Three EOD Airmen Killed in IED Blast

Helmand Province, Afghanistan Three Air Force EOD Airmen were killed when their vehicle was struck by a roadside IED attack. The three brave Airmen included Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler, Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, and Senior Airman Bryan Bell.

Matthew Seidler, 24, of Westiminster, Maryland, was assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. He was an EOD technician with the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron. Based out of Peterson AFB, Seidler entered active duty in November 2009.

Matthew Schwartz, 35, was serving his sixth tour of duty as an EOD specialist. He was assigned to the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, FE Warren Air Force Base based in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Bryan Bell, 23, from Erie, Pennsylvania was assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Bell enlisted in 2006 and had been in Afghanistan for two months. He previously served a tour in Iraq.