Info on the Navy

[Juls64]

I am the parent of a 17 year old son (high school junior) who is leaning toward joining the Navy. He is interested in the Emergency, Fire & Rescue School. I have 101 questions.

He is a certified diver w/ AOW. He will complete EFR & Rescue this summer. Is being a SEAL the only way to dive in the Navy? Are there any diving opportunities involved in Emergency, Fire & Rescue training? (This is my question, he likes to dive but isn't overly worried about diving as part of the curriculum)

He is interested in becoming a firefighter/paramedic, and instead of attending college, is (HIGHLY) interested in pursuing military training.

Is there anyone out there with some experience/knowledge that I can direct more questions?

Thank you for any help.

Julie

 

[Scubakevdm]

I was in the Navy for 8 years. He can be a diver without being a SEAL. I'm not sure that he could be a diver and be a (I don't know how to spell corpsman) medic. I am sure that he can be on a submarine and be a diver. The diving they do is usually fixing stuff diving and not rescue diving, but I'm sure that there's some other kind of command where he could. EOD is also a good way to dive, but those are the guys that disarm bombs, and a lot of Mom's don't like their kids doing EOD.
I used to be on a submarine... now I am one.

 

[Gary D.]

First off he will need to keep quiet about being a diver if he wants to be a diver. Diving in the civilian world is nothing like Navy diving and the Navy wants divers to dive their way. It is easier to train from scratch than correct bad habits.

"(This is my question, he likes to dive but isn't overly worried about diving as part of the curriculum)". Are you saying he has other interests or are you saying he not worried about passing diving school?

If he doesn't put 110% effort into the diving program and be totally focused on that and that alone, don't even apply for the school. Without total focus your signing up to fail.

There are a lot of diving areas in the service. SEALS are Special Forces and are the combat divers. If he wants to have his diving carry on to the civilian world, SEAL is not the way to go.

From your post it sounds like the Coast Guard would be more suited to his ambitions. They deal in more Rescues than the Navy does as a normal daily operation.

Has he talked to a recruiter yet? That’s where he needs to start. Check with both the Navy and Coast Guard.

Gary D.

 

[Don Burke]

I am the parent of a 17 year old son (high school junior) who is leaning toward joining the Navy. He is interested in the Emergency, Fire & Rescue School. I have 101 questions.

He is a certified diver w/ AOW. He will complete EFR & Rescue this summer. Is being a SEAL the only way to dive in the Navy? Are there any diving opportunities involved in Emergency, Fire & Rescue training? (This is my question, he likes to dive but isn't overly worried about diving as part of the curriculum)

He is interested in becoming a firefighter/paramedic, and instead of attending college, is (HIGHLY) interested in pursuing military training.

Is there anyone out there with some experience/knowledge that I can direct more questions?

Thank you for any help.

Julie

The overwhelming majority of divers in the Navy aren't SEALs. I worked with several different subcommunites within the dive world during my career. Much of the diving is cold in zero viz and most of it isn't rescue diving.

Having said that, they do have rescue swimmers on various ships, including submarines. It is not a primary job on most ships.

Probably the best way to end up a rescue swimmer is through the aviation portion of the Navy, although that isn't SCUBA diving. Coast Guard may be better.

I see your address is Chicago. Is there any chance of contacting someone from a Naval or Coast Guard Air Station? That will get you some real-world experienced people to talk to.

 

[Gary D.]

The overwhelming majority of divers in the Navy aren't SEALs. I worked with several different subcommunites within the dive world during my career. Much of the diving is cold in zero viz and most of it isn't rescue diving.

Having said that, they do have rescue swimmers on various ships, including submarines. It is not a primary job on most ships.

Probably the best way to end up a rescue swimmer is through the aviation portion of the Navy, although that isn't SCUBA diving. Coast Guard may be better.

I see your address is Chicago. Is there any chance of contacting someone from a Naval or Coast Guard Air Station? That will get you some real-world experienced people to talk to.

I went the hard route from Ships Swimmer to Rescue Swimmer then SCUBA. I still worked in my rate until needed. Only when I became a Second Class Diver did I dive full time except underway when I worked in my rate. It sure took me a long time in school to get it all done one flippin step at a time and all because of my rate and command.

The diving isn't always that bad. We used to see a lot of fish working on the ships. More Brown Trout than anything and they would swim right out of their hidding spots from holes in the ships:11: Some swam up to the surface and others went right to the bottom. :06:

There is nothing wrong with the Coast Guard. It is a good outfit that does a wide variety of duties.

Gary D.

 

[Gary D.]

This should sum it up Julie. It's was way after my time but it true.

The Navy Diver is not a fighting man.
He is a salvage expert.
If it's lost underwater, he finds it
If it's sunk, he brings it up.
If it's in the way, he moves it.
If he's lukcy, he dies young
two hundred fee beneath the waves
Cause that is the closest he will ever
get to being a hero.
Hell, I don't know why anybody would want
to be a Navy Diver.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Hell, I don't know why anybody would want
to be a Navy Diver.

Well, you get pro-pay. That's kinda nice. You also get to go to Panama City. That's kinda nice too, well some of it anyway. It's definately unrelated to recreational diving though.

 

[Gary D.]

Well, you get pro-pay. That's kinda nice. You also get to go to Panama City. That's kinda nice too, well some of it anyway. It's definately unrelated to recreational diving though.

That quote was after my time.
I got the pay.
Panama city was after my time (by 10 years).
And I have missed every bit of it since I got out.

Gary D.

 

[armyscuba]

I just so happen to be in the same location as Many Navy Diver's. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They have many Jobs, Maintenance, Buoy Replacement, Sea Bees, Engineering, Ship Security, Rescue, Force Protection, Marine Biology, Demolitions & Mine Clearing, Search & Recovery. Coast Guard is here too..they do no Diving. They are too busy looking for Drugs in South America. If there is any specific question You have for a Navy Diver...Let Me know..I'll see if I can get You an answer..

 

[Rickg]

armyscuba is right. Don't forget the SeaBee's Underwater Construction Teams (UCT). They end diving all over the world although some of it isn't so glamorous like inspecting/repairing sewage outlets.

Rickg