US Navy EOD Training?

Question

Are US Navy EOD Officers and enlisted sent to HALO school during there initial training pipeline?

Answer 1

NO.

Answer 2

Nope, not in the inital pipeline. And instead of just saying "no" and not stating how I know, I'm going to post some facts:

The EOD training pipeline starts with 3 weeks of preparatory training in Great Lakes, Illinois. The candidate will work on swim stroke development, long range swims and physical conditioning.

EOD candidates will then attend an additional 51 weeks of rigorous training. Their training starts with 9 weeks of dive school held at Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) in Panama City, Florida. Besides learning how to dive, these candidates learn about the various kinds of equipment and dive physics.

After successful completion of dive school, candidates transfer to Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. This training is broken down into specific types of ordnance:

AIR ORDNANCE DIVISION

Focuses on bombs and missiles

IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

Includes “homemade bombs”

NUCLEAR ORDNANCE DIVISION

Covers basic nuclear physics and radiation monitoring and decontamination procedures

UNDERWATER ORDNANCE DIVISION

Emphasizes torpedoes and other underwater explosives as well as underwater search techniques

Every section teaches how to render-safe or defuse ordnance.

Upon completion of basic EOD training, graduates will attend 3 weeks of Basic Airborne Training at Fort Benning, Georgia where candidates qualify as a basic parachutist.

The final phase of EOD training is 3 weeks of EOD Tactical Training in San Diego, California. This will consist of helicopter insertion (fast-rope, rappel, cast and SPIE), small arms/weapons training, small unit tactics (weapons, self-defense, land navigation, and patrolling), and tactical communications (satellite and high frequency).

Upon completion of the EOD training, graduates are assigned to EOD Mobile Units where they gain advanced on-the-job training and experience as members of Mobile Teams, Carrier Strike Group/Expeditionary Strike Group Companies, Naval Special Warfare Companies, and Marine Mammal Companies.

Advanced training opportunities include foreign language, Advanced Improvised Explosive Device Disposal, Department of Energy training, instructor, and much more.

http://www.eod.navy.mil/training.htm

Answer 3

No they are not. HALO school is very difficult to get into due to the number of slots it has. Those that absolutely need it are giving primary consideration when it comes to slots and that creates a back log.

A lot of getting into HALO school depends on ones assignment as an EOD tech in the Navy (ie, supporting certain units that require it) and just being in the right place at the right time.

They do get BAC, basic airborne .. static line jumping, however.  

Answer 4

No, they don't