Posted on May 14, 2020
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Hi, I am going into my MS4 year in Army ROTC and soon we will input our final branch preferences. I'm still trying to gather information about branches in the Army in order to make my final decision. I want to know what it is like being in the Ordnance Branch. What are you daily duties and opportunities? What is it like being an EOD Officer and what is the process in competing for an EOD position? Also, if anyone has done a branch detail, what was it like serving in your recipient branch (Infantry, Armor, etc.) and then transitioning to your donor branch (Ordnance).
EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
91A-Officer: Ordnance Officer
Army ROTC
89E: Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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1LT Saul S. As a 91A you are a Munitions and Maintenance Management Officer. Depending on which unit you are assigned to, you have a chance of working a munitions management slot like as a Magazine Platoon Leader or a Maintenance slot as a Maintenance Platoon Leader or Maintenance Control Officer (Shop Officer). The vast Majority of OD Lieutenants work Maintenance.
If you pursue 91E, EOD Officer, then you pipeline in that direction. It is a deliberate selection Process and not some luck of the draw slotting thing. You may be called on later to return to Log Corps to work a 90A slot.
I started as a 91B/91A Ordnance Officer and was rolled up in the Log Corps when that started in 2007. At the time I branched OD had gone from five different AOCs down to two, 91B Materiel Maintenance and 91D Ammunition. Then they folded that tent and made everyone 91A Munitions and Materiel Maintenance. Through out EOD remaineda separate thing because you had to to be selected.
The push has been going hard to make you a multi-functional logistician from the start, especially if you are assigned to an FSC or a BSB. If you are in a CSSB/DSSB you are more likely to work a pure functional assignment. Your branch specific time may vary. But if you start OD, you will become LG by the time you graduate from CCC.
As a OD LT, you'll lead a Platoon. You are an apprentice officer. You'll spend months learning your craft from your Commander, Warrants, NCOs, and even your Joes. The biggest opportunities are to have a big impact in combat readiness. Ensuring systems are up and available for training and missions. You'll learn an ERP (GCSS-A). You learn to manage from information and data. You'll learn how to track and manage very technical things while leading people.
Daily duties? Mile wide and a mile deep. Unit training plans. Org Maintenance. Mission support. Taskings. Plannng. Executing. Training. Tracking property. Taking care of soldiers. GP Platoon Leader stuff. If you become a Shop Officer you'll run field Maintenance for a BDE, what used to be Direct Support. You'll manage Maintenance and repair parts for all the open work in your shops that could be armament, communications, electronics, Missile, automotive, utility equipment, heavy junk, TMDE (in a CSSB), service and recovery.
As a Mag PL, much of the same, except your Platoon may be running an ASP (home or deployed). You'd be managing the receipt, storage, issue, surveillance, preservatives maintenance, and even emergency destruction of ammunition. Lots of 581s in and out. Watching for problems so you can head off 15-6 investigations before they start.
LTs, regardless of branch all get saddled with additional duties. My first Troop Commander assigned ALL additional duties in the Troop to the new LT. You came in, fixed it all and got It inspection ready. I hated it. Best thing that ever happened. I learned people in the unit, who does what, key people at Squadron, how Company/Troop Command works, all the systems and processes. When I left that assignment, I had a far shot of commanding a Company without doing a face plant. This is your main goal of LT time.
Being a Maintenance PL is what you make it.
If you pursue 91E, EOD Officer, then you pipeline in that direction. It is a deliberate selection Process and not some luck of the draw slotting thing. You may be called on later to return to Log Corps to work a 90A slot.
I started as a 91B/91A Ordnance Officer and was rolled up in the Log Corps when that started in 2007. At the time I branched OD had gone from five different AOCs down to two, 91B Materiel Maintenance and 91D Ammunition. Then they folded that tent and made everyone 91A Munitions and Materiel Maintenance. Through out EOD remaineda separate thing because you had to to be selected.
The push has been going hard to make you a multi-functional logistician from the start, especially if you are assigned to an FSC or a BSB. If you are in a CSSB/DSSB you are more likely to work a pure functional assignment. Your branch specific time may vary. But if you start OD, you will become LG by the time you graduate from CCC.
As a OD LT, you'll lead a Platoon. You are an apprentice officer. You'll spend months learning your craft from your Commander, Warrants, NCOs, and even your Joes. The biggest opportunities are to have a big impact in combat readiness. Ensuring systems are up and available for training and missions. You'll learn an ERP (GCSS-A). You learn to manage from information and data. You'll learn how to track and manage very technical things while leading people.
