View source for Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge

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{{Short description|Military badge of the United States Armed Forces}}
{{use dmy dates |date=September 2022}} <!-- as per WP:MILFORMAT -->
{{Infobox military award
|name=Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge
|image=EOD Insignia.png
|image_size=350px
|presenter=[[United States Armed Forces]]
|type=Badge
|eligibility=
|awarded_for=
|status=Currently awarded
|established=1950s
|firstawarded=
|lastawarded=
|total_awarded=
|total_awarded_posthumously=
|total_recipients=
|individual=
|precedence_label=[[Badges of the United States Army|Army Precedence]]
|higher=[[Combat Medical Badge]]<ref>[https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN6028_DAPam670-1_Web_FINAL.pdf Department of the Army Pamphlet 670-1 paragraph 20-16 "Combat and Special Skill Badges and Tabs" (25 May 2017).]</ref>
|lower=[[Pathfinder Badge (United States)|Pathfinder Badge]]<ref>[https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/r600_8_22.pdf Army Regulation 600-8-22 ''Military Awards'' PDF (24 June 2013). Table 8-1, U.S. Army Badges and Tabs: Orders of precedence. p. 120] </ref>
|related=
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}}

The '''Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge''' is a [[Military badges of the United States|military badge]] of the [[United States Armed Forces]] which recognizes those service members, qualified as [[explosive ordnance disposal]] (EOD) technicians, who are specially trained to deal with the construction, deployment, disarmament, and [[Bomb disposal|disposal]] of [[Explosive material#High explosives|high explosive]] [[Ammunition|munitions]] including other types of ordnance such as [[Weapon of mass destruction|nuclear, biological and chemical weapons]] along with [[improvised explosive device]]s (IED) and [[improvised nuclear device]]s (IND). Also known as the “EOD Badge” or "Crab", the decoration is issued by the [[United States Army]], [[United States Air Force|Air Force]], [[United States Navy|Navy]] and [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]]. The EOD Badge is the only occupational badge awarded to all five services under the [[United States Department of Defense]].

First created in the 1950s, the EOD Badge is issued in three levels and is identical for all branches of service. Although each service has its own requirements the basic EOD badge is issued upon completion of explosive handling training and/or between 18–24 months of on-the-job field training. The Senior EOD Badge is issued after 3–5 years as an explosive ordnance specialist and the Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge is issued after 7–15 years of service in a senior supervisory position.

==The Meaning of the EOD Badge==
The "crab", as it is commonly known, is the only joint service badge and can only be earned upon successful completion of the 42-week course at the [[Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] (NAVSCOLEOD) located at [[Eglin Air Force Base]], [[Florida]].  Prior to attending NAVSCOLEOD, Navy service members attend Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) in [[Panama City, FL|Panama City]], [[Florida|FL]] for a 9 week EOD Diver Course. Additionally the Naval students will attend the maritime ordnance section known as "Area 8" followed by Underwater division.  After NAVSCOLEOD, Navy service members attend a 3-4 week course to earn [[Parachutist Badge (United States)|"jump wings"]] at the [[United States Army|Army's]] [[Fort Moore|Ft. Moore]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|GA]]. Army service members will attend a course at [[Fort Gregg-Adams]], [[Virginia]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=News|first=A. P. G.|date=2021-07-26|title=U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Soldiers tackle critical missions around world|url=https://apgnews.com/community-news/u-s-army-explosive-ordnance-disposal-soldiers-tackle-critical-missions-around-world/|access-date=2022-01-22|website=APG News|language=en-US}}</ref> for 7 weeks before attending NAVSCOLEOD.

'''The Wreath'''
Symbolic of the achievements and [[Laurel wreath|laurels]] gained minimizing accident potentials through the ingenuity and devotion to duty of its members. It is in memory of those EOD personnel who gave their lives while performing EOD duties.

'''The Bomb'''
Copied from the design of the World War II Bomb Disposal Badge, the bomb represents the historic and major objective of the EOD attack, the unexploded bomb. The three fins represent the major areas of [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear]], [[Explosive material|conventional]] and [[Chemical warfare|chemical]]/[[Biological warfare|biological]] interest.

'''Lightning Bolts'''
Symbolize the potential destructive power of the bomb and the courage and professionalism of EOD personnel in their endeavors to reduce hazards as well as to render explosive ordnance harmless.

'''The Shield'''
Represents the EOD mission{{snd}}to prevent a detonation and protect the surrounding area and property to the utmost.

==Navy designation and warfare qualification==
{{Stack|[[File:USN - EOD Officer.png|130px|thumb|right|Navy EOD Warfare Officer insignia]]}}
{{Stack|{{Annotated image
| image = USN Chief Warrant Officer Specialty Devices.png
| image-width = 900
| image-left = -152
| image-top = -780
| width = 120
| height = 95
| float = right
| annotations =
| caption = Navy EOD Technician ([[Warrant officer (United States)|warrant officer]]) insignia (sleeve and [[Shoulder mark|shoulder board]] variant)}}}}
{{Stack|[[File:Rating Badge EOD.jpg|100px|thumb|right|Navy EOD rating insignia]]}}
Prior to 1 June 2006, enlisted members of United States Navy that qualified as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warfare Specialist were authorized to wear the warfare qualification as well as have (EOD) listed after their [[List of United States Navy ratings|rating]] designator. For example, if Bob Jones was a Hull Technician First Class Petty Officer (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warfare Specialist), then his title would be HT1 (EOD) Bob Jones.

As of 1 June 2006 for [[List of United States Navy enlisted rates#E-4 to E-6|E6-E9]] and 1 October 2006 for [[List of United States Navy enlisted rates#E-1 to E-3|E1-E5]], U.S. Navy EOD Technicians have become their own rating within the Navy. Only after being qualified as a Senior EOD Technician, is the technician designated as an EOD Warfare Specialist. An example would be: Petty Officer First Class Bob Jones, who is a Senior EOD Technician, would have his title read EOD1 (EWS) Bob Jones.

In 2007, the Special Operations Officer Community was rechristened "[[Explosive Ordnance Disposal]]," a change which the Navy felt also needed to be reflected in the EOD Officer warfare device as well. The new officer insignia is identical to the Master EOD warfare device, but is gold in color.<ref name="Stars and Stripes">{{cite news
  |last=Schogol
  |first=Jeff
  |url=http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58918&archive=true
  |title=Navy's EOD officer community gets new insignia
  |newspaper=[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]]
  |access-date=2008-07-09}}</ref>
{{-}}

==See also==
*[[Army School of Ammunition]]
*[[United States Navy EOD]]
*[[Explosive ordnance disposal (United States Army)|United States Army EOD]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010720030018/http://www.marineeod.com/ Marine Corps Explosive Ordnance Disposal Program]}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061123164709/https://www.npdc.navy.mil/ceneoddive/eods/ Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041015081331/https://naveodtechdiv.navsea.navy.mil/DoDEodTechPgm/historyofDODEOD.asp History of DOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal]

{{US Army badges}}

[[Category:United States military badges]]