Introduction Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians (NEOD), the organization that I am currently a part of, are a small group (1500 personnel) trained in the art of bomb defusal. As a seasoned and mobile force, we specialize in a plethora of complex and dangerous tasks ranging from IED to chemical and biological weapon remediation. Post 9/11 global terrorist activities placed tremendous “operational stress” upon the NEOD community with relentless training and deployments (Jones, Hammond & Platoni, 2013, p.8). Successfully responding to, and assuming tactical command of thousands of dangerous events every year merely increased the demand signal from outside organizations. In every active war zone, a bomb technician is of high demand
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NEOD technicians by the nature of their work have been exposed to seriously traumatic events to their emotions, and often their bodies through detonations. Some people, as a result of trauma become stronger as they become more appreciative of what they have that is good in their life. Kravetz and Feldman (2014) note that a subset of trauma survivors have “an ability to peer into the face of tragedy and somehow emerge fundamentally changed and able to impact the world in previously unimagined ways” (p. 8). All interviewees had experienced and overcome significant trauma. Perhaps Haidt (2006) is correct when he states that post trauma, “people often wake up to is that life is a gift they have been taking for granted, and that people matter more than money” (p. 140). It also seems “people who have suffered through battle, rape, concentration camps, or traumatic personal losses seem to be inoculated against future stress” (p. 139). The lesson for NEOD is that personnel will experience more than their fair share of trauma, and sharing the successes of post traumatic growth as well as resilience techniques would be more beneficial than a focus upon PTSD as a behavioral catch all. Carl Jung instinctively knew this when he stated, “I am not what has happened to me, I am what I choose to become” (Brown, 2012, …show more content…
Given two year officer rotations and three year enlisted rotations, it is very difficult to develop the continuity, competence, and habitual relationships desired by foreign partners and the objectives promulgated by Navy leadership. NEOD’s outdated approach to global culture via exchange programs largely resident in WWII treaty partner countries (France, England, Australia) and obsolete language school options haphazardly detailed to non- utilitarian locations (Persian Farsi, Arabic and Spanish to Asia) has yielded mediocre return on
NEOD technicians by the nature of their work have been exposed to seriously traumatic events to their emotions, and often their bodies through detonations. Some people, as a result of trauma become stronger as they become more appreciative of what they have that is good in their life. Kravetz and Feldman (2014) note that a subset of trauma survivors have “an ability to peer into the face of tragedy and somehow emerge fundamentally changed and able to impact the world in previously unimagined ways” (p. 8). All interviewees had experienced and overcome significant trauma. Perhaps Haidt (2006) is correct when he states that post trauma, “people often wake up to is that life is a gift they have been taking for granted, and that people matter more than money” (p. 140). It also seems “people who have suffered through battle, rape, concentration camps, or traumatic personal losses seem to be inoculated against future stress” (p. 139). The lesson for NEOD is that personnel will experience more than their fair share of trauma, and sharing the successes of post traumatic growth as well as resilience techniques would be more beneficial than a focus upon PTSD as a behavioral catch all. Carl Jung instinctively knew this when he stated, “I am not what has happened to me, I am what I choose to become” (Brown, 2012, …show more content…
Given two year officer rotations and three year enlisted rotations, it is very difficult to develop the continuity, competence, and habitual relationships desired by foreign partners and the objectives promulgated by Navy leadership. NEOD’s outdated approach to global culture via exchange programs largely resident in WWII treaty partner countries (France, England, Australia) and obsolete language school options haphazardly detailed to non- utilitarian locations (Persian Farsi, Arabic and Spanish to Asia) has yielded mediocre return on