LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight assigned to the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron engaged in exercise Operation Pegasus at Camp Navajo, Arizona, April 21-26, 2024.
With the possibility of being embedded in special operations units, EOD Airmen train to employ special tools and vehicles to safely locate, identify, recover, disarm, and dispose of dangerous weapons that threaten people, property, and natural environments.
This five-day field training exercise was designed to challenge 56th CES EOD Airmen on their precision, competence, and composure under simulated enemy pressure in a controlled field training environment.
“Our OC team spends upwards of six months designing simulations, scoping and prepping the area, and just making sure our Airmen have everything they need.” said SSgt Jacob Turcotte, 56th CES EOD lead operations coordinator. “This training is vital to the safety and lethality of our Airmen, so they can be prepared for anything that could happen out in the field.”
This year’s exercise included combat arms proficiency and safety training, tactical combat casualty care, medivac procedures, and day and night combat operations in a controlled field environment.
EOD Airmen participated in joint training scenarios with an Arizona National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk aircrew, assigned to the ANG Silverbell Army Heliport in Marana, Arizona, as well as a U.S. Army special operation combat proficiency experts assigned to the 75th Ranger regiment.
As a first-time player in this exercise, Senior Airman Aris Hillsman-Jackson, 56th CES EOD technician, stressed the importance of training out in field conditions.
“As EOD Airmen, we can find ourselves tasked to do dangerous missions,” he said. “If we don’t have training like this, we’re just a liability at that point. We train in realistic scenarios so we can be an asset in real-world situations.”
While the 56th FW prides itself in training the world’s greatest combat-ready airmen, the 56th CES EOD flight tirelessly sharpens their skills, patiently standing mission-ready for their nation’s call.