From a harrowing call involving suspected explosives to a mission of service rooted in faith, veteran bomb technician Jon Vaala shares his story.
The scene was still charged with adrenaline when he arrived. “It’s still pretty chaotic,” he recalled. “He had just been taken into custody probably 20 minutes earlier, and… it was chaos. There was still a lot of witnesses and people running around. There was, you know, 200 cops on scene.”
Amid the confusion, a command post was quickly being established. His own commander appeared shortly after, but the danger was far from over. Officers from other agencies pulled him aside, pointing toward suspicious vehicles.
“They said there was a couple of cars up front that were super suspicious that they thought might have IEDs in them,” he said. “They told me to go take care of those because no bomb trucks were on scene yet.”
Without hesitation, he went to work. “I basically tore those cars apart, looking for IEDs, made sure they were safe because there was still a ton of people around.”
It was one of countless moments where instinct, training, and courage were all that stood between danger and safety. But as the conversation shifted, it became clear that the story was not only about tactics. It was about purpose.
In this episode of “Sheepdog and Shepherd,” Pastor Greg, Chaplain of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and Kyle Reyes, founder of Law Enforcement Today, talk with Jon Vaala, retired bomb technician, co-founder of the United States Bomb Technician Association, and a man whose career in Colorado law enforcement gave him no shortage of stories.
“We all know the risks,” Vaala said. “You don’t have time to think about yourself in moments like that. You’re thinking about the people around you, your brothers and sisters in uniform, and the innocent lives that could be lost if you don’t act.”
For him, the sheepdog metaphor is not just symbolic; it’s personal. “You’re put here for a purpose,” he said. “If you’re called to this work, then you’re called to stand in that gap, to be that protector, no matter what comes your way.”
The men shared laughs, stories from the road, and candid accounts of both the physical and spiritual battles that come with service. But underneath it was a message of resilience.
Whether facing down the unknown in a chaotic arrest scene or navigating the cultural storms that challenge law enforcement today, their commitment was rooted in a calling to serve.
Vaala put it plainly. “At the end of the day, it’s about service. About protecting people who can’t protect themselves. That’s what keeps you going.”
Vaala’s voice stands as a reminder that courage is not just about what happens in the moment of crisis. It is about carrying the flame of purpose and patriotism into every part of life, and passing it on to those who will follow.
This story is not just about one incident or one career. It is about a brotherhood built on sacrifice, faith, and the belief that the mission is always greater than the individual.
Watch the full episode now at https://www.pray.com/series/sheepdog-and-shepherd-season-one/85ddf6f0-5aba-47b5-88a5-b76f01249a6f
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