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The Newsletter of the National EOD Association

RSP DECEMBER 2013 VOLUME 4/13

NATEODA Member Attends Memorial Service for Marine EOD Technicians Killed

at Camp Pendleton.

On November 21, a memorial service was held at Pendleton and NATEODA member, Dave Ferling, was there to represent us. The Commandant of the Marine Corps, and other dignitaries, attended the service and the Commandant spoke to those who gathered to honor our fallen comrades. Also speaking was the base Commander, Brig. Gen. John W. Bullard Jr.

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RSP

Volume 3/13 June 2013

National Officers

Charles G. Cobbs – Commander.

Robert J. Bureker – Vice Commander.

Frank A. Martinez – Adjutant.

James H. Paget – Treasurer.

David S. Tipton– Chaplain.

Richard C. Steen –Past Commander.

Marvin G. Rumbaugh – Director.

William D. Ramsey – Director.

Douglass F. Rhodes – Director.

Richard W. Cross – Sgt. at Arms.

Robert E. Leiendecker – Historian.

Stuart A. Steinberg – Legal Advisor.

Bob Bureker – Webmaster.

Contributing Editors –Mike Vining,

Robert E Leiendecker.

Lewis F. Weinberg - CDR VN Vet Chapter.

David Tipton -Adjutant, VN Vet Chapter.

Michael R. Nichols – RSP Publisher.

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. Dave extended our condolences to the Unit Commanders, others present, and offered our assistance. Prayers are requested for their families, loved ones and especially their fellow Marines who have suffered a horrendous loss! Dave said that, “The service was impressive” and he was able to talk with the commanders of the three Marine EOD units at Pendleton .

According to Dave, EOD people from Ft. Irwin (Army), Edwards AFB, Navy units from San Diego, many former military EOD people, law enforcement agencies, and the TSA were all represented..

All four Marines killed were EOD techs; 3 were assigned to MCAS Camp Pendleton and 1 to MWSS 372.

Below is the press release.

Four Explosive Ordnance Disposal Marines were killed November 13 by an explosion at approximately 11 a.m. Wednesday during range maintenance operations to dispose of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the Zulu impact area aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. One Navy Hospital Corpsman and two Marines nearby were released after receiving medical treatment at the scene. The names of the deceased Marines are: Staff Sgt. Mathew R. Marsh, 28, of Long Beach, Calif., was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. He joined the Marine Corps in July 2003, and was promoted to his current rank in May 2009. Marsh's awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon,

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three Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan. He deployed twice to Iraq in 2005 and 2008 and twice to Afghanistan in 2010 and 2012 as a team leader. Gunnery Sgt. Gregory J. Mullins, 31, of Bayou L'Ourse, La., was the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Staff Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. He joined the Marine Corps in March 2002, and was promoted to his current rank in February 2013. Mullins' awards include two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, Combat Action Ribbon, three Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan. He deployed twice to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012 as a team leader. Sgt. Miguel Ortiz, 27, of Vista, Calif., was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. He joined the Marine Corps in March 2006, and was promoted to his current rank in November 2009. Ortiz's awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, two Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan. He deployed to Iraq in 2007, to the Western Pacific in 2008 and to Afghanistan in 2012. Staff Sgt. Eric W. Summers, 32, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon, Airfield Operations Company, Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, stationed aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. He joined the Marine Corps in July 2000, and was promoted to his current rank in October 2010. Summers' awards include three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, three Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan. He deployed to Kuwait in 2003, Iraq in 2004 and three times to Afghanistan in 2009, 2011 and 2012 as a team leader. The Zulu impact area is used for firing explosive munitions such as grenades, mortars, artillery and rockets and for dropping munitions from aircraft. While live-fire training was ongoing at the adjacent Whiskey impact area, there was no live-fire training being

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conducted Wednesday in the Zulu area. Today, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Marines we lost yesterday. Explosive Ordnance Disposal is a small and tight-knit community, not just in the Marine Corps, but in the entire US military. Our focus now is on ensuring these families receive the help and support they need," said Brig. Gen. John W. Bullard, Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations West - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation. More information will be provided as it becomes available. David Ferling drferling@earthlink.net.

