EOD Flight: Always ready, ever vigilant

  • Published
  • By Robert Marcucci
  • 60th CES EOD Flight commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  "Captain, I'll take the right side of the room, you take the left side and we'll meet at his bed," Staff Sgt. Daniel Fye, my team leader, instructed me while searching one of many extravagantly plush penthouse suites at the Beverly Hilton. 

"Since this is your first time, remember, this is HIS room, leave no stone unturned."
"Got it, boss," was my reply as I began tossing pillows on the ground and throwing President Barack Obama's bed sheets asunder. 

"Get on the bed and make sure there are no pressure devices." 

Really? I have to jump on the president's bed?! This is way better than mom and dad's bed when I was a kid! "Copy that, sergeant." 

Protection of the President of the United States, vice-president and their family is just one of the primary job functions of Explosive Ordnance Disposal operators. "Find or Function" is the mission. Every day EOD members from Travis are called away at a moment's notice to work for the United States Secret Service to clear any public areas of possible explosive devices prior to arrival of protected personnel. We are enlisted to perform such jobs as room searches, vehicle searches, motorcade route clearance, personnel/bag searches and any other host of jobs asked of us. 

"Find or Function" is a simple mission to grasp. You either find something by searching for it, or you function a device meant for the protectee. This means flicking light switches, sitting in every chair and even jumping on the president's bed hoping not to find anything, but if so, giving the ultimate sacrifice for our country and commander-in-chief. There just isn't any other way. 

This was just one of many VIP protection missions performed by the 60th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight. 

On that Monday, President Obama announced he would appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and on Tuesday, Sergeant Fye and I were on a plane to Los Angeles to aid other EOD and K-9 teams tasked by the USSS to search his room, hotel, NBC studios and any other locations he would visit on his trip. We are always ready. Ever vigilant. 

"Initial Success, or Total Failure"