With the military situation in Iraq no longer requiring the same demand for explosives experts, the U.S. Army is back to finding out the best bomb disposal soldiers it has.

 

This week, the Army conducted its Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team of the Year competition at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, marking the first time the event has been held in 10 years. Three teams, one each from Fort Bragg, Fort Stewart and Fort Benning, competed in challenges involving suicide vests, improvised rocket launchers and munitions, although live ordinance was only used blow up dummy threats.

 

One event required teams to march nine miles in the cold rain with field packs and equipment before they had to identify and dispose of a cache of munitions within a certain amount of time. Another involved saving a captured U.S. soldier who has been forced by the enemy to wear a suicide vest.

 

The competition was won by Sgt. Bo Lollar, Sgt. James Swartz and Spc. David Mensiak of Fort Benning’s 789th OD Company.

 

Currently, the Army has 1,800 soldiers working in explosives disposal units.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Army Bomb Disposal Units Compete at Fort Campbell (by Kristin Hall, Associated Press)

Bomb Experts Face Off at Fort Campbell Event (by Philip Grey, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle)