MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- YECHON, South Korea - One of the greatest training experiences Marines can receive on deployment is the chance to work with their counterparts from other countries.
During Foal Eagle '03 Staff Sgt. Brian Eagmin and Sgt. Efren Pulido from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni?s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit got just that opportunity when they visited the Republic of Korea?s EOD.
While visiting the unit, Eagmin and Pulido showed the ROK Airmen some of their new equipment and tactics.
"We showed them how to use the new MK-152 remote firing device and the MK-121 remote fuse disassembly kit," said Pulido. "The ROK EOD team was already familiar with our old firing device, so it was exciting to show them how to use the new gear when it is still pretty new to us."
Through classes and the practical application of the tools, the ROK Airmen got to see how the Marines disassemble fuses and open suspicious packages from a safe distance.
After the ROK Airmen removed fuses from dummy bombs and suspicious packages, using the MK-152, they were then shown how the Marine EOD technicians disassemble the fuse from a safe distance using the Mechanically Remote Fuse Dissambly Kit.
For both U.S. and ROK EOD technicians, working together allows them to have a better understanding of each others capabilities.
"They perform in a highly professional manner and are very good at their procedures - I would have no problem working with them in combat," said Eagmin, EOD Foal Eagle staff-noncommisioned officer-in-charge.
Although EOD's main job on this deployment was to respond to any incident relating to aviation ordnance that was beyond the capabilities of the ordnance crew, taking time out to increase the friendship between them and the ROK EOD technicians was a high priority, according to Eagmin.
"This is our third year working with the ROK EOD and every year we greatly improve the relationship and understanding between our units," he said.
Even though the focus of the visit was usually on the American EOD equipment and procedures, the Marines deployed to Yechon, South Korea, for Foal Eagle '03 also walked away more knowledgeable.
"The ROK EOD has shown us different ways to utilize the tools that we share in ways that we have never thought of using them," said Eagmin. "So we have taken turns learning from each other."