WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A Wichita veteran traveled the world with the Air Force and as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) unit and, later, a civilian contractor.
Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Schrader went to college out of high school, but a couple of years later, he made a realization.
“I realized it wasn’t for me,” he said.
Following in his older brother’s footsteps, he looked into the military and recounted his experience with the military recruiter to his brother that night.
“He asked what jobs I was offered, and I went through the list, and when I said ‘EOD,’ he asked if I was dumb for not taking it, and I go, ‘I guess I am,'” Schrader said.
He returned the next day and signed a new, longer contract with EOD.
“Explosive Ordinance Disposal, which is military talk for the bomb squad,” Schrader said.
He trained in Florida and Maryland.
“You basically learn everything from a firecracker to a thermal nuclear weapon,” Schrader said.
Graduation day came with special meaning.
“So here she is, pinning me on pinning my EOD badge on me for the first time,” Schrader said.
On his mother’s birthday.
“EOD has a very high failure rate, so it was quite the accomplishment that I felt, and I was very proud to have her there,” Schrader said.
He was stationed in Arizona and then volunteered to work in South Korea, which he called one of the best years of his life.
“They had a bigger bombing range that was close to the DMZ (demilitarized zone),” Schrader said.
His next stop was his dream assignment.
“When he said you’re going to Hawaii. I was like, ‘That’s awesome,'” Schrader said.
During 9/11, he was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base. There, he dealt with anthrax scares.
“We were the ones that would interrogate the suspicious letters, classes on suspicious packages,” Schrader said.
After three years in Hawaii, he was stationed at McConnell.
“Our mission here was we did a lot of VIP support, presidential support, president candidates,” Schrader said. “We would go in and sweep the area, and then when we deemed it cleared, then the secret service would then post their people there to secure it.”
His commitment ended in 2005, but his service continued, taking him to Iraq as a contractor.
“We would look for the munitions and blow them up, collect them and blow them up before the bad guys can get their hands on them,” Schrader said.
He now works for the Transportation Security Administration as an explosives specialist, training screeners at airports across Kansas. He says his experience made him who he is today and gave him a new perspective.
“Just having your eyes open to the different types of personalities to the American people and mix that within other cultures of different countries. It’s an eye-opener,” Schrader said.
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