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Bomb squad gets new wheels

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shawn J. Jones
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Explosive ordnance disposal technicians here have a new truck to help make them more effective.

The bomb squad emergency response vehicle was specifically designed for Air Force ordnance-disposal specialists to serve as a toolbox on wheels. The 36-foot long truck looks like a dark blue fire engine. It contains multiple storage compartments for the technicians' robot, bomb suits and other gear and equipment needed to meet a wide variety of bomb-disposal challenges.

Master Sgt. Richard Jamison, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 514th Civil Engineer Squadron, said the truck's versatility will prove most valuable when responding to improvised explosive devices. EOD technicians typically know exactly what tools are needed when responding to conventional ordnance used during military training exercises, but the unpredictable nature of improvised explosive devices requires the technicians to have access to all their tools.

"We don't know if we're going to need the robot. We don't know if we're going to need the x-ray," Jamison said about responding to IEDs. "We bring all our capabilities into play."

Not only will the truck be used to respond to on-base ordnance disposal requirements, but it will be used throughout the region, as EOD technicians here respond to off-base bomb-disposal requirements in New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania, New York and New England, said Jamison.

The new truck also offers improved drivability over the truck-and-trailer combination the technicians have been using, Jamison said. Driving in reverse with a trailer requires extra training and practice. The new truck eliminates the challenges of driving with a trailer. It also includes a rear-view camera for increased visibility while driving in reverse.

The truck will be used by active-duty EOD technicians from the 87th Civil Engineer Squadron and reservists from the 514th CES.