General James F. Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and wife at the Memorial

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VIETNAM EOD VETERAN and NATEODA

LEGAL ADVISOR‘S MESSAGE

THE VA IS ACTUALLY KILLING US

My Fellow NATEODA Brothers and Sisters:

If you have not seen the story, CNN reported on November 20 that the Department of

Veterans Affairs is, in fact, killing us as a result of a lack of funds and personnel for

examinations, diagnosis and life-saving treatment. In all my 35 years as a service

officer, this is, without any doubt, the most despicable thing has occurred in the VA

medical system. The headline—“Hospital Delays Are Killing America’s War

Veterans”—says it all. The article begins, “Military veterans are dying needlessly

because of long waits and delayed care at U.S. veterans hospitals…” It goes on to

note that the VA is aware of the problem “and has done almost nothing to effectively

prevent veterans from dying from delays in care, according to documents obtained by

CNN and interviews with numerous experts.” This problem is particularly serious for

Vietnam veterans who were exposed to herbicides and and are in danger of

contracting numerous types of cancers that must be detected early in order for the

veteran to receive life-saving diagnosis and treatment. In the past few years, I have

had three clients die as a result of a failure to schedule an examination soon after the

veteran reported symptoms. I have had at least a dozen who ended up with much

more serious treatment options due to the failure to diagnose at an early stage, two of

whom ultimately died from complications of extensive radiation and chemo-therapy

treatments due to the advanced nature of their cancers.

The hospitals identified by CNN—so far—are in Charleston, South Carolina; Augusta,

Georgia; Atlanta; North Texas (Dallas); and Jackson Mississippi. In fact, Congress

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gave the VA an extra $1 million for the Dorn Medical Center in Charleston and “only a

third…was used for its intended purpose…” This problem is not new and has been

reported by the GAO and the VA IG for more than a decade. Nothing has been done to

fix it. According to a GAO official, “Nothing has been implemented that we know of at

this point…We’ve reported similar things, as well as the Inspector General [reporting]

similar findings…for over a decade.” The article further notes this disgusting fact: “In

fact, time and time again, even at hospitals where veterans died waiting for care,

administrators got bonuses, not demotions, according to congressional investigators.”

Jeff Miller (R. FL.), chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said that even

Congress “has had its requests for information ignored.” The VA is now claiming that

this is all overblown and that the “delay at [Charleston] has been resolved.” According

to patients and medical staff who work there, “that’s just not true.”

I know that you are as outraged by this as I am and that you will help bring this

problem to a screeching halt. Please contact your Congressperson and both of your

US Senators. Here is the article from CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/health/veterans-dying-health-care-

delays/index.html?iref=allsearch

In order to bring this to the country’s attention, I have started a petition on change.org

asking Congress to fund the VA at whatever level is needed to end this travesty.

Please sign it and forward the link to everyone you know.

http://www.change.org/petitions/congress-fund-the-va-at-whatever-level-it-takes-to-

provide-all-services-and-care-that-veterans-

need?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_created

Stu

STUART A. STEINBERG,

Vietnam EOD Veteran Chapter

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Gift time is coming. There are some nice pieces of EOD jewelry available.

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Middle Eastern Christmas

EOD Vehicle

Vietnam 1968 Long Bien

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Christmas Holidays in Viet Nam 1969.

AN AUSSIE CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINER.

ANN MARGERT AND BOB HOPE

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IRAQ AFGANISTAN VETERANS ASSOCIATION IAVA

My six-week-old son flew from San Francisco to DC to join me and dozens of other veterans from

across the country in fighting to end the VA disability benefits backlog.

A lot has happened since we got to Washington on Sunday.

We've met with over 128 members of Congress. We met with the VA and the DoD. We rallied on

Capitol Hill and asked Washington to get on board with our mission. And we sat in the Roosevelt

Room at the White House with President Obama's Chief of Staff to represent the other 2.5 million

vets that couldn't be there with us.

23 members of Congress (including the Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep.

Jeff Miller from Florida!) and 36,000 Americans have signed our petition calling on President Obama

to end the VA backlog.

We’ve told our stories and a lot of folks listened: Zach from Indianapolis was on CNN, Tyler from

Kansas was on Fox News, John Wypyzinski was on NBC Nightly News last night!

I know I speak for the other 2.5 million new vets when I say we won’t stop fighting until the backlog is

at zero. This week was just the beginning.

