ATLANTIC CITY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.J. -- Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team technicians with the 70th Combat Engineer Battalion (70th CEB) of the National Guard of the Republic of Cyprus visited the 177th Fighter Wing under the New Jersey National Guard’s State Partnership Program from June 4 to June 14, 2024.
The 70th CEB EOD technicians and 177th Civil Engineer Squadron (177th CES) EOD team technicians observed numerous exhibitions and participated in a variety of exercises, which would normally fall under a U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal team’s field of responsibility.
“There are four initiatives to the State Partnership Program,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. David Bernal, 177th CES EOD team leader. “There’s Intelligence, Cyber, Non-Commissioned officer development and EOD.”
During their visit, the Cypriot and American EOD technicians exchanged not only differences in their culture, but differences in their tactics and techniques within their shared field.
“I believe it [the State Partnership Program] will enhance their response capabilities and give them a greater understanding of the EOD mission sets,” said Master Sgt. Phillip Douglass, 177th CES EOD team flight chief.
The 177th CES EOD team exhibited several examples of these mission sets, including counter-improvised explosive device operations, unexploded ordnance clearance and render-safe procedures, x-ray interpretation skills, night operations and air base recovery after simulated attack. They also experienced demonstrations of rapid explosive hazard mitigation, disposal of unserviceable munitions, exploitation of first-found ordnance, Category A. incident response, defense support to civil authorities with the Atlantic City Police Department bomb squad, a ride in a U.S. Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and the retirement ceremony of Senior Master Sgt. David Niedzwiadek, the 177th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight superintendent.
“I think [the State Partnership Program] will guide some decision-making as they continue to grow their EOD battalion over the next several years,” said Douglass.