| Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warfare Specialist |
What is Explosive Ordnance Disposal? Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians share the task of rendering safe and disposing of explosive material. EOD technicians protect and save lives by analyzing and handling foreign and domestic explosives. They routinely work with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of State, helping to protect the President, Vice President, and other state and foreign officials and dignitaries. They support the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs Office, and the FBI, as well as state and local police bomb squads. EOD technicians also assist in security at large international events, such as the Olympics or world summits. Their job takes them all over the world – helping to clear minefields,
preparing coastal areas for amphibious landings, providing intelligence
about potential threats both in the U.S. and abroad, and integrating with
other special forces units enabling access and clearing the way to complete
the mission. |
| EOD Force In order to respond to incidents and handle explosive materials, EOD technicians are divided into independent teams of 4–8 people with a variety of skills. Called detachments, these teams typically consist of an Officer, a Chief, and six Sailors. MOBILE DETACHMENTS Mobile detachments deploy throughout the world providing EOD support wherever needed. Whether it’s clearing underwater shipping lanes of hazardous ordnance, supporting aircraft carrier battle groups and amphibious ready group staffs, or even integrating with Navy Special Warfare or other service Special Forces, they are always on hand to respond to ordnance in any environment. SHORE-BASED DETACHMENTS Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) found on land and in the ocean needs immediate
attention. That’s why EOD detachments are on hand to provide continuous
support. Shore-based detachments are versed in general ordnance handling
and disposal, live-fire training, range clearance, and underwater ordnance
testing. They are on call to provide VIP protection for the Secret Service
and State Department as well as to support local and federal law enforcement,
fire departments, and hazardous material removal specialists. |
Training EOD candidates attend 51 weeks of rigorous training. Their training starts with two weeks of EOD preparatory training. Here, EOD candidates prepare physically and mentally for the rigors of training. Next, EOD candidates will attend nine weeks of dive school held at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) in Panama City, Florida. There, training will begin with basic concepts of scuba diving as well as dive physics, physiology, and basic dive medicine. Candidates learn about the various kinds of equipment such as the MK16 underwater rebreather. After successful completion of dive school, candidates transfer to Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at the Naval Ordnance Station in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. EOD training is based on specialization:
Phase II of training is broken down into specific types of ordnance: Ground Ordnance Division - covers topics such as land mines and grenades.
Once students successfully complete EOD school, they are awarded the coveted EOD insignia, the same badge worn by all military and law enforcement Bomb Squad members. Training does not stop at EOD school. Immediately following basic EOD, students attend Army Basic Parachute School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Here, EOD techs learn the concepts of basic static line parachuting. Upon graduation, students are awarded the basic Army airborne designation. Immediately after “jump” school, EOD technicians complete their initial training at Navy EOD Training and Evaluation Unit ONE. This three-week course teaches students helicopter air operations (fast roping and rappelling), combat radio communications, land navigation, and small unit tactics. |
DID YOU KNOW? When EOD technicians examine ordnance for clues, the procedure is called reconnaissance (recon). During recon, technicians are looking for lot numbers stamped on the explosive’s packaging to determine if the ordnance was factory-produced or homemade or from which military unit it originated. This information allows the technicians to develop a render-safe procedure (RSP), which dictates if the device is safe to handle, can be dismantled, or must be disposed of on site. Earn Special Pay and BonusesAs an EOD Technician, you may qualify for special pay and bonuses in addition to your monthly salary: Demolition Pay |
By Air, Sea and Land EOD teams arrive to their job sites in a variety of ways, called methods of insertion. How the teams get there is based upon the unit that they are integrated with and the type of mission to be completed, the required equipment weight of each team member, weather conditions, and other kinds of risks specific to the job. By Air To parachute or not to parachute, that is the question. A parachute adds 40 lbs. to an EOD team member’s gear. A jump beyond 13,000 feet requires oxygen, which can add another 25–30 lbs. to a team member's gear. By Sea Nicknamed rubber ducks and limp ducks – these are rubber rafts used to get to a remote location. A limp duck is only partially inflated, so it fits on the deck of a transport ship or within the hold of the plane. Rubber rafts are maneuverable, lightweight, and quiet, but they’re small, which limits room for equipment or extra team members. Another common boat is a 27-foot Boston whaler. It’s small, fast, and ideal for shorter overseas distances. If the team needs to dive for a long period of time or beyond certain depths, they will choose a different boat because the Boston whaler can’t hold a recompression chamber, which the team needs to operate the boat. When a deep dive is necessary, an EOD team will arrive by ship so there is room for recompression chambers and operators. Recompression chambers are required in a deep or long dive. When divers are underwater for long periods of time or in very deep water,
they cannot resurface too quickly due to damage that could occur in the
brain, ears, lungs, and/or eyes. This is called "decompression sickness."
