What earned him an Army CAB wasn't his 'worst day in Iraq'

Sgt. Bennett is the son of Steve and Linda Nadji of Emporium!



Staff Sgt. James Bennett, an explosive ordnance disposal technician deployed to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, puts on a bomb suit during training. As an EOD tech, Sergeant Bennett is on his third deployment. He was one of the first four EOD Airmen to earn an Army Combat Action Badge while deployed in 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss)


by Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs6/12/2010 - TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- "Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole!"These four words, shouted as loudly as possible three times in a row, are very familiar to any explosive ordnance disposal technician. But they carry heavy responsibility for EOD troops about to detonate high-powered explosives.When James Bennett joined the Air Force at the age of 19, he had no idea he would become one of the first four EOD Airmen to earn an Army Combat Action Badge, but he knew he wanted to join a career field that would be challenging, exciting, and possibly very loud."Gunfire doesn't bother me," said Staff Sgt. Bennett, now deployed to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, who said his dad and stepmom were both Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructors; in fact, his stepmom was one of the first female CATM instructors ever. So, shortly after getting married, joining the Air Force, completing EOD school, and receiving some on-the-job training, then-Airman Bennett deployed to Kuwait. At just 21, he was the father of a 2-year-old and tasked to defend the fighter, cargo, and coalition aircraft at Ali Al Salem Air Base. And if that wasn't enough responsibility for him to carry, from there he was sent forward to Iraq for a few days to open a new, expeditionary base.
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