I was in the Army, so I've got absolutely nothing I can contribute to life at dive school. However, I can give you a few pointers about life at NAVSCOLEOD. It might be a little dated, as some of my classmates have been recent instructors, but some information is timeless.
Be prepared for early days and late nights. The information will be coming fast, like drinking water from a fire hose. Study hall is mandatory, as you can't take the study materials with you. You also have access to the practical areas during study hall. USE IT!!! Practice your tool placement and use the nonexplosive ones, such as the mechanical impact wrench.
There always seems to be one subdivision that chews everyone up. It goes in cycles with no rhyme or reason. When I went through, it was dispensers and payloads in Air Ordnance Division. Just before, it was bombs. For a while after, it was tools and methods. It happens. Just go with it. If you fail a test, you'll get a retest. If you bollocks that (what we call a double tap), you go up in front of the academic review board. They will look at your overall performance to date, they will speak to you and your instructors, and they will decide if you get another chance. If you do, you'll have what's called the do-or-die. That's self-explanatory. Fail that, and you're "needs of the Navy."
You'll most likely start in a Navy only class. If you double tap, you'll roll into whatever class is going through the subdivision and has an opening, so you could be the only squid in a class of soldiers and Marines, whether you're up on your shots or not
. As the Navy runs the school, you'll get priority on openings.
All this, and you're still going to be priming your liver for life on active duty. After all, EOD techs are known for their ability to consume large amounts of booze. That leaves you with a whole lot of room to step on your dick. Do enjoy yourself, but don't fuck yourself. There were several people that got bounced for showing up for class late and still drunk. That was back when the military was desperate for bodies to throw into the IED fight; it's definitely much less forgiving now.
They take academic dishonesty very seriously there. Don't tempt fate on that. At the same time, if the instructor gives the class a wink and a nod, take it! You'll know those openings when you see it.
All told, you're going to be building the bonds that is the brotherhood of the EOD community, regardless of service branch. You're joining a community of the bravest (it sounds nicer than craziest) souls the military has to offer. We do a job that even most members of the SOF community would not do if they could help it. Trust me on that. Take a walk at the Memorial while you're there, and read the names. Learn about some of them. Attend the induction ceremony the first Saturday in May. Your instructors will have friends, family, and classmates on that wall, as I do. That is the reason they're gonna ride you: not to be a gatekeeper, but to make damn sure your name doesn't wind up on that wall.
And you have to go to the Matador at least once while you're there.
