EODMU 3 Departs for Afghanistan

From Commander, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1 Public Affairs

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Approximately 25 Sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 3 departed Naval Air Station North Island to Afghanistan in direct support of Commander, Joint Task Force Paladin, Sept. 29.

EODMU 3 elements will be working with Marines and will operate out of Camp Leatherneck in Southern Afghanistan. Their primary mission will be to support counter improvised explosive device (IED) operations.

"We are going forward to disrupt the IED networks that threaten peace and stability for the Afghan people," said Cmdr. Charles Andrews, commanding officer for EODMU 3, just prior to boarding the C-17 Loadmaster III aircraft.

EODMU 3 enables access by providing expeditionary EOD forces for the location, identification, rendering safe, recovery, and disposal of explosive ordnance, to include chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons.

Afghanistan will be Construction Electrician Constructionman Dennis Davis' first deployment. Davis will be providing electrical maintenance support to generators and power equipment for the EOD unit.

"If the maintenance isn't getting done, they don't have the power they need to do their mission," said Davis. "I joined to be a part of the Navy, part of the mission and to make a difference. That's why I joined and that's what I'm going to do."

EODMU 3, homeported at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, currently has three detachments deployed supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group operating out of the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.