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Now I think we're trying to milk a dead cow: I have a CMAS card that some shops in the states have never heard. A YMCA card and a fist full of NAUI cards. I got the CMAS card from the YMCA equiv. Yes the Y program is gone but at 58 I am still striving to better myself in the sport. A program is only as good as the instructor. No offense CMAS ONE but if you want my CMAS card I'll send it to you, it won't effect my diving.
I am going to try and clear this up once and for all as it is getting to be tiresome repeating it over and over. We had many people trying to crossover as Instructors from the YMCA when the program died. As with all crossover applications we request a copy of all certifications, current medical histories, log entries for last 12 dives and application forms. We found an unusual number of applicants for Instructor status to only have YMCA Divemaster or Assistant Instructor certification. Those are not equivalent to a CMAS One Star Instructor and were inappropriately issued to those folks. We therefore made the decision to require all renewal requests to attend a CMAS orientation program and all leadership crossovers to attend a crossover workshop. As for the One and Two Star equivalencies we are not worried about them because they did not issue enough of them to be concerned with. Hope this clarifies the situation for everyone.
Clear up a point for me. I would hope that CMAS does recognize the CMAS cards that were given to YMCA divers and Instructors when there was an equivalency program and CMAS was issuing the cards? I would hope so.
I simpathize with your problem of having people who were not fully qualified trying to achieve a CMAS Instructors card towards the end of the program. PADI had the same problem when we had an equivalency program without any additional training. Both CMAS and PADI solved the problem in the same way and for a long time there has been no Instructor card being given to an instructor from any other diving organization without additional training.
I presently live in Melbourne, Florida. The card is in blue and white and it has the CMAS crest within a white circle on the left upper side. Next to that to the right is the usual (I assume) CMAS wording which is: BREVET DE MONITEUR
INTERNATIONAL DE PLONGEE
Troisieme Degre
***
Stephen G. Metcalf
USA, 9-8-77
M3-USP 006
There is no instructors signature on the card, either front or back. I would give you the information off of the diploma but as you can see it has been 32 years since I received it and I can't seem to locate it.
If you are going to question whether or not I actually am a CMAS 3 Star Instructor, I would hope you would do me the courtesy of letting me know what you find out because you are obviously going to try to research me.
Any card issued more than five years ago for an Instructor levl is considered by CMAS HQ to be expired. CMAS AMERICAS follows that policy so basically all of the CMAS Instructor cards issued by the YMCA program are now expired. They are welcome to come on board with CMAS AMERICAS but will have to go through the standard evaluation process.