I think I met a dir padi instructor today.

[jbd]

you have have at least one buddy and maybe several. Granted they are all inexperienced but they all carry another source of air.

As an instructor you should be able to handle a problem with yourself calmly enough to get you and the group to the surface in a typical teaching environment.

Double 125's---could be a policy from an past commander but it may still stand although most may not know about it. Since you are considered government property there may be something about damaging you that could get you in trouble. I know of a woman who got an article 15 for getting sunburned when I was stationed in Hawaii. If there is a policy, its because an airman got hurt or died while diving solo at that lake.

 

[double125's]

Double 125's---could be a policy from an past commander but it may still stand although most may not know about it. Since you are considered government property there may be something about damaging you that could get you in trouble. I know of a woman who got an article 15 for getting sunburned when I was stationed in Hawaii. If there is a policy, its because an airman got hurt or died while diving solo at that lake.

Once he told me about the policy I teminated my diving activities because I am not willfully going against wing commander's policy. However when I tried to question him a little more on the policy he would change the subject. That's why monday I am going to get the official answer. If the wing commander has a policy against me solo diving then this is one nco that wont be re-enlisting.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Spectre once bubbled...
If you start getting crap from an instructor, ask him [or her for that matter] who their buddy is when they are teaching.

I always have a buddy when I'm teaching.

 

[GTADiver]

I don't solo dive but there has been a few times where I have thought I would be better off without a buddy than be with the one I was with!

What JBD is saying about being property seems logical. I know with the Cdn military if there was a diving fatality when "not on duty" but on recreational time that there would be a pension review hearing at the least. They would then pull out this document from the begining of time (CFAO 50-10) and start looking for loop holes in paying off the estate. There must be an equivalent American Military SOP ...when recreational diving all dives must be shallower than....you must always......
Gov'ts like SOP's

 

[pentiumchic]

My understanding at least for the Army in Hawaii that a sunburn can still get you an article 15.They have now add some of the areas with lots of coral as a no go and if hurt there again article15.If hurt while surfing article 15.You also now if hurt while doing said things will pay for your own medical cost.As for diving there's nothing put out about it yet.But as with all things that to can be changed at will.And with more people going into diving it more than likely will change.Think one of the reason it's not been covered yet is alot of the kids use their GI bill to take diving for the collage units.I know nothing about the Air force so I'm sure rattling your chain of command will get you answers.

Jen

 

[Wendy]

I'm not happy with the fact that you brought DIR into this (even in the subject line). Although there maybe DIR divers that will confront divers in parking lots and give them the 'you are going to die' speech, but I don't think that any of them are here on this board, and actually I think most of 'those' DIR divers are the DIR cyberdivers that are more wannabe's that DIR anyway.

Dive however you want, the best life to live is one that makes you happy.

 

[double125's]

but everytime I spoke with someone who dives dir I hear the word "die or Dead" It is starting to get real old, real quick. It is starting to get past the point of someone sharing there opinion and bording harassment. I have every right to dive in that lake or even dive operations (like vortex spring) as long as they allow solo diving. I realize I am barred from certain dive sites (like AThens Scuba Park) because I dive solo. Just because I choose to solo does not mean I should be harassed. If any one see's me on the shoreline feel free to come and talk with me, I am a really friendly guy. We might even buddy up and make a dive together. I guess what I am trying to politely say is that I dont need someones approval (other than my wing commander) to dive solo and if you feel the need to force your opinion down my throat or you just want tell me my lifestyle is going to kill me you would be better off saving your breath. BTW the lake I dive has park rangers patrolling it all the time. they come over and visit with me and talk scuba for a while. There is nothing illegal about what I am doing and if the law is not going to bust my chops for it, I kindly ask the people who use the park leave me alone as well. Thanks:boom:

 

[jonnythan]

double125's once bubbled...
but everytime I spoke with someone who dives dir I hear the word "die or Dead" It is starting to get real old, real quick. It is starting to get past the point of someone sharing there opinion and bording harassment. I have every right to dive in that lake or even dive operations (like vortex spring) as long as they allow solo diving. I realize I am barred from certain dive sites (like AThens Scuba Park) because I dive solo. Just because I choose to solo does not mean I should be harassed. If any one see's me on the shoreline feel free to come and talk with me, I am a really friendly guy. We might even buddy up and make a dive together. I guess what I am trying to politely say is that I dont need someones approval (other than my wing commander) to dive solo and if you feel the need to force your opinion down my throat or you just want tell me my lifestyle is going to kill me you would be better off saving your breath. BTW the lake I dive has park rangers patrolling it all the time. they come over and visit with me and talk scuba for a while. There is nothing illegal about what I am doing and if the law is not going to bust my chops for it, I kindly ask the people who use the park leave me alone as well. Thanks:boom:

I understand how you feel this way, but you also have to realize that your diving choice opens you up to a lot of criticism. I'm not going to judge you for diving solo, but a lot of people I know would give you a chewing and a half, and they're certainly not doing anything right, if yanno what I mean.

Whether it's true or not, the common wisdom of the scuba industry is that solo diving is unnecesarily dangerous, and a lot of people involved with scuba would be perfectly happy to have as little of it as possible, so as not to encourage newer divers to think that it's ok.

Next time it happens, maybe just say "thank you, I'm aware of the dangers, now please leave me to my diving" or something to that effect.

 

[double125's]

One more thing I would like to mention, I am not anti dir. I agree with there equipment routing and they have a lot of stuff that makes sense. What upsets me about dir divers is there cult like mentality where they are not allowed to have there own opinion unless it is issued to them from "GI" and the fact they over abuse the word die. We know this is a dangerous sport, We dont need people making us think we are going to die a scuba death. It is a possibility but not a guarantee. I know there are a lot of good dir divers out there, I just havent met them yet. If one were to look at my equipment you would probably think I was a dir diver. Like I said ther are a lot of good points to it. I hope you dont think I am trying to slam you and your way of diving, I just like having the freedom to dive my way without people threatening me.
I wish you all many happy dives.

 

[double125's]

I might have a style that is open for criticism but that does not give people the right to chew me up one side and down the other. Ive tried walking away from these pointless conversation but they insist on following you and gripping more. Its a no win situation. I am not going to stop soloing and I'm sure there not going to stop griping. I'm just glad I got a place to come and vent. I also want to say I dont encorage people to dive solo, it is something that should not be done by a vast majority of people. There are a select few that are confident in their skills and trust there equipment enough to do it. That does not make us criminals. I may have went against ssi policy of not using a buddy but what right does that give a guy to threaten to decertify me. As far as I am aware it cant be done. If it can be done I will just get my solo c-card they wont decert me for solo diving. I wish someone would please clarify for me whether an agency can decertify you or not. thanks