WEBVTT 00:00.291 --> 00:01.126 Okay. I see. 00:01.126 --> 00:03.128 Uh, wires diverging. 00:03.461 --> 00:05.588 This is the Marine Corps bomb squad. 00:06.339 --> 00:09.843 It's officially known as EOD 00:09.884 --> 00:12.137 or explosive ordnance disposal. 00:12.846 --> 00:13.596 This exclusive 00:13.596 --> 00:14.889 faction of the Marine Corps 00:14.889 --> 00:15.640 is made up of less 00:15.640 --> 00:18.143 than 800 technicians, and out of 00:18.184 --> 00:20.562 over the 200,000 Marines today. 00:20.645 --> 00:21.438 Only the top 00:21.438 --> 00:24.607 1% are even eligible to attempt to join. 00:24.816 --> 00:28.611 I'm going to split the HE 00:32.907 --> 00:33.616 As the Marine Corps 00:33.616 --> 00:34.993 faces new challenges, 00:34.993 --> 00:38.621 it finds new ways to fight like a EABO 00:38.663 --> 00:40.206 We'll get to that in a second. 00:40.206 --> 00:41.416 What you're about to see 00:41.416 --> 00:42.584 an experiment to operate 00:42.584 --> 00:44.377 in one of the most hostile environments 00:44.377 --> 00:45.754 on the planet. 00:45.754 --> 00:47.922 Here in the chapel of misery 00:48.757 --> 00:49.674 The Jungle Warfare 00:49.674 --> 00:54.137 Training Center 00:54.429 --> 00:56.473 an unwelcoming, unforgiving, contested arena 00:56.723 --> 00:58.725 where species of all kinds fight 00:58.725 --> 01:00.977 for their survival, an environment 01:00.977 --> 01:03.313 that's truly made for Marines. 01:22.415 --> 01:23.625 I'm Sergeant Connor Paul. 01:23.625 --> 01:24.501 I'm an EOD tech 01:24.501 --> 01:26.586 with EOD company 9th ESB 01:26.586 --> 01:29.047 I was born in Seattle, Washington. 01:29.422 --> 01:30.840 or just north of in a town 01:30.840 --> 01:31.841 called Bothell 01:31.841 --> 01:32.550 I spent pretty much 01:32.550 --> 01:33.676 most of my life there. 01:33.676 --> 01:35.136 My initial plan 01:35.136 --> 01:36.179 and everything at my school 01:36.179 --> 01:36.846 was geared towards. 01:36.846 --> 01:37.931 I wanted to be an accountant, 01:37.931 --> 01:38.765 I heard accountants 01:38.765 --> 01:40.308 make the best business owners, 01:40.308 --> 01:42.685 so I wanted to be a business owner 01:42.685 --> 01:43.478 because I don't like being told 01:43.478 --> 01:44.479 what to do. 01:44.562 --> 01:45.230 So I was like, 01:45.230 --> 01:45.563 All right, I'm 01:45.563 --> 01:46.648 going to put myself in position 01:46.648 --> 01:47.649 where I'll never happen. 01:47.649 --> 01:49.567 And look at me now. 01:49.567 --> 01:52.070 Yeah, it happened, yeah 01:52.570 --> 01:54.155 Upon arrival, they cleared the village 01:54.155 --> 01:56.324 for explosive booby traps. 01:56.324 --> 01:56.658 Hey, Bobby 01:56.658 --> 01:59.119 I don't see anything that concerns me. 01:59.119 --> 02:01.246 I'm going to go ahead and go on in. 02:01.246 --> 02:02.580 It's a possible scenario 02:02.580 --> 02:03.790 where an enemy abandoned 02:03.790 --> 02:05.041 a former position 02:07.669 --> 02:08.920 and early the next morning 02:08.920 --> 02:10.922 were already responding to calls 02:10.922 --> 02:13.216 or scenarios with possible explosive 02:13.216 --> 02:14.092 Threats. 02:14.259 --> 02:17.095 EOD's different than other MOS 02:17.095 --> 02:18.263 or job fields in the Marine Corps. 02:18.263 --> 02:19.931 Just because we work in two or three 02:19.931 --> 02:21.975 man teams and it's NCO and above only. 02:21.975 --> 02:22.934 So if you're a sergeant 02:22.934 --> 02:24.435 like that's the lowest rank 02:24.435 --> 02:25.061 See that Humvee back there? 