Posted on Nov 26, 2021
Is it possible to switch from regular Army Infantry with no schooling over to the Navy as something like a SEAL or SWCC or EOD?
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Navy SEALs
EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Navy SEALs EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 6
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You can ETS out of the Army and then approach a Navy Recruiter to see if they're taking prior service at that time. If you're walking out of the Army as an 11B without at least a Ranger Tab I wouldn't expect to access into a program directly from recruiting, you would probably have to enlist in a new MOS or as an "unrated" for a while before being eligible to attend a selection.
But, why would anyone do that? The Army has the largest special operations community in the DOD. You want to shoot people in the face and conduct raids? We have the 75th Rangers. You want to work with indigenous people? We have SF. You want to blow stuff up? All services go to the exact same EOD school. You want to be on the Presidents direct line? We have Delta. The decision on whether Delta or the SEAL Team Six get the call pretty much comes down to whether the Joint Chief of Staff at that time is an Army General or a Navy Admiral at the time.
But, why would anyone do that? The Army has the largest special operations community in the DOD. You want to shoot people in the face and conduct raids? We have the 75th Rangers. You want to work with indigenous people? We have SF. You want to blow stuff up? All services go to the exact same EOD school. You want to be on the Presidents direct line? We have Delta. The decision on whether Delta or the SEAL Team Six get the call pretty much comes down to whether the Joint Chief of Staff at that time is an Army General or a Navy Admiral at the time.
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LTC Jason Mackay
Also, all of the things SPC (Join to see) listed are Special Warfare Community ratings...you can't just walk on and get picked up. Navy EOD is part of their special operations force structure, because of the nature of the duty and how they employ them, they are dive and airborne qualified. also look long and hard at the possibility of being an unrated sailor.
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SFC (Join to see)
LTC Jason Mackay I remember meeting someone from the Navy who said they don't take initial term Sailors into any of their special operations accessions. Same thing for the Air Force. That was years ago and I don't want to give out old info, but that's definitely what I was tracking as well
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LTC Jason Mackay
SFC (Join to see) appears to be the same. Still NSOF
https://www.navy.com/careers/explosive-ordnance-disposal-technician
https://www.navy.com/careers/explosive-ordnance-disposal-technician
U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Careers | Navy.com
As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician or Officer in the Navy, you'll learn skills to defuse explosive devices and play a critical role in America's Navy.
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SFC (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) - ...then you're not really switching. You are just a prior service recruit.
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I was an 11B and tried to join the AF to be a combat controller. I passed all of the assessments but there are only so many slots. Honestly, the Army is a better place if you want to be in a specialized unit. If you have not realized I am an infantry officer now. I decided to take a different route. I have seen many try to go to specialized units but most of these places want those that are bringing qualifications. As mentioned before, they want those with tabs, badges, and deployments. The wash out rate is so high in these that they only send those that prove they can make it. I still believe you can if you try. I hope it works better for you than it did for me but I will say I am glad it didn't work out.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
I'll comment that this is about the only place on the internet that gives any kind of realistic advice on selections from any of the specialty units. What surprises me is how little a lot of former Rangers know about the system (even discounting the Arm Chair Rangers). Even if you get selected to a unit like the 75th, the Army Promotion System won't let an Officer stay there and most NCO's leave eventually simply because there is more opportunity to promote in the Big Army once you get past E-6.
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SFC (Join to see)
CPT Lawrence Cable I have to agree with that. The majority of people in the 75th have no clue about the accessions process because they were IET volunteers. I can't say how many times someone has told me, "Ranger Regiment told me that I don't have to reenlist" or "They told me I can just start showing up over there now that I passed RASP". I have to explain to them, how are you supposed to PCS if your ETS date is before your report date?
One time while I was stationed at JBLM, we had a guy down there at RASP and they pulled him onto their books and then had MPD write him orders assigning him to 3/75, then sent him back to JBLM to out process. I had to call down there and explain that you can't just bypass HRC and how he can't have orders taking him to 3/75 if he's already there and how this will screw him over for thousands of dollars when he tries to file his travel voucher.
One time while I was stationed at JBLM, we had a guy down there at RASP and they pulled him onto their books and then had MPD write him orders assigning him to 3/75, then sent him back to JBLM to out process. I had to call down there and explain that you can't just bypass HRC and how he can't have orders taking him to 3/75 if he's already there and how this will screw him over for thousands of dollars when he tries to file his travel voucher.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SFC (Join to see) - I considered the IET thing as one of the reasons. Most IET soldiers in the Big Army will PCS a couple of times and are prpbably much more exposed to the promotion system than I suspect is true in the 75th.
The guys on the "other" sites that get me are those that claim stuff like "if you have doubts, you have already failed". I've had second thoughts about why I did a lot of things in the Army, starting on the night I stood on the footprints at Benning. Then I have to explain to some of the Arm Chair guys why a Ranger Company isn't commanded by a Major, or a Platoon by a Senior 1st LT. 11A is all in the same promotion pool and either would be a step back that you just can't afford as an Officer. It's the big reason that Officers don't do a Basic Course again if they Branch Transfer.
The guys on the "other" sites that get me are those that claim stuff like "if you have doubts, you have already failed". I've had second thoughts about why I did a lot of things in the Army, starting on the night I stood on the footprints at Benning. Then I have to explain to some of the Arm Chair guys why a Ranger Company isn't commanded by a Major, or a Platoon by a Senior 1st LT. 11A is all in the same promotion pool and either would be a step back that you just can't afford as an Officer. It's the big reason that Officers don't do a Basic Course again if they Branch Transfer.
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