The ordnance collected for explosion here earlier in May included approximately 10,000 23mm and 30mm rounds of ammunition, 300 DK-82 high-explosive anti-tank rifle rounds and multiple rockets, said Staff Sgt. Shawn Prather, 705th Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, deployed from Fort Polk, La. U.S. Army photo by Pvt. 2 Terri Rorke
More Than Just Ordnance Blasters
By U.S. Army Pvt. 2 Terri Rorke
11th Public Affairs Detachment
BAGRAM, Afghanistan — After nearly a full day of setting up four truck loads of ordnance for detonation here, the 705th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, Fort Polk, La., watched as 16,000 pounds of rockets, bombs, rifles and small arms rounds exploded earlier in May.
The 705th, deployed to Afghanistan for more than six months now, does more than just press a button on a receiver and wait for an explosion.
“We handle anything dealing with explosives,” said Capt. Donald R. Weakley, commander of the 705th EOD.
Weakley’s statement is supported by the unit’s responsibilities, ranging from doing a post-investigation on a land mine incident to functioning as the secret service’s bomb squad.
The team is in charge of anything explosive-related in all of Louisiana, eastern Texas and wherever the president needs bomb searches done, said Staff Sgt. Shawn Prather, 705th EOD.
The training for this job consists of 10 weeks of Army classes and another nine months at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., said Prather.
This training is needed for working in a country with the title “fourth top country with the most mines in the world,” said Prather. Because of this, the 705th is always safety cautious in performing their job, said Prather.
The 705th uses precise calculations to determine the safe distance from the explosion based on the type of ordnance, said Weakley.
“Our mission is to make the area safe for everybody,” said Prather.
The team has three ammunition storage points in the Bagram Air Base perimeter where they store ordnance that is either captured, bought by counter intelligence from Afghans or found in the Bagram area, said Weakley.
They take a trip to one of their ranges in Bagram once they collect enough unexploded ordnance for detonation. They strategically place all the UXO, lay down detonation cord and C-4 explosives, calculate the fragmentation and blast of the explosion, call the air traffic control tower to clear the air space and then explode the UXO. It usually takes the team two weeks to collect enough explosives, plan a date and calculate the explosion, said Prather.
An EOD specialist has many opportunities waiting in the civilian world because of all the training and experience he receives through out his military career, said Prather.
“There are so many other jobs we can do when we get out (of the military) … police, FBI, etc…this is the best job in the Army,” said Prather.
