Sather EOD honors fallen brethren by destroying enemy plans

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey
  • 447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq --  Staff Sgts. Carlos Sanchez and Aris DiRodio know how serious their work is here. In March 2006 and January 2007, the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians lost four EOD brethren who responded to improvised explosive device calls in the Baghdad area.

"The scope of what we do is so large and dangerous, few people understand it," said Sergeant Sanchez, deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He wears a band with his former supervisor's name inscribed on it in the fallen Airman's honor, and Sergeant Sanchez plans to present it to the widow of Tech. Sgt. Timothy Weiner when he returns home in December.

Most Sather AB personnel only know the Sather AB EOD team by the incredibly loud "booms" of controlled detonations that take place on the range here. Some mornings the shock waves from the blasts rattle tents and trailers, causing even the most experienced servicemembers to remind themselves that the blasts were intentional and that they don't need to take cover. The explosions safely destroy hazards from the area of operations, including enemy unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices, weapons caches and volatile ingredients used by bomb makers.

"We prepare well so there are no surprises on the range," said Sergeant DiRodio, who enlisted in Philadelphia, Pa. "It's definitely rewarding to remove threats that are intended to kill coalition forces, servicemembers and innocent people."

Sather AB EOD technicians typically work in joint environments at Army, Navy or Marine forward operating bases. Sergeants DiRodio and Sanchez returned in September from a three-month assignment at a FOB where, aside from the their three-man EOD team, there were only two other Air Force members there.

"The Army knows what we do for them and respect us for it," said Sergeant Sanchez, a Connecticut native. "They see the EOD badge and they're grateful."

The most demanding and dangerous part of EOD's job is traveling off base to inspect, disengage, collect and later destroy explosives. Technicians working at Sather AB cover a 920 square-kilometer area of responsibility around the Victory Base Complex in Baghdad. The team convoys in its favorite ride, the Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle, a 50,000 pound armored truck designed to take blasts.

"It's an awesome vehicle that does the job well. I wish we had more," Sergeant DiRodio said.

Sather AB is Sergeant Sanchez' second deployment and the work he does here is satisfying, he said.

"I'm directly affecting the war when I'm on a mission," he said.

"When we destroy a bomb-making cache, we're destroying a potential hundred or more IEDs from being planted on a road," said Sergeant DiRodio. "It's very rewarding, and it's instant. After yelling, 'Fire in the hole!' We hear the detonations. It's an instant sense of accomplishment."

Although they find destroying the enemy's plans with every explosion rewarding, the Airmen fully realize the seriousness of their job.

"With each message from our captain to gather around for a brief, we never know if we lost someone," Sergeant DiRodio said.

Despite all the dangers and stressors that come with such a specialty, the sergeant knows exactly why he continues to serve.

"EOD is the greatest job in the Air Force," Sergeant DiRodio said. "We have the freedom to move, lead and do serious work that impacts the mission. It's incredibly rewarding knowing I'm keeping U.S. and coalition forces and locals safe."