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EODMU 5 Supports Afghanistan Missions, Returns Home to Guam

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS101013-01
10/13/2010

From Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs

YIGO, Guam (NNS) -- Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 Battalion headquarters returned to Guam Oct. 13 following a seven-month deployment to Southern Afghanistan in direct support of Commander, Joint Task Force Paladin.

EODMU 5 Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Robert DeBuse, was the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Paladin South and Southwest, which is responsible for render safe, exploitation, and targeting operations against improvised explosive devices (IED) networks in Southern and Southwestern Afghanistan.

Approximately 20 Sailors from EODMU 5 deployed in support of the mission.

DeBuse said they were successful in working with the other U.S. armed forces explosives teams as they guarded against IEDs threatening U.S. and Coalition forces.

"This is the first time an EOD mobile unit stationed outside the United States was called on to send a battalion-sized headquarters into either Iraq or Afghanistan," said DeBuse. "Our exercises and frequent partnering operations were perfect proving grounds for our work in Afghanistan. The tasks we performed would not have been possible without a strong team dedicated to the mission and an equally strong team to remain in Guam and cover the traditional capabilities that EODMU 5 provides to the Western Pacific."

During their deployment to Afghanistan, Combined Joint Task Force Paladin South and Southwest coordinated more than 1,200 combat missions conducted by multi-service EOD companies, counter-IED systems experts, and three combined explosive exploitation cells during the deployment. They found and cleared approximately 600 IEDs, destroyed 150 arms caches, destroyed more than 49,000 pounds of captured enemy ordnance, and conducted more than 410 post blast analyses. The analysis provided critical forensic evidence in support of follow-on targeting of violent extremist networks.

"This was one of the best teams I have ever worked with," said Debuse. "We were given a very difficult task of operating two battalions across three regional commands and supporting 63 EOD teams in the most dangerous places in Afghanistan. These guys all did a tremendous job."

EODMU 5 is forward deployed at U.S. Naval Base Guam and protects the 7th Fleet area of responsibility from mines and other explosive hazards. They provide detachments for other tasks wherever and whenever they are needed.

Navy EOD technicians are an elite team of warriors who eliminate hazards from conventional ordnance, weapons of mass destruction, sea mines, IEDs and accomplish expeditionary diving and salvage objectives.

These Sailors foster trust and cooperation with like-minded nations, ensure offensive maneuver for conventional and special forces, and mitigate harm to U.S. and Coalition forces, as well as civilians.

To learn more about EODMU 5, visit their Web site at www.eodmu5.navy.mil.

For more news from U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas, visit www.navy.mil/local/guam/.