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EOD MU-11 Commanding Officer

Commander Richard F. Hayes was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in Oceanography. He attended Surface Warfare Officer School in Coronado, California, and Basic Diving Officer, Mixed Gas Diving and Salvage Officer Courses in Panama City, Florida.

Upon completion of his initial training in December 1992, CDR Hayes was assigned to the USS SAFEGUARD (ARS-50) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, serving as the Supply Officer and Operations Officer until December 1995. Following this tour of duty, CDR Hayes attended Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training.

In December 1996, CDR Hayes reported to his first EOD assignment at NAS Sigonella, Sicliy, serving as Officer in Charge, EOD Mobile Unit EIGHT Det TEN. He participated in numerous exercises and operations throughout the European Theater and provided contingency response services for the Commander, U.S. European Command.

In February 1999, CDR Hayes returned from overseas and reported as the Officer in Charge, EOD Mobile Unit TWO Det Yorktown at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. He and his Detachment provided EOD response services for one of the ‘explosive corridors’ to the Atlantic Fleet. From January 2001 to February 2002, he served as the Assistant Special Operations Officer at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain where he managed EOD, Diving and Salvage, Mine Countermeasures and Naval Coastal Warfare activities in the Central Theater.

From February 2002 to January 2004, CDR Hayes served as the Training Officer at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida. In February 2004, he assumed duties as Executive Officer, EOD Mobile Unit SIX in Charleston, South Carolina, providing EOD support throughout the European and Central Theaters and the Southeastern United States. Subsequent to this assignment, he served as the Officer in Charge, Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell (CEXC)-Iraq from January to August 2006, managing all technical intelligence efforts for found and recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the Iraqi Theater of Operations. CDR Hayes just recently completed a tour as the Current Operations Chief at Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) in Stuttgart, Germany.

He has earned designation as a Special Operations Officer, Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, Surface Warfare Officer, and a Naval Parachutist.

His personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with silver star, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal and various service and campaign awards. He is married to the former Janice Manley from Troy, New York and has one daughter (Gabi) and three sons (Jack, Owen and Avery).