775th EOD holds international knowledge exchange with Poland and the UK

HILL AIR FORCE BASE  Hill's 775th Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight hosted a 10-day international knowledge exchange here with EOD military members from Poland and the United Kingdom last month. The exchange directly supports strategic and operational objectives of strengthening partnerships in the critical European theater.

Members from the three North Atlantic Treaty Organization partner nations shared best practices learned while encountering EOD challenges in the EUCOM theater including dealing with drones, trench warfare and airfield recovery.

Master Sgt. Matthew Childers, 775th EOD flight chief said the first international exchange event happened at Nellis AFB in December. Hill EOD members were invited to attend and accepted the invitation to host the next knowledge exchange in April.

"Hill was a good fit because we support the Utah Test and Training Range with range clearances," Childers said. "Being a large range base flight, we have the manning and equipment to set up and be successful with something of this magnitude."

Training interoperability during peacetime is very beneficial because EOD is a joint community that performs as one team of partner nations when deployed.