02:25.061 --> 02:26.563 Yeah. Put you guys at least right there. 02:26.563 --> 02:27.188 Okay, cool. 02:27.188 --> 02:28.481 And then you guys have a security pass 02:28.481 --> 02:29.524 in that direction. 02:29.524 --> 02:29.816 not yet. 02:29.816 --> 02:31.943 So I did wrestling basketball football 02:32.318 --> 02:33.528 during high school. 02:33.528 --> 02:34.445 I think 02:34.487 --> 02:35.697 as far as like the wrestling side, 02:35.697 --> 02:37.782 that definitely translates. 02:37.782 --> 02:39.492 It's a lot of work and a lot of reps, 02:39.492 --> 02:40.243 just like 02:40.243 --> 02:41.327 thousands of hours spent 02:41.327 --> 02:44.289 just to make one aspect of the entire 02:44.330 --> 02:46.082 like your takedown better 02:46.082 --> 02:47.458 and you do that a thousand times 02:47.458 --> 02:49.002 just to make it slightly more efficient. 02:50.003 --> 02:52.422 EOD is kind of very similar to that. 02:52.422 --> 02:54.424 We do training and everything as a team. 02:54.757 --> 02:55.884 But when it's like 02:55.884 --> 02:57.218 you're going down on a problem, 02:57.218 --> 02:58.052 that's just you 02:58.052 --> 02:59.095 and usually your team leader 02:59.095 --> 03:01.598 or team member. 03:02.223 --> 03:04.184 But we took a thermite and replace it 03:04.184 --> 03:05.977 on top of the warhead section 03:05.977 --> 03:06.227 or what 03:06.227 --> 03:07.770 we think to be the warhead section. 03:07.770 --> 03:09.564 And our goal is to melt it, 03:09.564 --> 03:11.232 basically to melt the HE 03:11.232 --> 03:12.692 and that the explosive part 03:12.692 --> 03:14.027 that's like a hazard to us. 03:14.027 --> 03:16.029 So our plan was will melt all of that 03:16.029 --> 03:17.447 and then we'll make it safe to move it 03:17.447 --> 03:18.656 because after we get rid of that 03:18.656 --> 03:20.033 just trash. 03:20.033 --> 03:22.869 There's no reason for it to be that big. 03:22.869 --> 03:25.622 Thats a big bug dude 03:27.540 --> 03:28.124 hold up 03:28.124 --> 03:29.584 It's not that simple. 03:29.584 --> 03:30.501 In order to understand 03:30.501 --> 03:32.170 why we're out in the jungle, 03:32.170 --> 03:33.588 we have to understand the future 03:33.588 --> 03:35.256 of Marine Corps warfare, 03:35.256 --> 03:36.174 force design, 03:36.174 --> 03:38.176 specifically expeditionary 03:38.176 --> 03:40.762 advanced base operations. EABO 03:40.929 --> 03:44.140 Basically, EABO is to divide and conquer 03:44.265 --> 03:46.476 instead of establishing a central base. 03:46.601 --> 03:48.937 We scatter and operate in smaller, 03:48.937 --> 03:50.480 more mobile units 03:50.480 --> 03:51.105 from a series 03:51.105 --> 03:53.274 of austere temporary locations, 03:53.274 --> 03:55.151 while maintaining a low signature 03:55.151 --> 03:57.237 within a contested maritime area 03:57.237 --> 03:58.363 in order to conduct 03:58.363 --> 03:59.864 sea denial, support 03:59.864 --> 04:03.243 sea control, or enable fleet sustainment. 04:03.826 --> 04:05.161 Being able to survive off 04:05.161 --> 04:06.913 very little supplies 04:06.913 --> 04:09.415 move at a moment's notice if discovered. 04:09.874 --> 04:12.919 and that brings us here. 04:13.711 --> 04:15.088 My name's Staff Sergeant Michael SIEGEL. 04:15.088 --> 04:16.631 I'm an explosive ordnance disposal 04:16.631 --> 04:18.758 technician with 3d EOD company, 04:18.883 --> 04:21.052 9th Engineer Support Battalion 04:21.052 --> 04:21.928 The one below. 