EOD technician remains cool under pressure Published May 30, 2012 By Senior Airman Wesley Wright 442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- No matter what has happened around him, stress, paperwork or even explosions, Master Sgt. Richard Bullock has remained cool under pressure. As an explosive ordinance disposal supervisor for the past 15 years, Bullock, 442nd Civil Engineer Squadron EOD supervisor, has used his knowledge to safely disarm and dispose of dangerous munitions. Through his years of active and reserve duty, including six deployments and two occasions where he was in a vehicle targeted by a roadside bomb, Bullock has remained the calm in the eye of the storm. "It did not bother me much -- all just part of the job," he said. Bullock said he relies on his skill set to get him through life-or-death situations. "I believe the most important thing is training," he said. "Actual, practical, hands-on training. It's like muscle memory. If you practice enough you can just do it." Bullock said EOD Airmen must have a broad knowledge of many different areas, like electronics, chemistry, and physics to be good at what they do. He describes EOD members as jacks-of-all-trades but masters-of-none. Each inidividual EOD member may be broadly focused, but put them together and you have one knowledgable group -- one that must trust and rely on each other. "We work in three-man teams," he said. "Everything, in my opinion, hinges on that robot operator. If he messes up, then we have to wear heavy bomb suits all the time, as opposed to rarely." Bullock's experience, teamwork and quick thinking skills have paid off, as he has recently transitioned to a senior non-commissioned officer. He said his role has changed from hands-on to a more supervisory and leadership role, but also said he misses the days of being on the ground. "Nobody wants to give up that part of it, when you have to sit back and let the new Airmen take over," he said. "It's hard to let go." While Bullock said higher-level leadership is an adjustment for him, he believes it is import for the new Airmen. "You want to set these Airmen up for success," he said. "You want them to be better prepared than you were in situations." While his role in the unit may change over time, Bullock said he believes his future will always lie somewhere near the EOD field. "It's a tight-knit community," he said. "It's the nature of the job, and it binds us across the services and into the civillian world. I love it and there is nothing else I'd rather do."