Sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit 11 departed San Diego October 26 to begin their deployment to Bahrain to assume command of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 56.1.
CTF 56.1 is responsible for coordinating underwater mine countermeasures, expeditionary salvage, the counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) fight and C-IED transition and training efforts in the Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).
“The battalion staff has completed rigorous training preparing for this deployment and has done exceptionally well to this point,” said Cmdr. Keith Dowling, commanding officer, EODMU-11. “We are all looking forward to a challenging and extremely rewarding deployment supporting expeditionary EOD, Diving and Salvage operations throughout the 5th Fleet AOR.”
While deployed, EODMU-11 will provide command and control for all joint service EOD, Diving and Salvage teams in the 5th Fleet AOR.
“This deployment is an excellent opportunity for us to operate forward in an expeditionary environment, to test and develop new technologies and employ our forces in a broad range of operations supporting theater security cooperation efforts and the warfighter directly,” said Dowling.
The Navy has been deploying EOD platoons and Mobile Diving Salvage Companies in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom since 2001, and has been deploying EOD Mobile Units as command and control elements since 2006.
Navy EOD technicians and Divers eliminate hazards from conventional ordnance, weapons of mass destruction, sea mines, improvised explosive devices, and conduct expeditionary diving and salvage operations. EODMU-11 provides operational EOD capability as required for the location, identification, rendering safe, recovery, field evaluation and disposal of all explosive ordnance including chemical and nuclear weapons across the globe.
[mappress] Press Release, October 31, 2013; Image: US Navy