Having enjoyed the laughs from the "psych profile" recently done by the Army on bomb techs, I will now add another - not in a humorous, but a realistic tone.
Many studies have been done over the years on just such a thing - trying to figure out "what makes us tick" as it were, how to improve training success rates and ensure career longevity & all that. This study, done by the South African Navy, comes closer than most I've seen in explaining it all.
We are a hard group to label though. I've known bomb guys who are introspective bookworms, and others who are the life of the party. Teetotalers and drunkards. Womanizers and preachers, world-class athletes & guys who bust their ass just to make the times (which are hard BTW). People you can peg in the community in a second, and others that you'd never guess. It takes all sorts.
What bomb techs do share is some definite traits. Self-discipline when it comes to the job, a desire to be the best at what they do. You have to be somewhat intelligent, and definitely have to have a love for the job. Yes, there is a bit of cockiness and self-confidence too - if you spend your day looking at live bombs designed to blow you up it kind of gives you a bit of an ego perspective when someone else wants to bitch about being swamped in the latest TPS reports...
I think the best single description I've seen of the job is "a great team of talented individuals." You have to be able to work with others, to take & give criticism, advice, and share knowledge amongst your peers, and to strive towards the common task at hand on any particular day - but when it all comes down to it, it's just you and the device face-to-face getting things done...
5 comments:
Not to make light of it, because bomb disposal is as serious a business as it gets, but . . . did the study happen to mention the physical trait of possessing a pair of cast-iron balls? You EOD guys *have* to have 'em!
I have to ask this and you can kick my a** right off the blog if you feel you must, but what did you think of the Hurt Locker?
:-)
Randompawses - lol no, just have to have a bit of insanity going on :D
Joshkie - I could only watch about 5 minutes of it before turning it off - a bit too much cinematic license for my taste is all. Maybe someday I can sit through the whole thing.
One of my favorite T-Shirts of all time: Front says "Bomb Tech" Back says "If you see me running, try to keep up."
I kind of figured your answer would be something like that. I kind of just sat there being intertaned by it all.
:-)
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