Job: Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist (89D)

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Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Soldiers are the Army's preeminent tactical and technical explosives experts. They are Warriors who are properly trained, equipped, and integrated to attack, defeat, and exploit unexploded ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices (IED), chemical, biological, and nuclear ordnance and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). EOD Warriors are the culmination of the best tactical and technical training the Army and civilian academia can provide. They are prepared to perform missions in support of Army units worldwide, across all operational environments. EOD Specialists perform duties locating, identifying, rendering safe and disposing of foreign and domestic conventional, biological, chemical, or nuclear ordnance and IEDs; WMDs and large vehicle bombs; they conduct intelligence gathering operations on first seen ordnance and IEDs, and support very important persons (VIP) missions for the U.S. Secret Service, State Department and other Federal agencies. Some of your duties as an EOD Specialist may include:

* Research and identify ordnance using EOD technical publications
* Explosively disposing of hazardous ordnance
* Prepare and maintain EOD tools, equipment and vehicles
* Assist in the preparation and use of advance robotics
* Assist the EOD Team Leader in performing all actions required to safely mitigate ordnance explosive hazards
* Assist in the training of Soldiers in IED awareness

Job training for an EOD Specialist requires nine weeks Basic Training, where you'll learn basic Soldiering skills. Advanced Individual Training is conducted in two phases. Phase 1 is for 10 weeks and three days at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Phase 2 is for 28 weeks and three days at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Some of the skills you'll learn are:

* Basic Electronics/Electricity Fundamentals
* Use of EOD Publications
* Hazards and Identification of United States and foreign munitions
* Demolition Materials, Procedures, and Operations
* Use and Maintenance of EOD specific tools
* Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)
* Chemical and Biological Ordnance and Operations

Helpful attributes include:

* An ability to communicate effectively
* An interest in algebra, chemistry, physics, geometry and trigonometry
* An ability to plan and organize
* An ability to work calmly under stress
* An ability to effectively use computers

Advanced level EOD Specialists provide guidance, supervise and train other Soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level EOD Specialist, your duties may include:

* Perform radiological monitoring
* Read and interpret x-rays, diagrams, drawings and other technical information on explosive ordnance
* Conduct formal instruction to military and civilian audiences
* Assist with the administrative duties necessary to support unit operations
* Assist in preparing technical intelligence and incident reports

The skills you learn as an EOD Specialist will help prepare you for a civilian career with government agencies and private industries performing ordnance research and development; development, implementation, and enforcement of explosive safety and security measures, as well as civil law enforcement. You might also consider a future as a bomb-disposal expert, gunsmith or munitions handler.

* Ammunition Specialist (89B)
* Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Specialist (74D)
* Special Forces Weapons Sergeant (18B)
* Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Officer (74)
* Ordnance Officer (91)

Learn more about the relationship between military training and civilian certification requirements.