The clock stops with the new 301st EOD team

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Samantha Mathison
  • 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
NAVAL AIR STATION FORT WORTH JOINT RESERVE BASE, Texas --  Most clocks innocuously show the current time of day, some only count down to zero.

Zero can be deadly for the Air Force bomb squad, also known as Explosive Ordnance Disposal or EOD.

"You're not going to put back together what's damaged by a 2,000 lb. bomb," said Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Montrose, the 301st EOD flight chief here. "And you're sure not going to save the life of the man who was standing too close."

With the Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters Inspection General inbound to inspect the EOD flight, a new clock began its countdown. It was Zero Hour for EOD's inspection to gain its Full Operational Capability (FOC) status.

The FOC Staff Assistance Visit was conducted during a Unit Effectiveness Inspection by the Air Force Reserve Command early June of this year.

During this visit, inspectors looked at everything from their processes to their capabilities, making sure they meet Air Force standards.

Part of the process of establishing a flight is meeting certain benchmarks, said Montrose. One of the last benchmarks to be officially declared fully functional was an inspection from AFRC Headquarters IG.

Inspections can be stressful, but EOD is familiar with working under pressure.

The EOD flight has already responded to over a dozen reports of unexploded ordnance since limited operations began last year, said Montrose. The military has cradle to grave responsibility for all government ordnance, so it is EOD's obligation to handle these situations.

With that obligation in mind, EOD's biggest concern is safety.

"Each [EOD] Airman has the responsibility and ability to maintain their expertise and give their input on a scenario," said Tech. Sgt. Macord Johnson, 301st Fighter Wing EOD team member. "That's also how we build team leaders."

EOD's expertise is precisely what carried them through the inspection, in spite of the ticking clock.

Getting ready for inspections and just doing the basics, such as cleaning and housekeeping, generally tend to lead to better performances, said Johnson.

These basics are what lead the flight to becoming the new fully operational explosive ordnance flight here at 301st Fighter Wing.

This clock stops for no one and the new fully operational EOD team is always ready for zero.