EOD technicians garner medals Published May 14, 2007 By Lois Walsh 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Three explosive ordnance technicians from the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron received Bronze Stars here May 14 for their heroics while deployed. Working in Iraq and Afghanistan, two of the most heavily mined nations in the world, is a daily threat for explosive disposal technicians. The work is extremely dangerous as improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, usually combined the effects of blast, fragmentation and armor penetration, and the camouflaged explosives frequently serve as roadside bombs. Tech Sgts. Shane Lagrone and John Beebe were awarded their second Bronze Stars. The medal, which is the fourth-highest combat award, is given to recognize heroic actions against the enemy. Both sergeants were attached to the 332d Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight, Forward Operating Base Paliwoda and Caldwell. They executed more than one-third of the mission load; Sergeant Lagrone executed more than 150 combat missions, Sergeant Beebe 137. Sergeant Lagrone foiled plans of targeting first responders by clearing IEDs on the main supply route. Sergeant Beebe defused an IED threatening and Iraqi police checkpoint tower on the same supply route. Staff Sgt. Daniel Batt received his first Bronze Star for executing more than 70 combat missions and safely mitigated 32 IED incidents along critical supply routes. He was recognized for using "exceptional ingenuity during an IED response, using binoculars to guide a robot searching for an IED. As he completed the search, he noted a secondary IED and immediately evacuated his team while disarming the device.