eod school

[muffinman]

i just have some basic questions about the school, thanks in advance

1. how many classes a year do you have at an eod school?
2. what is the aproximate drop out rate?
3. what is the main reson for dropping out? tests? physical?
4. do you get an advance in rank upon completion of eod school?

thanks again, you will probably be seeing my name in the next couple weeks, thanks again

[SSq]

What service do you belong to? Navy?

[muffinman]

sorry my faut, yes navy

[SSq]

In general, you can check out the following website if you haven't done so already:

https://www.cnet.navy.mil/eods/command/

The are differences between a "surface" class and "navy" class. Being a surface person myself, I'm not as familiar with the details of the navy training but have some info. There seems to be a new surface class started once every couple of weeks. Perhaps 1 out of every 4 or 5 classes started is designated as a "navy" class. Classes designated as "N", or Navy, complete the entire surface curriculum (approx. 26 weeks) with the addition of Area 8 and Underwater Divisions. I'm guessing again, but each of the additional divisions is several weeks in length.

It may take some additional time to finish school due to the high attrition rate. People "rolling-back" or "DOR" drastically reduce the size of a class (usually starting around 25 people). Divisions near the end of school require a certain minumum amount of students to proceed. Some divisons require maybe 8 or more students to start (eg Nukes). I've met at least one Navy diver who has to wait for 2 seperate navy classes to be combined into one in order to start Area 8. He waited somewhere over 3-4 months for that to happen!

The dropout rates are a little difficult to estimate but I've heard any where between 30 and 60 percent dropout. Things change depending on what service were talking about (being a joint school) and whether or not the student is prior service or not. A former classmate of mine, himself an Army officer, advised me that the army considers EOD school the second most difficult school in the Army, the first being special forces training. Having no experience on that side I'll take his word for it.

I've seen people leave for several reasons. In the beginning, there are a few who DOR (drop on request or self-eliminate) but that number is also lowered the longer one has been in school. Our Navy counterparts seem to have very few DORs and are a very motivated group. On the other hand, I've seen more people get dropped for academic reasons than I would have expected before starting the school. The rates are fairly high here, and cover both enlisted and officers, Navy or Surface. "Double-tapping" tests (ie failing the same test 2 times) usually results in being removed from training and placed in front of a board of E-9s who decide whether or not to drop you from training or put you back in a class and try again. There are somewhere near 50 teats for the entire year in a surface class, and several more for the navy classes.

The Navy classes are defintely more physically involved during training. Most Navy stdents PT at a fever pace and increase their pace the closer they get to starting Area 8 and Underwater divisions. I've heard Navy students speak of ultimately being in a physical condition that equals or rivals that of their own SEALs. I've heard or seen nothing to make that statement overblown. I do not know of anyone being dropped from training due to physical reasons, of course there are sports related injuries
or medical problems. The other services do not physically train to that level as part of the EOD training schedule. Navy divers have already participated in organized PT training at Dive school and normally arrive in very good physical condition.

The Navy folks I've met seem to receive their normal progression of promotions while attending school here. I've never heard of any "advance" in rank during my time here. The navy students arrive at Eglin AFB from Navy Diver training and are therefore considered Prior Service. Some have been in the fleet prior to that, others have just joined the Navy prior to Dive school.

SSq

[frogstyle]

SSq,
Excellent post and very accurate.

[muffinman]

thanks for the thorough reply and the link

[SSq]

"s" or a surface class (eg. 02-100 s) normally starts the school with Army, Marine, and Air Force personnel. As the school progresses, we may see a few "roll-backs" from classes ahead of us, including Navy students. A surface class ends training with Nuclear ordnance while a navy class typically continues on for two more training divisions. Its a more fluid situation than I can explain here. You can find a odd navy student in a surface class or non-navy student in a navy class. Interestingly enough, each class has its own personality, its own feel. Different OICs and NCOICs running the class set a tone for the younger enlisted folks. Of course, being a "joint" training environment, each service gets a crash course on the differences between them.
As well, a class comprised of Navy personnel has a very different personality then the surface classes.

[jw]

SSq,
What division are you teaching?

[SSq]

None, just a poor student.

[EODDVR]

I saw above that Navy classes are called "November." Not a big deal, but when did that change? When I went through they were referred to as "Bravo." I was 10B-98.

[bmf]

I believe they changed it when the school moved down.