Explosive ordnance disposal technicians stationed throughout the United States gathered virtually Sept. 3 to bring awareness to one of the Army’s most explosive career fields.
Referred to as EOD Recruiting Day, the primary focus centered on in-service recruiting, and featured a myriad of EOD technicians, who shared their stories in hopes of inspiring others to join the EOD community.
In particular, one battalion based here developed a creative strategy to bring awareness to EOD.
Soldiers from the 242nd Ordnance Battalion, partnered with the Denver Army Recruiting Battalion, participated in a variety of events, such as an Instagram live question-and-answer session, a bomb suit race, and a TALON EOD robot demonstration.
“EOD Recruiting Day is a day for us to bring awareness to our capabilities and what we can provide,” said Lt. Col. Edward Runyan, battalion commander for the 242nd. “We need great people, so we want to make sure that EOD Recruiting Day gets the word out.”
For previous EOD Recruiting Days, EOD technicians would set up outside their local Post Exchanges, complete with a bomb suit and robot, in order to engage with currently enlisted Soldiers.
However, COVID-19 restrictions proposed a challenge. Instead, the 242nd decided to take things virtual.
“We worked with the 242nd to conduct interviews with current EOD technicians in order to emulate their experiences and why they ultimately chose EOD,” said Capt. Mitchell Daugherty, executive officer, Denver Army Recruiting Battalion. “We went liveto showcase the important technology these Soldiers use on a daily basis while also adding a humorous spin.”
In partnering with the Denver Army Recruiting Battalion, the 242nd was able to virtually reach both in-service and prospective Soldiers, while still maintaining COVID-19 guidelines.
“The majority of our target audience is on at least one form of social media,” Daugherty explained. “Using platforms like Facebook and Instagram allowed us to reach out while still providing enough information for individuals to take those next steps.”
For Daugherty, this isn’t the first time he’s worked alongside Soldiers from the 242nd.
“I was a platoon leader for the 62nd Ordnance Company and eventually the commander for 748th Ordnance Company,” Daugherty said. "EOD is such a small career field, that you’re able to recognize a face anywhere you go. It’s also fun to share my personal experiences with some of EOD’s youngest technicians.”
While EOD Recruiting Day has come and gone, both Runyan and Daugherty feel confident in their efforts.
“This is a career field unlike any other,” Runyan said. “We look forward to meeting those who are ready for the challenge.”
To learn more about becoming an EOD technicians, contact your local Army recruiter. For all in-service Soldiers considering EOD, contact the following:
Fort Bragg EOD In-Service Recruiting: (910) 432-1818
Joint Base Lewis-McChord EOD In-Service Recruiting: (253) 966-3902