.Navy EOD

[Davdj6]

Good afternoon,

I find that there's little activity on here on Navy EOD and from EOD techs. I am working towards Navy EOD, the process is going to kick off in a couple of months when I go to the EOD Screener. I understand the general pipeline, read through the Navy EOD Warning order, and had discussions with EOD techs over my cruises. In my research its hard to find actual stories and anecdotes through dive school, EOD school, and general everyday life once you're apart of the community. I am interested to hear anything former and current military members have to say of the community, and to start experiences being exchanged here. I'm especially interested in learning about other groups outside of those attached to SOF teams i.e. mine demolition, those stationed on carriers, etc.

Also, is there any good, hard literature on the training pipeline? We read a lot on BUD/S, but little is offered about dive school and EOD school. I've read through Draper Kaufman's biography (fantastic history to read in there), and have a few fictional novels based on EOD (A Cold War Story, Proximity, etc.), but I can't find any eye opening insight into what goes on in the 9 weeks at dive school and 42 weeks at EOD school.

My objective in this thread, if it catches on, is to open up the community and learn anything there is to know (that doesn't compromise OPSEC).

 

[Draneol]

I've actually been discussing and asking this same thing on a couple of other forums. Mainly the differences between Army and Navy EOD. The highest recommendations I've been given is the study of Electronics theory, AC and DC, as well as series and parallel circuits, and then information of what kind of shape to be in. and of course the typical scare the pants off of you/wtf are you thinking stories of the physical and mental strain of the schools, but that's about all I've been able to get.

I am very much interested in general towards what makes the Army EOD so different from the Navy EOD, when both get slots for airborne school, and both gets assignments to MWD type outfits later in their careers. But it seems dive school and a five week small units tactics course is all that I can find that separates the army from the navy. But I can't find squat on the officer side of Navy EOD, and hardly anything what so ever on the Army side, either. I'm kinda wondering if anyone knows?

 

[racing_kitty]

While the overall job description is essentially the same, there are quite a few differences between the branches. Marine EOD primarily handles rendering ordnance inert (different from an RSP, and just as dangerous); Navy trains for underwater demolition and ordnance; AF deals with the planes and the ordnance they carry; and Army used to have primary responsibility for stateside calls, working with local law enforcement when they came across military ordnance, or if the department didn't have organic personnel with EOD training. That's changed a bit.

One administrative difference is that, with the exception of the 28th, Army EOD is lumped in under FORSCOM, whereas Navy EOD is actually considered a special operations MOS, and trains them thusly. The 28th gets slots in jump school because of their dedicated support role for SOF. The Big Army, for the longest time, has had an aversion to sending their techs to jump school. To put it simply, they spent entirely too much money on our TS-SCI's and our MOS training; they don't want to lose out on the investment when a tech suffers a career ending injury or dies on a bad jump. There's more to it, but it's political, really.

There are individual Army EOD techs and teams that get the nod to go downrange to support an ODA , but that's as mission dictates. There are also slots for individual techs attached to CAG, much as Navy EOD has slots in DEVGRU, but you have to go through a selection process for that. It's a bear, that's for damned sure. One of my instructors in ground left to try out for an EOD slot with CAG and completely crushed the selection process. He impressed the cadre so well that he was actually offered a slot as an operator instead of EOD support (ran into him in Baghdad, wearing khakis, a polo and a beard, while I was in uniform).

Any more questions, I'd be happy to answer them through PM as time permits.

*Edit to add: I was Army EOD, so I don't really have much information about Navy EOD specifically. We just engaged in interservice clowning together during school.

 

[LNGRNG]

Navy EOD is one of the best jobs in the military, in my opinion. My experience again may be a bit dated as my military service was from 04-06 (medical discharge cut my time short). So I did not complete the pipeline. The reason I say Navy EOD takes the cake, is because of the opportunities that are available to you as a tech. You get to work with SF, SEALs, DEV, because as @racing_kitty stated Navy EOD is considered Special ops, so if you want to go do high speed stuff the option is there. Navy EOD also worked with divers to maintain the Navy's marine mammal program, as well as work with Secret Service which from what I've heard is a little less crazy. So, if you max your adrenaline meter you can try and get a slot there.
If your going Navy learn your gas laws, as it pertains to diving. Also learn some basic knots, girth hitch, bowline, clove hitch etc. I mud pupped (back when they still had mud pups) at MU2, we all had to have a length of line on us at all times, and prepared to tie whatever knot whenever asked. If you couldn't tie the knot you got a little smoke session.
Biggest thing I think is to enjoy the schools soak up as much info as possible, ask questions. Make sure you understand the material. The school house, pipeline in general is the one place and time where if you screw up, it doesn't cost you or someone you know their/yours life.

 

[DC]

Never Quit