Ann

Ann Weeby

U.S. Army

P.S. Help us get to 100,000 signatures on the petition to #EndtheVABacklog so President Obama has

to respond. We need you to make it happen.

MEDFORD KNIVES ON LINE

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This story is confirmed in Elmer Bendiner 's book, The Fall of Fortresses.

Sometimes, it's not really just luck.*

Elmer Bendiner was a navigator in a B-17 during WW II. He tells this story of a World

War II bombing run over Kassel, Germany, and the unexpected result of a direct hit on

their gas tanks.

"Our B-17, the Tondelayo, was barraged by flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. That was

typical, but on this particular occasion our gas tanks were hit. Later, as I reflected on

the miracle of a 20 millimeter shell piercing the fuel tank without touching off an

explosion, our pilot, Bohn Fawkes, told me it was more complicated.

"On the morning following the raid, Bohn asked our crew chief for that shell as a

souvenir of unbelievable luck. The crew chief told Bohn that, in addition to that shell,

another 11 were found in the gas tanks. Eleven unexploded shells where only one was

sufficient to blast us out of the sky. It was as if the sea had parted for us. A near-

miracle, I thought. Even after 35 years, this awesome event leaves me shaken,

especially after I heard the rest of the story from Bohn.

"He was told that the shells were sent to the armorers to be defused. The armorers told

him that Intelligence had picked them up. They couldn't say why at the time, but Bohn

eventually sought out the answer.

"Apparently when the armorers opened each of those shells, they found no explosive

charge. They were clean as a whistle and just as harmless. Empty? Not all of them!

One contained a carefully rolled piece of paper with a scrawled message in Czech.

The Intelligence people scoured our base for a man who could read Czech. Eventually

they found one to decipher the note. It was amazing!

Translated, the note read:

*"This is all we can do for you now."*

"Using Jewish slave labor is never a good idea."

Robert J. “Bob” Bureker

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A WORD

Let me introduce myself. I am Gary Pool, an E.O.D. man from the Viet Nam era. I wrote a book titled Xuc May about my experiences in country that we sell as a fundraiser for the EOD Warrior Foundation. My wife and I do book signings and an occasional talk in the Midwest and south where we have the great honor of meeting and greeting military and civilian readers.

Our RSP publisher, Mike Nichols ask if I might write a few lines on the feedback we have received concerning the current military situation from the people we encounter at these events. I hardly need to reiterate the sentiments offered from conversations when we were set up at military installations or veteran organizations other than a unanimous feeling that our present troop deployments are too long, and too often without adequate down time.

We also enjoy giving talks at public schools, libraries, and civic clubs not to mention book signings at large stores, gun shows and craft fairs. It is at these latter events that we have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with people who have a limited exposure with the military. These individuals are for the most part poorly informed on our military mission, its rules, regulation and ultimate goals. They know very little of rank, discipline, commitments, medals and awards other than the Medal of Honor & the Purple Heart. Many know only what they have seen in movies, read in trashy novels or overheard from a drunk in a bar. Some misguided citizens think all Viet Nam vets used drugs daily, killed at least one baby and gave Charlie flying lesson from the side door of the nearest Huey.

However I believe a positive change is spreading across our nation. I say this based on the numbers of people, young and old alike, who now offer their sincere thank you for our service when I am wearing my Viet Nam veteran’s cap. I usually inquire if these well-wishers have prior military experience and have found that most do not.

I have also found that the E.O.D. badge is now recognized by a great number of people which is a far cry from forty years ago when everyone wanted to know if I was air borne. I have been approached by customers in eating places, busy stores or while simply walking down the street about my badge which is commonly followed by some remark about insanity, or our lack of common sense. I follow up those comments by giving one of my business cards with the hopes of selling one more book. These humorous encounters tell me that those who have earned the EOD crab today are responding to incidents with the same calm steely nerve that has been the E.O.D. tradition for decades now.

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This change for the better can be seen in positive media coverage of surprise homecomings as well as coverage of unit arrival, departures, and welcome home ceremonies. Public support for our troops can be found in the many, many groups who send care packages over sea, in addition to funds to help military families in distress. There are food chains who donate gift certificates to soldier’s families, not to mention discounts for many purchases including automobiles and homes.

As I said, my customers willingly voice their support for our men and women in uniform today even though most have no idea of the hardships and loneliness these young people quietly endure in the course of their service.

