A New Warfare Designation: "Explosive Ordinance Disposal Warfare Specialist"

Now approved is a new warfare designation calledonly wear one.
"Explosive Ordinance Disposal Warfare Specialist", orExample: A Naval Flight Officer changes designators
EWS. That designation will replace the current EODand qualifies as a Naval Aviator. He or she is qualified
designation that appears after a sailor's name. "Wefor both, but can only wear one since they are from
are trying to build a community here," saidthe same warfare area. Example: A Surface Warfare
CNO-designated Command Master Chief (EWS/SW)Officer changes designators and qualifies as a Naval
Anthony Santino, the top enlisted sailor in NavalAviator. He or She can wear both because they are
Expeditionary Combat Command. The new EWSdifferent warfare areas. The list of groupings can be
designator formalizes the EOD warfare qualificationfound in the Uniform Regulations.
program that has been in place since 1995 but untilWhat about someone assigned to EOD Support Side?
now had not been codified in an officialObviously (EWS) is not an option, but I would think
CNO-approved instruction.with EOD now falling under NECC that (EXW) would
"Since our rating is now EOD, it seemed a bitbe an option for someone filling those type billets. At
redundant to also have it after our names, too,"least, I hope it will be an option for me. Here's what's
Santino said. No additional pin is forthcoming,on the net.
however. The existing EOD "crab" pin will continue toThe Expeditionary Warfare device requires,
be used. The EOD Basic Badge is now a qualification"Completion of general expeditionary and unit-specific
Specialty badge. They do not earn a warfarePersonnel Qualification Standard (PQS), the general
specialty until Senior Tech. So Seaman Joe wouldPQS to include weapon qualifications and
come out of the pipeline as Seaman Joe (DV, PJ),maintenance, marksmanship, land navigation, field
and in a few years would be Petty Officer Joecommunications and expertise in setting up
(EWS).expeditionary camps." Most of that looks like it
I understand that it denotes completing your warfarecomes from TEU in the EOD community.
pipeline, but if you don't complete it are you going toSo, some good people to ask would be those at
stay EOD anyway? Is it just me, or did everythingTEU. I know that each one of those requirements
seem to become a warfare qual recently. You onlywas a week long class, or longer. Rifle and pistol was
used to see SS, SW, AW, SEAL or EOD until recentlysplit up over a few weeks. But the requirement also
and hardly anybody had more than two. Now somesays, "Sailors assigned to expeditionary units will have
guys have like six things after their name. I agreeone year to complete the Enlisted Expeditionary
with listing warfare quails, but why the entireWarfare qualification, and it will be mandatory for
resume?Sailors E-5 and above."
What you qualify for is not always the same as whatIt will probably take a while to shake out all the kinks
you can wear. It depends on how they group thein the new NECC. If you've already reported aboard,
qualifications and how many you have. You can wearrun up the ladder and ask. I am told that some
a max of two, but they must be from differentsupport people will deploy with DETs and some will
warfare areas. If they group the Expeditionarynot. That might be a determination.
Warfare Device and EWS together, than you could