Daily duties? Mile wide and a mile deep. Unit training plans. Org Maintenance. Mission support. Taskings. Plannng. Executing. Training. Tracking property. Taking care of soldiers. GP Platoon Leader stuff. If you become a Shop Officer you'll run field Maintenance for a BDE, what used to be Direct Support. You'll manage Maintenance and repair parts for all the open work in your shops that could be armament, communications, electronics, Missile, automotive, utility equipment, heavy junk, TMDE (in a CSSB), service and recovery.
As a Mag PL, much of the same, except your Platoon may be running an ASP (home or deployed). You'd be managing the receipt, storage, issue, surveillance, preservatives maintenance, and even emergency destruction of ammunition. Lots of 581s in and out. Watching for problems so you can head off 15-6 investigations before they start.
LTs, regardless of branch all get saddled with additional duties. My first Troop Commander assigned ALL additional duties in the Troop to the new LT. You came in, fixed it all and got It inspection ready. I hated it. Best thing that ever happened. I learned people in the unit, who does what, key people at Squadron, how Company/Troop Command works, all the systems and processes. When I left that assignment, I had a far shot of commanding a Company without doing a face plant. This is your main goal of LT time.
Being a Maintenance PL is what you make it.
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When I went through EOD, we had a board, you had to be selected, and then attend EOD Phase I at Ft. Lee and then Phase II at Eglin AFB.
Day to day, it's mostly the same as other Officers except the culture is much more relaxed and you'll have a much closer relationship with your Soldiers. An EOD platoon was 11 people when I was in. You'll do normal Officer stuff, train for your Team Leader Certification, go on some VIPs, and homeland response.
Day to day, it's mostly the same as other Officers except the culture is much more relaxed and you'll have a much closer relationship with your Soldiers. An EOD platoon was 11 people when I was in. You'll do normal Officer stuff, train for your Team Leader Certification, go on some VIPs, and homeland response.
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1LT Christopher Gonzales
1LT Saul S. I don't know any reason a branch transfer couldn't be done, per se, but it would be pretty difficult to get though a board as anything other than a Lieutenant. I've never heard of anyone doing a branch transfer that wasn't Enlisted or commissioned and then went EOD as a Lieutenant. I never saw a Captain at the schoolhouse who wasn't a Tech already other than Air Force. It might be technically possible, but I can't imagine a Master badge signing off on someone who could be a company commander with no knowledge about being a Tech.
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1LT Christopher Gonzales
Above all else, more than any position I have ever served in the Army, you will rely on your Soldiers. Typically, the lowest ranking person is a SPC and they usually had a deployment or two under their belt as an EOD Tech.
What you learn at the school house works, but your real training starts when your team leaders get their hands on you. Forget your rank and listen to experience. My Team Leaders didn't give me slack and if I was doing something wrong, they'd call me out. It takes a certain person to be a good PL with EOD. These guys and gals are smart, experienced, and expected to lead on-site regardless of rank. They are the experts during response. Authority vs. Rank.
If someone goes in thinking their rank means anything more than a Senior badge or Master badge when it comes to TTPs and whatnot, it's a bad ride. If you're willing to shut up, accept criticism, and be a resource for your people first (and that might mean going to get the coffees for everyone), it's the single most rewarding position to lead.
What you learn at the school house works, but your real training starts when your team leaders get their hands on you. Forget your rank and listen to experience. My Team Leaders didn't give me slack and if I was doing something wrong, they'd call me out. It takes a certain person to be a good PL with EOD. These guys and gals are smart, experienced, and expected to lead on-site regardless of rank. They are the experts during response. Authority vs. Rank.
If someone goes in thinking their rank means anything more than a Senior badge or Master badge when it comes to TTPs and whatnot, it's a bad ride. If you're willing to shut up, accept criticism, and be a resource for your people first (and that might mean going to get the coffees for everyone), it's the single most rewarding position to lead.
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The 3 arms of logistics are truly one now. I went to the integrated logistics BOLC where we learned QM and TC doctrine. I'm on my way out of a Transportation CO as an OD guy. Be prepared to take any job in Logistics.
Your daily duties will vary widely depending on your first assignment. Heavy, light, aviation, etc. Supporting them is as unique as the division you're assigned to.
Ordnance/logistics is rewarding and gives you an incredible skill set after your Army career is over. Please let me know if you have specific questions.
Your daily duties will vary widely depending on your first assignment. Heavy, light, aviation, etc. Supporting them is as unique as the division you're assigned to.
Ordnance/logistics is rewarding and gives you an incredible skill set after your Army career is over. Please let me know if you have specific questions.
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