The first service for the disposal of ammunition was formed in 1920. The service operated throughout the whole of the Belgian territory, with a sub-service in every ‘Provincial Recuperation service’. In 1922 there was already so much ammunition being disposed of, that it was assumed that the complete clearance would only take some more months before the last explosive remnants of war were gone. It soon came clear that the problem of non-exploded ammunition was not yet solved and in January 1923 the ‘service for disposal of ammunition’ was officially formed.

After the capitulation on 28th May 1940, Belgian Units were assigned, by the German Forces, to clear the obstacles and minefields set up by the Allied Forces. These Units operated, again, throughout the Belgian territory. These ‘deminers’ were poorly instructed by the German Forces and were even assigned to clear German minefields.

On 16th August 1941 the ‘Dienst voor Opruiming en Vernietiging van Ontploffingstuigen’ ‘Service d’Enlevement et Destruction des Engins Explosives’ (DOVO – SEDEE) (Service for Clearance and Disposal of Explosive Ordnance) was created. Imprisoned personnel was released and transferred to this service. The mission was to clear non-exploded ordnance. All over the territory these teams emerged: in cities after allied bombardment, at locations where old minefields or explosives were discovered, and when old ammunition ‘graveyards’ from the First World War were discovered. The activities of DOVO-SEDEE reached much further than the initial assigned duties. The service was also in continuous contact with several resistance groups and with the Allied Forces. For example: London was informed about construction errors on fuses and eventual reasons why ammunition did not function as intended. They also recuperated explosives and transferred these to resistance groups for sabotage.

On 16th October 1944 the new service DOVOO –SEDEEO (Dienst voor Opruiming en Vernietiging van Ontploffingstuigen en Obstakels – Service d’Enlévement et Destruction d’Engins Explosives et Obstacles – service for Clearance and Disposal of Explosive Ordnance and Obstacles) was founded. In fact, this was just a new, official, name in the new formed Belgian Army. On this date the unit had about 300 personnel. The clearance of the Belgian Territory was conducted through priorities set by the ongoing war. Civil authorities also requested for clearances. At the end of the war, 2 demining battalions were founded. The first, French speaking, Battalion was employed in the Ardennes. The second, Dutch speaking, Battalion was employed near the coast. In august 1945 these Battalions were strengthened by 2 German Battalions and an additional 2 Companies of German POWs. The first Battalion was decommissioned on 31st December 1945 and the second on 15th June 1946.

As from 1st December 1945 all demining units were centralized within one command, being (again) DOVO-SEDEE. From 1944 to 1948 the organization of this service was changed constantly. This due to the constant search for the ‘ideal’ structure, but also due to the decrease of tasks. As in 1923, there was the thought that the clearance wouldn’t take long. Again repeal for the service was in mind and in 1947 the strength was foreseen for 42 personnel. Luckily this decision was never carried out and in 1948 the strength was still 380 personnel. In the period 1949 to 1955 the army underwent a lot of reorganizations and this resulted in the decrease to 115 personnel for the DOVO-SEDEE.

On 1st August 1946 the section helmet divers was formed within the ‘Company Coast’. This section was the foundation for the later NAV-CLEARMIN, an EOD-diving group within the Belgian Navy. In 1967 the Air Force also formed its own EOD service. Every force (Land, Navy and d Air Force) had a part in the overall responsibility for clearance.

On 31st October 1971 it was decided that, within the Army, DOVO-SEDEE ceased to exist as an independent unit. The EOD personnel were reassigned to the territorial services assigned to the provinces. However, as international terrorism began to rise in the early seventies,there was a need in Belgium for specialist to cope with the threat of booby-traps, suspected letters and parcels, and bomb cars. Besides this threat, there was still the problem of the explosive remnants of war, which was - again- underestimated. On a yearly base about 3000 to 4000 requests still needed to be treated. On 1st August 1974, only 3 years after the dissolution, DOVO-SEDEE was - again – formed.

On 15th December 1985 DOVO-SEDEE was renamed to Ontmijningsdienst Landmacht (ODLM) Service de Déminage Force Terrestre (SDFT) ‘Demining Service Land Forces’. In 1995 a major change in the structure of the armed forces resulted in the foundation of the ITC (Interforces Territorial Command) and ODLM became - again - DOVO on 1st July 1995, thus creating unity of command by putting all EOD groups under one command.. This decision was effective 1st July 2000 when the protocol was signed between the ITC and the Navy. With the dissolution of ITC in 2002, DOVO became a unit of the Land Component.

During the Defense Transformation Plan in January 2011 the EOD personnel migrated from the Logistic Corps to the Engineer Corps. As from that moment, the army EOD personnel started to wear the black engineer beret and began wearing their own EOD insignia on the beret.

At date (2017) the Service consists of XX officers, XX NCO's, XX corporals and privates, and XX civilian employees. A total of XX with XX EOD personnel.

