Geoffrey Berner

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Ordnance Battalion (HHC 3rd ORD BN) has a distinguished history of providing critical ordnance support to the United States Army. Constituted during World War II, the battalion played a vital role in ammunition supply and explosive ordnance disposal operations across various theaters of operation. In subsequent decades, the unit supported major conflicts including the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Operation Desert Storm, adapting to evolving technologies and threats. Today, HHC 3rd Ordnance Battalion continues its mission, ensuring the safety, security, and effectiveness of Army munitions and explosive ordnance disposal worldwide.

The Operations Group, National Training Center (Ops Group, NTC), based at Fort Irwin, California, was established in 1981 to facilitate realistic force-on-force training for U.S. Army units. Its primary mission is to design, control, and evaluate complex training scenarios for Brigade Combat Teams and other units preparing for deployment. Ops Group personnel serve as observer-coach-trainers (OCTs), as well as providing the opposing force (OPFOR) that simulates near-peer adversaries. Over the decades, Ops Group has been instrumental in enhancing the combat readiness and adaptability of U.S. and allied forces through rigorous, scenario-based training in a challenging desert environment.

The 12th Engineer Battalion is a distinguished combat engineer unit of the United States Army with a lineage dating back to World War I. Reactivated for World War II, the battalion played a vital role in the European Theater, supporting the 8th Infantry Division by constructing bridges, clearing obstacles, and enabling rapid troop movement across France and Germany. During the Cold War, the unit was stationed in Germany, providing critical engineering support as part of NATO’s defense posture. In recent years, the 12th Engineer Battalion has served in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, continuing its tradition of combat support and construction expertise in diverse and challenging environments.

The 36th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit has a distinguished history of providing critical bomb disposal support to military operations worldwide. Originally activated during World War II, the unit played a vital role in clearing unexploded ordnance from battlefields across Europe. In recent decades, the 36th EOD has deployed to conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan, where its members have neutralized improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and conducted hazardous ordnance disposal. The unit continues to uphold its legacy of technical excellence and bravery, ensuring the safety of both military personnel and civilians.