EOD range gains name of honor
By Tech. Sgt. Jette Carr, 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
/ Published August 21, 2018
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Members of the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight named the EOD range at Ellsworth Air Force Base after one of their own during a ceremony on Aug. 17. The range was dedicated in honor of Staff Sgt. Bryan D. Berky, an EOD technician deployed from Ellsworth AFB, who was killed in action on Sept. 12, 2009, while serving in the western province of Farah, Afghanistan.
“Having the range officially named … we figured Bryan Berky was the best name and the most fitting individual for that process,” said Senior Master Sgt. Jamie Erickson, the 28th CES EOD flight chief. “He means a lot to the squadron [and] a lot to the flight.”
To highlight Berkey’s contributions and what he meant to his fellow EOD members, a memorial for the technician was revealed on a hill overlooking the range. A plaque was also explosively engraved during the ceremony with a controlled detonation following the playing of taps.
“In his 25 years on this Earth, he made a huge impact to all [who] knew him, captivating them with his passionate spirit, huge smile and infectious laughter,” spoke Staff Sgt. Edward Garwick, the 28th CES noncommissioned officer in charge of the EOD training section, during the dedication. “Bryan was a devoted husband, a proud father, a loving son, a great brother, a loyal friend, and a fantastic EOD technician. He is forever missed.”