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Dear NATEODA Family,

As we gather this Thanksgiving, we pause to reflect on the many blessings that unite our EOD community—our shared history, steadfast service, and unbreakable bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood.

Whether you are deployed, retired, training the next generation, or standing by your family’s side, know that you are part of something greater than yourself—a family bound by courage, sacrifice, and purpose.

We give thanks for those who paved the way, for those who continue to serve, and for the families who carry the weight of that service with strength and grace. We especially remember our fallen teammates whose legacy inspires us every day.

May this season bring you peace, comfort, and the warmth of connection—wherever you are.

With deepest gratitude and respect,

Woodward L. “Woody” Eastwood

President
National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association
president@nateoda.com

🇺🇸 Preserving our Heritage, Protecting our Future

1LT Faust from the 52nd EOD sets a new world record run in a bomb suit with a time of 10 minutes, 19 seconds, at Fort Belvoir’s Pullen Field, Nov. 14. She surpassed the last record by four seconds. FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES 11.21.2025

FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES
21 November 2025
Story by Paul Lara 
Fort Belvoir Public Affairs

FORT BELVOIR, Virginia – If someone nearby were to shout, “BOMB!” most individuals would either drop to the ground or run. It takes an elite, well-trained person to run toward an explosive, but that is part of the training of Fort Belvoir’s 55th Ordnance Company (55th EOD), part of the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command in Aberdeen, Proving Ground, Maryland. On Friday, Nov. 15, Army 1st Lt. Madison Faust, a 55th EOD Platoon Leader, attempted to set a new world record 1-mile run in a prototype bomb suit developed by Program Executive Officer (PEO) Soldier. Designed to shield Soldiers within inches of unexploded ordnance, it requires head-to-toe coverage and weighs 48 pounds. Faust said she was eager to highlight the new Army technology.

“I’m excited,” Faust said right before she began. “I was pacing with my commander and one of my E-6s while working out.”

Faust, an Allentown, Pennsylvania native and U.S. Military Academy at West Point graduate, said it helped that she was an athlete growing up and played soccer at West Point. Her key focus was self-improvement. She explained that most of her training focused on 400s and 300s, paired with a disciplined routine of clean eating, consistent hydration, and “lots of carbs before the runs.”

CPT John Morrissey, her commander, set off alongside Faust to keep her on pace. With the 55th cheering her on, she crossed the finish line at 10 minutes, 19 seconds, shaving four seconds off the record. Morrissey stressed that “Soldiers must be willing to do hard things and set goals that scare us.”

“Faust has exemplified this in her pursuit of this record and therefore set an example for the entirety of the EOD career field and U.S. Army,” Morrissey said. “I was fortunate to train with her in the several months preceding the record attempt, and I promise you there were some hard and demoralizing days. But she kept showing up, she kept putting the suit on, and that unwillingness to quit is what got her the record.”

When it comes to selfless service, Morrissey stressed that EOD is the exemplary Army career.

“We are a volunteer-only MOS and therefore, are made up of only those who freely choose to put themselves in hazardous situations for the sake of others,” said Morrissey. “EOD attracts those who are methodical and solution-oriented when faced with unprecedented situations… Our aim in pursuing this record is for it to inspire other EOD Technicians to challenge themselves. Hopefully, in a year or so, we will have another tech-hungry person to break a record.”