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Civilian responders call EOD for military munitions

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David K. Flaherty
  • 452d AMW/Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. --  A box full of 60-year-old live hand grenades was the last thing a Temecula widow expected to find in her deceased husband's closet. Workers for a San Bernardino construction company didn't expect to dig up a 500-pound World War II bomb.

These kinds of situations may seem bizarre but they are a lot more common place than people think, according to local law enforcement.

Most civilian agencies don't have the expertise to disarm military-grade explosives, so the local emergency responders must call the only organization in the county that has experience in diffusing some of the world's biggest and deadliest bombs - March ARB's explosive ordnance disposal team.

"The civilian bomb squad is trained in some military munitions - in how to recognize them - but it's not in-depth trained," said Master Sgt. Philip Hartzell, EOD program manager for the base. "They don't have the improvised explosive device, wartime experience that we have here."

March EOD squadron's primary mission is to train reservists to deploy and support the base for unexploded ordnance removal, said Sergeant Hartzell. Since 9/11, the base has taken a lead role in responding to off-base IED threats as well as military munitions.

"When we have several calls working at once, we call March's EOD unit to come out," said Sgt. Robert Moquib, supervisor of the Riverside Sheriff Department's Hazardous Device Team. "They have current information on dealing with IED threats from overseas, and they've always been very forthcoming in providing that expertise to us."

March EOD's community assistance doesn't just stop at disarming off-base explosives. The team also plays a key role in training local law enforcement. Because civilian bomb disposal agencies use the same methods as the military, local bomb technicians and March EOD people are able to train together on base every month. Sgt. Moquib said this joint training is essential when both teams work together on the same IED call.

"Our techniques, tactics and tools are identical," said Sgt. Moquib. "March EOD people have the ability to come right into my team and work as functional bomb techs to assist us. We're thankful for the close relationship we have with them and appreciative to the command staff for making them available to us when we need them."

The explosive ordnance disposal team on March is a vital asset to military people on base and local community members alike. Their training and experience have saved the lives of troops in Iraq as well as local civilians.

Since the beginning of the Iraq war, members of the base's EOD team have earned four Bronze Stars, three Air Force Commendation Medals with Valor and three Army Commendation Medals.

For the members of March's EOD team, being a bomb technician is an EOD job that is second to none.

"There would be nothing else I would rather do in the military," said Sergeant Hartzell. "There's nothing like walking down to a bomb by yourself in a bomb suit knowing it's you versus whatever device is down there. And you better have it right, because if you don't, you may not go home." (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)