An explosion of training

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (ANFS) -- The 4th Civil Engineer Squadron hosted a joint-service explosive ordnance disposal exercise Sept. 13-15 on the EOD range here.

EOD Airmen assigned to the 4th CES organized the three-day exercise to familiarize EOD technicians of the munitions involved with the F-15E Strike Eagle. To maximize the effectiveness of the exercise, organizers invited their counterparts from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, to participate.

“The importance of the exercise was to gain familiarization and training on the F-15E, and all the ordnance that we would usually take care of at Seymour Johnson AFB,” said Senior Airman Christian Hulsey, a 4th CES EOD technician.

The exercise consisted of two stages. The first stage took place over the course of the first two days and consisted of F-15E familiarization. During this stage, EOD teams trained and exercised on a multitude of scenarios, including responding to improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance threats, basic demolition techniques and reacting to several simulated F-15E munitions emergencies.

“Chemical operation training is important just in case a situation similar to this should happen, outstanding units could come in and be able to perform the appropriate procedures,” Hulsey said.

According to Marine Corps Sgt. Kyle Kazmierczak, an EOD technician assigned to the 2nd EOD Company, the exercise scenarios were beneficial to their understanding of the F-15E and its munitions

“We have never done any work on the F-15E before, so it was very helpful to be able to ask questions about it,” Kazmierczak said.

On the final day of training, Airmen from Seymour Johnson AFB and Joint Base Charleston simulated a chemical spill situation, and performed the necessary procedures for the situation.

“The whole mission for the last day of the exercise was for the teams to render the chemicals safe and dispose of them properly,” Hulsey said.

Kazmierczak and Hulsey felt the training benefited the units and assisted with chemical operations.

“This particular exercise helped immensely with chemical operations,” Kazmierczak said. “There are quite a few things the Air Force does that we don’t. I think if we could take that back to our shop it would help us with a few of our procedures, and maybe even be more effective with our job.”