already received a Purple Heart for injuries he received while disarming that bomb late last year. THe Hotline provides 24/7 information on MEO and Harassment policies and procedures on how and where to file complaints, the behaviors . Candidates from the 21st Ordnance Company (WMD) attending the 21st and 28th Ordnance The 18th EOD Company "Voodoo" is part of the 192nd EOD Battalion, 52nd EOD Group and 20th CBRNE Command. Dawson himself suffered from infections in his right arm when it took him seven and a half months to get a medical appointment at Fort Bragg to pull out the remaining fragments from one of the bomb blasts he sustained in 2013. They need to come out, Dawson told the Times, adding that the procedure took a mere 15 minutes. No there are no operational EOD technicians assigned to 75th Ranger Regiment. The units EOD technicians have successfully conducted more than 5,200 operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan to date. Staples has served with the Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based 28th EOD Company for almost eight years. A graduate of Cal Poly who has deployed to Iraq once and Afghanistan three times, Knudsen went to EOD school straight out of the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Officer Basic Course. read more The 21st EOD Company (WMD) is part of the 71st EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military's premier all hazards command. Here are the paths that may work. Prior to deploying, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. An Explosive Partnership Between the Dutch EOD and 786th CES, The First Bomb Disposal Expert: Colonel Vivian Majendie and the Original War on Terror, DTRA Technical Integrators Return Home from Afghanistan, Qatar: U.S. Air Force EOD and Security Forces Team Up for Counter UAS Training, GAO: National Nuclear Security Administration and Key Practices for Agency Reform, Warning Future Humanity About Buried Nuclear Waste, Bertin Technologies to Acquire Environics Oy and form Bertin Environics, Ukraine War: Putin Calls Up More Troops and Threatens Nuclear Option in Speech Which Shows RussiasWeakness, Fixing the Blind Spot in Nuclear Inspections, Scientists Design Molecule to Slow SARS-Cov-2 Infection, Biopreparedness Research Virtual Environment (BRaVE) Initiative Backed by $105M DOE Funding, Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in Breath-like Motions. 28th EOD. U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Soldiers from the 28th EOD Company (Airborne) marked the 11th anniversary of the company's Airborne status with a record-breaking EOD parachute jump. The 52nd Ordnance Group (EOD) is the command and control headquarters for all U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Battalions and Companies located east of the Mississippi River in the Continental United States (CONUS). RMMXHBG0 - Candidates attending the 21st and 28th Ordnance Companies' joint Assessment and Selection event complete the two mile run during the Army Physical Fitness Test portion of the . Michael G. Schofield (right), an explosive ordnance disposal team leader with the 28th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 192nd Ord. After first deploying to Iraq with the 722nd EOD Company, the Coalville, Utah native was selected for the 28th Ordnance Company, a small unit of handpicked, highly-trained EOD soldiers. The 28th EOD Company is the only airborne EOD company in the U.S. Army. The EOD technician checked for more explosives and cleared a route towards the casualties from the earlier blasts. Combating propaganda: Information warfare in the sea services, Extended-range anti-air detection missile update, Army sergeant convicted of murder made racist remarks, violent threats, Soldier charged with killing husband, death previously ruled suicide, Watchdog warns Guard pilots not getting enough hours to fly safely, Senators press Fort Hood leaders on investigation into soldiers death, Security Force Assistance Brigade commander under investigation. Official records state that Viasaggio shouted at members of his team to leave the area after discovering the device was set to detonate. Both units have rigorous selection processes. I enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking and other outdoor activities that get my heart pumping. The 28th EOD Company is one of only three EOD companies in the Army that are on active Airborne status. Ground Branch teams in remote parts of Afghanistan. Logan Gregory, assigned to the 767th Ordnance Company, writes down components of an improvised explosive device during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C. PEARL HARBOR - Divers and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians from six partner nations completed training at Rim of the Pacific 2022 in Pearl Harbor, July 29., 24.4 mi. A total of 25 candidates competed in this selective event. A medic saved his life by using a chest tube to inflate the soldiers collapsing lungs. Soldiers from the 28th EOD Company and 192nd EOD Battalion have deployed continuously to hot stops around the world to support military operations at the tip of the spear. The multifunctional command has units on 19 bases in 16 states. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The most decorated soldier in an elite Army explosive ordnance disposal company retired last month after a legendary career that included defusing hundreds of bombs, saving the lives of countless service members, receiving the countrys second-highest award for valor, and nearly dying under fire at least twice. U.S. Army 1st Sgt. It was only when his arm began swelling while he was training for his next deployment that he was able to get a doctors appointment expedited. Zachary Abood, the 767th's commander. Eh, its all right," Golson said. Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. 1st Class Jeffery Dawson, a member of the 28th Ordnance Company (EOD), which often deploys with the Armys 75th Ranger Regiment and other special operations units, retired on May 17 after recovering from a gunshot wound he sustained in Afghanistan in 2019. The EOD tech was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the countrys second-highest award for valor, for his actions, but that was far from the end of Dawsons bomb disposal days. He was then commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps. Members of the 28th maintain a combat presence supporting Special Operations.. The last set of awards went to Hawes, a native of Claremont, Illinois. He said serving as the 28th EOD Company commander has been the highlight of his career. EOD Soldiers from the 28th EOD Company (Airborne) and other Airborne Soldiers recently celebrated the anniversary with the largest U.S. Army Airborne EOD technician jump in history at the Sicily Drop Zone on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The multifunctional command has units on 19 bases in 16 states. If selected, they then move to Fort Bragg to attend the Direct Action Certification Course and upon completion are operationally employed in support of the 75th Ranger Regiment and Special Operations Command.. 1st Class Aaron Golson told Army Times in a phone interview.Golson's platoon made three jumps between Oct. 29 and Nov. 3 as part of a qualification progression that 16 EOD soldiers are taking on, according to Capt. [For more stories about the experiences and costs of war, sign up for the weekly At War newsletter.]. 26 min. The latest news on homeland security and preparedness for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) threats. This scenario, one of the most complex in explosive detection, required Sergeant Dawson to repeatedly expose himself to active [pressure plate IEDs] under limited visibility conditions, said Dawsons award citation. In recent years, bomb-disposal soldiers from the 28th have also been diverted to support C.I.A. Currently, the Army's only airborne EOD element is the 28th EOD Company, which supports only the 75th Ranger Regiment.Loading upThe 767th Ordnance Company is building its airborne ranks up to 19 soldiers, starting earlier this year with eight basic parachutists and sending six more to jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia. Since a German jumpmaster participated in the event, 21 U.S. Army EOD Soldiers also earned German Jump Wings. When JSOC units like SEAL Team 6 and Delta go out on missions, E.O.D. American Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to take on the worlds most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations. Honoring the service of the one-of-a-kind unit, 175 Airborne troops from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Air Support Operations Group and 192nd EOD Battalion participated in the jump. It has been an honor working with the 75th Ranger Regiment. His platoon was selected to accompany a Special Forces Battalion to Iraq and Syria as part of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). Although this seems like a small number, it was the largest amount of EOD technicians to jump at a single time in Army EOD history, said Knudsen. Other, by EOD troops rendered safe more than 100,000 improvised explosive devices in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2006, the press release said, several hundred of which were defeated by Dawson himself. Keim has earned his Explosive Ordnance Disposal basic badge and Air Assault badge. Anyone ever participate in the selection process for 21st/28th EOD companys while they were at Eglin? Just being in the building with these incredible NCOs is highlight enough. North Carolina-based 28th EOD Company that supports Special Forces missions and the 18th, 722nd and 767th EOD companies that deploy for airborne Immediate Response Force missions, as well as the Fort Belvoir, Virginia-based 55th EOD . He received two Bronze Stars, one with Valor Device, and a Purple Heart. What makes the 28th a great company is that it is filled with specially selected and well trained soldiers who will never accept defeat and never fail to complete the mission, he said. Dawson himself would probably say hes no different than any other member of the 28th. 11b (ranger)- re enlist as a 35l hopefully still in regiment. Their job is to fight alongside these commandos while locating and defusing booby traps and improvised bombs, a critically important task in wars where those are the enemys primary weapons. Matthew Keeler, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) . Photo: Courtesy of Keim family. I essentially had to start over as a newborn in a 33-year-old mans body Since I am still trying to relearn everything, I have to keep a positive mental attitude so I can continue to progress., One might think that seven deployments and recovering from paralysis is enough for one lifetime, but Dawson is continuing to push himself physically and intellectually. While fewer than 100 bomb techs have served in the [28th Ordnance Company] during its decade-long existence, they have carried out more than 5,000 combat missions, according to members of the unit, The New York Times reported in 2019. EOD Soldiers interested in joining these selective units should contact the 20th CBRNE Command Operations for more information at usarmy.apg.20-cbrne.mbx.g35-plans@mail.mil. I felt that the 89D Military Occupation Specialty (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) would be technically demanding and fill a critical tactical role within the Global War on Terror.. 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