EOD after NROTC

J

Justin HELPmomStocksPosts

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I’m starting NROTC in the fall and have been looking into EOD as a future career. I love diving and blowing stuff up sounds cool. I have been doing a lot of research and I have learned that it’s extremely competitive for NROTC grads to go into EOD. I read that as little as 10 NROTC grads are picked a year.

Is it really that low? I read that 25 SEALs are picked a year. I don’t want to be a SEAL I just find it hard to believe that EOD gets less that half the amount of new officers from NROTC a year than SEALs.

If it’s really that competitive what can I do to stand out. I know GPA and physicality is important.

What physical standards should I aim for? Below is where I stand now. It just helps to have a goal to strive to achieve.
-10:30 1.5 mile run time.
-60 pushups in 2 minutes
-100 sit-ups in 2 minutes (3 minute plank).
-7 minute 500 yard swim

Thanks for the assistance.
 
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EOD is extremely competitive-maybe 8-10 get it. Join the Spec War club at your unit. Even getting EOD cruise is not easy. Be sure to list a second choice for service selection that you also would like-which means maybe going to some SWO/Sub/Aviation events so you can list informed choices. You will need to be stronger but that will come if you workout with the Spec War group on a regular basis. DS made it to the final interviews (12 ish candidates) and was not selected but he had a great time trying and made lots of friends. Like everything in life, just make a Plan B. EOD cruise is heck (don’t want to get banned for language 🙂.
 
Justin HELPmomStocksPosts said:
I’m starting NROTC in the fall and have been looking into EOD as a future career. I love diving and blowing stuff up sounds cool. I have been doing a lot of research and I have learned that it’s extremely competitive for NROTC grads to go into EOD. I read that as little as 10 NROTC grads are picked a year.

Is it really that low? I read that 25 SEALs are picked a year. I don’t want to be a SEAL I just find it hard to believe that EOD gets less that half the amount of new officers from NROTC a year than SEALs.

If it’s really that competitive what can I do to stand out. I know GPA and physicality is important.

What physical standards should I aim for? Below is where I stand now. It just helps to have a goal to strive to achieve.
-10:30 1.5 mile run time.
-60 pushups in 2 minutes
-100 sit-ups in 2 minutes (3 minute plank).
-7 minute 500 yard swim

Thanks for the assistance.
Click to expand...
It may help you to remember the needs of the Navy drive all. EOD is the smallest officer unrestricted line community, so their annual accessions will be smaller.

Big Picture - Officer endstrength is set by law (DOPMA). All services must manage total officer endstrength, as well as by pay grade. The manpower analysts calculate accession intake goals for each community, factoring in voluntary and involuntary attrition, retention rates, fleet requirements, Navy strategic goals, etc. Officer billets are divvied up among the Officer communities. It’s not arbitrary.
 
Capt MJ said:
It may help you to remember the needs of the Navy drive all. EOD is the smallest officer unrestricted line community, so their annual accessions will be smaller.

Big Picture - Officer endstrength is set by law (DOPMA). All services must manage total officer endstrength, as well as by pay grade. The manpower analysts calculate accession intake goals for each community, factoring in voluntary and involuntary attrition, retention rates, fleet requirements, Navy strategic goals, etc. Officer billets are divvied up among the Officer communities. It’s not arbitrary.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information. Is their anyway to know the needs of the navy currently or predict if EOD will be highly needed in 4 years.

On Navy.com, it lists EOD and all special warfare communities as HP (High Priority) which I take to mean they are short in that department right?
 
Justin HELPmomStocksPosts said:
Thanks for the information. Is their anyway to know the needs of the navy currently or predict if EOD will be highly needed in 4 years.

On Navy.com, it lists EOD and all special warfare communities as HP (High Priority) which I take to mean they are short in that department right?
Click to expand...
Whatever they need for new accessions this year is probably darn close to how many they will need in four years. Officer careers are designed around an "Up or out" philosophy and by design, Division Officer level billets (O1/O2) need to turn over as those officers transfer off to shore duty/schools/etc. They need to bring in new officers to take their spots at the bottom of the pyramid.
 
To be a contender, if the marine option of your unit allows / invites-go on some of their training weekends. Lots of those skills are EOD relevant.
 
How competitive is it to just get the EOD cruise over 1st class summer? I heard their are 2 cruises a summer each with 20-25 people. Do some people want to get the EOD cruise but don’t get selected to even attend?
 
My DS says he does not know how many got declined for cruise in his year. You do have to assemble an application packet but your unit will guide you as the time comes. There is also like around fall junior year an EOD orientation weekend camp in Jacksonville (unless they change it). It is good to go to - DS had to pay his own airfare though.
 
Max PT test / run / swim / get good grades / join 🤖 robotics club....
 
Lucy said:
My DS says he does not know how many got declined for cruise in his year. You do have to assemble an application packet but your unit will guide you as the time comes. There is also like around fall junior year an EOD orientation weekend camp in Jacksonville (unless they change it). It is good to go to - DS had to pay his own airfare though.
Click to expand...
That’s so perfect because I love in Jacksonville!! Thanks for the information.
 
Justin HELPmomStocksPosts said:
I’m starting NROTC in the fall and have been looking into EOD as a future career. I love diving and blowing stuff up sounds cool. I have been doing a lot of research and I have learned that it’s extremely competitive for NROTC grads to go into EOD. I read that as little as 10 NROTC grads are picked a year.

Is it really that low? I read that 25 SEALs are picked a year. I don’t want to be a SEAL I just find it hard to believe that EOD gets less that half the amount of new officers from NROTC a year than SEALs.

If it’s really that competitive what can I do to stand out. I know GPA and physicality is important.

What physical standards should I aim for? Below is where I stand now. It just helps to have a goal to strive to achieve.
-10:30 1.5 mile run time.
-60 pushups in 2 minutes
-100 sit-ups in 2 minutes (3 minute plank).
-7 minute 500 yard swim

Thanks for the assistance.
Click to expand...
They are probably going to take 7 this year.

You need to be running an 8:30, 100+ pushups and situps, 20 pull-ups, and an 8:30 swim. Gotta be comfortable in the pool too.
 
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