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Navy's Marine Mammal Program

bubbagump

bubbagump

Coo-coo for cocopuffs
I'm actually not sure where this would fall under, but this looks like as good of a place as any (I am looking to be a Navy Officer, and this is a question about it, after all).

Besides Space and Naval Warfare Systems, what would the Marine Mammal Program fall under? SWO? Information Warfare? Oceanography? Special Operations?

No one can give me a straight answer, and it's a program I'd crap diamonds in order to be a part of.

Also, personal anecdotes, advice, and snide comments pertaining the NMMP are very welcome.
 
L

lmnop

Active Member
threesteppin said:
I'm actually not sure where this would fall under, but this looks like as good of a place as any (I am looking to be a Navy Officer, and this is a question about it, after all).

Besides Space and Naval Warfare Systems, what would the Marine Mammal Program fall under? SWO? Information Warfare? Oceanography? Special Operations?

No one can give me a straight answer, and it's a program I'd crap diamonds in order to be a part of.

Also, personal anecdotes, advice, and snide comments pertaining the NMMP are very welcome.
Click to expand...

I'm not going to get into too many details, but EOD has the biggest use for the Marine Mammal Systems. The structure of the program has been shifting around a bit over the last few years, and unfortunately, no matter how many diamonds you crap you're not going to do much with them on the active duty officer side of things. Even guys I've known that have been mammal det OICs only did it for a portion of their first EOD tour. It's not something you're going to spend an active duty career doing. FWIW, and my personal experience is with sea lions rather than dolphins, it wasn't nearly as cool as it seemed from the outside perspective.
 
bubbagump

bubbagump

Coo-coo for cocopuffs
bubbagump

bubbagump

Coo-coo for cocopuffs
lmnop said:
I'm not going to get into too many details, but EOD has the biggest use for the Marine Mammal Systems. The structure of the program has been shifting around a bit over the last few years, and unfortunately, no matter how many diamonds you crap you're not going to do much with them on the active duty officer side of things. Even guys I've known that have been mammal det OICs only did it for a portion of their first EOD tour. It's not something your going to spend an active duty career doing. FWIW, and my personal experience is with sea lions rather than dolphins, it wasn't nearly as cool as it seemed from the outside perspective.
Click to expand...

I'm more interested in the animal training and research aspect of it, rather than the actual EOD-side. Are officers/enlisted even involved with AT&C/R at all, is it more of a civilian scene?
 
Gatordev

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
lmnop said:
I'm not going to get into too many details, but EOD has the biggest use for the Marine Mammal Systems. The structure of the program has been shifting around a bit over the last few years, and unfortunately, no matter how many diamonds you crap you're not going to do much with them on the active duty officer side of things. Even guys I've known that have been mammal det OICs only did it for a portion of their first EOD tour. It's not something you're going to spend an active duty career doing. FWIW, and my personal experience is with sea lions rather than dolphins, it wasn't nearly as cool as it seemed from the outside perspective.
Click to expand...

You no doubt have more knowledge, and things are probably always changing, but... About 3 years ago, a friend of mine from college rolled into the OIC gig in San Dog. She was only a SWO (didn't make the EOD physical test in college), but she got the job. She rolled into the job after another guy I knew from school had the job, but he may have been an EOD guy (can't remember). Both Os. May be an annomaly, but it can (or it could) be done.
 
L

lmnop

Active Member
gatordev said:
You no doubt have more knowledge, and things are probably always changing, but... About 3 years ago, a friend of mine from college rolled into the OIC gig in San Dog. She was only a SWO (didn't make the EOD physical test in college), but she got the job. She rolled into the job after another guy I knew from school had the job, but he may have been an EOD guy (can't remember). Both Os. May be an annomaly, but it can (or it could) be done.
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Yea, it used to be that way. The ongoing global festivities and associated manning crunch have led to some changes in the way they're doing business. I'm pretty sure we do still have active duty fish feeders, but my understanding is that the bulk of the functions are falling on SPAWAR folks these days. I haven't had any personal involvement with the mammal program since 95, so I'm definitely not the SME, but that's the last word I heard as of a few weeks ago.
 
E

exhelodrvr

Well-Known Member
pilot
threesteppin said:
I'm actually not sure where this would fall under, but this looks like as good of a place as any (I am looking to be a Navy Officer, and this is a question about it, after all).

Besides Space and Naval Warfare Systems, what would the Marine Mammal Program fall under? SWO? Information Warfare? Oceanography? Special Operations?

Also, personal anecdotes, advice, and snide comments pertaining the NMMP are very welcome.
Click to expand...

We carried some sea lions from North Island out to San Clemente Island once for an exercise they were going to take part in on one of the acoustic ranges. They stunk!! (But we did get cool ball caps out of it!)

One of the AW/rescue swimmers from a squadron I was in switched to EOD, and ended up in the Marine Mammal Program. Not sure if he changed designators or not.
 
Gatordev

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
lmnop said:
Yea, it used to be that way. The ongoing global festivities and associated manning crunch have led to some changes in the way they're doing business. I'm pretty sure we do still have active duty fish feeders, but my understanding is that the bulk of the functions are falling on SPAWAR folks these days. I haven't had any personal involvement with the program since 95, so I'm definitely not the SME, but that's the last word I heard as of a few weeks ago.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. If the community has had major changes, it's been in the last couple of years. Which begs the question... How do you write the rate of an EOD Senior Chief? Is it EODCS? That's just weird.
 
L

lmnop

Active Member
gatordev said:
Gotcha. If the community has had major changes, it's been in the last couple of years. Which begs the question... How do you write the rate of an EOD Senior Chief? Is it EODCS? That's just weird.
Click to expand...
Yep, you got it...EODC, EODCS, EODCM. I'm just glad we're using the .pdf Chief Evals these days so I don't have navfit throwing error codes because it doesn't think the EOD rate or EWS warfare designator exist.
 
EODDave

EODDave

The pastures are greener!
pilot
Super Moderator
I worked with the animals in Key West from 89-92 when we closed. The animals used to be run by the Teams (long time ago) then EOD took over the program. EOD was really undermanned and over tasked so, the Navy brought in 1st and 2nd class divers to work in the program. The civilians (used to be NOSC) now SPAWAR (sp?) did all of the capture, initial training and behavioral upkeep. We had a civilian tech rep who worked with our Mobile Unit. Each of the systems had a tech rep. Our animals stayed with us 24/7 (that may have changed now, not sure). We did the daily husbandry (upkeep), physicals etc. the animals only went back to the civilians if they were AFU, which I saw only once. The civilian tech reps could usually straighten out any problem that came up. The handlers actually got really good at learning the training side as well. We had a 2nd class diver that was brilliant in that aspect. Anyway, even if you go in as an EOD officer, you would only have 1 tour with the animals if you got lucky. And then all the enlisted guys actually work them. So, if that is your dream then you might think about going to work for the civies out in SD.
 
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