Staff Sgt. John Pado, 27, team leader of Team ‘Chuck Norris’, 2nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), in Al Anbar Province. Official Marine Corps photo.By Lance Cpl. Ryan L. Tomlinson
1st Marine Logistics Group
“The great element of this job is I’m able to work tight with my unit,” said Sgt. Harry W. Parker, an EOD technician with 2nd Platoon. “We’re one team and that is it.”
Cohesion is important, and EOD units consist of small teams for a reason. The Marines said that in a job with no margin for error, trusting each other is vital. “I joined EOD to better myself,” said Staff Sgt. John Pado, leader of Team ‘Chuck Norris’, EOD Platoon. “In this (occupation) you have the skill to minimize a threat to save Marines.”
The threats of IEDs are real, and not only are these Marines aware of the dangers they face, but it drives them to keep executing their missions.
“The danger is a given factor,” said Parker, 34, a Cedar Hill, Texas. “When you go out you have to be in a mind set where you have to be as cautious and know what you are doing.”
“It’s an adventure beyond what I could imagine,” said Pado, a native of Toledo, Ohio. “Because of the experience, it has opened up numerous opportunities for me to become a better Marine.”
The Marines remain enthusiastic about their job despite their high deployment rate. They spend six months away from their family every year.
Pado said the job takes a lot of self-discipline and family support to exercise caution during day to day operations counteracting IEDs.
“You have to have the love for the job,” said Sgt. Sean D. Pinckney, 30, an EOD technician with 2nd Platoon and a native of Jeffersonville, Ind. “The explosions, gathering up wire, it takes a lot of patience.”
“It has been greatest decision of my career,” said Pado, 27. “Nowhere in the Department of Defense will you find anyone who can perform at a level as (EOD does). If you did, you would be back at square one…face to face with an EOD Tech.”
