Capt. Erich Diehl, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 75 presented Cmdr. Ben Cipperley, commanding officer, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 with the Meritorious Unit Commendation, May 17, signed on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and the former Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert.

Assigned to CTF 75, EODMU 5's primary responsibility is to deploy and employs tailored EOD units to locate, identify, render safe and remove conventional, chemical, biological, nuclear, radiological, and improvised explosive hazards in order to enable access for joint, naval, and special operations forces within the Western Pacific Theater of Operations and elsewhere.

The citation recognizes the achievements of EODMU 5 from August 2013 through April 2015 while under the command of Cipperley and former EODMU 5 Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Oscar Rojas.

"During this time period EODMU 5 provided mission support to multiple operational commands throughout the 7th Fleet area of operations with explosive ordnance disposal, diving, intelligence, and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, while deploying to 47 joint and combined exercises and events spanning 21 countries," said Diehl, who added during that time frame EOD technicians safely disposed of more than 80,000 pounds of explosives.

Additionally, EODMU 5 deployed its personnel with a Rapid Material Analysis Capability from Naval Special Warfare Center Indian Head EOD Technology Division to the Philippines in order to enhance partner capabilities with respect to IED exploitation.
Navy EOD is the world's premier combat forces for countering improvised explosive devices, weapons of mass destruction, and other types of ordnance. Navy EOD technicians and divers are frequently first responders, enabling access for further combat operations.

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