• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

EODMU 12 Holds Change of Command

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110210-17
2/10/2011

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Katrin Albritton, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 12 held a change of command ceremony in Virginia Beach, Va., Feb. 10.

Cmdr. Eric Bray relieved Cmdr. Christopher Merwin as EODMU 12 commanding officer.

"We all know that whenever we do anything, we do it with the support of our families," said Rear Adm. Michael Tillotson, commander, Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC). "Each and every one of the EOD techs that went forward has family, and those families are extremely important to us as a command; because they are the ones that make us make the decision to go forward and protect this nation."

Before reading his orders and relinquishing command of EODMU 12, Merwin spoke to the command, and reiterated the importance of the support of family members back home.

"I want to thank all of the families that are with us today," said Merwin. "All Sailors rely on the support of their families, as the admiral was saying, to support us back home when we deploy. It's the families that are left behind that often have a more difficult task than the Sailors heading downrange."

Since Merwin took command of EODMU 12 in July 2009, the unit deployed as Joint Task Force Troy - North, a counter improvised explosive device (CIED) battalion, to U.S. Division – North, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit responded to more than 300 CIED and unexploded ordnance missions, destroying more than 100,000 hazardous items.

U.S. Navy EOD is the world's premier combat force for countering IEDs, weapons of mass destruction, and all other types of weaponry. Navy EOD technicians are the "first in" – enabling access for further combat operations in every environment – on the ground, in the air and under the sea.

NECC is an enduring force providing capability across the full range of military operations in the maritime strategy to include forward presence, maritime security and power projection, now and in the future.