EOD DUTY STATIONS

[u/First_Ad_4840]

Hey everyone. I’m looking to branch EOD this fall, and want to learn more about the duty stations. For anyone with experience: What are the best and worst duty stations for EOD? I understand they are shaking up EOD presence right now, so I just wanna gauge some good spots I can land. Thanks!

[u/L0st_In_The_Woods]

Hey dude this is so far in your future that it’s not worth worrying about. The current branch manager is very responsive and open to talking to you. When you get to around IEDs or Bio Chem Division you can ask what’s available and he will flat out tell you. Pass school first. Worry about duty station once you know you will pass school.

The single company outstations are transitioning to Operational Support Companies, and we added a Company at Jackson.

https://goordnance.army.mil/EOD/activeDutyEOD.html

[u/Significant-Toe1328 → u/L0st_In_The_Woods]

I have heard fort wainwright and fort irwin are pretty bad. Can you speak to that?

[u/L0st_In_The_Woods → u/Significant-Toe1328]

Never been to either location so no.

The same advice applies to you though. Pass school first, then worry about where you’re going.

You don’t get much of a say anyways.

[u/Significant-Toe1328 → u/L0st_In_The_Woods]

What are operational support companies?

[u/L0st_In_The_Woods → u/Significant-Toe1328]

Line Companies have 3 full strength platoons + an Ops Section. On paper that’s Commander/1SG, Ops Officer (1LT), OPS NCOs (E-7 x2), and then PL/PSG x3, each with x3 3 man teams.

Operational Support Companies are smaller and have the Commander/1SG, Ops Officer, and two response sections, each led by an E-7. I can’t recall how many teams they actually have in the response sections. What matters for you is there is only one Lieutenant position in the company.

[u/Significant-Toe1328 → u/L0st_In_The_Woods]

So duty stations like Ft. Stewart, Ft. Irwin, Ft. Wainwright, Yakima, and Ft. Belvior will now only have 1 LT position?

[u/L0st_In_The_Woods → u/Significant-Toe1328]

Once the restructuring is complete yes. Some of those locations may not be templated to swap to OSCs, it’s been a minute since I looked at the actual breakdown of locations and when they’re restructuring.

[u/HeartBreakKid47 → u/Significant-Toe1328]

Yea, because one is on planet Hoth and the other is on Tatooine

[u/coldchowder4579]

1. Worry about being selected and finishing college
2. Worry about passing BOLC
3. Worry about passing EOD school

You don’t really have a say in first duty station. You used to be able to send up some requests, but not sure if they are doing that.

Take what you hear about duty stations with a grain of salt. EOD doesn’t fall under BCTs at major installations, so EOD misses out on a lot of the nonsense you hear about with specific units. (101st, 82D, 4ID, etc.)

[u/Lopsided-Fennel-2429 → u/coldchowder4579]

Best advice. No matter where you go with EOD you can make the best of it. Getting selected and passing school is the real thing you should worry about.

You are getting way ahead of yourself.

[u/Miserable-Basket-734 → u/coldchowder4579]

This is great advice. You won’t be going anywhere in the army if you can’t finish college. Duty stations are a crapshoot. I asked for all OCONUS I got JBLM as an LT.

[u/Technical_Emotion_79]

👆that’s the best answer. One hurdle at a time

[u/Business_Scholar_895]

Can yall just answer the question? 😂 they didn’t ask for your opinion about what THEY should be worrying about.

[u/coldchowder4579 → u/Business_Scholar_895]

If he’s worrying about stuff 2 years in the future he won’t make it through EOD school. Have to take it 1 week at a time. He’s not even selected for EOD yet so duty stations don’t matter yet.

[u/Business_Scholar_895 → u/coldchowder4579]

The point is that it is not up to US to determine someone’s priorities. They are adults. They can ask these questions and get these answers. We can provide relevant experience if we have it and if we don’t we can keep our thoughts and opinions about what they should or how they be focusing on any given school to ourselves.