emswillett94
New Member
Hey I heard that the rescue swimming is not a full time job in the Navy that you need to enlist in another field and apply for it once you are in, is this true?
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Navy SAR swimmer
- Thread starter emswillett94
- Start date
There's two types in the Navy:
Surface SAR Swimmer- regular boat dude with a full time job. If someone falls overboard you run and change into a wetsuit, dive in, and pull them out. The training is a month long and you won't be trained to deploy from a helo.
Aviation SAR Swimmer- Pretty sure you have to be in the AW rate to go to this school; so it's still a collateral duty (you don't do SAR full time) but you'll be doing more than a surface guy. AWs also help hunt for subs, deliver supplies to the surface ships, and do a lot of other stuff.
Surface SAR Swimmer- regular boat dude with a full time job. If someone falls overboard you run and change into a wetsuit, dive in, and pull them out. The training is a month long and you won't be trained to deploy from a helo.
Aviation SAR Swimmer- Pretty sure you have to be in the AW rate to go to this school; so it's still a collateral duty (you don't do SAR full time) but you'll be doing more than a surface guy. AWs also help hunt for subs, deliver supplies to the surface ships, and do a lot of other stuff.
I was actually going to be an Aircrew SAR but blew my shoulder out during one of the buddy tows and luckly was able to stay Aircrew. Every enlisted flying job in the Navy requires you to have an alternate job when your not flying. I believe in the past couple of years they changed all the Aircrew rates to some form of an AW ratiing, so I can't speak to which ones you can do or would want to do. I was actually an AT going through SAR. There are typically a bunch of AW's going but you also have AE, AD, AME, etc... What happened with me was I enlisted like most people for SAR and when you get to boot camp you fill out a dream sheet. You had 3 choices and depending on your ASVAB plus the needs of the Navy they would assign you a job typically in one of those three fields. Once again I can't speak for how they do it now but that's how they did it 9 years ago when I went through. The one thing that hasn't changed is that you will need to go through some form of an "A school" to have an alternate job when your not performing SAR or flying. Good Luck if you have anymore questions i.e. training I will try to reply or p.m. me and I will help in anyway possible!
Not a full time job as say, watching a movie featuring jackass Ashton K. Prior to the rate change, both maintenance based rates (non-tactical crewman) and AW's (tactical crewman) performed swimmer duties in addition to your standard rate specifics; non-tac's turn wrenches, tac's do paperwork/training/hunt tail. Your ground job takes one of many collateral duties. In the aircraft, one crewman will be designated the swimmer for that flight. So back in the HS ASW days, a junior AW will be sweating in his wetsuit while preforming the ASW mission, ie dropping the ball, in between cycles around the boat.
Generally on shore, a squadron gets tasked to supply crew/aircraft for "back-up" SAR to the USCG. In this case, you are performing the swimmer duty, as you are on call to launch if needed.
When I did it, I was under contract to complete several schools to be promoted to E4. These included aircrew, rescue swimmer, AW-A(technical school). As long as I graduated all 3 schools, I was promoted and received a small "SAR" bonus. A recruiter can supply the latest info.
If you do decide to pursue this option and want to know how hard your ass will be kicked at Aviation Rescue Swimmer school, just ask.
Generally on shore, a squadron gets tasked to supply crew/aircraft for "back-up" SAR to the USCG. In this case, you are performing the swimmer duty, as you are on call to launch if needed.
When I did it, I was under contract to complete several schools to be promoted to E4. These included aircrew, rescue swimmer, AW-A(technical school). As long as I graduated all 3 schools, I was promoted and received a small "SAR" bonus. A recruiter can supply the latest info.
If you do decide to pursue this option and want to know how hard your ass will be kicked at Aviation Rescue Swimmer school, just ask.
Thus, the shoulder blow out!!!!
Things are a little different now. If you are an aviation swimmer, you will complete AW A-school in addition to SAR school. All helicopter aircrewman are AW's now, even the -53 guys (who are NOT rescue swimmers). After A-school (there is AWS and AWR depending on what platform you will fly) you go to the FRS to fly the -60S(AWS) or the -60R(AWR). If you are in the helicopter, you may be asked to complete all sorts of missions including PAXFER/VERTREP/SAR/CSAR/NSW/VIPFER, etc. When not flying AW's typically work in either OPS, NATOPS, TACTICS, TRAINING, SAR, Paraloft, or Line Shack depending on seniority/qualifications. Being a qualified rescue swimmer is one of the many hats you will wear as you gain mission qualifications in your community.
Fixed it for you
Yes there were Marines going through RSS when I went through, however, there were only about 5 at most and from my understanding pretty difficult to get as a marine.
Thanks Chief...true enough
Yes...and there are only a few. The only ones I know worked the Cherry Point circuit in the Phrog for the Harrier RAG. They do the same job, but even less of it than the Navy.
Or just ask any of the chics that routinely graduate from RSS...