LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
"The Hurt Locker"-- it won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2010 for portraying the daily life of an explosive ordnance disposal unit. But did it really portray the day-to-day realities of the EOD profession?
Our experience is not really like that depicted in "The Hurt Locker," said Airman 1st Class Colton Casteele, 633rd Civil Engineering Squadron EOD apprentice.
EOD plays a vital role in the Air Force mission, many times while operating in the joint environment.
It is a voluntary career field, given the intense nature of the job. Young Airmen looking for a job filled with excitement and unique challenges are usually the ones who seek out these slots.
Casteele was one of these individuals.
"I wanted to do something exciting with my life, do something amazing, and then my recruiter told me about EOD...it's something you really can't do in the civilian world," he said.
Once selected for the career field, airmen attend introductory training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, for approximately one month, then move on to a seven-month joint course at Eglin AFB, Fla. At this lengthier course, Airmen learn many of the skills necessary for recognizing, responding to, and eliminating the threat caused by explosives and other dangerous materials.
Airmen also learn these skills alongside their brethren from other services, a point Casteele was quick to point out.
"All the branches go to the same EOD school, so we're taught the same thing. We're taught the same way," he said.
This training is not for the faint of heart. Some training scenarios require trainees to correctly execute proper procedures or risk injury. Subsequently, the attrition rate at Eglin is roughly 50 percent.
The EOD career field essentially has two main mission areas--the stateside mission and the deployed mission. The stateside mission is largely driven by the specific needs and aspects of a particular base's location. For example, the Peninsula area here is full of historic sites, meaning that decades-old munitions, such as cannon balls, are sometimes discovered in the ground during construction or other activities. EOD plays a vital role in working with local law enforcement to respond to these types of situations. Local law enforcement can, in many cases, request EOD assistance in off-base situations.
Another interesting aspect of the EOD stateside mission is their work with other federal agencies. For example, EOD plays a vital role in working with the Secret Service to provide security and safety checks for executive events and appearances.
In the deployed environment, Air Force EOD personnel are hard at work combating the threat posed by explosives. Airmen work closely with Army personnel, in particular.
"We work hand-in-hand with the Army in many cases," said Staff Sgt. Jessica Ogilbee, 633rd CES EOD craftsman. "We typically work for an Army battalion...and there's usually Air Force people working [in the deployed environment]..."
Just as with the stateside mission, overseas EOD tasks are largely driven by location. Ogilbee has deployed several times, each time to a different theater.
It's all situational. It just depends on where you are, she said. The job can be anything from responding to improvised explosive devices and other suspicious items to clearing routes.
EOD is perhaps one of the most high-stress career fields in the Air Force, but Casteele and Ogilbee have found ways to deal with that stress and accomplish the mission.
"I just see it as my job. People depend on me to do my job," Casteele said.
"The EOD career field as a whole is like a big family, regardless of what service you're in. If you wear [our badge], anybody else will help take care of you...Any issues you can come up with, someone will help you," Ogilbee said.