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Combat Engineer Diver / EOD: Same job, different worlds

Explosive ordnance disposal — IEDs, unexploded ordnance, naval mines, and bomb disposal under fire. The work that gets the highest hazardous-duty pay in every military for very good reason.

Why this comparison exists

The US has FOIA, congressional oversight, and open pay scales — so US MOS data is comparable. Most other militaries here are less transparent than that, not more. Putting the same job side-by-side across countries surfaces what no single ministry of defence will tell you: that training length, housing, civilian conversion value, and career ceilings vary wildly for what is nominally the same role. Nothing structured like this exists in any single language. That's why this page is here.

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United States · Navy
EODExplosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician
0 reviews on Honest MOS
Basic TrainingBCT — 10 weeks
AdvancedAIT / OSUT — varies by MOS
HousingBAH / on-post family housing
FitnessACFT (Army Combat Fitness Test)
PensionBRS / Legacy after 20 years
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United Kingdom · British Army
Ammunition Technician
No reviews
Basic TrainingPhase 1 — 14 weeks (Army) · 10 weeks (RN) · 10 weeks (RAF)
AdvancedPhase 2
HousingSFA (Service Families Accommodation)
FitnessRFT (Role Fitness Test)
PensionAFPS 15 (or legacy AFPS 75)
What the recruiter won't tell you

SFA is a lottery, and you're probably losingA 2023 Defence Committee report found 60% of Service Families Accommodation is not fit for purpose. Mould, damp, broken

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Australia · Royal Australian Navy
Clearance Diver
No reviews
Basic TrainingKapooka (Army) / recruit training — 10–11 weeks (Army) · varies by service
AdvancedIET (Initial Employment Training)
HousingDHA housing (Defence Housing Australia)
FitnessAPFA (Army Physical Fitness Assessment)
PensionADF Super / MSBS (Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme)
What the recruiter won't tell you

The $50K bonus tells you everything about how bad retention gotThe ADF introduced a $50,000 continuation bonus in 2023 for a 3-year commitment. 85% of eligible members took it. That's

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New Zealand · Royal New Zealand Navy
Clearance Diver — RNZN
No reviews
Basic TrainingBWC (Basic Warrior Course) — 16 weeks (Regular Force Recruit Course)
AdvancedCorps training / specialist qualification
HousingDefence housing
FitnessBWPT (Battle Warrior Physical Test)
PensionNZDF Super / KiwiSaver military scheme
What the recruiter won't tell you

Small force means nowhere to hide — and limited upward mobilityWith 10,000 regular force personnel, the NZDF is tiny. Everyone knows everyone. One bad posting relationship can follow

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Canada · Canadian Army
Combat Engineer051
No reviews
Basic TrainingBMQ — 13 weeks
AdvancedDP1 / DP2
HousingPMQ / RHU (Residential Housing Unit)
FitnessFORCE Evaluation
PensionCFSA (Canadian Forces Superannuation Act)
What the recruiter won't tell you

PMQ waitlists are years long — and it's getting worseAs of 2025 there are 3,700+ families on waitlists against only 205 available units. The federal government announced $1.

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Germany · Heer
Pionier
No reviews
Basic TrainingGrundausbildung (GA) — 3 months
AdvancedSpezialausbildung / Fachausbildung
HousingBundeswehr-Unterkunft / Kasernenunterkunft
FitnessBasis-Fitness-Test (BFT)
PensionBundeswehr-Versorgung / Pension
What the recruiter won't tell you

Ausrüstungsmangel ist nicht Vergangenheit — nur weniger schlimmDas Sondervermögen läuft. Aber Beschaffung dauert. Feldwebel berichten weiterhin von Helmen, die nicht passen, oder Fahr

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France · Armée de Terre
Sapeur du Génie
No reviews
Basic TrainingCFIM / formation initiale — 4 to 6 months
Advancedformation de spécialité
Housinglogement militaire / logement de fonction
Fitnesstest d'aptitude physique (TAP)
Pensionretraite militaire (17–27 ans selon grade)
What the recruiter won't tell you

Le système de paie Louvois a versé n'importe quoi pendant des annéesLe système informatique Louvois a produit des erreurs massives — trop-perçus réclamés des mois plus tard, sous-perçus ja

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Israel · Heyl HaYabasha (Ground Forces)
Lohem Golani
No reviews
Basic TrainingTironut (basic training) — Men: 32 months total (inc. tironut) · Women: 24 months total
AdvancedKurs (specialist course)
HousingDira (apartment) — most soldiers live at home or in civilian apartments (IDF doesn't generally provide family housing)
FitnessProfile 97 (combat fitness) / Profile 64 (standard fitness)
PensionKeren Hishtalmut (development fund) + military pension after career service
What the recruiter won't tell you

Reserve duty never really ends — and your employer pays the priceIsraeli men can be called up for reserve duty until age 40-45. The law provides employer compensation, but the career im

What actually differs across countries
Training length

UK Phase 1 is 14 weeks vs. US BCT at 10. Australia's Kapooka is 10 weeks. Canada's BMQ is 13. Germany's GA is 12. Same job, different ramp-up.

Housing system

Every country runs a different housing lottery. UK SFA is famously underfunded. Canada's PMQ waitlist is 3,700+ families. Australia's DHA moves 15k personnel a year.

Civilian conversion

Some trades are worth more in the civilian market depending on which country you served in. UK CMT → NHS paramedic. Canadian 871 → provincial ACP. German Sanitätssoldat → Rettungssanitäter.

Career ceilings

The promotion system in each country has unique chokepoints. UK AGAI 67. Canada's bilingual wall. Australia's separation rate crisis. Germany's dienstaltersgeprägte Beförderung.

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