VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Nine current and former Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 6 explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians were presented various combat awards at a ceremony, July 19.
 |
| Photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jeff Atherton |
Capt. Richard Hayes, commander of EOD Group 2, presented the following awards:
- EOD Technician 1st Class Kyle Voors from Saint Joseph, Michigan: Bronze Star with “V” device for valor, Combat Action Ribbon
- EOD Technician 2nd Class Jerod Shelton, from Wrightwood, California: Bronze Star with “V” device for valor, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction, Combat Action Ribbon
- Senior Chief EOD Technician James Cooper from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma: Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
- EOD Technician 1st Class Kyle Lewis from Virginia Beach, Virginia: Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
- Lt. Breandan Murtha from Staten Island, New York: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction, Combat Action Ribbon
- EOD Technician 1st Class Dustin King, from Topsham, Maine: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction
- EOD Technician 2nd Class Austin Cox from Fort Pierce, Florida: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction, Combat Action Ribbon
Between the Sailors, Hayes presented five Bronze Star Medals (two with valor), four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals with combat distinguishing device and eight Combat Action Ribbons.
“Explosive ordnance disposal technicians are Sailors of high character and exceptional competence,” said Cmdr. Evan Colbert, EODMU 6 commanding officer. “They are creative thinkers with an uncanny ability to understand and solve complex problems while under enormous pressure and exposed to great risk.”
The Sailors all earned the awards in connection with combat operations while assigned to Commander, Task Force 56.1.
The list of accolades for the awardees includes clearing structures and weapons caches, rendering safe IEDs, destroying enemy ordnance stockpiles, defeating a first-of-its-kind maritime threat platform and manually clearing paths of a known high-threat area to render immediate lifesaving medical care to a stricken coalition service member.
“I am humbled to be associated with this group of combat proven Sailors so dedicated to their country, their profession and their teammates,” said Colbert. “These are men of enormous courage for whom the words ‘quiet processional’ and ‘calm under pressure’ are not simply a catchphrase.”
EODMU 6 provides operational EOD forces capabilities to include locating, identifying, rendering safe, exploiting, recovering and disposing of all explosive ordnance including nuclear and chemical weapons while providing access for conventional and special operations forces to maneuver across the full range of military operations.
“Seeing these nine Sailors recognized amongst their peers and command is an affirmation that they were well prepared for their missions, which is perhaps the greatest responsibility I have as the commanding officer of EOD Mobile Unit 6,” said Colbert. “Because of the willingness of these Sailors to risk their lives and stand in the gap between the supported force and the explosive threats and weapons employed by their enemies, there are numerous special operations forces, both American and partner forces, who are alive today because of our Sailors’ exceptional skill and courage on the battlefield.”
- EOD Technician 1st Class Kyle Voors from Saint Joseph, Michigan: Bronze Star with “V” device for valor, Combat Action Ribbon
- EOD Technician 2nd Class Jerod Shelton, from Wrightwood, California: Bronze Star with “V” device for valor, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction, Combat Action Ribbon
- Senior Chief EOD Technician James Cooper from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma: Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
- EOD Technician 1st Class Kyle Lewis from Virginia Beach, Virginia: Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
- Lt. Breandan Murtha from Staten Island, New York: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction, Combat Action Ribbon
- EOD Technician 1st Class Dustin King, from Topsham, Maine: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction
- EOD Technician 2nd Class Austin Cox from Fort Pierce, Florida: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “C” device for combat distinction, Combat Action Ribbon
Between the Sailors, Hayes presented five Bronze Star Medals (two with valor), four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals with combat distinguishing device and eight Combat Action Ribbons.
“Explosive ordnance disposal technicians are Sailors of high character and exceptional competence,” said Cmdr. Evan Colbert, EODMU 6 commanding officer. “They are creative thinkers with an uncanny ability to understand and solve complex problems while under enormous pressure and exposed to great risk.”
The Sailors all earned the awards in connection with combat operations while assigned to Commander, Task Force 56.1.
The list of accolades for the awardees includes clearing structures and weapons caches, rendering safe IEDs, destroying enemy ordnance stockpiles, defeating a first-of-its-kind maritime threat platform and manually clearing paths of a known high-threat area to render immediate lifesaving medical care to a stricken coalition service member.
“I am humbled to be associated with this group of combat proven Sailors so dedicated to their country, their profession and their teammates,” said Colbert. “These are men of enormous courage for whom the words ‘quiet processional’ and ‘calm under pressure’ are not simply a catchphrase.”
EODMU 6 provides operational EOD forces capabilities to include locating, identifying, rendering safe, exploiting, recovering and disposing of all explosive ordnance including nuclear and chemical weapons while providing access for conventional and special operations forces to maneuver across the full range of military operations.
“Seeing these nine Sailors recognized amongst their peers and command is an affirmation that they were well prepared for their missions, which is perhaps the greatest responsibility I have as the commanding officer of EOD Mobile Unit 6,” said Colbert. “Because of the willingness of these Sailors to risk their lives and stand in the gap between the supported force and the explosive threats and weapons employed by their enemies, there are numerous special operations forces, both American and partner forces, who are alive today because of our Sailors’ exceptional skill and courage on the battlefield.”