RED HORSE travels to aid EOD

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jarrod Grammel
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The grind of power tools echo in south Georgia as civil engineers from Hurlburt Field, Fla., work on the construction of a new explosive ordnance disposal storage warehouse.

The civil engineers, part of the 823rd RED HORSE Squadron, arrived at Moody July 18 to begin construction on the project.

"We are building a 5,000-square-foot storage warehouse for EOD," said Navy Lt. Brent Pittman, 823rd RHS project engineer. "We constantly travel to other bases for projects like this. Every year bases submit projects they want done to Air Combat Command. We then go to those bases and build the projects."

The three-month project brought 28 civil engineers to Moody for hands-on training.

"This is a troop training project, so we are training to building it in the same way that we would in the area of responsibility downrange," said Pittman. "It's a good training experience and great practical experience."

Even thought the construction is being done only by 823rd RHS Airmen, a Moody civil engineer acted as a liaison between Moody and the RED HORSE Airmen.

"It's great training for them and I enjoy working with them," said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Aaron Heintz, 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron project programmer. "There is a mutual benefit and we get to work with other people. We get a new building and they get valuable training."

Staff Sgt. Jeff Updyke, 823rd RHS structural engineer, was stationed at Moody a year ago when he cross-trained into civil engineering.

"This teaches us how to be better for when we go downrange," he said. "It helps us get hands-on training, and we can learn tips to get more efficient at our job.

"I'm glad to be back at Moody and be able to help," he added.

During the three-month project, the Airmen of the RHS will provide their services as they gain hand-on training for when they are called on to support missions downrange.

The construction is scheduled to be completed Oct. 1. The warehouse will be used by the 23rd CES EOD flight to store equipment including batteries and all-terrain vehicles.