On Saturday, May 7, 2016, The joint service Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community will hold their 48th annual EOD Ball at the Emerald Coast Convention Center, at 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. This years keynote speaker is LtCol Oliver North, USMC (Ret). Tickets to the ball are $75 each and can be purchased online at www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.
The EOD Ball on Saturday night is the main event after a week full of very emotional ceremonies for this elite group of military bomb disposal professionals. These events include a golf tournament Friday morning at Eglin AFB, a live Auction on Friday evening at the same location as the Ball and the EOD Memorial Ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base Saturdaymorning. The EOD events benefit the EOD Warrior Foundation, the nonprofit that supports and disarms challenges for the EOD Family.
“Our annual Ball is a memorable night for all who attend, and it helps benefit a great cause,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation. “It is a tremendous privilege to have LtCol Oliver North as the Keynote Speaker for this year’s event. This is a night to remember those EOD warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and to honor their families.”
The EOD Warrior Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps military EOD personnel and veterans and their families. There are around 7,000 EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) technicians in the military, performing the most dangerous job in the military as they disarm explosive devices on the battlefields. Many EOD personnel come home with debilitating injuries, including lost limbs, blindness, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), burns, and the invisible wounds of war, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
LtCol North is a combat-decorated U.S. Marine who hosts the award-winning military series “War Stories with Oliver North” on the Fox News Channel. “Since my days in Vietnam, I have had the privilege to keep company the brave men and women of the EOD Community. They are saviors on the battlefields who take the long walk to the bomb and go into harm’s way to make the situation safe for others. The EOD Ball will certainly be a night to remember,” says LtCol North.
For more information or to purchase tickets to the 48th Annual Ball, visit the website at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org/eodweekend.