Ask a Naval Aircrewman

[ADbait09]

Originally Posted by Haasino

As an Aviation Rescue Swimmer, your primary duty is serving as a crewman on either an MH-60R or MH-60S helicopter, depending on rate... Romeo crewmen conduct Anti-Submarine Warfare, Counter-Narcotics and Counter-Piracy Operations, Search & Rescue, and limited Naval Special Warfare support operations... Sierra crewmen conduct Vertical Replenishment, Search & Rescue, and limited Naval Special Warfare support operations. Unless assigned to a SAR or CSAR squadron, most AWR's and AWS' spend 99.5% of their careers acting as helo crewmen... with that rare .5% spent doing actual rescues.

Surface Rescue Swimmers retain their normal rates and are called upon in the event someone goes overboard and needs to be rescued... it's an on-call duty similar to VBSS, Snoopy Teams, etc. You will spend your days as an AD... doing normal duties assigned as an AD... and will act as a rescue swimmer if needed. For Surface Rescue Swimmers, I'm not sure if it's a drop-of-the-hat duty, or if you are one of several assigned to occasional "shifts", similar to ASF duties on a shore command.

Sounds like I'll go the surface rescue swimmer route to begin with....how would I go about that. Is that something I start in boot or after I go to A school?

[kforbs126]

Originally Posted by ADbait09

Sounds like I'll go the surface rescue swimmer route to begin with....how would I go about that. Is that something I start in boot or after I go to A school?

Most ships already have their rescue swimmers in place. I've never seen anyone else other than the ships crew be a rescue swimmer. They are a part of the boat crew. But I've only been on small boys. This maybe different for larger decks.

[Haasino]

Originally Posted by ADbait09

Sounds like I'll go the surface rescue swimmer route to begin with....how would I go about that. Is that something I start in boot or after I go to A school?

Originally Posted by kforbs126

Most ships already have their rescue swimmers in place. I've never seen anyone else other than the ships crew be a rescue swimmer. They are a part of the boat crew. But I've only been on small boys. This maybe different for larger decks.

Yeah, I couldn't tell you what the process is for going surface swimmer... other than that the school you'd have to go through is here at NAS Jacksonville.

[kforbs126]

Originally Posted by Haasino

Yeah, I couldn't tell you what the process is for going surface swimmer... other than that the school you'd have to go through is here at NAS Jacksonville.

Surface wise it's just a week or so course. I know every base has one. You have to be a really really good swimmer.

[Haasino]

Originally Posted by kforbs126

Surface wise it's just a week or so course. I know every base has one. You have to be a really really good swimmer.

There's only two Rescue Swimmer Schools that I'm aware of... the 5-week Aviation RSS in Pensacola, and the 4-week Surface RSS here in Jacksonville. Sure you're not thinking of the Water Survival training centers that are located on multiple bases?

[kforbs126]

Originally Posted by Haasino

There's only two Rescue Swimmer Schools that I'm aware of... the 5-week Aviation RSS in Pensacola, and the 4-week Surface RSS here in Jacksonville. Sure you're not thinking of the Water Survival training centers that are located on multiple bases?

If you are talking about rescue swimmers that are ship personnel then that is it, unless they've changed the course recently. They are on ships for man overboard and all small boat ops.

[LT Guppy]

Originally Posted by kforbs126

If you are talking about rescue swimmers that are ship personnel then that is it, unless they've changed the course recently. They are on ships for man overboard and all small boat ops.

As of September, it as still just a week.