Son follows father into Air Force as EOD technician

  • Published
  • By Kevin Gaddie
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  An Air Force family's legacy continued when a Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal graduate had his occupational badge pinned on by his father, a career EOD technician, here Sept. 12.

Nine of Airman 1st Class Thomas Schott's family members and friends attended the graduation ceremony, including his father, Chief Master Sgt. Chris Schott, major command functional manager for Pacific Air Forces EOD; and his older brother, Senior Airman Richard Schott, an aerospace ground equipment technician stationed at Offutt AFB, Neb., where he works on RC-135 aircraft.  Schott will be the third in his family to become an EOD tech, following his father and grandfather.

Schott was one of 16 Air Force, Army and Marine Corps members of Class 14-190S awarded basic EOD badges and certificates of completion, after finishing seven months of training.

"I never thought this day would come," he said with a sigh of relief. "It was definitely challenging and stressful. The only way I could have made it through this school was with the help of my buddies in my class. I could have never made it through alone. Teamwork is critical in this job. "

Schott asked his father to fasten the new career qualification insignia to his uniform.

"I'm honored that Thomas wanted me to pin on his badge," said Schott, a 27-year Air Force veteran who wears the master EOD badge. "For me, it's the continuation of a legacy."

Also called the "crab" because of its shape, the basic EOD badge consists of a shield, a drop-down bomb and four lightning bolts, contained within a wreath of laurel leaves.

The ceremony was held across the street from the school at the EOD Memorial Wall, which honors EOD technicians who gave their lives in the line of duty.

Schott, 18, originally from Las Vegas, Nev., joined the Air Force in September 2013. After completing the month-long EOD preliminary course at Sheppard AFB, Texas, he reported to Eglin for seven months of explosive handling training.

The course's training divisions included: demolition; tools and methods; biological and chemical; ground ordnance; air ordnance; underwater ordnance; improvised explosive devices; nuclear ordnance and underwater operations and diving.

"IED was probably the most fun division," he said. "I really enjoyed learning about bomb identification and disablement of various bomb components. The most difficult part of the training for me was ground ordnance. I had to re-test in that area and I honestly didn't think I would pass, but luckily I did."

Schott said EOD wasn't his first Air Force career choice.

"I originally wanted to be a tactical air control party specialist, but decided it wasn't the job for me," he said. "I decided to go EOD, not necessarily because my dad is an EOD technician, but because of the camaraderie I found within the EOD family. Everyone helps each other, and everyone knows pretty much everything about each other. It's a big family and we all have each other's backs."

The chief said he's glad both of his sons joined the Air Force.

"Thomas kind of followed in my footsteps as an EOD technician, and I'm super proud of that," said the chief. "I wish both of my sons had gone EOD, but they decided their career choices and I'm happy for them."

The chief said the most valuable piece of advice he offered his son was 'study, study, study.'

"This is an academically intense school that prepares its students for an extremely dangerous job, both physically and mentally," he said. "There aren't any shortcuts here; you have to study hard in order to get through this course. I also told him 'listen to your team leaders - they'll keep you alive.'"

As Thomas formally entered the joint-force EOD community, his father encouraged him to continue studying and learning about his new career, and to take care of the people below and above him.

"It doesn't matter what uniform we wear," he said. "EOD is one big team, one big family. Everyone has to look out for one another."

Schott will be assigned to Hill AFB, Utah, and will undergo a year-long period of EOD upgrade training before performing missions.

"I'm looking forward to it," said the new EOD graduate. "There's a huge range there for us to train at. I'm an outdoors person, and there are a lot of off-duty activities to participate in. As of now, I'm definitely planning to make the Air Force a career."