Now approved is a new warfare designation called "Explosive Ordinance Disposal Warfare Specialist", or EWS. That designation will replace the current EOD designation that appears after a sailor's name. "We are trying to build a community here," said CNO-designated Command Master Chief (EWS/SW) Anthony Santino, the top enlisted sailor in Naval Expeditionary Combat Command. The new EWS designator formalizes the EOD warfare qualification program that has been in place since 1995 but until now had not been codified in an official CNO-approved instruction.

"Since our rating is now EOD, it seemed a bit redundant to also have it after our names, too," Santino said. No additional pin is forthcoming, however. The existing EOD "crab" pin will continue to be used. The EOD Basic Badge is now a qualification/Specialty badge. They do not earn a warfare specialty until Senior Tech. So Seaman Joe would come out of the pipeline as Seaman Joe (DV, PJ), and in a few years would be Petty Officer Joe (EWS).

I understand that it denotes completing your warfare pipeline, but if you don't complete it are you going to stay EOD anyway? Is it just me, or did everything seem to become a warfare qual recently. You only used to see SS, SW, AW, SEAL or EOD until recently and hardly anybody had more than two. Now some guys have like six things after their name. I agree with listing warfare quails, but why the entire resume?

What you qualify for is not always the same as what you can wear. It depends on how they group the qualifications and how many you have. You can wear a max of two, but they must be from different warfare areas. If they group the Expeditionary Warfare Device and EWS together, than you could only wear one.

Example: A Naval Flight Officer changes designators and qualifies as a Naval Aviator. He or she is qualified for both, but can only wear one since they are from the same warfare area. Example: A Surface Warfare Officer changes designators and qualifies as a Naval Aviator. He or She can wear both because they are different warfare areas. The list of groupings can be found in the Uniform Regulations.

What about someone assigned to EOD Support Side? Obviously (EWS) is not an option, but I would think with EOD now falling under NECC that (EXW) would be an option for someone filling those type billets. At least, I hope it will be an option for me. Here's what's on the net.

The Expeditionary Warfare device requires, "Completion of general expeditionary and unit-specific Personnel Qualification Standard (PQS), the general PQS to include weapon qualifications and maintenance, marksmanship, land navigation, field communications and expertise in setting up expeditionary camps." Most of that looks like it comes from TEU in the EOD community.

So, some good people to ask would be those at TEU. I know that each one of those requirements was a week long class, or longer. Rifle and pistol was split up over a few weeks. But the requirement also says, "Sailors assigned to expeditionary units will have one year to complete the Enlisted Expeditionary Warfare qualification, and it will be mandatory for Sailors E-5 and above."

It will probably take a while to shake out all the kinks in the new NECC. If you've already reported aboard, run up the ladder and ask. I am told that some support people will deploy with DETs and some will not. That might be a determination.