WASHINGTON – U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians participated in a forum conducted by one of the nation’s premier engineering schools to learn better ways to confront and defeat cluster munitions during large-scale combat operations.
Army EOD technicians attended the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering Cluster Munitions Forum in Washington, D.C.
The forum addressed the strategic and humanitarian impact of cluster munitions and brought together demining and weapons experts to discuss international agreements and global partnerships that deal with cluster munitions, scatterable mines and related explosives.
As the U.S. military shifts its focus to preparing for large-scale combat operations against near peer adversaries, being able to confront and defeat cluster munitions is a critical mission.
Sgt. 1st Class Jesse T. Harris from the 744th Ordnance Company (EOD) was one of the EOD technicians who attended the conference.
“The highlight was gathering the knowledge of non-government organizations who work in areas that have cluster munitions,” said Harris, who is from Maryland Heights, Missouri, in the greater St. Louis area.
A graduate of Pattonville High School and student at University of Maryland Global Campus, Harris has been in the U.S. Army for 16 years.
After spending five years serving as a Military Police Officer, Harris became an EOD technician because he was drawn to the challenges, complexities and missions of the profession. He has deployed to Kuwait, Egypt and Iraq.
Harris has dealt with cluster munitions during EOD response missions in Iraq.
“Cluster munition clearance operations are very important during all phases of large-scale combat operations,” said Harris. “Cluster munitions are utilized for a variety of purposes and the lingering effects greatly tie up logistics, manpower and coordinating efforts to clear out the areas and return the area of operations to civil authorities.”
Harris currently serves as the operations sergeant for the 744th EOD Company, which recently returned from Syria and Iraq in 2022.
In addition to supporting overseas military operations, the Fort Campbell, Kentucky-based EOD Company also responds when military munitions are discovered on and off base in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.
The 744th EOD Company “Night Train” is part of the 184th EOD Battalion, 52nd EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military’s premier CBRNE formation.
Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the active-duty U.S. Army’s EOD techs and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialists, as well as the 1st Area Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, five Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and three Nuclear Disablement Teams.
Harris attended the forum with Sgt. 1st Class Orry Whorton from the 184th Ordnance Company (EOD) as well as Sgt. 1st Class Shane Baker and retired Capt. Richard Stone from the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Proponent Office for EOD.
U.S. Army EOD Commandant Col. Shawn L. Kadlec also attended the forum. Kadlec is responsible for advising the Chief of Ordnance and senior leaders on all aspects of EOD doctrine, organization, training, materials, leadership, personnel, facilities and policy.
“Since cluster munitions are designed to harm troops and hinder operations over a wide area of operations, Army EOD techs have to be ready to confront and defeat them during large-scale combat operations,” said Kadlec, a native of Delano, Minnesota, who has led EOD technicians in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I would like to thank the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering for putting this forum together,” said Kadlec. “This was a great opportunity to leverage the collective subject matter expertise at the forum to address this persistent threat.”
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