Ordnance Battalion focuses on basics during Annual Training

Following a year of irregular training, the 741st Ordnance Battalion (EOD) focused on the basics as the unit traveled more than 900 miles to Camp Roberts, California for annual training.

“This year marks not only a return to normalcy for Soldiers and leaders in our battalion, but also the first of what we hope is many future training opportunities with our aligned EOD companies in California, Nevada and Arizona,” said Lt. Col. Amanda Doyle, commander of the 741st Ordnance Battalion. “As a proof of concept, we could not be more pleased with the integration and collaboration we saw during training.”

During annual training the battalion deployed its headquarters’ detachment and staff element to support a multi-state tactical operations center exercise with the 217th Explosive Ordnance Company of the California Army National Guard.

The 741st and 217th have a new alignment for training policy which allows for the units to share resources and common tactics, techniques and procedures. This also gives the units a chance to work together in the tight knit community that is Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

“Our multi-state TRO agreement was at the core of setting the field for collaborative planning and integration with the 741st and 217th,” said Maj. Katie Ecklund, operations officer for the 741st. “We look forward to expanding this type of annual training in the future.”

The Washington Army National Guard’s 741st Ordnance Battalion (EOD) and 319th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company are looked at as tactical and technical explosives experts. Annually, Guard explosive ordnance disposal specialists have supported training exercises including Raven’s Challenge, an interagency, counter-IED exercise that incorporates scenarios focused on interoperability capabilities between Public Safety Bomb Squads (PSBS) and military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units in operational environments.

“As an organization, gaining efficiencies and learning from agencies with similar mission sets are truly critical to our future success,” said Doyle. “We’re looking forward to continuing engagements with the Army National Guard EOD community under the new alignment for training policy and more opportunities to expand cross-agency synergy.”