CENEODD Great Lakes

[gator28]

I am currently in training for EOD at the new site at Great Lakes. We just completed out second week and are graduating next week. We started with 22 and now have 16 in the class. It's all about water confidence here. Get in the water and swim with fins. More importantly, tread water with fins. We completed IWP's with tanks and weight belts and that's where the problems were for most of the guys who left our class. Nobody quit, but some just weren't ready to move on to Panama City. Some really good guys, too. The instructor cadre is the best that you could ask for. I was skeptical about this section of the training, but after having gone through it, I think it is far better than the PSI program. You get a lot of one-on-one time with the instructors and get a feel for what it's going to be like down at NDSTC. But, it's very cold up here. We lost more than I would like, but we're going down with a good class, I think. Good luck to all who come here. I'm so happy to be part of this and really look forward to Panama City and then Eglin. Take care.

Gator

[gymmer13]

Gator-

Good to see you making it through the first stages. Keep us updated, let us know where you are at. I hop eyou like the rest of training... :)


-Curtie

[gator28]

We're now at Dive school. We graduate next Friday. We're through all of our graded evolutions. We've been diving the MK16 all week in the bay and go out to sea next Monday to dive it in the ocean. It's been tough, but very rewarding. We lost a couple of guys to rollback and security clearance, but we have a good class and the instructors have been awesome. Good luck to you all going to Great Lakes and dive school and on to Eglin. Stay focused and take it seriously. You don't want to get your class a bad reputation at Great Lakes because it will follow the whole class down to NDSTC. I've seen it happen with the new EOD class and it's been rough for them. Good luck. Take care.

Gator

[cadre2]

Great news, Gator! Good work. Thanks for keeping us updated.

[gator28]

cadre,
My pleasure. It's going well. I'll try to post any info I think will be helpful for other EOD hopefuls. Have a great weekend.

[minitex]

Hey I had a buddy that graduated dive prep and then the diving portion of EOD but havent heard from him in a while, his name is Joshua Christie.
If you got any new let me know man.

[gator33]

I think Christie is in the class ahead of me in Underwater. I guess he's doing fine. They are graduating in about a month. I think they're headed to Mayport next week.

[szissou]

Did a search but came up dry and didn't want to start a new thread since it is on topic. Are the O's going to this course or do they join the class in Panama City? I am still a long way out but didn't see this anywhere and was curious. Also, is the new pipeline for O's effectively removing lat transfers to the community in or will it be a mix of Ensign and fleet returnees. Thanks.

[gator33]

No, the O's don't go through this part of training. You'll meet your class at NDSTC.

[szissou]

Thanks for the quick reply. Congrats again on finishing up soon.

[gator33]

Thanks, but I won't be graduating until April now due to a medical roll back. No big deal. Good luck.