04:21.928 --> 04:22.387 It looks like 04:22.387 --> 04:24.847 it's smooth on the top with a red band 04:25.390 --> 04:25.974 on it. 04:26.641 --> 04:27.976 So for us Jungle Crab 04:27.976 --> 04:28.768 we're coming out here. 04:28.768 --> 04:31.813 We're advancing our actual EOD skills 04:31.813 --> 04:33.231 as well as our survival skills 04:33.231 --> 04:34.148 as a whole, 04:34.482 --> 04:37.944 and trying to merge the two together. 04:40.780 --> 04:41.406 I'mma 04:42.156 --> 04:43.574 Snip the line 04:44.033 --> 04:45.576 EABO is Expeditionary 04:45.576 --> 04:47.954 Advanced Base Operations. Essentially 04:48.371 --> 04:49.872 We don't have a full picture of it yet, 04:49.872 --> 04:52.125 but we're trying to figure that out. 04:52.125 --> 04:53.376 We're doing different operations, 04:53.376 --> 04:53.876 going out, 04:53.876 --> 04:54.961 doing training 04:54.961 --> 04:57.797 and trying to see where we really fit in 04:57.797 --> 04:58.506 in the future. 04:58.506 --> 04:59.841 We don't know what type of missions 04:59.841 --> 05:00.967 that we can get 05:05.054 --> 05:06.097 on a regular basis. 05:06.097 --> 05:07.515 We we train in pretty fair 05:07.515 --> 05:08.599 weather out here. 05:08.599 --> 05:09.934 We start getting into 05:09.934 --> 05:10.852 the more extreme elements 05:10.852 --> 05:13.813 and see how people work under pressure 05:19.819 --> 05:21.154 yes, situations 05:21.154 --> 05:22.322 like this out in the jungle. 05:22.322 --> 05:23.114 We're anticipating 05:23.114 --> 05:25.241 having like limited logistics 05:25.241 --> 05:26.659 and how we would operate, 05:26.659 --> 05:28.328 say, if we have certain 05:28.328 --> 05:29.203 things are interrupted 05:29.203 --> 05:31.664 in our usual way of operation, 05:31.664 --> 05:33.875 if we can still operate, given 05:34.208 --> 05:36.627 those challenges going forward. 05:36.919 --> 05:37.920 I haven't got that far. 05:37.920 --> 05:39.672 But yeah, it looks like it's a dual 05:39.672 --> 05:42.425 A dual switch. 05:43.176 --> 05:43.551 Looks like 05:43.551 --> 05:45.136 I might be digging up a battery here, 05:45.136 --> 05:46.721 maybe a cap wire. 05:46.721 --> 05:47.430 And if we're really trying 05:47.430 --> 05:49.474 to save this road, which we are, 05:49.474 --> 05:51.476 it's just going to pop that. 05:51.476 --> 05:53.519 You're in the elements the entire time. 05:53.519 --> 05:55.104 You're dealing with challenges 05:55.104 --> 05:55.605 that aren't 05:55.605 --> 05:57.398 just the problem itself, 05:57.398 --> 05:59.525 but you also have external stressors 05:59.525 --> 06:01.361 and movement to the objective 06:01.361 --> 06:03.821 and movement back and things like that. 06:03.821 --> 06:05.239 I'm going to start picking leaves off 06:05.239 --> 06:06.199 the top of this thing. 06:07.867 --> 06:08.576 So 06:09.786 --> 06:10.286 let on. 06:10.286 --> 06:11.496 scene know 06:12.080 --> 06:14.457 that there's a potential 06:14.457 --> 06:15.375 for a higher order right now. 06:15.375 --> 06:16.167 Okay. 06:17.168 --> 06:19.170 This is a high order. 06:19.170 --> 06:21.672 The full explosive yield of the ordnance. 06:22.840 --> 06:23.800 At first times, 06:23.800 --> 06:25.468 the nerves can definitely be 06:25.468 --> 06:26.761 a little high. 06:26.761 --> 06:28.262 But once you realize 06:28.262 --> 06:29.806 that you know what you're doing 06:29.806 --> 06:31.641 and obviously hasn't exploded yet, 06:31.641 --> 06:33.559 it probably just won't randomly go up 06:33.559 --> 06:36.104 for no reason. 