U.S. Army Capt. Travis G. Chewning-Kulick set a new world record by running a mile in a 62-pound bomb suit in seven minutes and four seconds.
The run took place at Phantom Warrior Stadium on Fort Cavazos in Texas on April 25.
Chewning-Kulick, commander of the 752nd Ordnance Company (EOD), broke the previous Guinness World Record of 7:24.21, set in 2017 by Mark Gibbs of the United Kingdom. The new record is pending official verification by Guinness.
According to an Army news release, Chewning-Kulick prepared for the challenge by incorporating track and interval training into his routine. He also ran a practice mile in the suit two weeks prior to the event.
A native of Syracuse, New York, Chewning-Kulick is a seasoned runner who placed second in his age group at the Army Ten-Miler.
Chewning-Kulick said his Guinness World Record bomb suit run proved that anything is possible with the right mindset, dedication, training, and support.
“The EOD soldiers in my current unit and those I served with previously motivated me to break the record,” said Chewning-Kulick. “Events like this give us the chance to show our support for one another and push each other to new heights, all while building morale in the unit and community as a whole.”
He also emphasized the importance of fitness for EOD Soldiers, who face danger to detect, confront, and neutralize explosive hazards.
“As an EOD technician, physical fitness is essential. The EOD Soldier must be able to easily keep pace with the conventional and nonconventional units they support so they can rapidly and safely mitigate any explosive threat to enable the uninterrupted completion of the mission,” he said.
Command Sgt. Maj. Dave Silva, the Army’s top EOD technician, said Chewning-Kulick exemplified the qualities that make the U.S. Army EOD community highly respected worldwide.
“EOD techs are extraordinary by nature. You have to be to take on such a challenging career field. When one decides to do something extra, it’s usually something beyond most reasonable people’s comprehension,” said Silva.
“Captain Chewning-Kulick came to us special and then he proved just how special he really is,” Silva added.
