Military diving

[shoturtle]

You can also get your army diving by going to a Ranger Bat. You will have to go through Ranger School, Airborne and Air Assult, these are the schools you will first have to pass before they will consider you for scuba. Then the 1st serg may put you into the Scuba program. If you want to go this route, get into killer sharp and get your mind right. Ranger School is a complete mind game.

Or go the combat engineer route, my be less intense

 

[OldNSalty]

First-have you taken the ASVAB? If not, do so. That will determine what your options are. Find out what the MOS or specialty designation for diver is-someone here can probably tell you (I did many years in service but non as a diver). Get that MOS/designation in the contract.

Know this, and I am not trying to put you down, but statistically speaking you aren't going to make it. Will you be OK being a mechanic or a rifleman for 4 years because that is the gamble you will be taking.

I don't wish to discourage anyone from serving (I am one of those that feel most people should serve their country in one way or another) but have you thought about just going to a commercial dive school? The end result could be the same (getting to do some hard diving).

 

[Adventxplore]

Don't let anyone scare you off from being a military diver. Most recruiters do not trick you or deceive you. Having said that get everything you want in writing because their are always a few bad apples. For the most part a recruiter will be honorable. You can now enlist in the Navy as a diver without needing any other rate. You will go to boot camp then 32 days of dive prep (this course is designed to help make sure you pass dive school) then you will spend 70 days in Panama City,Fl at Navy Diving and Salvage center. Here is a link https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ceneoddive/ndstc/default.cfm?fa=main.home then you will go to the fleet. You may be assign to a salvage unit, an EOD unit or even a SEAL unit handling thier dive operations. The navy dive community is very diverse. You can even train dolphins and sea lions to carry cameras and retrieve objects. Dont be afraid you wont make it. Dive school is 10% physical and 90% mental. You can make it if you want it. It is all up to you. However they expect you to already be in shape so make sure you prepare. Keep in mind if you enlist as a diver and you don't make it through dive school the Navy will reassign you to another rate. You can request a specific rate but it will be the needs of the Navy first so you may not get what you want. Also officers dont do much diving they do more administration so if you want to do alot of diving enlisting is best.

I hope this helps.

p.s. if you dont finish college first and want to go back later, if you enlist the g.i.bill pays over $1300.00 a month for full time students plus you can get tuition assistance. Also you may be eligible for the Navy to reimburse you for tuition you've already paid. And another thing enlistment bonus for a Navy diver is $35,000.00 lump sum when you graduate from dive school and if you reenlist after your first enlitment the bonus is $45,000.00 lump sum. These are just some of the benefits of the military.

 

[TheBigPhillyFish]

Don't let anyone scare you off from being a military diver. Most recruiters do not trick you or deceive you. Having said that get everything you want in writing because their are always a few bad apples. For the most part a recruiter will be honorable. You can now enlist in the Navy as a diver without needing any other rate. You will go to boot camp then 32 days of dive prep (this course is designed to help make sure you pass dive school) then you will spend 70 days in Panama City,Fl at Navy Diving and Salvage center. Here is a link https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ceneoddive/ndstc/default.cfm?fa=main.home then you will go to the fleet. You may be assign to a salvage unit, an EOD unit or even a SEAL unit handling thier dive operations. The navy dive community is very diverse. You can even train dolphins and sea lions to carry cameras and retrieve objects. Dont be afraid you wont make it. Dive school is 10% physical and 90% mental. You can make it if you want it. It is all up to you. However they expect you to already be in shape so make sure you prepare. Keep in mind if you enlist as a diver and you don't make it through dive school the Navy will reassign you to another rate. You can request a specific rate but it will be the needs of the Navy first so you may not get what you want. Also officers dont do much diving they do more administration so if you want to do alot of diving enlisting is best.

I hope this helps.

p.s. if you dont finish college first and want to go back later, if you enlist the g.i.bill pays over $1300.00 a month for full time students plus you can get tuition assistance. Also you may be eligible for the Navy to reimburse you for tuition you've already paid. And another thing enlistment bonus for a Navy diver is $35,000.00 lump sum when you graduate from dive school and if you reenlist after your first enlitment the bonus is $45,000.00 lump sum. These are just some of the benefits of the military.

Kudos ! Dont let anyone scare you or make up your mind for you. Listen I had 9 years active duty in the US Army as a scout. Everyone told me don't do it, its to hard, etc. Do what you want to do, and your terms. I will tell you this, MAKE SURE ITS IN WRITING. I can not stress that enough. Also make sure that if for some reason beyond your control ie medical. And you aren't eliegable for a diving job or diving school, that you have the option to accept an alternate job or administrative seperation.

Another idea, usually recruiters will let you meet personnel who are currently in the job you are searching for. So ask the recruiter to send you to a local base where you can tag around with a navy diver for the day. Then ask him! whats the job like, whats the schooling like, was it hard, what shape do I have to be in, etc. As far as finishing your schooling, finish while active duty on base.

Active Duty has its advantages and its dissadvantages, you need to determine what you think is right for you. Seeing the world, is great, not having to worry about where your living great, but remember the pay isn't all that great. I have known a few navy divers, and all the ones I met, turned out to make a long term career out of there job and the navy. Wouldn't it be nice to retire at 42 years old.

I wish you the best luck!

 

[rmediver2002]

Good point there about people scaring you away from your choice.

Take a second and re-read these posts, within three pages of descriptions of how hard dive school is and what the job of being a military diver entails...



Gary is a former US Navy diver, has completed the training, and can give you accurate data on it. (or at least what it was like using a hand crank compressor)


Just curious how everyone else determined the difficulty of the training and what exactly the job entails.

 

[Gary D.]

Gary is a former US Navy diver, has completed the training, and can give you accurate data on it. (or at least what it was like using a hand crank compressor)

Smart :mooner:

We had both one and two man pumps.

You know if you soaked the bamboo hose long enough it got flexible.

All kidding aside, it was said earlier that dive school is 10% physical and 90% mental. That is a very close to the truth statement. You better want to graduate more than anything else. Don’t think about partying, sports, family, sex or anything else and focus on training. Well, the last one might need some attention.

Depending on the Navy’s need for divers the class could be easier or harder. Easier more graduate, harder less graduate but it all boils down to making you VERY comfortable in the water. In our opening speech they told us the object of the school was to try and make us quit. They did a damn good job at it. You might ask why they had that attitude but when school was over we realized why. If you quit or give up in the water you’re going to more than likely die and screw up what ever operation you were on.

Go into school in good physical condition and with a VERY STRONG OPEN MINDED ATTITUDE willing to learn and get your butt kicked.

One last thing. If you are already a diver KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! As far as they are concerned you have never dove before. Being a diver already is a faster path to flunking training..... They want you to dive their way and there is no room for rec in that program.
Gary D.