i've been trying to learn more about the history of EOD, im a history nut as it is so i wanna know more about the history of what i'll be doing, i've only found small bits and peices mostly just about the first 4-5 years, after that theres realy nothing out there i could find, except a few books about the british.
There's only so much that's actually out there. From the beginning, it's been a quiet gig. Are you looking for specifics or just a general overview of things?
what im most interested in is how the equipment and techniques have changed over the years, how it went from the next to no equipment of ww2 to robots, water jets and bomb suits of today. im also curious as to just how many army eod's there are.
realy all i've been able to find out is that eod was informely started during ww1, 1940 the british decided to make it a actual mos, they trained our first eods who formed the first ua armty eod company the 231. also something about originally the plan was to train only civilians and have them do the work but that didnt work. like i said couldnt find much past the formation in the us.
If you want more background info, try to find the book "You Only Blow Yourself Up Once." It's written by a retired WWII BD guy and gives some decent insight on the start of the field over here. Beyond that, start searching for two key men that anchored the program in the beginning, namely Colonel Thomas Kane and Rear Admiral Draper Kauffman.
The tools and techniques you may have trouble researching, and I won't offer -too- much insight, either. You may insert your canned OPSEC comments and complaints here. We still have, train on, and occasionally use specialized tools and techniques that have been around since the start of the program. Why? Because they still work and get the job done. Many of the newer specialty tools are simply "improvements" on older ones; some changes are great, others make you scratch your head and wonder who thought it was actually worth that much money.
For bomb suits, research Med-Eng. For 'bots, Foster Miller and iRobot (yes, the Roomba people). For explosive tools, Dr. Sidney Alford.
If you're seriously looking for lots of info, try contacting the EOD Memorial Foundation. I would suspect that they have more information than you'd care for.
Thanks CzSteve ill be sure to track down a copy of the book. Sounds like since the same techniques are still used ill learn some about the history during training.
Thanks for the help, everyone thinks im crazy for voluntering for EOD but im excited, been trying to learn more about it to occupy some of that excitement. still have 8 months before i leave.
Don't go trying to study up ahead of time. Go in knowing nothing and learning only what the instructors teach. Trying to go in thinking you know what you're doing is a quick and easy way to get those wonderful 15 point hits (a failing grade is an 84 at Eglin, 85 at Redstone). The history parts are usually gleaned from standing around waiting and reading the stuff on the walls. Bits of it are interesting, other stuff, not so much. If you get to Eglin, the Memorial is right across the street from the school house. Even if you don't read all the names, take a look at the plaques.
And if you're not crazy, you're screwed. We're all a little bit crazy, especially now. If you can tell me with a straight face that volunteering to join the army in the middle of two wars to disarm bombs isn't crazy, you're either a born politician or way too crazy to trust.
Ease up on trying to figure out what you'll do if you get through, and work on PT (yeah, it sucks, I know), studying (see that '84% is a failing grade' comment earlier) and, perhaps most importantly, learning how and when to shut your brain off and RELAX without doing something stupid. If you let it get to you, you'll crack.
The job's changing and getting a little more mission creep. If you make it through, you'll start learning more and more things that weren't EOD's job even two years ago, and there doesn't seem to be any serious leveling off for the changes.
alright thanks for the advice, luckly finishing up college and training for pt is taking up alot of my time right now. ill lay off the research. definetly dont want to hurt myself by doing to much research, making EOD means alot to me, if i make it i'll be the first one in my familly in atleast 100 years to serve in a combat position.
EOD is not combat arms or even combat support, it's combat service support. If you want to do EOD and kick in doors, you'll want to look into one of the secret squirrel type units, SOF support, Delta, etc.
I was actualy told by the recruiter it was considered combat arms, but looks like its not, doesnt matter thou. but what i meant was its not the typical job you sign up to be safe, since world war 1 we've had 3 air craft mechanics, 1 air cargo loader, 1 nurse, 1 electrican and one supply clerk. all USAF and USAAF except the supply clerk. So you can see why this is a bit out there compared to the rest of the familly.
i didnt relize EOD could be assinged to those types of unit, all i was told about assingments was that i could be stuck anywhere, even if theres not a actual unit there. is that something thats possible to get right out of training or do you need some years expeirence? are the dogs trained to sniff out bombs part of eod aswell?
This message has been edited. Last edited by: wiles89,
This is getting way into the weeds and far off the original topic, so I'm just gonna do this; send me an email and I'll try answering more of your questions.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: CzSteve,
Hey sorry to butt in here,(from a guy who has found and reported more than his fair share of UXO down range), and we have a small EOD Detachment on post where I work….so…
There’s an older gentleman down at the bottom of the hill from where I live, Leonard is his name, he’s a SFC/E7 EOD (Ret. ). Leonard runs a small barbershop nowadays, and I’m sure he has lots of EOD stories to tell. I can see if he has e-mail etc… He retired in the early 70s.. So let me know if you are interested, from an older historical perspective I mean.. Just trying to help here… ( I would think doing the EOD thing has not changed a whole lot is some ways???)..
I mean you always at the end of the day want to go home in one piece, right???
wiles89, lisen to CzSteve. Get through school, I was a Demo instructor at Eglin and I can tell you that school is not a joke, study hall is not a joke, and "the board" is not a joke. After you finish school come up to Aberdeen Proving Ground and I will take you to the Ordnance Museum and show you original tools, robots, and the orginal diaries of COL. Kane.
