An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Display

Expeditionary Center EOD instructor provides first-hand knowledge to students

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Robert McWhorter
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center
FORT DIX, N.J. --  Tech. Sgt. Vandiver K. Hood quickly returned to the podium less than a week after his post deployment leave in late February to instruct Advanced Contingency Skills Training students on improvised explosive device, or IED, recognition and response procedures.

Sergeant Hood deployed to Iraq from July 2007 to January 2008. He served as an explosive ordnance disposal team leader for a weapons intelligence team at a forward operating base in Iraq.

Sergeant Hood is an instructor assigned to the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's 421st Combat Training Squadron EOD team on Fort Dix, N.J. Together, the 421st EOD team instructs students on IEDs, unexploded ordnance and explosive safety procedures for deployed environments during Phoenix Raven, Phoenix Warrior, ASCT and other courses.

This past deployment was his second to Iraq. Sergeant Hood earned a Bronze Star and the Air Force Combat Action Medal for the first deployment.

All that said, however, Sergeant Hood said he just wanted to get his job done in Iraq to help make sure those he supported made it home safely to their families. He also said he never thought much about the danger involved.

"If I gave too much thought to something like that I don't know if I would have been able to do my job," Sergeant Hood said. "When you're in danger, the thoughts that go through your head are usually not to worry about what is happening but to look for a solution, attack, and push through."

Because of the WIT's unique mission, he said, he learned a lot about enemy's tactics concerning IEDs. That effort is translating in educating deploying Airmen.

"I'm proud to be able to pass on any lessons learned to the expeditionary combat support Airmen we teach in our courses for the Expeditionary Operations School," Sergeant Hood said. "The ultimate idea is to save lives. The more information our Airmen are armed with before they deploy, the better decisions they'll make on the battlefield."

Students are also talking about Sergeant Hood's contributions. During the Advanced Contingency Skills Training Course 08-2A in February, Maj. Chris Chaplin, a student from Air Combat Command Headquarters, Langley Air Force Base, Va., said Sergeant Hood's training on IEDs added "enormous value."

"It was obvious Sergeant Hood has a lot of experience," Major Chaplin said. "It gives a lot of credibility to the course."

Major Chaplin added, "This course is extremely valuable to the deploying Airman. It gives all of us a greater awareness of the threats we will be facing."

The major also said instructors like Sergeant Hood "increase our confidence and give us the skills needed to complete to our mission."

Sergeant Hood said Airmen don't have to travel "outside the wire" to know how important preparation in training and knowledge can be.

"I know not everyone will be traveling 'outside the wire,' or even go to Iraq, but that does not mean they shouldn't be prepared," Sergeant Hood said. "A lot of people are surprised when they get off the plane in a war zone and the base they are deployed to gets shelled their first night in country. That is when they realize this is not a joke. That's when they also realize the importance of their preparation and training."