Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit Three held an award ceremony aboard Naval Base Coronado, September 20.

During the award ceremony, Rear Adm. Brian Brakke, commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) and NECC Pacific presented Lt. Wayne Mcelmoyl with the Cmdr. Kevin Childre Excellence Award, Lt. Morgan Dahl the Rear Adm. Draper L. Kauffman Leadership Award, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Senior Chief Jonathan Hamm the Force Master Chief Anthony Santino Leadership Award.

When describing the symbolism behind the design of the award, a historic wooden blasting machine, Brakke said, "These leaders are the spark that ignites our team and our force."

The Kevin P. Childre Excellence Award is presented annually to one EOD Officer or EOD Technician dedicated to mentoring, developing, and training EOD leaders. The Rear Adm. Draper L. Kauffman Leadership Award is presented annually to one EOD Officer serving in a Platoon/Company Commander position. The Force Master Chief Anthony L. Santino Leadership Award is presented to one EOD chief or senior chief petty officer serving in an operational or training leading chief petty officer billet.

All the awards recognize personnel who epitomize the Navy EOD ethos through their personal example of excellence in leadership.

"A leader is judged on the success of the men or women they lead," said Dahl. "Senior Chief Hamm and I owe this award to the men of our Platoon and the leadership of EODMU Three. A leader cannot operate in a vacuum. We were empowered by the officers and chiefs above us and humbled by the men we had the privilege of working with."

"I am incredibly honored to have led these three extraordinary Sailors," said Cmdr. Geoff Townsend, commanding officer Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three. "Being fortunate enough to have all three of these extraordinary leaders serve in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three at the same time has made the command a better place for everyone stationed here. These are three individuals who will definitely leave a legacy within the EOD force just as those whom the awards are named for did."

U.S. Navy EOD is the world's premier combat force for countering explosive hazards and conducting expeditionary diving and salvage.


For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, visit http://www.navy.mil/.