Jesse Kelly sits down with American legend Mike Vining for a rare and candid conversation. The discussion covers a lifetime of experiences that few people ever hear firsthand. From high-stakes moments to quieter reflections, the two explore stories that shaped a remarkable career. This is an unfiltered look at one of the most decorated and respected figures in the history of special operations.
Follow Jesse Kelly on YouTube at:Â Jesse Kelly
Follow Mike Vining on X at: @BlastingThrough
The National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association is proud to announce that NATEODA Director and retired Sergeant Major Mike Vinning is writing his autobiography, Blasting Through, with an anticipated release in August 2026.
Blasting Through is a deeply personal account of SGM Vinningâs life, service, and decades-long career in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. From the demanding realities of EOD operations to the leadership challenges faced at the highest enlisted levels, the book offers an unfiltered look at the profession, the people, and the perseverance that define the EOD community.
More than a military memoir, Blasting Through reflects on brotherhood, resilience, and the momentsâboth triumphant and difficultâthat shaped a career dedicated to service. SGM Vinningâs story captures the spirit of EOD: calculated risk, unwavering commitment, and the determination to push forward no matter the odds.
As a Director of NATEODA, SGM Vinning continues to serve the EOD community by preserving its history and sharing its stories. His upcoming autobiography adds an important voice to the legacy of those who have worn the EOD badge and carried its responsibility.
Additional details, including pre-order information and official release announcements, will be shared as they become available.
You can also follow updates on X: @BlastingThrough
As we welcome 2026, the National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association (NATEODA) extends heartfelt wishes for a year of peace, purpose, and renewed strength to all who wear â and have worn â the EOD badge.
The new year invites us to reflect on our shared mission: to honor our history, support our brothers and sisters in arms, and preserve the legacy of courage that defines the EOD community.
Each detonation rendered safe, each life protected, and each moment of teamwork reminds us why we serve â and why we stand united. The challenges ahead may change, but our commitment remains constant: Protect, Preserve, and Honor.
Together, let us continue to build upon the foundation laid by those who came before us, strengthen the bonds that connect us, and carry forward the proud traditions of our profession into a bright and resilient 2026.
The snow fell softly outside the small community hall, settling on the flags that lined the entranceâeach one
slightly worn, each one flown with purpose. Inside, the lights were warm, coffee was strong, and the laughter carried that
familiar mix of old stories and quiet understanding.
Some had driven hours to be there. Others joined only in spiritânames spoken gently, chairs left empty,
memories carried close. As always, the EOD family gathered not because tradition demanded it, but because brotherhood did.
At the far end of the room stood a small Christmas tree. It wasnât fancy. No matching ornaments, no ribbon theme. Instead, each decoration told a storyâa unit patch from Vietnam, a bent wire shaped into a star, a small robot charm, a pair of wings, a folded
piece of tape with a name written in marker.
One ornament hung slightly apart from the rest: a simple light, glowing steady and white.
âWho put that one there?â someone asked.
No one answered right away.
Finally, an older techâgray at the temples, hands steady despite the yearsâspoke up.
âThat oneâs for the ones who canât make it home.â
The room grew quiet.
He continued. âI learned something a long time ago. In our line of work, light matters. Sometimes itâs a flashlight in the dark.
Sometimes itâs a headlamp under a truck. Sometimes itâs just that one calm voice in your ear saying, âSlow down. Youâve got this.ââ
He nodded toward the glowing ornament.
âThat light reminds us that even when things are tense⌠even when the wire looks wrong⌠someoneâs always watching over us.â
Across the room, a younger tech held his child on his shoulders. Nearby, a Gold Star spouse adjusted an ornament placed c
arefully on the tree. A retired bomb tech leaned back, eyes closed, remembering a Christmas spent overseas, sharing a candy
bar and a laugh in a place that didnât feel so far from home after all.
Someone passed around a plate of cookies shaped like stars and trees. Someone else poured another cup of coffee. No one rushed.
No one needed to.
Because in that moment, they werenât active duty or retired. Not Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Public Safety.
They werenât ranks or MOS codes.
They were family.
As the night drew on, the hall emptied slowly. One by one, goodbyes were saidâhandshakes, hugs, quiet promises to stay in touch.
When the lights were finally turned off, only the small Christmas tree remained glowing in the corner.
That single white light stayed on.
Steady. Reliable. Unwavering.
Just like the men and women of EOD.
And somewhereâacross the world, across time, across memoryâthose who came before smiled, knowing the
watch was still being kept.
This Christmas, may you find peace in the quiet moments, strength in your bonds, and warmth in knowing you are never alone.
Dear NATEODA members â
The quiet strength in this narrative is profound. Beautifully and poignantly written.
It captures the essence of a bond forged not just in shared experience, but in a shared, solemn duty. That single, steady light symbolizes the unwavering vigilance and quiet watch that defines the EOD family. Itâs a beautiful reminder that even when someone is gone, their light, their memory, and the protection they provided remain a constant, guiding presence for those who carry the watch forward.
The brotherhood is indeed eternal.
Merry Christmas 2025 and many thanks for your warm embrace.
đ
All my best to you and yours,
Elaine
Elaine Hume Peake
Daughter of Captain (later Colonel) Edward Thomas Hume
Author of The Kaboom Boy, The Blacksmith of Dachau, Goodnight From Berlin + Cold War Dawn
Dear Elaine,
Thank you for your beautifully written and deeply thoughtful message. Your words honor the heart of the story and, more importantly, the enduring spirit of the EOD family it represents.
That âsingle, steady lightâ you so eloquently describe truly does symbolize the quiet vigilance, sacrifice, and watchfulness that define our community. It is a reminder that while individuals may leave us, their service, their legacy, and the protection they provided never fade. They continue to guide those who stand the watch today.
Your perspectiveâas both a daughter of service and a gifted storytellerâadds a profound layer of meaning. We are grateful for your warm embrace of the EOD family and for the way you so gracefully articulated what so many of us feel but struggle to put into words.
On behalf of the National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association, thank you for your kindness, your insight, and your continued connection to our shared heritage.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful and Merry Christmas, and a New Year filled with health, remembrance, and hope.
With deepest respect and gratitude,
Woodward L. âWoodyâ Eastwood
President of the National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association
On this day of remembrance, the National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association honors the heroes of December 7, 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor changed the course of our nation, calling forth extraordinary courage from Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and civilians who faced devastation without hesitation.
For those of us in the EOD community, this day carries added meaning. The aftermath of Pearl Harbor marked the early formation and rapid expansion of U.S. Bomb Disposal unitsâteams who stepped forward to confront unexploded ordnance, protect their fellow service members, and pioneer the foundations of the modern EOD profession.
Today, we remember the 2,403 lives lost, honor the survivors, and reflect on the duty, sacrifice, and resilience that define our nation. Their legacy continues in every technician who stands the watch, at home or abroad.
âA date which will live in infamy.â
Today, the National EOD Association pauses to remember the events of December 7, 1941, and the heroes whose actions shaped our nationâs history. The attack on Pearl Harbor claimed 2,403 American lives and marked the beginning of Americaâs entry into World War II.
For the EOD community, Pearl Harbor represents the origin of our mission â the moment when unexploded bombs, damaged ordnance, and new threats demanded the creation of specialized Bomb Disposal units. From those first teams came the lineage of todayâs EOD Technicians.
We honor their courage.
We remember their sacrifice.
And we remain committed to carrying forward the legacy they began.
Š 2023 National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association
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