LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Three Airmen from the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight were recently named the Air Force EOD Team of the Year, earning honors for their skill, precision and unshakable teamwork.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Frontino, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of explosive ordnance disposal operations, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacobo Vasquez Cuartas, 56th CES EOD team leader, and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kevin Hodgson, 56th CES EOD team member, represented Luke Air Force Base during a multi-week competition in Camp Williams, Utah, which challenged teams from across the Air Force in a range of mission critical EOD tasks.
The Air Force EOD Team of the Year award is presented annually to the top performing EOD unit, recognizing technical excellence, cohesion, and mission readiness. The competition challenges their ability to work cohesively in real-time, high-risk situations that mirror the mission sets EOD Airmen face in deployed and real-world environments.
“We mesh together as a team really well,” said Vasquez Cuartas. “We have that trust in each other to carry out tasks without checking on each other. We know we’re going to do the right thing.”
Over the course of two weeks, 49 teams were evaluated on their performance in scenarios including Tactical Combat Casualty Care, counter Improvised Explosive Devices, and more to test and show off their skills against other teams of Airmen.
“It’s hard to stack EOD’s skills or show your capabilities against one another,” said Frontino, “So winning this just shows that my team and I are as good as I’ve always known we were.”
The Air Force EOD Team of the Year title is a testament to months of preparation, long hours, and an unwavering commitment to the mission. For the team, it also represents the pride that comes with serving alongside Airmen who hold themselves and each other to the highest standard.
“This accomplishment isn’t just reflective of me and my two wingmen,” said Hodgson. “Our leadership has been extremely helpful and enabled us to operate at the level we have. With things like extra time for PT and even letting us off work early so we can be prepared for the competition has been extremely valuable.”
This accomplishment highlights the strength of Luke’s EOD program and the base’s commitment to developing mission-ready and lethal warfighters.