Purchase signed copies of Proximity from Stephen Phillips via Square

Now, readers can purchase signed copies of Proximity through Square. Visit: or select one of the links below. Be sure to ad a note at checkout for any specific inscription like, "Thank you for your service to our nation," or "Good luck in EOD School!" on Square Market

Stephen Phillips speaking to the Annapolis Chapter of the Maryland Writers' Association

On March 19, 2014 I was honored to join the Annapolis Chapter of the Maryland Writers' Association. They were kind enough to video tape the talk. Here is the first of three sections. Enjoy it and it should link to the other two.

EOD Book Review - RED ONE: A Bomb Disposal Expert on the Front Line by Captain Kevin Ivison, GM

In Iraq and Afghanistan soldiers have displayed countless acts of courage, and demonstrated immeasurable heroism. Through his autobiography, RED ONE: A Bomb Disposal Expert on the Front Line, Captain Kevin Ivison reminds us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it, and heroism occurs not only during one’s service, but in the sacrifices endured long after it.

Ivision, a British Ammunition Technical Officer or “ATO” – the UK’s term for Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians – deployed for four months to Northern Ireland followed by four months in Al Amarah, Iraq. While there, he and his unit defused improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by day and endured indirect fire by night.


An IED attack against a convoy of paratroopers at a spot in Al Amarah the Brits called “Red One” became the defining moment in Ivision’s deployment. He was called to render safe a “secondary,” an explosive formed penetrator (EFP) that was not triggered, within sight of two fallen Paras before the force could safely extract. He did so while an angry mob threw rocks at the security cordon and a sniper took shots at them. To make matters worse, his EOD robot and the team’s electronic jamming equipment were inoperable. Ivision defused the IED with his wits alone. He was subsequently awarded the George Medal, second only to the Victoria Cross.

Upon returning to his parent command, Ivision soon discovered that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder or “PTSD.” His initial cries for help, including reaching out to medical personnel, went unheeded. As a result, his struggle back to normalcy was almost as arduous as combat on Red One…and maybe a continuation of it.

This is the one of the rawest books about the war in Iraq from a man who served there in the most dangerous of professions. It is recommended reading for all who serve in combat arms, and especially those who are or seek to be disposaleers.

Proximity Now Available for Kindle Platforms

Proximity: A Novel of the Navy's Elite Bomb Squad is now available for Kindle platforms. Visit the Kindle Store on Amazon.com.

Navy EOD on TV

Navy EOD Techs will be highlighted on television this September, and next spring.

First, Navy EOD will be on the Discovery Channels show, "Surviving the Cut." Details from the channel's website reads:

"Navy EOD Final Certification
Premieres: Wednesday, 9/15 at 10PM e/p
Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians or EOD are the only explosives and bomb specialists qualified for special operations. Before a Navy EOD team can go to war with Special Forces, they must go through one final test. Like the job itself, it's all-or-nothing training: A five-day, non-stop series of high stress missions. Make the wrong move, allow fatigue or distraction to take over and the entire team will fail. The team that survives the cut stays together as a certified special ops team."

More episodes are highlighted on the webpage episode guide.

Second, James Hibbard reported on "The Hollywood Reporter" that Navy EOD will be the subject of a reality show on G4 this spring. From his article:

"The show's producers...secured a special agreement with the U.S. Navy to follow an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit. The show will cover the unit's training sessions in the States and its deployment for several months in Afghanistan."

[U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Joe Ebalo]

EOD Book Review: The Longest Walk

This is word-for-word what I posted on amazon.com about The Longest Walk.

"The Longest Walk is a well written history of the U.K.’s explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) community from its inception through the late 1990’s. As implied by the cover, Peter Birchall provides insight into the heroic actions of Ammunition Technical Officers (ATOs) operating in N. Ireland – but The Longest Walk includes much more. Birchall describes the birth of EOD in the UK, provides insight into EOD selection and training, and devotes pages to several counter-IED campaigns to include actions in Hong Kong, Cyprus, and the Falkland Islands. He even gives a nod to the Draper Kauffman, the father of the U.S. EOD community. Birchall served as an ATO, so his writing is strengthened by an authenticity that only someone who has “Been there, done that...” can provide. This book will serve as a valuable addition to any historian’s library, and is a must for all displosaleers."

EOD Book Review: Bomb Squad

"As a military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, I recommend BOMB SQUAD. The authors spent a year in the field with the NYPD BOMB SQUAD. The result is a narrative that strikes the right balance between history, human interest, and blowing stuff up. By the time I finished BOMB SQUAD I understood what it means to be a disposaleer in the Big Apple. I am particularly impressed and amazed with the number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that New York's Finest face on a regular basis. This book is a must read for anyone interested in EOD, police work, and homeland security. Thank you, Messrs. Esposito and Gerstein."

EOD Book Review: Eight Lives Down

The heritage of American EOD forces comes from the UK. Draper Kauffman was a Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Technician before returning to the U.S. to stand up the first mine and bomb disposal school here. From that point until 9/11 the Brits encountered more IEDs than American forces, especially during "the troubles" in Ireland. Their units are structured differently from those in the U.S. and their EOD Techs are called Ammunition Technical Officers or "ATOs."

Eight Lives Down by Major Chris Hunter, is one ATO's account of his tour of duty in Basra as part of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. I highly recommend it for someone who is interested in the life of an ATO and the counter-IED effort in Iraq. See my detailed review on amazon.com at: Eight Lives Down.

EOD Book Review: America's First Frogman

“Draper Kauffman is our father. In fact, he is the father of all disposaleers and demolitioneers. This group includes EOD, SEALs, and the former UDT, the toughest and fittest brood in the United States Navy. And yet ironically Kauffman graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1933 with a medical record that said he was unfit for service due to poor eyesight."

- CO of NAVSCOLEOD speech to students in Proximity

I applied for the EOD Community several times. On each screening the applicant must first complete a physical test that includes swimming, pushups, situps, pullups, and a mile and a half run. Then the candidate interviews with an EOD Officer who determines suitability. On my second attempt, the interviewer asked, "Who is Draper Kauffman?" I was told afterward that my ability to answer this question led to a glowing recommendation. I'd impressed upon the officer that I was serious enough about the community to do some research.

Today, there is a great book available that chronicles the life of Draper Kauffman. The book's author is Kauffman's sister, Elizabeth Kauffman-Bush and it is published by the U.S. Naval Institute Press. I highly recommend it.