Fresh back from Afghanistan...
Where they spent months helping rid Helmand province of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), they can congratulate themselves on a job well done.
But while most of us assume bomb disposal experts are from the Army, these are not soldiers, these are airmen from the RAF's 5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron - the little-known Originally training as RAF armourers dealing with small arms and aircraft weapons, little did many of them know they would end up at what their commanding officer says is the "punchy end of the RAF".
"When most of these guys joined the RAF as armourers, they joined to work on aeroplanes or on munitions," said Squadron Leader Michael Haygarth, Officer Commanding 5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron.
"Very few of them ever envisaged that later on in their career they would be at the front-end of combat fighting in an operational theatre.
Where they spent months helping rid Helmand province of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), they can congratulate themselves on a job well done.
But while most of us assume bomb disposal experts are from the Army, these are not soldiers, these are airmen from the RAF's 5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron - the little-known Originally training as RAF armourers dealing with small arms and aircraft weapons, little did many of them know they would end up at what their commanding officer says is the "punchy end of the RAF".
"When most of these guys joined the RAF as armourers, they joined to work on aeroplanes or on munitions," said Squadron Leader Michael Haygarth, Officer Commanding 5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron.
"Very few of them ever envisaged that later on in their career they would be at the front-end of combat fighting in an operational theatre.
"They have come under contact, they have been helicopter inserted into operations, they have done absolutely everything.
"It's the real punchy end of the RAF, the punchy end of the weapons trade, and just as punchy as many of the Army units out there."
"It's the real punchy end of the RAF, the punchy end of the weapons trade, and just as punchy as many of the Army units out there."
Despite the common misconception that bomb disposal teams are from the Army, the Counter IED task force includes all three services - including 5131 Squadron Royal Air Force.
Sixteen men from the squadron recently returned from a six-month tour of Afghanistan, helping in the effort to clear IEDs and other explosives to allow coalition troops to move freely.
They played various roles in the two
Sixteen men from the squadron recently returned from a six-month tour of Afghanistan, helping in the effort to clear IEDs and other explosives to allow coalition troops to move freely.
They played various roles in the two
types of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams - destroy teams, which blow bombs up in situ; and neutralise or "high threat" teams, who work to disarm them.
The teams work in groups of four - an IED operator, in charge and skilled at disarming the improvised bombs; and their "number two", responsible for driving the bomb disposal robots - the small Dragon Runner or larger Wheelbarrow robots.
They are accompanied by a third man who is in charge of equipment, and an infantry escort who is there to protect the operator while he works
The teams work closely with specialists such as search teams and military working dogs.
Members of 5131's bomb disposal teams range from highly-qualified "high-threat operator" Chief Technician Dave Lowe, down to infantry escort Senior Aircraftman Greg Cheeseman.
All 16, who had staggered returns back to the UK from the end of 2010 until four weeks ago, saw their share of action, describing "hairy moments" including disarming IEDs while hundreds of troops looked on, being in vehicles blown up by bombs, and clearing routes for people while under fire.
The teams work in groups of four - an IED operator, in charge and skilled at disarming the improvised bombs; and their "number two", responsible for driving the bomb disposal robots - the small Dragon Runner or larger Wheelbarrow robots.
They are accompanied by a third man who is in charge of equipment, and an infantry escort who is there to protect the operator while he works
The teams work closely with specialists such as search teams and military working dogs.
Members of 5131's bomb disposal teams range from highly-qualified "high-threat operator" Chief Technician Dave Lowe, down to infantry escort Senior Aircraftman Greg Cheeseman.
All 16, who had staggered returns back to the UK from the end of 2010 until four weeks ago, saw their share of action, describing "hairy moments" including disarming IEDs while hundreds of troops looked on, being in vehicles blown up by bombs, and clearing routes for people while under fire.
They also work as "subject matter experts" out in theatre, passing on valuable information, as well as carrying out conventional bomb disposal tasks on bombs that have been dropped but not exploded, or enemy ammunition that has been brought into the base.
The squadron's involvement in bomb disposal is nothing new - formed in the Second World War, it has had people on operations since then, with many on operations around the world.
"Our first big joint service push was to the Falkland Islands in 1982," said Sq Ldr Haygarth.
"Since then we went to Kosovo in 1999 as part of the joint force EOD Squadron as it was then, and we've been on operations as part of a joint EOD effort continuously since then, in the Balkans and Iraq.
"The Counter IED fight in Afghanistan is very much a tri-service fight and all
The squadron's involvement in bomb disposal is nothing new - formed in the Second World War, it has had people on operations since then, with many on operations around the world.
"Our first big joint service push was to the Falkland Islands in 1982," said Sq Ldr Haygarth.
"Since then we went to Kosovo in 1999 as part of the joint force EOD Squadron as it was then, and we've been on operations as part of a joint EOD effort continuously since then, in the Balkans and Iraq.
"The Counter IED fight in Afghanistan is very much a tri-service fight and all
three services are contributing to the effort.
"5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron is the only organisation that provides that bomb disposal capability for the RAF.
"We are 130 guys strong and we are deployed all over the world taking part in different operations, from the Falklands to Afghanistan to Gibraltar, as well as fulfilling a Military Aid to the Civil Power (MACP) commitment here in the UK.
"5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron is the only organisation that provides that bomb disposal capability for the RAF.
"We are 130 guys strong and we are deployed all over the world taking part in different operations, from the Falklands to Afghanistan to Gibraltar, as well as fulfilling a Military Aid to the Civil Power (MACP) commitment here in the UK.
"It has been a fantastic achievement for the Squadron, it always has been, every time that we have gone into the joint force EOD organisation, it's always been a significant workload for the guys.
"They have gone through a lot of pain to deliver the RAF capability in that joint environment and have delivered every time."
The squadron also boasts the first non-Royal Logistics Corps IED "High Threat" operator in Chief Technician Dave Lowe.
"Chief Technician Lowe spent a lot of time in the training machine to be able to get himself to that level. For the Squadron and the RAF it's a massively proud moment."
The airmen are used to the fact people often assume all bomb disposal experts are from the Army, but enjoy showing that their skills are as good as the next man.
"We sometimes have to prove our worth," said Ch Tech Lowe.
"People assume EOD guys are always Army guys, so sometimes they're surprised it's us, but once they've seen us work they realise we're more than up to the job."
"They have gone through a lot of pain to deliver the RAF capability in that joint environment and have delivered every time."
The squadron also boasts the first non-Royal Logistics Corps IED "High Threat" operator in Chief Technician Dave Lowe.
"Chief Technician Lowe spent a lot of time in the training machine to be able to get himself to that level. For the Squadron and the RAF it's a massively proud moment."
The airmen are used to the fact people often assume all bomb disposal experts are from the Army, but enjoy showing that their skills are as good as the next man.
"We sometimes have to prove our worth," said Ch Tech Lowe.
"People assume EOD guys are always Army guys, so sometimes they're surprised it's us, but once they've seen us work they realise we're more than up to the job."