If rapid surfacing is necessary, the recompression chamber allows the
body to slowly become readjusted to being at sea level again. By Land One of the most popular methods of EOD insertion by land is in an armored HUM-V. The armored plates protect the underside of the all-terrain vehicle, helping to keep occupants safe — even if they’re in hostile territory. A HUM-V or “Hummer,” can withstand a minor explosion without significantly endangering the lives of the occupants. Remote-controlled robots are also used. EOD technicians use various types of unmanned vehicles to complete the mission. Their primary downrange tool is the PACBOT, an unmanned portable system that allows the technician to conduct downrange work in the safety of the armored HUM-V. The robot utilizes day- and night-vision cameras to guide the technician through a multitude of missions that would normally put the operator in harm’s way. MK16 Underwater Breathing Apparatus One piece of equipment that EOD technicians rely on is an MK16. The MK16 is an electronically controlled, closed circuit, mixed gas underwater breathing apparatus that was developed specifically for EOD. If the EOD team isn’t sure what kind of explosive device they might find, they’ll use the safest equipment they can. Because MK16s are self-contained, they don’t produce bubbles like SCUBA gear would. And MK16s are nonmagnetic. This feature can be especially important when faced with a particularly sensitive underwater mine, because any kind of disturbance — magnetic or acoustic — can be enough to activate an explosive device. |
QUALIFICATIONS ASVAB Score: AR+VE=109 and MC=51 or GS+MC+EI=169 Other Requirements:20/200. Must have normal color perception. Security clearance, (SECRET) required and Personnel Reliability Program (PRP). Must be a U.S. Citizen. Notes: Visual acuity must be correctable to 20/20. When specified, uncorrected visual acuity must not be greater than that indicated (i.e. 20/100), and must be correctable to 20/20. Must meet physical requirements IAW MANMED and pass EOD physical screening test. See MILPERSMAN 1210-220. No history of drug abuse. Must pass the following fitness test requirements:
Source Ratings: Men and women interested in EOD should choose a rating from this list: AB, AO, EM, EN, GM, HT, IC, IT, MM, MN, OS, PH, PR, QM, SK, or SM. Applicants for EOD cannot be approved if they are part of a Naval Reserve program such as TAR, SAM or two year programs. Technical Training Information: Basic EOD Diver Training - Panama City, Fla, 13 weeks EOD Training - Eglin AFB, Fla., 41 weeks After completion of basic EOD training, graduates are assigned to EOD Mobile units where they gain advanced on-the-job training and experience as members of Mobile Teams, Shipboard Detachments and Marine Mammal Detachments. During a 20-year period, EOD Technicians spend about 60 percent of their time assigned to an EOD Mobile unit, and 40 percent assigned to Shore detachments. Advanced training opportunities include parachuting, helicopter insertion, Hazardous Materials Management, small arms, and advanced EOD training to complement a variety of interesting duty assignments. Working Environment: EOD technicians perform duties in a wide range of locations, such as
at remote areas, aboard aircraft carriers, at ordnance-capable military
stations and in all water conditions. They are exposed to various climates
and weather conditions. |