06:39.941 --> 06:41.275 It's just like a game of operation 06:41.275 --> 06:42.193 in most cases. 06:42.193 --> 06:42.610 And yeah, 06:42.610 --> 06:43.945 once you're once in the driver's seat. 06:43.945 --> 06:45.029 And so it's pretty 06:45.029 --> 06:48.741 it's pretty straightforward. 06:50.368 --> 06:51.786 The piece together, right next 06:51.786 --> 06:52.829 to each other, crush the cone of 06:52.829 --> 06:53.788 both of them 06:54.831 --> 06:56.541 initiate from the center of a block. 06:56.541 --> 06:56.833 That way 06:56.833 --> 07:03.548 it goes out that way is crushes the cones to the HE 07:13.933 --> 07:14.934 our platoon 07:14.934 --> 07:15.768 and and 07:15.768 --> 07:19.105 team specifically are super, super close. 07:19.730 --> 07:21.441 We spent so much time together 07:21.441 --> 07:23.151 and we do so many things together 07:23.151 --> 07:24.819 that we push ourselves to be better 07:24.819 --> 07:25.361 and try to be 07:25.361 --> 07:28.322 as good as the other person. 07:29.532 --> 07:30.074 People see us 07:30.074 --> 07:31.534 and they tend to think that we're 07:31.534 --> 07:32.743 that we might be kind of lax. 07:32.743 --> 07:34.245 But when it's time to actually work, 07:34.245 --> 07:35.705 I don't think anybody works harder. 07:35.705 --> 07:36.539 We're always in shape. 07:36.539 --> 07:37.165 We're always ready 07:37.165 --> 07:38.082 and we're always there 07:38.082 --> 07:40.418 when anyone needs us. 07:40.418 --> 07:42.420 Stay there my brother in christ 07:42.420 --> 07:43.546 I'm going to start figuring out 07:43.546 --> 07:46.048 if I can just remove this explosive. 07:46.841 --> 07:47.300 and hearing 07:47.300 --> 07:47.842 the stories 07:47.842 --> 07:48.217 from even, 07:48.217 --> 07:49.719 like my seniors about like dudes 07:49.719 --> 07:51.179 and they've helped out 07:51.179 --> 07:51.888 years later 07:51.888 --> 07:52.930 and they will always remember 07:52.930 --> 07:54.140 and just because they got their lives 07:54.140 --> 07:56.142 saved by an EOD technician. 07:56.142 --> 07:56.893 So, I mean, you know, 07:56.893 --> 07:58.352 as far as like you know, 07:58.352 --> 08:00.354 you can't have a greater impact 08:00.354 --> 08:02.440 than I like to do that 08:02.607 --> 08:03.900 and to save someone's life. 08:03.900 --> 08:05.234 I mean, sitting down. 08:05.234 --> 08:07.403 Yep. Yep. You're all set now. 08:07.403 --> 08:08.154 If someone came up to me 08:08.154 --> 08:08.905 and they said they were thinking 08:08.905 --> 08:10.364 about coming to EOD 08:10.364 --> 08:12.366 when I was a younger marine, 08:12.366 --> 08:13.868 I was dead set on getting out. 08:13.868 --> 08:14.785 I was pretty much done 08:14.785 --> 08:15.328 with the Marine Corps. 08:15.328 --> 08:16.871 I was kind of disenchanted with it. 08:16.871 --> 08:18.247 I came over and screened for EOD 08:18.247 --> 08:19.957 and met some of the people that work here 08:19.957 --> 08:21.584 and I fully believe 08:21.584 --> 08:22.919 it's the best job in the world. 08:22.919 --> 08:23.544 I'm going to stay here 08:23.544 --> 08:25.755 and finish my career here and I wouldn't 08:26.255 --> 08:27.256 I wouldn't want to do anything else. 08:28.716 --> 08:29.300 Marines have 08:29.300 --> 08:30.551 to be ready at all times 08:30.551 --> 08:32.553 to fight at a moment's notice, 08:32.553 --> 08:33.012 to fight 08:33.012 --> 08:35.139 now in a new era of fighting 08:35.348 --> 08:38.184 with new frontiers, we find new ways 08:38.226 --> 08:41.562 of facing new threats.