To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish blast safety officer positions in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
This bill would require the Secretary of Defense to create blast safety officer positions in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force by September 30, 2026. Blast safety officers would be responsible for protecting service members from blast-related risks during live-fire or explosive training, including monitoring blast overpressure, briefing personnel on health risks and safety distances, overseeing use of protective gear and wearable sensors, investigating blast incidents, keeping exposure logs, and coordinating with range safety staff. Each special mission unit in every armed force would receive a blast safety officer, and officers would undergo specific training and certification. The standards guiding these duties would come from established DoD blast safety requirements linked to the NDAA for FY2023.
Key Points
- 1Establishment timeline: By September 30, 2026, the Secretary of Defense must establish blast safety officer positions in all five services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force).
- 2Core duties: Monitor and mitigate blast and overpressure exposure during live-fire or explosive exercises; can halt an exercise if exposure is unsafe; brief personnel on health risks and safe distances; oversee PPE and wearable sensors; investigate incidents and coordinate care; maintain logs to support future mitigation; work with range safety staff.
- 3Assignments: Each special mission unit within every armed service must have a designated blast safety officer.
- 4Training and certification: Individuals in these roles must receive training and maintain certification in blast safety.
- 5Standards reference: Duties and qualifications will follow standards established under section 735 of the NDAA for FY2023 (Public Law 117-263) and the related 10 U.S.C. 1071 note.