UXO Program

Meet Your
UXO Staff

Our program provides experienced certified UXO instructors for classroom and hands-on field and safety training.

Michael Bray

Lead UXO Program Instructor

Michael Bray is a former EOD Instructor and Subject Matter Expert. He is a former U.S. Navy veteran and Master Badge EOD with 20+ years of various project management and instructor experience.  

On top of his EOD and Instruction background, he has a lengthy educational background. He has an A.S. degree in industrial engineering, an A.S. degree in religious studies, a B.S. degree in business management, and has completed graduate courses in educational leadership and project management.  

Mr. Bray is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has a tenured work history for the US government with experience from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC).

Walter Idol

Health/Safety Team Leader, UTK Center for Industrial Services

Walter Idol is the Program Manager for Health, Safety and Preparedness for the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services. He has been with CIS since 2005, and with the University since 1984. He holds a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is a nationally registered paramedic.

Mr. Idol has over four decades of emergency response experience, having served in a variety of educational and administrative roles throughout his career. He is an OSHA authorized outreach trainer for general industry, construction and disaster site workers, and instructs a variety of emergency service, emergency preparedness, and technical rescue programs. He has been published in numerous emergency service publications and training texts.

Aaron Gillespie

Safety Consultant, UTK Center for Industrial Services

Aaron brings over 20 years of experience in both municipal and industrial emergency response. His tasks include delivering hazardous materials, safety and emergency response training programs, and audits to manufacturers, first responders, public works, and healthcare organizations.

His impressive background includes roles such as Lieutenant/Training Officer, Firefighter/AEMT, Safe Work Permit Coordinator, and information technology roles. Aaron holds certification as a Hazardous Materials Technician, Fire Officer II, and Fire Instructor among many others. He has earned two bachelor’s degrees—one in information technology and another in biological sciences, with a minor in emergency/disaster relief response management.

Learn More about our UXO Program

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