From the inbox, a very adventurous job (Fort Story, VA):
Bonus military nerd headscratching: So I'm sure the US Navy has their own EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) technicians. But who are the "Counter Terrorism (CT) Direct Action (DA) mission forces"? I think my understanding of elite special forces units is pretty decent, but is about a decade out of date.... I guess what I am really saying is that I feel that "Direct Action (DA)" is a new-ish term for the US military to be using in its self-descriptions.
POSITION DESCRIPTION Barbaricum seeks a Chemist Support SME to support an advanced EOD course of instruction specifically designed to train EOD operators assigned to support SOF Regional Commanders. This PWS focuses on curriculum, operational training, and practical exercises to better prepare EOD personnel to support SOF missions. This program is meant to train EOD Technicians prior to their evaluation period within the SOF EOD Fleet Readiness Training Plan (FRTP). The evaluation is conducted by the appropriate EOD Group Training and Evaluation Unit (TEU).
This contracted training event is to provide post-military, experience-based Improvised Explosive Device (IED) diagnostics and Category A training to United States Navy (USN) EOD Technicians in support of Counter Terrorism (CT) Direct Action (DA) mission forces deployed throughout all regions of the world.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Secret Security Clearance
- PhD in Organic Chemistry
- 5 years of verifiable experience in synthesizing and mixing homemade explosives
Bonus military nerd headscratching: So I'm sure the US Navy has their own EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) technicians. But who are the "Counter Terrorism (CT) Direct Action (DA) mission forces"? I think my understanding of elite special forces units is pretty decent, but is about a decade out of date.... I guess what I am really saying is that I feel that "Direct Action (DA)" is a new-ish term for the US military to be using in its self-descriptions.
The first and last qualifications seem mutually exclusive.
ReplyDeleteAgree. This would be a really cool job if it wasn't so painfully obvious that it's already been filled by someone who coincidentally has those exact qualifications.
DeleteThat would have been an interesting lab conversion. "How do you know so much about this stuff?" "well, you see, I've been making it my basement for five years..."
DeleteI'm not sure how that communication worked its way successfully up the management chain.
Hmmm... Verifiable experience synthesizing and mixing homemade explosives? How would one verify this? By showing the evidence that their house exploded? Or would it be from the police report of their arrest for "synthesizing and mixing homemade explosives"?
ReplyDeleteImpressive. They must have scored on hiring their DACSAAAOO (Deputy Asistant Chief Simplification Abbreviation and Acronym Accessibility Operations Officer).
ReplyDeleteIf the SME has a big OOPS with the IEDs, he/she will be OBE and SOL.
ReplyDeleteMcGuyver.
ReplyDeleteIt's like how the FBI first arrests forgers for forgery and then recruits them for their unique skill set.
ReplyDelete"Direct Action" is not a new term, CJ. I heard the term back in the early early/mid-80s and it was familiar to Viet Nam vets that I spoke with who were no longer in the military. It usually equates to short-duration, high-risk, focused operations. The operators are usually SOF folks (USN SEALs, USMC Force Recon/MARSOC, US Army Rangers/Special Forces ("Green Berets"). The UK has their own versions SAS (Special Air Service) or SBS (Special Boat Service).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Harry!
DeleteThe army has "sappers". They are trained for this type of stuff. Laying mines, clearing minefields, EOD's etc...
ReplyDeleteWasn't one of France's big terrorist groups "Action Directe"?
ReplyDeleteYes. A far-left/anarchist terrorist group back in the 70's-80's.
DeleteAm I the only one who thinks "Barbaricum" would be a wonderful name for a natural product isolated from the corpse of Genghis Khan?
ReplyDelete