Navy Divers

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
21

<p>There are a few things posted that are absolutely wrong about the Navy Diving Community in regards to its officer community.</p>

<p>After selecting SpecOps and going to dive school in Panama City, FL, officers go through initial Deep Sea diving class along with other officers although some may be from the Coast Guard or several different foreign navies, but the initial phase is officers. Officers in this phase of training get about the same bottom time as enlisted. this phase is all AIR diving up to 190' and includes five weeks of SCUBA. Enlisted use to get a bit more welding and officers a bit more supervisory time but both groups get both and enlisted can run the side as well as most officers. Officers have the responsibility although once in the fleet a good master diver or chief will teach you a heck of lot more. </p>

<p>You then get EOD training and hit a fleet assignment. You can come back for phase II of Deep Sea Diving and this is Mixed gas, qualifying you for dives to 300' diving primarily HeO2. After this phase you do a fleet tour and can return and do Saturation Diving and then you do a saturation qual dive. SAT divers are qualied for much deeper dives especially if you can get to SAT command or NEDU. SAT training is the toughest academically but once you reach this stage, your knowledge of diving principles is pretty strong. </p>

<p>Very few SpecOps Officers were SEALS and vice versa. There are a few who cross over but you are better off selecting one or the other. I've only known of two (one enlisted and one USAFA grad (who switched services upon graduation) that actually switched. I served in four commands with SEALS and five iwith divers and those are the only two that I know of so you don't need to be a SEAL to be successful in SpecOps. </p>

<p>SEAL training is much harder than SpecOps training physically speaking. Not even close. If you're in pretty decent shape and can run and swim, Spec Ops and dive school is more fun. That's not to say you won't bust your butt but it's nothing like SEAL training. </p>

<p>After training, officers might not get as much bottom time but if you want to dive, it is usually within your ability and imagination to get dive time. The best command for dive time is a salvage unit or NEDU in Panama City. Lots of interesting work at NEDU. </p>

<p>The best diving job in the Navy was at NOSC Hawaii Lab in Kaneohe Bay with the Marine Mammal Program. I gave up Law school for this job and it was worth every minute.</p>

<p>Naval Officers in SpecOps community can make it to 0-6 (Captain) but it isn't easy as there aren't that many billets. When I was in, there were no Admiral spots. Selection boards may not even have one Spec Ops officer on them but the SEAL officer on it is suppose to watch out for you. Precarious postion. If you want to be an Admiral, you're better off going SEALS, they at least have one, possibly more now, but at least one. Otherwise, pick another field. If you want to dive and enjoy life and have something interesting and rewarding just about everyday, then obviously SEALS and Spec Ops aren't bad choices. </p>

<p>I hope this helps.</p>

22

<p>Please cure my ignorance....</p>

<p>I was told once by a SpecOps/SpecWar (can't remember specifically which) that being an officer in those fields wasn't as much fun as being enlisted because you end up being rotated to shore duty or other non-operational billets, and as such you don't spend as much time doing what you trained to do. Enlisted, OTOH, are (for the most part) much more "full-time" operators.</p>

<p>Is any of that true?</p>

23

<p>That could be true at some shore commands but at others, sometimes you are the operator (NOSC Hawaii Lab). Certainly, the E3-E6 divers rack up more operational dives as the E7-9, Warrants and Officers take on more supervisory roles, but, in many cases it is in what you make it. At NEDU, the command is a shore command, but there is plenty of diving to do and while the E5-E7s do most of the diving, everyone has to pitch in and usually does. Why be a diver if you don't want to dive? I know when the command a series of 8 hour 34 degree dives, the entire command dove from top to bottom. </p>

<p>I can't speak for SEAL commands as I don't have experience at their commands. I've worked with SEALS at my commands and they all (enlisted and officers) dove. But, I'm sure what you state is true in many respects as supervisory planning and execution is put upon the senior enlisted and officers and the younger men and women get to be the operators; however, the opportunities to get "wet" come up and you need to take advantage of them when you can.</p>

24

<p>mvljog ... you chose well, it would seem. And you've offered real insight for the young people headed to USNA, NROTC, OCS and eventually USN. What amazing opportunities. Beats the prestige and opportunity of auditing the local Motel 6 in the outskirts of Milwaukee for PWCoopers. Or clerking for that crotchety Federal judge in Dover, Delaware, writing briefs about the injustice of the local credit card monopolies. And the uniforms are better too. ;) Well done, you lucky guy.</p>

25

<p>Thanks, mvljog. Good to hear from someone directly in the know.</p>

26

<p>Wow that was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks, mvljog</p>

<p>One more question. Did you go to USNA??</p>

27

<p>I graduated from the Boat School and chose Surface Warfare with an option for NFO. When the time came to decide whether or not to go to P-cola or continue on as a SWO, I asked my detailer where I could go overseas (I was stationed in Norfolk, VA at the time). I was offered Gaeta, Italy on the 6th Fleet's command ship...I was on the 2nd Fleet's command ship at the time as part of ship's company which is much different than being part of one of the three embarked staffs. Anyway, while considering my choices, I received and never actually making one, I received orders to a salvage and dive ship out of Hawaii. I kept the orders and never looked back.</p>

28

<p>That's awesome mvljog!!</p>