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SAR divers
- Thread starter isc8672
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Yes, the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines (though very few)all have rescue swimmers.
No, officers cannot become rescue swimmers, enlisted only.
There are two types of rescue swimmers that I know of. One is shipboard swimmers, I'm not sure of what type of training or how to get Shipboard RSS (Rescue Swimmer School), the other is Airborne Rescue Swimmers.
Like I said, enlisted only. The first thing that you have to do is enlist in an aviation rating (AW,AT,AE,AD,etc.), Naval Aircrew Candidate School (right across from OCS), and Rescue Swimmer School. You have to pass an aviation flight physical, because you will be part of a flight crew. I went through training 10 yrs ago so the order and requirements are probably quite abit different, but here is a run down. Basic training, Naval Aircrew Candidate School, Rescue Swimmer School, AW "A" school (aviation rating), SERE school (nasty POW training), acoustics training, then the RAG (training squadron), finally the fleet. All of this training took a year and 10 months, with no breaks except for Christmas. ALL rescue swimmers are assigned to helicopter squadrons, and when I was in you had to be a Rescue Swimmer to even be a helicopter crewman.
Obviously, you need to be a strong swimmer to get into the program. The test in was something like 67 push ups, 100 situps, <11:00 run (I think), <12:00 400 meter swim (??). RSS lasted five weeks, included stuff like breaks and releases, buddy tows (400m and 800m), disentangelments (parachute in the water), bay swim, and lots and lots and lots of PT. You also learn advanced first aid proceedures and wound treatment. In order to graduate you have to complete a "multi", which is a multiple person save scenario. I had three people to save and the instructors just loved messing with the students. This is just the basics, once you complete the school you still have to be qualified by your fleet command (basically another test).
This was all a few years ago. The school had a guy drown, almost a year before I went and the school was going through a lot of changes then. I know that they had made quite a few changes the few years after I graduated, so it could be different now.
--WT
No, officers cannot become rescue swimmers, enlisted only.
There are two types of rescue swimmers that I know of. One is shipboard swimmers, I'm not sure of what type of training or how to get Shipboard RSS (Rescue Swimmer School), the other is Airborne Rescue Swimmers.
Like I said, enlisted only. The first thing that you have to do is enlist in an aviation rating (AW,AT,AE,AD,etc.), Naval Aircrew Candidate School (right across from OCS), and Rescue Swimmer School. You have to pass an aviation flight physical, because you will be part of a flight crew. I went through training 10 yrs ago so the order and requirements are probably quite abit different, but here is a run down. Basic training, Naval Aircrew Candidate School, Rescue Swimmer School, AW "A" school (aviation rating), SERE school (nasty POW training), acoustics training, then the RAG (training squadron), finally the fleet. All of this training took a year and 10 months, with no breaks except for Christmas. ALL rescue swimmers are assigned to helicopter squadrons, and when I was in you had to be a Rescue Swimmer to even be a helicopter crewman.
Obviously, you need to be a strong swimmer to get into the program. The test in was something like 67 push ups, 100 situps, <11:00 run (I think), <12:00 400 meter swim (??). RSS lasted five weeks, included stuff like breaks and releases, buddy tows (400m and 800m), disentangelments (parachute in the water), bay swim, and lots and lots and lots of PT. You also learn advanced first aid proceedures and wound treatment. In order to graduate you have to complete a "multi", which is a multiple person save scenario. I had three people to save and the instructors just loved messing with the students. This is just the basics, once you complete the school you still have to be qualified by your fleet command (basically another test).
This was all a few years ago. The school had a guy drown, almost a year before I went and the school was going through a lot of changes then. I know that they had made quite a few changes the few years after I graduated, so it could be different now.
--WT
If you want to learn something about SAR missions you may want to check out www.sarcorpsman.com This is an informattive site, but SAR Corpsman are "dry" crewmembers. The pipeline is basically the same as was listed
by WT. The entry PRT standards are as follows: All students must pass the RSS Physical Fitness screen examination which consists of the following:
400m swim - 11 minutes maximum
1.5 mile run - 12 minutes maximum
50 sit-ups - 2 minutes maximum
42 push-ups 2 minutes maximum
There are also surface rescue swimmers as well, that school is similar to aviation rescue swimmer and is held at NAS Jacksonville, you train to deploy from a RHIB instead of a helo. There is a great video that you can download and view at: https://www.cnet.navy.mil/nascweb/naccs/naccs.htm just click on "View new video." If you have any other questions let me know. HM2(PJ) R.T. Harris
by WT. The entry PRT standards are as follows: All students must pass the RSS Physical Fitness screen examination which consists of the following:
400m swim - 11 minutes maximum
1.5 mile run - 12 minutes maximum
50 sit-ups - 2 minutes maximum
42 push-ups 2 minutes maximum
There are also surface rescue swimmers as well, that school is similar to aviation rescue swimmer and is held at NAS Jacksonville, you train to deploy from a RHIB instead of a helo. There is a great video that you can download and view at: https://www.cnet.navy.mil/nascweb/naccs/naccs.htm just click on "View new video." If you have any other questions let me know. HM2(PJ) R.T. Harris
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