FORT IRWIN, Calif. – A U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal platoon leader earned the “Perfect Edge” title during the Expert Soldier Badge (ESB) assessment on Fort Irwin, California.
1st Lt. Timothy M. Arndt, the 2nd Platoon leader in the 759th Ordnance Company (EOD), passed all events with a first-time “Go” and earned a perfect 600 on his Army Combat Fitness Test.
Arndt earned his Expert Soldier Badge with 1st Lt. Alexander Ball and Staff Sgt. Mark Owens from the 759th EOD Company.
“We decided to get our Expert Soldier Badges because it gave us the opportunity to broaden our skillsets and master tasks not directly related to EOD,” said Arndt. “It is a great program to provide a ton of basic Soldiering tasks in a condensed but effective fashion and it allowed for us to share those skills with people at our unit.”
Arndt said he was also motivated to get his Expert Soldier Badges by the 759th EOD Company Commander Capt. Alexander K. Olson, who previously earned his badge.
The assessment was part of Fort Irwin E3B assessment event that included assessments for the Expert Infantry Badge, Expert Soldier Badge and Expert Field Medical Badge.
More than 300 Soldiers began the E3B assessment and less than 100 earned their badges with only 20 earning the "Perfect" distinction with the “True Blue,” “Perfect Edge” and “Top Doc.”
To earn the Expert Soldier Badge, Soldiers need to qualify “Expert” on their assigned weapons system, pass the Expert Physical Fitness Assessment (a combat-focused physical assessment conducted in the Army Combat Uniform, boots, “slick” body armor with plates and helmet), complete Day and Night Land Navigation, execute 10 weapons, 10 medical and 10 patrol lanes and then complete a 12-mile ruck march.
The training lanes vary from clearing and firing a heavy grenade launcher, to creating a Range Card for the M240B weapons system to treating an injury in a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) environment.
Arndt said the key to earning the “Perfect Edge” was staying focused during the preparation phase and asking questions.
“Having a battle buddy who is not afraid to tell you that you messed up and correct your errors before your official attempt at the task is important,” said Arndt. “Going in with confidence and trusting my training allowed me to execute all of the tasks proficiently.”
Arndt said he worked together with Soldiers from the 759th EOD Company and Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Combat Regiment, to prepare for the Expert Soldier Badge assessment.
“My success is because the people around me kept me accountable and were gracious enough to provide me opportunities to train. My advice to Soldiers to prepare for the ESB is to go in with a foundational knowledge of what to expect,” said Arndt. “Extra effort has to be put in outside of the designated training hours, and those who put in those extra hours have a much higher success rate.”
Arndt used a similar methodical approach to prepare for the Army Combat Fitness Test.
“When it comes to training for the Army Combat Fitness Test, I do my best to look at each event as an individual assessment. If your goal is to obtain a certain score, then you need to map out a detailed event-by-event plan to achieve that goal,” said Arndt. “Training takes time, and as long as progress is being made, continue to chip away at your goal.”
The Fort Irwin, California-based 759th EOD Company “Detonators” are part of the 3rd EOD Battalion, 71st EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. Department of Defense’s premier CBRNE formation.
Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in Northeast Maryland’s science, technology and security corridor, the 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the Active-Duty U.S. Army EOD technicians and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialist, as well as the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and Nuclear Disablement Teams.
Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to take on the world’s most hazards in joint, interagency and multinational operations.
The 759th EOD Company routinely conducts range ordnance clearance operations in support of the Fort Irwin National Training Center where Army combat units hone their skills against opposition forces in the Mojave Desert across an area almost as large as the state of Rhode Island. The 759th EOD Company also supports civil authorities when military munitions are discovered in 89 counties across California, Nevada and Arizona.
A native of Fairfax Station, Virginia, Arndt earned his bachelor’s degree in applied physics and mathematics from Creighton University, and he earned his master’s degree in mental health and wellness from Grand Canyon University.
Arndt knows firsthand the importance of being ready. He supported a Special Operations Task Force in the U.S. Africa Command Area of Operations.
“As a 1st lieutenant, being the EOD officer-in-charge of a 12 country Area of Operations while having Soldiers in three separate countries helped me gain an immense amount of experience,” said Arndt. “EOD is unique because we are expected at any given moment to be able to support conventional missions, Special Operations, homeland response or Very Important Person Protection Support Activity missions.”
“Serving here for the past year and a half has allowed me to continue to push myself and trust that I will gain valuable knowledge,” said Arndt. “Being an EOD officer, I have to lead my Soldiers, while at the same time learn how to become an EOD Team Leader, which is where that knowledge and experience from my NCOs and junior enlisted Soldiers is invaluable.”
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