How the MOD looks after its EOD Operators

[exat808]

Those in the UK please take the time if you can to watch BBC1 at 8.30 tonight. Panorama is taking a close look at how the MOD engages and supports EOD operators. Especially relevant to those of us serving and ex Ammunition Technicians.
Thoughts as always with fallen and injured colleagues and their families.

 

[navyman]

Hello exat808,
I watched the progamme this evening. It's a disgrace that our servicemen and women should be overworked so much in order to save money. Shades of the Falklands war when our chaps got so badly burned because their No 8 rig was made from flammable polyester to save money!
I'd like to see these 'cost cutters' sent on active service.
A friend of mine has a son who is in hospital having been blown up by one of these IED's in Afghan.
Regards,
navyman

 

[jayteepee_1999]

I know of five experienced EOD Operators not being allowed to extend their service or those on continuance being told 6 months and you are out and no longer needed. They say they have people to replace them, somehow I thought EOD were undermanned.

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

There was chronic understaffing when I was in. Speaking with a colleague who finished his time about two years ago it was no better when he left. Add to that, he was being f*****d about by the powers that be (probably because of the lack of staff) and he was more than glad to leave. The UK has had female ATOs for some years now but I'm not certain whether there are female ATs. Still the trade does not have enough people at the right level. The rank structure, by numbers, was not a pyramid shape. There were more posts for SGT, SSGT & WO2 than there were for LCPL & CPL and in those formative years the work can be fairly much like in a factory, opening boxes, inspecting / modifying ammo and doing all the supporting paperwork. It is only when people get to SGT rank and beyond that the work gets more varied and interesting, although as a junior rank it was interesting to see lots of different ammo types. I remember a mind-numbing task that lasted for at least 18 months - 25 Pr deplug / refuze and a senior CPL remarking that he felt like one of those crabs with one small claw and one huge claw, battling with the luting on the threads of the fuze as he screwed in each one.

 

[exat808]

Also remember long running process line tasks -

De-pin clean and re-pin fuzes in 81mm mortar HE rounds - I think we brought a batch of fuzes from a Swiss source that had the safety pins cemented in place rather than having a sealant applied.

Nucleonic testing of barmine fuzes - appartently there was a production defect that could result in armed fuzes being present -We ran a 100% check of BAOR stocks - it took forever

Working the burning plant destroying 1000's of tons of 5.5inch bag charges.

Preparing our entire stock of Mk7 Mines for dep sea dumping plus a few for export - open every mine check it wasnt fuzed and check fro presence of loose TNT in the fuze well.

Happy days!