This is a far cry from 1970 when I returned home from Viet Nam not certain if I would even have a ride home from the airport. I live in a small town of nine hundred people, none of which welcomed me home or extended any form of gratitude. In fact I attempted to join the local V.F.W. of which the members were all old friends and acquaintances. I was denied membership on the grounds that I had not participated in a “real war” (their words not mine).

Yes times have certainly changed, thank God and I hope to see the day when military service is considered an honorable and respected profession that we all know it is. So put on your caps; be they Viet Nam Veterans, military branch, E.O.D or one with the symbol of whatever organization that you so proudly served and go out among the populace. Enjoy the accolades and the respect that has been so long overdue to a great many patriotic Americans, those good men and women who now serve or have served this great country as a member of the United States Military.

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Seal looking for a chimney I sure would hate to forget his

cookies.

This guy used plenty of C4 for Christmas.

HER BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING

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I am pleased to announce that after eight years of research and writing, I have published a book about my experiences in EOD, focusing on my seven months at Dugway Proving Grounds, and 18 months in Vietnam. The title is, This Is What Hell Looks Like. It is available on Amazon Kindle and the price is $3.99. Currently, it can be downloaded on any Kindle, iPad, or iPhone. If you have an Android device, there is software on Amazon that you can install and download Kindle eBooks. I was very fortunate to be able to recover the after action reports of the five Qui Nhon Ammunition Supply Point attacks that occurred in 1969, four of which I helped clean up, as well as incident logs and unusual incidents reports from the teams I was on, and after action reports from infantry units about events we participated in.

There is no hard copy version, at this time, but I’m hoping to get that taken care by the end of the year.

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HER BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING. VN 1968.

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1957 US EOD TEAM DEPLOYING TO ENGLAND FOR ORDNACE (BOOBY TRAPS, CLANDESTINE DEVICES, FUSES, UXOs, IEDs) EXERCISE IN ENGLAND. SAVE YOUR PICTURES SOME DAY YOU MAY LOOK LIKE THIS!

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OUR STAR SPANGLED BANNER!

1.O SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT, WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT’S LAST GLEAMING, WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT, O’ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED, WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING? AND THE ROCKET’S RED GLARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR, GAVE PROOF THROUGH

THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE; O SAY DOES THAT STAR SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE O’ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND

THE HOME OF THE BRAVE. 2 .ON THE SHORE DIMLY SEEN THROUGH THE MISTS OF THE DEEP, WHERE THE FOE’S HAUGHTY HOST IN DREAD SILENCE REPOSES, WHAT IS THAT WHICH THE BREEZE,O’ER THE TOWERING STEEP, AS IT FITFULLY BLOWS, HALF CONCEALS, HALF DISCLOSES? NOW IT CATCHES THE GLEAM OF THE MORNING’S FIRST BEAM’ IN FUL GLORY REFLECTED NOW SHINES IN THE STREAM: TIS THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, O! LONG MAY IT WAVE O’ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE. 3. WHEN OUR LAND IS ILLUMINATED WITH LIBERTY’S SMILE, IF A FOE FROM WITHIN

STRIKES A BLOW AT HER GLORY, DOWN, DOWN WITH THE TRAITOR THAT DARES TO DEDEFILE THE FLAG OF THE STARS, AND THE PAGE OF HER STORY! BY THE MILLIONS UNCHAINED,WHO THEIR BIRTHRIGHT HAVE GAINED WE WILL KEEP HER BRIGHT BLAZEN FOREVER UNSTAINED; AND THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER IN TRIUMPH SHALL WAVE, WHILE THE LAND OF THE FREE IS THE HOME OF THE BRAVE. 4. O THUS BE IT EVER WHEN FREEMEN SHALL STAND BETWEEN THEIR LOVED HOME AND THE WAR’S DESOLATION. BLEST WITH VICT’RY AND PEACE, MAY THE HEAV’N RESCUED LAND PRAISE THE POWER THAT HATH MADE AND PRESERVED US A NATION! THEN CONQUER WE MUST WHEN OUR CAUSE IT IS JUST, AND THIS BE OUR MOTTO:”IN GOD IS OUR TRUST.” AND THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER IN TRIUMPH SHALLWAVE O’ER THE LAND OF THE FREE

AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE!

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