LONG BEACH, Calif. – U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians supported Army recruiters at one of the biggest motorsports events in the western United States.
Army EOD technicians from the Fort Irwin, California-based 759th Ordnance Company (EOD) helped Army recruiting efforts at the Long Beach Grand Prix.
The Army EOD techs talked with potential recruits about serving in the Army and EOD profession in support of the Long Beach Recruiting Company, Los Angeles Recruiting Battalion and 6th Recruiting Brigade.
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 multifunctional and deployable CBRNE formation.
Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and multinational operations.
EOD techs from the 759th EOD Company routinely conduct range ordnance clearance operations in support of the Fort Irwin National Training Center where ground combat units take on opposition forces in the Mojave Desert across an area almost as large as the state of Rhode Island.
In addition to enabling combat training center rotations and military operations overseas, the 759th EOD Company also supports civil authorities when military munitions are discovered in 89 counties across California, Nevada and Arizona.
Spc. Tyler C. Miller from the 759th EOD Company said many visitors were interested in talking with him about the lifesaving and mission-enabling EOD profession.
“The highlight of the grand prix was being able to engage with people who were interested in my work and then seeing the new technology in the cars that were used,” said Miller, who is originally from Mounds View, Minnesota. “Of the thousands of people there, we ran into Andre Miller, a former NBA player and now a G-League head coach.”
The almost two-mile Long Beach Grand Prix racetrack ran through closed city streets around the Long Beach Convention Center. More than 200,000 people attended the three-day event.
Capt. Timothy M. Arndt from the 759th EOD Company said the Long Beach Grand Prix gave them a chance to display the tools of their trade.
"We brought our MTRS-II robotics system, a bomb suit and some various types of ordnance items for the people to see. We were set up in the middle of the expo center with the other Army units that were present,” said Arndt. “Overall, I would say we talked with 1,000 people over the course of the three days.”
Arndt was also impressed by the Army recruiters at the race.
“It was interesting to learn about how they can utilize their resources to put out a good product for the potential new recruits,” said Arndt. “They know how to engage with people, figure out what they need and then point them in the right direction.”
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, who earned the “Perfect Edge” at the Expert Soldier Badge qualification on Fort Irwin, said the 759th EOD Company routinely helps Army recruiters.
“We support recruiting events a few times a year with Southern California Recruiting Battalion and Los Angeles Recruiting Battalion,” said Arndt. “Once a year, we hold a recruiting event on Fort Irwin for Soldiers that are interested in transferring into EOD.”
“My advice for anyone wanting to become an EOD tech is to remain humble, ask a recruiter what the next steps are and mentally prepare yourself to go through a long and stressful mental grind,” said Arndt.
Capt. Matthew S. Juntz, an engineer officer serving as commander of the Long Beach Recruiting Company, said that in addition to the Army EOD techs, cyber warfare experts, the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team and U.S. Army Marketing and Engagement Brigade supported Army recruiters at the Long Beach Grand Prix.
A native of Fort Bragg, California, Juntz earned his bachelor’s degree from The Citadel and earned master’s degrees in social science from The Citadel Graduate College, military studies from American Military University and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He is pursuing a doctorate in strategic security studies from National American University. Juntz has served in the Army for 15 years and he deployed to Afghanistan.
Juntz said the Long Beach Grand Prix generated 1,576 total leads and 980 qualified leads.
While Kyle Kirkwood won the IndyCar race at the street track in Long Beach, Juntz said the event was a winning opportunity for the Army to find future Soldiers.
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