Military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians have a tough job. Their lives—and others’ lives too—depend on their knowledge of explosive materials and the correct procedures for identifying and dismantling homemade explosives. During the Advanced Homemade Explosives training course at Los Alamos National Laboratory, lab scientists use their expertise to teach EOD techs from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy how to recognize homemade explosives labs and the raw ingredients commonly used to make IEDs and other bombs. Techs also learn safety measures, get hands-on experience synthesizing the materials, and study the sensitivity and performance characteristics of those materials. This science and hands-on training is critical for keeping EOD techs safe and helping them save lives.