The first service for the disposal of ammunition was formed in 1920. The service operated throughout the whole of the Belgian territory, with a sub-service in every ‘Provincial Recuperation service’. In 1922 there was already so much ammunition being disposed of, that it was assumed that the complete clearance would only take some more months before the last explosive remnants of war were gone. It soon came clear that the problem of non-exploded ammunition was not yet solved and in January 1923 the ‘service for disposal of ammunition’ was officially formed.

After the capitulation on 28th May 1940, Belgian Units were assigned, by the German Forces, to clear the obstacles and minefields set up by the Allied Forces. These Units operated, again, throughout the Belgian territory. These ‘deminers’ were poorly instructed by the German Forces and were even assigned to clear German minefields.

On 16th August 1941 the ‘Dienst voor Opruiming en Vernietiging van Ontploffingstuigen’ ‘Service d’Enlevement et Destruction des Engins Explosives’ (DOVO – SEDEE) (Service for Clearance and Disposal of Explosive Ordnance) was created. Imprisoned personnel was released and transferred to this service. The mission was to clear non-exploded ordnance. All over the territory these teams emerged: in cities after allied bombardment, at locations where old minefields or explosives were discovered, and when old ammunition ‘graveyards’ from the First World War were discovered. The activities of DOVO-SEDEE reached much further than the initial assigned duties. The service was also in continuous contact with several resistance groups and with the Allied Forces. For example: London was informed about construction errors on fuses and eventual reasons why ammunition did not function as intended. They also recuperated explosives and transferred these to resistance groups for sabotage.

On 16th October 1944 the new service DOVOO –SEDEEO (Dienst voor Opruiming en Vernietiging van Ontploffingstuigen en Obstakels – Service d’Enlévement et Destruction d’Engins Explosives et Obstacles – service for Clearance and Disposal of Explosive Ordnance and Obstacles) was founded. In fact, this was just a new, official, name in the new formed Belgian Army. On this date the unit had about 300 personnel. The clearance of the Belgian Territory was conducted through priorities set by the ongoing war. Civil authorities also requested for clearances. At the end of the war, 2 demining battalions were founded. The first, French speaking, Battalion was employed in the Ardennes. The second, Dutch speaking, Battalion was employed near the coast. In august 1945 these Battalions were strengthened by 2 German Battalions and an additional 2 Companies of German POWs. The first Battalion was decommissioned on 31st December 1945 and the second on 15th June 1946.

As from 1st December 1945 all demining units were centralized within one command, being (again) DOVO-SEDEE. From 1944 to 1948 the organization of this service was changed constantly. This due to the constant search for the ‘ideal’ structure, but also due to the decrease of tasks. As in 1923, there was the thought that the clearance wouldn’t take long. Again repeal for the service was in mind and in 1947 the strength was foreseen for 42 personnel. Luckily this decision was never carried out and in 1948 the strength was still 380 personnel. In the period 1949 to 1955 the army underwent a lot of reorganizations and this resulted in the decrease to 115 personnel for the DOVO-SEDEE.

On 1st August 1946 the section helmet divers was formed within the ‘Company Coast’. This section was the foundation for the later NAV-CLEARMIN, an EOD-diving group within the Belgian Navy. In 1967 the Air Force also formed its own EOD service. Every force (Land, Navy and d Air Force) had a part in the overall responsibility for clearance.

On 31st October 1971 it was decided that, within the Army, DOVO-SEDEE ceased to exist as an independent unit. The EOD personnel were reassigned to the territorial services assigned to the provinces. However, as international terrorism began to rise in the early seventies,there was a need in Belgium for specialist to cope with the threat of booby-traps, suspected letters and parcels, and bomb cars. Besides this threat, there was still the problem of the explosive remnants of war, which was - again- underestimated. On a yearly base about 3000 to 4000 requests still needed to be treated. On 1st August 1974, only 3 years after the dissolution, DOVO-SEDEE was - again – formed.

On 15th December 1985 DOVO-SEDEE was renamed to Ontmijningsdienst Landmacht (ODLM) Service de Déminage Force Terrestre (SDFT) ‘Demining Service Land Forces’. In 1995 a major change in the structure of the armed forces resulted in the foundation of the ITC (Interforces Territorial Command) and ODLM became - again - DOVO on 1st July 1995, thus creating unity of command by putting all EOD groups under one command.. This decision was effective 1st July 2000 when the protocol was signed between the ITC and the Navy. With the dissolution of ITC in 2002, DOVO became a unit of the Land Component.

During the Defense Transformation Plan in January 2011 the EOD personnel migrated from the Logistic Corps to the Engineer Corps. As from that moment, the army EOD personnel started to wear the black engineer beret and began wearing their own EOD insignia on the beret.

At date (2017) the Service consists of XX officers, XX NCO's, XX corporals and privates, and XX civilian employees. A total of XX with XX EOD personnel.