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).
EOD MU 11 Executive Officer
Lieutenant Commander Chen was commissioned at the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in Physics in May 1999. In January 2000, while participating in the Voluntary Graduate Education Program, he received a Masters Degree in Applied Physics from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. He completed initial training at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center and Surface Warfare Officer School, graduating in March 2001. Following specialized training at the Mine Warfare Training Center, in May 2001, Lieutenant Commander Chen reported as Damage Control Assistant on USS GUARDIAN (MCM-5) homeported in Sasebo, Japan. In June 2002, upon designation as a Surface Warfare Officer and Engineering Officer of the Watch, Lieutenant Chen was assigned as Operations Officer and Senior Watch Officer. In June 2003, Lieutenant Chen transferred to Naval School, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Eglin AFB, Florida. He graduated as Class Leader in April 2004.
Upon completion of the Army Parachutist course at Ft. Benning, Georgia and the EOD Tactical Training course in San Diego, CA, Lieutenant Commander Chen reported as Officer in Charge of EOD Mobile Unit THREE Marine Mammal Systems Detachment FIVE, where he served until December 2004. He was subsequently assigned to EOD Mobile Unit THREE Detachment ELEVEN and deployed to Al Anbar, Iraq in support of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. During his tour, he led a Navy and Marine EOD Platoon and responded to Improvised Explosive Devices for Regimental Combat Team EIGHT.
Lieutenant Commander Chen was then assigned to Navy Special Warfare Development Group in Dam Neck, Virginia. Following completion of EOD selection and training, he was assigned to Navy Special Warfare Tactical Development Squadron TWO as the EOD Officer in Charge and deployed twice in support of a Joint Special Operations Task Force to Iraq and Afghanistan.Reporting for duty onboard USS DWIGHT D EISENHOWER, Lieutenant Commander Chen served as Flag LT for RDML Kurt Tidd, Commander Carrier Strike Group 8, deploying to the Persian Gulf in January 2009. Lieutenant Commander Chen is authorized to wear the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation and the Combat Action Ribbon for service with Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Marine and Special Warfare Units.
Lieutenant Commander Chen is married to the former Jessica Anderson Fox of La Jolla, California with whom he has a daughter, Katherine.
EOD MU-11 Command Master Chief
Cmc Master Chief Stacey L. McClain was born in Norton, KS on May 13 1968. He moved to Montana and graduated from Flathead High located in Kalispell MT. He enlisted in the US Navy and reported to recruit training in San Diego, CA. on July 28th, 1986.
Upon graduation of recruit training he attended Hull Technician A school and was subsequently assigned to duty onboard the USS Proteus (AS-19), in Agana, Guam. After the USS Proteus he reported to the Auxiliary Floating Dock Medium (AFDM-8) Guam, This is when he met and later married his wife Danielle, before celebrating the birth of their son Alexander.
He then applied for and was selected to attend Navy Second Class dive school in Coronado, CA. Upon graduation he was assigned to the Dive Locker at Submarine base Pearl Harbor, HI. Here he applied for and was selected for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal program and transferred in April 1994. Upon completion of EOD school he was assigned to EOD Mobile Unit TWO Norfolk, VA where he was assigned to Detachment TWENTY TWO and deployed onboard the USS Supply (AOE-6). Following the deployment he attended basic airborne school in Fort Benning, GA. and was advanced to Damage Controlman Chief Petty Officer in 1996. In October he again deployed with the USS John C. Stennis (CVN- 74) Carrier Strike Group and completed an around the world deployment. In 2000 he was reassigned to Detachment TWELVE as the LCPO of a Naval Special Warfare Detachment. In October 2000 he was reassigned to the Marine Fleet Antiterrorism Support Team (FAST) in direct response to the bombing of the USS Cole (DDG-67). After returning from Yemen he was selected to lead a Detachment in direct support of the 75th Army Ranger Regiment during a night parachute insertion operation into Iraq.
When he returned he was promoted to Damage Controlman Senior Chief and received orders to EOD Training and Evaluation Unit Two, Virginia Beach, VA. as the Division Officer for the Surface and Improvised Explosive Device division, In 2005 he was promoted to Master Chief. In June of 2007 he transferred to EOD Mobile Unit ELEVEN, Whidbey Island, WA. where he serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor.
Master Chief McClain has qualified as a Master EOD Technician, Naval Freefall Parachutist, Demolition and Burn Operations Supervisor, Scuba Diving Supervisor, Helicopter Rope Suspension Training Master, and Master Training Specialist. His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), Army Achievement Medal, and various unit awards.
