PANAMA CITY, Fla. –
Aaron Burghardt, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Diving and Life Support Systems mechanical engineer, is responsible for reviewing / creating Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models and drawings, as well as conducting tests on various equipment and any mechanical issues that arise.
Before joining NSWC PCD, he served on active-duty orders as an EOD technician (tech) in the Navy for 10 years. In that decade, Burghardt spent two years training to become an EOD tech followed by three years stationed at Naval Station Rota, Spain, with one deployment to Afghanistan, three years at Naval Station Guam with several deployments throughout southeast Asia, and served his final two years at Naval Station Mayport, Jacksonville, Fla. He said the best part of being an EOD tech was the community, and of course, the job itself, which involved doing demolitions out at the ranges, jumping out of planes, fast roping / repelling out of helicopters and diving around the world.
He combined his love of country with his passion to solve problems.
“I became a mechanical engineer so that I can use my knowledge as a former Navy EOD tech to serve our warfighters and provide them with the best tools and equipment to hopefully make their jobs a little easier and safer,” said Burghardt. “Having benefitted as an end-user by the work within that field, I chose to join NSWC PCD because this is where most of the EOD diving equipment and tools pass through.”
Burghardt has impacted this Navy lab in just two short years.
“What excites me most about impacting this command is being part of a dedicated and exceptional team who strives to always provide the best and most advanced warfighter tools and equipment. One of the most valuable projects I contributed to was the Project Improvement Plan (PIP) for the MK 16 Underwater Breathing Apparatus (UBA),” he said. “The Mk 16 UBA has been around since the 1970s and the PIP is improving/modernizing the UBA by identifying old and obsolete parts and redesigning / replacing them, which will keep the EOD diver mission ready. In my field, I am continually working to improve my 3D CAD skills, from 3D modeling to creating technical drawings.”
He further stated how crucial it is, especially with the MK 16 UBA PIP, having to create CAD models from old part drawings, reverse engineering parts we do not have drawings for or redesigning parts and making sure all the parts fit together as intended.
“My advice to someone starting in this field is to be patient and keep honing your skills. Patience is the biggest and most important thing I’ve learned here because even though you may learn a lot in college, you don’t learn everything,” he said. “So, knowing you might not be taking on the biggest or most complex projects right away, if you are patient and keep honing your skills, you will become the go-to [person] when those big complex projects come. It doesn’t happen overnight, but don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help… [because it’s all about] everyone working toward the same goal of providing the best equipment and service to our warfighters.”