An Air Force NCO remembers his fallen Airman whose name is now inscribed on the explosive ordnance disposal memorial wall after the 43rd Annual EOD Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was the guest speaker for the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz salutes a family member of a fallen explosive ordnance disposal Airman during the annual EOD Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Schwartz was the guest speaker at the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Standing in front of the explosive ordnance disposal memorial wall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz speaks to a crowd of hundreds during the annual EOD Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Schwartz was the guest speaker at the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Aliza reads the bio of her father, Tech. Sgt. Matthew Schwartz, a fallen explosive ordnance disposal Airman being honored at the 43rd Annual Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was the guest speaker for the event that honored the technical sergeant and 17 EOD technicians. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Capt. Joseph Polanin, the Navy explosive ordnance disposal school’s commander, speaks to the crowd as Florida Governor Rick Scott and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz listen during the annual memorial ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Schwartz was the guest speaker at the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Tech. Sgt. Benjamin McGraw, 366th Training Squadron Det. 3, carries in a wreath to be placed in front of the Air Force portion of the explosive ordnance disposal memorial wall during the 43rd Annual EOD Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was the guest speaker for the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
An Air Force bugler plays Taps at the conclusion of the 43rd Annual Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz (left) was the guest speaker for the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Explosive ordnance disposal student Airmen were part of the joint service formations assembled to honor the service members killed in 2011 at the 43rd Annual EOD Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was the guest speaker for the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presents a folded flag to Christina Hamski during the annual Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Hamski’s husband, Staff Sgt. Joseph Hamski, was one of five fallen EOD Airmen honored at the event. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Staff Sgt. Sarah Snyder, of the 366th Training Squadron Det. 3, brings Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz a folded flag to present to a family member of a fallen explosive ordnance disposal Airman during the annual EOD Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Schwartz was the guest speaker at the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
A bagpiper performs for a crowd of hundreds prior to the 43rd Annual Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was the guest speaker for the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz speaks to a crowd of hundreds during the annual Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Ceremony May 5, 2012, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Schwartz was the guest speaker at the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
Chief Master Sgt. Albert Schneider reveals a new name added to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Wall May 5, 2012, during the 43rd Annual EOD Memorial Ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was the guest speaker for the event that honored 18 EOD technicians, five of which were Airmen. With the new names added, there are now 287 names inscribed on the memorial wall. Schneider is assigned to the 366th Training Squadron Det. 3. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
5/7/2012 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- Hundreds of people paid homage to fallen explosive ordnance disposal technicians May 5 during the 43rd annual EOD Memorial Ceremony here.
The names of five Soldiers, three Sailors, five Marines and five Airmen were added to the memorial wall in a solemn ceremony attended by family, friends and co-workers of the technicians. All the honorees were killed in action in operations while deployed overseas.
This year's keynote speaker, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, spoke of the professionalism of all EOD technicians and of their important role in contingencies around the world.
"I am proud to bear witness today to the enormous respect that the men and women of our joint and coalition team have for EOD operators," he said. "Testimonials are many and are heartfelt, conveying their gratitude for EOD operators serving so nobly to mitigate the deadly hazard from explosive devices."
Schwartz said the services will continue to rely on EOD operators for the foreseeable future, even as the military's presence in Afghanistan is adjusted.
"Whatever the future demands, we can be comforted that extremely dedicated, exceptionally brave and highly skilled EOD operators will remain prepared to respond wherever and whenever there is a need."
The general also honored the families of the fallen for their courage and self sacrifice.
"Your loved ones' commitment to making the world a safer place inspires us all, and their sacrifice strengthens our lasting commitment to that enduring ideal," Schwartz said.
The ceremony was particularly poignant for the Eglin AFB community as one of its own, Tech Sgt. Daniel Douville, was remembered. Douville was deployed from the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron when he was killed June 27, 2011, while clearing lines of communication in Afghanistan.
Douville is the second Eglin EOD technician to die in the line of duty. Tech Sgt. Anthony Capra was killed April 9, 2010, while conducting post-blast analysis of a roadside bomb crater near Forward Operating Base Paliwoda in Iraq.
Douville's wife LaShana, along with her children and mother-in-law, attended the ceremony. After she accepted a U.S. flag from Schwartz, she took a moment to touch her husband's name on the wall. She said the memorial is a comfort for her family, since they plan to stay in the local area.
"We can always come by and visit," she said, pointing out that her husband taught other technicians at the joint EOD school here.
Master Sgt. John Carroll, an EOD technician here, said the memorial ceremony was the culmination of a weekend of activities for the operators. While the events allowed the EOD community a chance to visit and catch up, Carroll said the solemnity of the ceremony reminded them they are here to honor those who sacrificed the most.
"It's difficult every year since we're such a small community," Carroll said.
The EOD Memorial was originally built by EOD technicians in Indian Head, Md., the location of the first EOD school. The memorial was relocated to the Kauffman EOD Training Complex when the school moved to its present location in the late 1990s. The new memorial incorporates elements of the original in recognition of its history. The names of 287 fallen EOD technicians appear on the memorial.
Comments
5/10/2012 3:09:00 PM ET My daughter was an EOD tech with the AF and I was proud of her service in that capacity. I became more aware of the supreme courage it takes to wear the crab and put it all on the line. My hat is off to all who have served our military as EOD and you will always have my thanks as the professionals that you are.
