NAVAL EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL TECHNOLOGY DIVISION

Genesis

The Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NAVEODTECHDIV) traces its origin back to World War II when the U.S. Navy recognized the need for countering advanced and complex weapons systems being deployed by other nations.

Timeline

• 1941 (May) The Naval Mine Disposal School was established in Washington, D.C.
• 1941 (Later that year) The Naval Bomb Disposal School was also established.
• 1945 The Naval Mine Disposal School and the Naval Bomb Disposal School combined to form the Naval Ordnance Disposal Unit.
• 1946 The Naval Ordnance Disposal Unit was relocated to the Naval Powder Factory in Indian Head, Md. An important component of those schools was the Ordnance Investigation Lab (OIL) located at the Stump Neck Annex, which was tasked to develop standardized procedures and tools for that core of EOD professionals. Through the post war period and many name changes, the OIL evolved to keep pace with the increasingly complex and rapidly proliferating ordnance threat.
• 1951 The Navy was assigned Joint Service responsibilities for EOD research and development, and training.  As a result, the Navy took on the responsibility for training all Joint Service EOD operators (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force) and for the development EOD technologies in support of the Joint Service EOD Community.
• 1953 The research and development tasks were assumed by OIL, which was renamed the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Center (NAVEODTECHCEN). The Naval Ordnance Disposal Unit was renamed the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School and remained at the Naval Powder Factory.
• 1955 NAVEODTECHCEN's technical staff grew to include civilian engineers and support technicians.
• 1962 NAVEODTECHCEN was placed under the direction of a Commanding Officer and again renamed the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Facility (NAVEODFAC).
• 1971 NAVEODFAC was redesignated as a fouth echelon field activity under the Naval Sea Sytstems Command (NAVSEA) and DoD Directive 5160.62 assigned the Secretary of the Navy as Single Manager for Military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology and Training. Subsequently, NAVEODFAC was asked to provide EOD research and development in carrying out the Secretary of the Navy's responsibility for meeting Joint Service EOD technology requirements.
• 1988 NAVEODFAC was redesignated as Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Center (NAVEODTECHCEN).
• 1995 NAVEODTECHCEN became the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NAVEODTECHDIV) under the Naval Ordnance Center (NOC).
• 2007 The NAVEODTECHDIV was realigned underneath Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) as a division of the Naval Surface Warfare Centers (NSWC).