THE BOMB GUYS: When civilian responders need help, they call March ARB EOD

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David K. Flaherty
  • 452d AMW/Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  A box full of 60-year-old live hand grenades was the last thing a Temecula widow expected to find in her deceased husband's closet. For a San Bernardino construction company, digging up a 500-pound World War II bomb was a little out of the norm. But according to local law enforcement, these types of situations are a lot more common than people think. 

Because civilian agencies do not have the expertise to disarm military-grade explosives, local emergency responders must call the only organization in the county that has experience in diffusing some of the world's biggest and deadliest bombs - March Air Reserve Base's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team. 

"The civilian bomb squad is trained in some military munitions - in how to recognize them - but they're not in-depth trained," said Master Sgt. Philip Hartzell, the Base EOD program manager. "They don't have the IED wartime experience that we have here." 

March EOD squadron's primary mission is to train reservists to deploy and support the base for Unexploded Ordnance removal, said Master Sgt. Hartzell. But in the wake of 9/11, March has taken a lead role in responding to off-base IED threats as well as military munitions. 

"When we have several (IED) calls working at once, we call March's EOD unit to come out," said Sgt. Robert Moquib, the supervisor for the Riverside Sheriffs Department's Hazardous Device Team. "They have current information on dealing with IED threats from overseas, and they've always been very forthcoming in providing that expertise to us." 

March EOD's community assistance doesn't just stop at disarming off-base explosives. They also play a key role in training local law enforcement. Because civilian bomb disposal agencies use the same methods as the military, local bomb technicians and March EOD personnel are able to train together on base every month. Sgt. Moquib said this joint training is essential when both teams work together on the same IED call. 

"Our techniques, tactics and tools are identical," said Sgt. Moquib. "March EOD people have the ability to come right into my team and work as a functional bomb tech to assist us. We're thankful for the close relationship we have with them and appreciative to the command staff for making them available to us when we need them." 

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team on March is a vital asset to military personnel on base and local community members alike. Their training and experience have saved the lives of troops in Iraq as well as local civilians. 

Since the beginning of the Iraq war, the base's EOD team has earned four bronze stars, three Air Force Commendation Medals with Valor and three Army Commendation Medals. 

For the members of March's EOD team, being a bomb technician is a EOD job that is second to none. 

"There would be nothing else I would rather do in the military," said Master Sgt. Hartzell. "There's nothing like walking down to a bomb by yourself in a bomb suit knowing it's you versus whatever device is down there. And you better have it right, because if you don't, you may not go home."