Submitted Photo Airmen assigned to the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) flight at Minot Air Force Base perform area sweeps during a readiness exercise at the base on July 27, shown in this photo by U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kyle Wilson)

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE – The 5th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight at Minot Air Force Base recently hosted Operation Frozen Peanut.

Operation Frozen Peanut, held from July 24-28, is a routine exercise designed to test EOD capabilities, procedures and readiness in the event of a nuclear incident. The exercise was conducted from the perspective of an Initial Response Force reacting to such an event.

“It’s important for us to conduct these exercises to keep our skills sharp,” said Tech. Sgt. Fernando Aguilera, 5th CES EOD flight noncommissioned officer in charge of quality assurance. “With our mission set here at Minot Air Force Base, we need to stay ready to execute.”

Airmen assigned to EOD flights across several major commands traveled to Minot AFB to participate in Operation Frozen Peanut. With nuclear deterrence being Minot AFB’s primary mission, the location provided a unique training perspective to EOD airmen who traveled to take part in the exercise.

“It’s essential for other EOD shops to receive this training as well,” said Aguilera. “This is our bread and butter here at Minot Air Force Base and we want to share our knowledge and thought process with them.”

Conversely, EOD airmen from Team Minot said they enjoyed interacting with other EOD shops during the exercise, which allowed them to gain insight and experience different perspectives.

“The most exciting portion of the exercise was being able to work with and pick the brains of other EOD technicians,” said Senior Airman Zachary Denig, 5th CES EOD flight technician. “Getting to work with airmen from other EOD shops around the Air Force was a great experience for me.”

Expanding one’s skill set and knowledge is important in any job and according to airmen who took part in Operation Frozen Peanut, it’s especially important to continue growing their expertise in EOD.

“This is not an easy job and it’s important to be persistent,” said Senior Airman Libio Rodriguez, 5th CES EOD flight technician. “It’s never as easy as checking a box. Everything that we do in EOD is situationally dependent.”