Staff Sgt. David J. Dignan (right), an explosive ordnance disposal technician with 2nd EOD Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, stands before Col. Mark R. Hollahan (left), the 2nd MLG commanding officer, during an award ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Feb. 10, 2012. Dignan received the Bronze Star with a Combat Distinguishing Device for his actions while deployed to Helmand province, Afghanistan, in support of International Security Assistance Force operations from April 9 to Sept. 1, 2011. (Photo by Cpl. Bruno J. Bego)

By Cpl. Bruno J. Bego, 2nd Marine Logistics Group 

Two explosive ordnance disposal technicians received a prestigious award for their actions in Afghanistan in support of International Security Assistance Force operations from April to September 2011.

1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs

Story by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Marines from Bridge Platoon, Company B, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), recently built two bridges near the village of Durzay in Garmsir District to assist infantry Marines.

The medium girder bridges were constructed to assist the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division (Forward) during a one-day clearing operation that aimed to provide enhanced security in and around the village.

Once the area was cleared, Marines intended to build patrol bases in the village to ensure that Taliban forces didn’t return, said 1st Lt. Robert Jorgensen, platoon commander, Bridge Platoon, Co. B, 8th ESB, 1st MLG (FWD). The only things standing in the Marines’ way were two canals that had to be crossed in order to access the new patrol bases from the main supply route.

“There were local land bridges in place over these canals, providing crossing points for local traffic, but these bridges were not capable of supporting the heavy military traffic required to construct and supply the new patrol bases,” said Jorgensen, 25, from Colonia, N.J.

The Marines worked for 14 hours straight in order to complete the bridges, “providing access to follow-on engineer forces and allowing the infantry to continue with the momentum they had generated by swiftly clearing Durzay,” said Jorgensen after the Marines returned from the mission, Feb. 1.

Once the platoon’s mission was complete, the 2/1 Marines were able to continue to do what they do best: securing the population from the Taliban and building the Afghan security forces, he said.

“The Marines of my platoon performed extraordinarily during this mission,” said Jorgenson.“The Marines knew that the infantry and their associated engineer forces were waiting on us to build these bridges so that they could continue the operation, and I believe this inspired the Marines to work as hard as they did.”

1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs

Marines and sailors of 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), along with their replacements from 8th Engineer Support Battalion, cut off pieces of celebratory cake after a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Nov. 25. The Marines of 9th ESB, 1st MLG (FWD), transferred authority to the North Carolina-based 8th ESB, officially marking the completion of their seven-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Story by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – The Marines of 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) transferred authority to the North Carolina-based 8th Engineer Support Battalion in a ceremony here, Nov. 25, officially marking the completion of their seven-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During the ceremony, Lt. Col. Ted Adams, commanding officer, 9th ESB, and Sgt. Maj. James Calbough, sergeant major, 9th ESB, cased the battalion colors, signifying the end of their unit’s Afghanistan tour. Their replacements, Lt. Col. Christopher Downs, commanding officer, 8th ESB, and Sgt. Maj. Veney Cochran, sergeant major, 8th ESB, uncased their battalion’s colors, symbolizing the assumption of responsibility for providing general engineering support to I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) throughout Helmand province. The 9th ESB Marines paved the way during their deployment by improving more than 30 miles of road throughout Marjah, Musa Qal’eh, Shir Ghazay and Sangin, aiding movement for both coalition forces and local Afghans, as well as inhibiting the placement of improvised explosive devices by the Taliban. “I consider the road-improvement projects the perfect [counterinsurgency] task that has the most significant long-term impact,” said Adams, 45, from Polson, Mont. “IEDs were dramatically reduced on the roads which were rebuilt. Locals benefited from road improvements, and perhaps they directly influenced the low amount of kinetic activity we experienced as well as the lack of return of IEDs.” In addition to road improvement, the engineers installed 14 bridges and culverts, and constructed six combat outposts for Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces. “The combat outposts which [9th ESB] constructed for the ANSF supported the overall development of their capability to assume more responsibilities while being able to operate from force protected, secure facilities,” said Adams. The battalion also supported ground units by providing power, transporting 240,000 gallons of bulk fuel and more than 560,000 tons of supplies, purifying nearly 4 million gallons of water, providing thousands of self-contained shower facilities, and cleaning 72,000 pounds of laundry for Marines and sailors. Since arriving in May to conduct general engineer support missions, the battalion has contributed significantly to the success of Regional Command (Southwest) operations. “Their actions the past six months have undoubtedly contributed to the successes gained during this fight,” said Calbough, 38, from Louisville, Ky. The Marines of 8th ESB are poised to build on the successes of their predecessors over the course of their deployment. “The Marines of 8th ESB want nothing more than to contribute to the [Marine Air Ground Task Force] fight in every way possible, every day possible throughout our tour here,” said Downs, 40, from Catskill, N.Y. This is 8th ESB’s second deployment to Afghanistan within the last year, added Downs. “(The) 8th ESB returned to Camp Lejeune last year on Thanksgiving day, so it’s only fitting that we return back and raise our colors here in Helmand province again on Thanksgiving,” said Downs. The 9th ESB Marines will redeploy to their home base of Okinawa, Japan, while a company of Oregon-based Marines assigned to the battalion during their deployment will return to the U.S.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marines from Explosive Ordinance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group participated in an inerting operation training exercise as part of annual qualifications July 30 at EOD site two aboard Camp Lejeune.

http://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndmlg/Pages/EODtechstakebiteoutofbombsduringinertiontraining.aspx

8/4/2010 By Lance Cpl. Bruno J. Bego , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

The Marines from EOD participate in the exercise every year, not only to meet the training standards and readiness manual or to assist other units by providing training tools, but to do what they do best – make the world a less volatile place.

“The EOD Marines are required to inert and disassemble one ordinance item per year, regardless of rank,” explained Gunnery Sgt. Eric J. Gonzalez, an EOD tech with EOD Co. “They need to do this to fully understand how the different explosives or ammunition work.”

Inertion is used by EOD techs to disassemble and deactivate ordinance of any kind and collect information for future reference. During the exercise the Marines disassembled M739AI point detonation fuses and a 2.95-inch coastal defense round from the early 1900′s.

“Their mission is to exploit and recognize unexploded ordinances (UXOs),” Gonzalez said. “It’s vital for the Marines to identify the hazard these objects represent to them and other [service members] operating them.”

During the process the Marines must clear the ordinance of any chemical or explosive residue.

“A minimum of two Marines are required to work together [for safety purposes]”, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jeremiah T. Hamric, the 1st platoon commander for EOD Co., 8th ESB, 2nd MLG. “A [Range Safety Officer] and [Officer in Charge] are required. Also, the inerting procedures have to be approved by the two senior EOD Technicians in your unit.”

After the fuses have been inerted and cleaned, the Marines dispose of the explosive materials by performing a controlled explosion.

“The main purpose of the exercise is learning, learning, learning,” Hamric explained. “It also enables us to maintain an ordinance museum so when a Marine is interested in ordinance items, they can go into the library and put their hands on it, just like checking out a library book.”

Inerting is always a learning experience that must be taken very seriously, no matter how many times the EOD technician has deployed or how many times he has done it, Hamric added.

“Understanding the internal mechanical working parts of an individual ordinance item is a building block that, when put with all the other skills an EOD Tech has, makes him better prepared for any scenario,” Hamric concluded.