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NEW WORLD RECORD
Fastest
mile in a bomb suit - SSgt Owen Duff sets world record
Fastest mile in a bomb suit-world record
set by Lt. Jonathan Kehoe
CAMP ECHO, Iraq-- Navy Lt. Jonathan Kehoe, commander,
Platoon 602, 63rd Battalion, EOD Mobilization Unit 6, based
out of Little Creek, Va., and attached to 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 4th Infantry Division, completed the mile in a bomb
suit in 10 minutes and 13 seconds, setting the world record
for the Fastest
mile in a bomb suit.
Photo: With a crowd of their Iraqi EOD
counterparts, servicemembers and U.S. contractors cheering
him on, Kehoe completed the mile in 10 minutes and 13 seconds,
beating his target time by almost three minutes. U.S. Army
photo by Sgt. Rodney Foliente (enlarge
photo)
"We did some brainstorming and came up with
the idea of setting the new World Record for the fastest one-mile
bomb suit run." says
Navy Lt. Jonathan Kehoe.
Kehoe trained for the event for two months,
with EOD members from both nationalities encouraging and helping
him during that time.
"People don't realize how much physical training
we go through as EOD. He made us all proud. With the crowd
cheering and all, it gave him a big boost. He surpassed what
I expected," said EOD 2 William Young, Plt. 602., who hails
from Belle Plaine, Kan.
Servicemembers and most runners probably would
not be very impressed with a mile run in just over 10 minutes.
But, add to the equation a 75-pound bomb suit made of stiff
material, factor in the added heat from wearing it and add
a pair of rubber over-boots; and it becomes a different story.
The heavy-plated bomb suit is designed to
protect its wearer from an explosion. Its stiffness allows
for enough dexterity and agility to accomplish their missions,
but was never designed for fast, sustained movement.
(enlarge
photo)
But the true purpose of the event was to draw
a crowd for a fund-raiser benefitting the EOD Memorial and
Scholarship Foundation and to commemorate fallen EOD members.
"We as a team decided we wanted to do something
special for the EOD memorial," added Kehoe, who comes from
Leadville, Colo.
"The EOD memorial celebrates the lives
of those (EOD members) who've made the ultimate sacrifice
to bring the freedom that (many) take for granted every single
day. It's a tribute to them and our way to give back to their
Families and show them that we're thinking of them."
The memorial, located at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., was constructed in 1999 and features the names of the
fallen EOD members since the declaration of World War II.
"I just wanted to tell the family members
of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice that we pray
for you every day and we can never do enough to thank you,"
finished Kehoe.
Related world records:
Largest
Human Ribbon-world record set in Fort Knox
Fastest
5,000-meter run with a 40-pound rucksack-world record set
by Dustin McClure
Most
hours spent flying the F-16 -Air Force pilot sets world record
The
Largest Flag- The American Flag of "Ski" Demski
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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