Air Mobility Command has convened the ground accident investigation board that will look into the death of SSgt. Emily Elizabeth Clayburn earlier this month at MacDill AFB, Fla., according to a command release. Clayburn died on Jan. 14 in a mishap on the supply loading dock at the base. The 29-year-old airman from Palatine Bridge, N.Y., was a member of MacDill’s 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron. “There is not yet enough evidence gathered to draw any conclusions as to the cause of this accident. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” states AMC’s release. Lt. Gen. Robert Allardice, AMC’s vice commander, convened a safety investigation board immediately after the accident to determine the cause and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence. The SIB will not produce a publicly releasable report, according to AMC. There will be a publicly released version of the GAIB report after Allardice approves it and AMC officials have personally presented its findings to the Clayburn family, states the release. Clayburn was laid to rest on Jan. 21 at Evergreen Cemetery in Fonda, N.Y. (See also report from The Leader Herald of Gloversville, N.Y.)
Over the past 20 years, military explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians have become very good at using high-tech tools like robots, communications jammers, smartphones, and next-generation bomb suits to disable improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in crowded urban environments. When it comes to a possible conflict with a near-peer adversary like…