KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- KADENA AIR BASE, Japan — U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians participated in exercise Sentinel Samurai at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 17-21, 2026. The annual exercise allowed the services to exchange expertise and improve their ability to respond to shared threats together.
Throughout the exercise, joint EOD teams used drones, operated in trench systems and searched deep caves for simulated explosives while contending with heavy rain and difficult terrain. Sharing their experience and adapting their methods strengthened the trust and common procedures needed to clear hazards, recover from attacks and keep forces operating throughout the Pacific.
Participants included Airmen from the 18th Civil Engineer Squadron EOD Flight, 35th and 51st Civil Engineer Squadrons; Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadrons 171 and 172 and the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni EOD team; and Sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units 3 and 5.
“Explosive hazards don’t recognize service branches, they threaten us all,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Michael Vallejo, Pacific Air Forces EOD Chief. “Because EOD is a low-density, high-demand capability, Sentinel Samurai allows us to understand each service’s capabilities and share different approaches to complex problems.”
EOD technicians from all services receive their foundational training through the same joint school, but each branch applies those skills differently. Sentinel Samurai brings those experiences together through shared scenarios.
“An exceptional EOD technician is a versatile, well-rounded operator who can solve complex problems in any environment, under stressful conditions and with minimal equipment,” said Vallejo. “They also know how to leverage every resource available to accomplish the mission.”
For many participants, Kadena and Okinawa’s terrain presented an unfamiliar operating environment. Training away from their home stations forced technicians to adapt their tactics and procedures as they would during a real-world response.
During one scenario, technicians used a rope and a truck to recover a simulated explosive device from the bottom of a steep hill. When the rope snapped, the team had to stop, reassess and rig the device differently before continuing the recovery.
“Everyone knows the robots and the suits, but sometimes the solution isn’t so high tech,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Eric Posey, EOD scenario operator. “We work with ropes a lot. The main thing we’re testing in this exercise is patience.”
Building relationships before a crisis allows EOD teams to integrate faster, sustain combat power and deny adversaries the ability to disrupt joint operations, strengthening deterrence across the Pacific.
“Whether the hazard is on an airfield, at a port, in the jungle or along a roadway, EOD clears the way for forces to reach their objectives,” Vallejo said. “That freedom of maneuver is critical to conducting the mission in the Pacific.”