💥 USARPAC EOD Team of the Year ~ 2026

The U.S. Army Pacific named Soldiers from the 716th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company as the 2026 USARPAC EOD Team of the Year following competition at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

• Sgt. Timothy Ix
• Staff Sgt. Tyler Orvik
• Sgt. Emmanuel Orozco

Representing the National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association was
SGM Mike Vining, USA (Ret.), Director, NATEODA,
reinforcing the connection between today’s operators and the legacy of the EOD profession.

“You carry forward a legacy built by those who came before you.”

— Woody Eastwood, NATEODA President

Initial Success or Total Failure.

🇺🇸 National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association President’s Congratulatory Message

 

Today, we recognize three EOD technicians who represent everything our profession stands for.

On behalf of the National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association, I extend our sincere congratulations to Sgt. Timothy Ix, Staff Sgt. Tyler Orvik, and Sgt. Emmanuel Orozco of the 716th EOD Company was named the 2026 USARPAC EOD Team of the Year.

Competitions like this remind us that while technology evolves, the foundation of EOD remains unchanged — calm professionals solving dangerous problems through training, trust, and teamwork.

It was especially meaningful to have NATEODA represented at the event by SGM Mike Vining, whose lifelong service continues to connect generations of EOD technicians. That connection between past and present is what keeps our community strong.

To this team: you carry forward a legacy built by those who came before you. We are proud of you, and the entire EOD family stands behind you as you move on to represent USARPAC at the All-Army competition.

“No Margin For Error”
— Woody Eastwood
President, National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association

The U.S. Army Pacific recognized excellence in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal profession on 13 February 2026 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, naming Soldiers from the 716th EOD Company as the USARPAC EOD Team of the Year.

Sgt. Timothy Ix, Staff Sgt. Tyler Orvik and Sgt. Emmanuel Orozco demonstrated superior technical proficiency, teamwork, and operational decision-making throughout a demanding multi-day competition designed to replicate real-world EOD scenarios.

The Alaska-based team will now advance to represent the Pacific theater at the All-Army EOD Team of the Year competition.

🪖 About the 716th EOD Company

The 716th EOD Company is headquartered at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Alaska, operating in one of the Army’s most demanding geographic environments.

Their mission set includes:

• Arctic and extreme-weather EOD operations

• Homeland defense response support

• Range clearance and UXO disposal

• Joint and multinational Indo-Pacific exercises

• Real-world contingency response across USARPAC

Operating from Alaska forces technicians to maintain readiness across:

• severe cold-weather operations

• remote logistics

• austere deployment conditions

These environmental factors often produce exceptionally versatile EOD teams.

🏆 The USARPAC Competition — What It Tests

The USARPAC EOD Team of the Year competition is not ceremonial — it is a multi-day operational evaluation designed to simulate real combat and contingency scenarios.

During the 2026 event, teams were evaluated across realistic mission “lanes,” including:

Technical EOD Tasks

• Counter-IED procedures

• Ordnance identification

• Robotics and remote operations

• Render-safe procedures

• X-ray diagnostics and threat analysis

• Chemical hazard response

Tactical & Operational Skills

• Decision-making under pressure

• Risk mitigation and safety planning

• Team communication and leadership

• Efficiency and mission execution

Judges evaluated competitors based on three core criteria:

1. Did they defeat the threat?

2. Did they protect personnel and infrastructure?

3. How efficiently and intelligently was the problem solved? 

As one observer summarized during a scenario:

“It’s you against the bombmaker.”

⚙️ Example Scenario from the Competition

One highlighted event involved a suspicious toolbox discovered aboard an Army vessel.

The team had to:

1. Conduct remote investigation.

2. Use portable X-ray systems to identify internal components.

3. Confirm explosive circuitry.

4. Execute render-safe procedures.

5. Neutralize using a Percussion Actuated Neutralizer (PAN) — firing a water-driven disruption charge to destroy firing electronics safely.

This type of scenario mirrors maritime interdiction and deployed operational realities. 

---

🌏 Competition Field

The 716th competed against top EOD units across the Pacific theater, including:

• 65th Ordnance Company (EOD) – Alaska (previous All-Army winners)

• 74th Ordnance Company (EOD) – Hawaii

• 718th Ordnance Company (EOD) – South Korea

• Marine Corps EOD participants

• Canadian Army EOD partners

Multinational participation enhances interoperability and exposes teams to varied TTPs across allied forces. 

---

🧭 Command Perspective

Leadership from the 303rd EOD Battalion emphasized that the competition is more than a trophy event:

• Identifies training gaps

• Drives innovation in procedures

• Strengthens joint-service cooperation

• Builds combat-ready teams for Indo-Pacific contingencies

The competition effectively acts as a readiness benchmark for theater EOD forces. 

---

🔄 Strategic Significance

Winning USARPAC carries particular weight because the Indo-Pacific theater includes:

• Expanding multinational exercises

• Maritime security missions

• UXO legacy environments

• Emerging IED and hybrid threats

EOD forces in this theater must operate across island chains, maritime platforms, and remote terrain, making adaptability critical.

---

🥇 What Comes Next — All-Army Competition

The team will advance to the Department of the Army EOD Team of the Year, typically hosted under the 20th CBRNE Command.

At that level, winners from all Army theaters compete, representing:

• FORSCOM

• USARPAC

• USAREUR-AF

• USARCENT

• National Guard/Reserve components

The All-Army event is widely regarded inside the EOD community as the profession’s premier skills competition.

---

📌 Notable Context

Interestingly, another Alaska-based unit — the 65th EOD Company — won the All-Army EOD Team of the Year in 2025, highlighting Alaska as a current powerhouse within Army EOD readiness.