ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (Sept. 16, 2015) -- Red wire or blue wire?
"If only it was that simple," said Command Sgt. Maj. Harold E. Dunn IV. "Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) troopers must train constantly to stay ready to execute their no fail mission."
A seasoned U.S. Army EOD technician, Dunn is the senior enlisted leader of the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland-based 20th CBRNE Command (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives), the U.S. Army's only multifunctional formation that combats CBRNE threats around the world.
With seven deployments and hundreds of missions as an EOD Soldier, Dunn said Army EOD technicians train for when, not if, they will receive the mission to go into harm's way and defeat explosive weapons.
"Unfortunately, weapons designed to injure or kill others are never going to go away," said Dunn, a native of Fredericksburg, Va. "We're always going to need troopers who are highly skilled and devoted to defeating explosive devices in order to ensure the safety of others."
In addition to deploying for military operations, 20th CBRNE Command EOD troops defuse unexploded ordnance on post and support law enforcement agencies when military munitions are found off post. During recent explosive mitigation missions, these munitions have ranged from cannon balls and landmines to grenades and missiles.
In fiscal year 2014, U.S. Army EOD technicians from 20th CBRNE Command responded to more than 2,000 unexploded ordnance calls around the nation.
"Our Soldiers are ready and they must remain that way," said Dunn. "During combat operations or here at home, their skills are always in high demand."
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