EODGRU 1 Targets Early Mentoring Opportunities with Students

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (NNS) -- Senior leaders from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group (EODGRU) 1 met with the 18 Sailors of Class 12240N May 4, during the students' 40 weeks of training at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) on Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Commander, EODGRU 1, Capt. Edward Eidson; Chief Staff Officer Cmdr. Martin Anderson; and Command Master Chief Thomas Rebis enacted a mentorship program October 2012 designed to instill EOD values and esprit de corps at the very beginning of students' training to become experts in explosives, diving, parachuting, weapons and small unit tactics.

"It's mentorship and guidance from the operational force of the EOD community," said Rebis. "These are the initial building blocks for them to have a successful career in Navy EOD."

EODGRU 1 recently visited the class to see how they were progressing through training and explain to them the basic fundamental principles needed to succeed.

"You have to think and start operating as a team if you want to get through EOD school," said Eidson to the students. "You have done a lot to make it this far, but you will not get through this program as individual. That's not how you should operate here, and it's not how you will operate when you get to the fleet."

Every service sends its Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and Airmen through EOD training at Eglin Air Force Base. The Navy is unique as the only EOD service to incorporate eight weeks of dive training into their arduous pipeline.

The program is highly competitive; Naval School EOD recorded a combined service attrition rate of 42 percent for 2011, the highest number of dismissals since 1999.

Upon completing the EOD Basic Course the class will have received instruction in: explosives and explosive effects, basic demolition procedures, EOD tools and methods, basic principles of physics, ordnance identification and reconnaissance, explosive safety, explosive transportation and storage, ordnance access and rigging procedures, EOD publications and EOD safety precautions.

Graduating, the officers will be one step closer to becoming a 1140 Navy Special Operations (SPECOPS) Designation while enlisted Sailors will earn the 5333 Basic EOD Technician designation. All will receive the coveted EOD Warfare insignia, better known as the "crab."

The accomplishment and the challenge draw the new students and fleet returnees to EOD, but it is the sense of community that motivates them to succeed.

"When I saw Cmdr. Anderson and the Master Chief at Great Lakes I thought that would likely be the last time I saw them," said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Christopher Liberto. "But, from Great Lakes, to dive training, and now ground school, they have encouraged us all the way. EOD leaders, who have been there and done that, are coming back here, paying attention to how we do in our training motivating us to get through ... that says something about how tight-knit the EOD community is."

The 1240N students who make it through the arduous training will be considered members of the EOD family.

"It's about teamwork, loyalty and a brotherhood and sisterhood that begins here. No matter how bad it is now, it is so much better on the other side," said Anderson.

U.S. Navy EOD is the world's premier combat force for countering improvised explosive devices, weapons of mass destruction and all other types of weaponry. EOD is an organization within the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC).

NECC mans, trains, and equips Navy expeditionary forces supporting maritime security and joint operations around the globe.

For more information about Navy EOD, visit www.facebook.com/eodgroup1.

For more news from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, visit www.navy.mil/local/eod1/.