Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11 held a change of command ceremony June 10 at Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach.

During the ceremony, Cmdr. Joseph "Karl" Haywood relieved Cmdr. Ford Ewaldsen Jr. as commanding officer of EODMU 11.

Ewaldsen assumed command of EODMU 11 July 2014. During his time as commander, EODMU 11, he led deployed personnel specializing in combat expeditionary support, mine counter measures, naval special operations, and mobile diving and salvage operations in support of U.S. 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleet areas of operations.

Additionally, Ewaldsen led a 165-person Expeditionary Task Group in the U.S. Naval Central Command (USNAVCENT) area of responsibility where he commanded six task units conducting EOD, diving, salvage and intelligence exploitation efforts in support of USNAVCENT operations.

Ewaldsen is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned in 1997. His next assignment is to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Haywood is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned in 1999. Prior to assuming command, he served as the chief staff officer at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, located at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California.

EODMU 1 is a 135-member command at Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach that provides operational EOD capability to include the location and identification, rendering safe, recovery, field evaluation, and disposal of all explosive ordnance including chemical and nuclear weapons.

U.S. Navy EOD is the world's premier combat force for countering explosive hazards in support of Navy, joint, interagency and coalition commanders across the full range of military operations.

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