EOD step back, learn during Annual EOD Safety Stand-down Day Published Nov. 16, 2009 By Senior Airman Clay Murray 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The Airmen of the 52nd EOD office, along with all EOD shops across the Air Force, took part in the second Annual EOD Safety Stand-down Day Nov. 13, an event that aims to take a strategic pause in operations to shed light on other facets of the job. "(The purpose is to) take a tactical pause and basically step back from normal operations to reflect on the past year's events, incidents and accidents within the Air Force EOD field in an effort to learn about things like pre- and post-deployment integrations," said Master Sgt. George Price, 52nd EOD superintendent. Some other subjects that were highlighted during this event were traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder by mental health and the surgeon general as well as family counseling and networking by the chaplain. Internally they also learned from selected EOD incidents, theater standard operating procedures and current threat intelligence products. "The briefs by the surgeon general, mental health professionals and chaplain (were the most beneficial)," Sergeant Price said. "They educated us on programs, traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder and all the services in place to document and treat." A day in the office might seem like a well-deserved break for one of the most frequently deployed, highly stressed and slimly manned career fields in the Air Force, but Sergeant Price emphasizes that it's important to remember why the stand-down was created and what it can do for those who take advantage of it. "I feel it was a series of events (that led to the stand-down,)" Sergeant Price said. "When we had our first EOD losses, senior EOD leadership looked at events in the career field and decided to create a time to stop and take a look at standard operating procedures - some good and others not so good - and after we've taken a good hard look we can benefit on those lessons learned." This is only the second year that EOD shops across the Air Force have taken part in the safety stand-down day. The fact that this is a somewhat recent concept doesn't downplay its importance by any means to Airman 1st Class Jerimiah Bethel, EOD apprentice. "I'm enjoying (the stand-down day) so far," said Airman Bethel. "I'm getting ready to deploy, and this really brings me up to speed on what to expect. We learn from our mistakes, and it's good to know where we can find help not only for ourselves, but also for our buddies. "Ever since technical school we hear talk about EOD being too arrogant. Team leaders can be proud, and that's dangerous," he said. "(Stand-down day) puts a reality check on it. It doesn't matter because every deployment is new, and regardless of how many improvised explosive devices you've run, it's important that you're always on your toes."