FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Jan. 22, 2015) -- For some, Hollywood's portrayal of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician in the movie "The Hurt Locker" starring Jeremy Renner as an adrenaline-driven EOD technician is the only perspective they may have of the profession.
Meet Sgt. 1st Class Steve McClure, Sgt. Daniel Violette and Spc. Arthur Thompson of the 52nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, Fort Knox, Kentucky, who are temporarily assigned to Fort Jackson as a three-man EOD team to diffuse danger on Fort Jackson.
"Our main focus here is range support operations … hand grenades, claymores and U.S. weaponry," said McClure, the team leader. "Our biggest focus is to facilitate the training of Soldiers by keeping the ranges open and free of explosives."
McClure said the EOD team is on call 24/7.
"Once we get a call, it's go time," he said.
McClure said on one occasion the team was called for a World War II-era 105 mm artillery round that was found on one of the ranges.
"If you think something is a hazard then by all means treat it as such," he said. "Our vocation is to put ourselves in that position and to decide if it's something (dangerous)."
EOD specialists typically work in teams of two or three Soldiers with one senior NOC in charge.
"We live and breathe this stuff," McClure said.
Violette is a former combat engineer who changed his career field after meeting the MOS requirements, which includes a high score in the technical portion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test.
"For me the school was like they hosed you down with all kinds of Army pubs, safety regulations and explosive ordnance knowledge. Each week you test, and you cannot take the materials home with you to study, so it's pretty intense," Violette said.
Violette said it takes almost one year to finish EOD training.
"Phase One (consists of) two months at Fort Lee, Virginia, and Phase Two (includes) about eight months at Eglin Air Force Base, (Florida). It's a multi-service school, so we work with all branches of services," Violette said.
Violette said he became an EOD technician because he wanted excitement, but received a lot more.
"I saw a video and thought I was going to be blowing up all kinds of things, and then I quickly realized that was not our mission in WWII and that's not our mission today," Violette said. "After being deployed to Afghanistan clearing routes and finding (improvised explosive devices), I see things differently now.
"I can be deployed and save lives, or I can be home and help people also because we can either receive a call from the local police department because they can use our assistance or we may be in a DOD school trying to learn more about our job… so for me I chose the job because it was an opportunity to help people overseas and at home," Violette said.
Thompson became an EOD technician for similar reasons.
"I became an EOD tech for two reasons," he said. "My father was one, so that was kind of a pride thing. When I joined the Army I said I wanted to do something (to) help somebody, so it was (a choice of) either becoming a medic or this because if I do my job right then it saves a lot of guys' lives."
McClure said that he was initially attracted to the MOS for its "cool factor," but decided to stay because he feels like he is making a difference and is able to save lives. He said EOD technicians spend a lot of time on assignments away from their permanent duty station.
"We spend a considerable amount of time deployed -- whether we are serving as an augmented individual or with a unit," McClure said. "We also support the Secret Service, State Department, foreign heads of state, dignitaries, so we travel a lot as a part of this job.
"Fort Jackson is just one more of those many assignments because there is an explosive hazard here with the ranges," McClure said. "We just want to ensure the Soldiers and everyone here is safe."
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