Three EOD Techs killed in Iraq

[PHO127]

Got this email this morning from my sons wife, Just thought I would pass it on. For those of you who don't know him My son is an EOD Tech. Phillip will be deploying to Iraq in June. Phillip and Connie will be at the psyco vets campout and will bring along a member or two of his team.

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Hello everyone!

We hope everyone is doing well. Things here have been so-so. As Phil says, I have some bad news. During the last two weeks we have lost three EOD techs. During this time in Iraq we have lost a total of nine and as of October 11, 2004 there were only 761 in the active Army.

On February 11, 2005 Staff Sergeant Kristopher Shepherd was killed in the line of duty in Baghdad, Iraq. He was a member of the 767th Ord Co (EOD), Fort McNair, Washington, DC. SSG Shepherd was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on Feb. 17.

On February 23, 2005 Staff Sergeant Eric Steffeney, from the 18th Ord Co (EOD), Fort Bragg, NC was killed in Iraq, while responding to an IED (improvised explosive devices) mission.

Yesterday, Staff Sergeant Daniel Gresham was killed in Iraq, while responding to an IED mission.

Dan and Phil were stationed in Korea together in 2002. I talked to Dan several times, but only met him once. I guess the best way to say it is how Phil put it the night before he found out about Dan. He said it hurts when a tech goes, it hurts even more when you know they have left behind a family (Steffeney left behind a wife and three children), but it hurts the most when you knew them.

I?m not sending this out to depress or to worry anyone. We all know Phil is a smart man and knows how to do his job. I would just like for everyone to know what?s going on. Remember when an incident goes wrong, for whatever reason, that information is used to better train our techs. Phil has been at Ft. Polk, LA training all month. He said they have had a very good month and feels good about things.

Over the next three months there are lots of things going on; Phil should be home the month of March, there maybe a week that they are in field, we need to finish tiling the dining room floor. In mid-April we hope to visit with Sid and his rowdy bunch of Vet friends. Phil will be away the last two weeks of the month. In May, we hope to visit Baby Herndon, get things around the house taken care of, and find some family time

[darrels joy]

Our Sailor is the Ammunition Manager in an EOD unit. Those men are afraid of nothing. They joke about how scarey the Seals think they are.

I have to be careful when opening emails with pictures. He does not always explain. I questioned why he was hanging below a helicopter in a basket. :ek: Answer: Just training, Mom.

EOD from all branches risk their lives every day. No big news reports about their bravery. They usually die one at a time.

Joy

[catman]

Sid and Joy...a big salute to your sons, I will keep them in my prayers!

Trav

[Jerry D]

Amen to that Ya'all and prayers for our brave EOD professionals

[PHO127]

And the rest. These EOD people are truly fearless but not stupid, They have a truck load of special toys. I spoke with Phillip this morning and he was bragging about the new .50 Barrett he had gotten. They use it for detonating IEDs from a distance. They have lots of other electronic stuff but I probably shouldn't say much about it.

The work is so dangerous that they have instituted a new policy for IEDs in Iraq, only two man teams, that way they don't loose so many if one detonates prematurly.

Once I asked Phillip if it was the red wire or blue wire to cut, His Reply " It depends on how much Tequilla you had to drink the night before"

[darrels joy]

GM2 Pete's job is to maintain the toys :re: but they let him go through the training with them.

Got a lot of respect for our children that volunteer.

Joy

[DMZ-LT]

We have really passed the sword on to our sons and daughters. Prayers for all our service people , esp. Pete and Philip. I wish they had been with me the day I led my platoon into and old French minefield !