Need advice about becoming a Navy Diver

[fjpatrum]

Generally, the time requirements are upon enlistment, not completion of school, but I was not Navy so they may be a little different. With my career field, though, all the Navy people I trained with (joint school) had the same deal... 6 years from time of starting basic training, not 6 years from completion of school. Verify that though. I also found that while 6 years was "encouraged" none of the jobs I looked at required it. They give you extra stripes when you finish basic training (or while in basic training depending upon what service... not sure of Navy) so you get higher pay too, but nothing I looked at required 6 years. Again, just verify that with the recruiter (and the Navy diver you talk to).

As for going to college full time, I highly doubt that unless you're very motivated. Generally speaking, taking 2 or 3 classes at a time is not too difficult and taking classes is generally encouraged these days, especially if it's related to your military career. Taking a full course load is often very difficult to schedule around your military workload though. Not impossible, but very difficult unless you're doing self-paced or online classes. On float there is a higher possibility of doing those types of courses though.

 

[Herk_Man]

I would think taking classes would really only be an option if you were in the Navy Reserves. Not sure if they have any Reserve units that do diving though.

But if this option were available, then you could use the GI Bill to cover the cost of those classes so definitely worth a question with the recruiter.

Just be very careful when you go to the recruiter. They are really nothing more than salesmen. My apologies in advance to any recruiters out there but the truth is what it is. They have quotas and they are under a lot of pressure to put butts in seats. Their goals and yours are most likely going to be very different and the picture they are likely to paint for you is going to be much rosier than the likely possible outcomes.

Not saying the Navy isn't a viable option, just saying you need to be very careful you don't get sucked in by a smooth talker.

 

[seaducer]

Things must have really changed since I have been in. If they have not:

Recruiters cannot guarantee you a damned thing,regardless of what paper they put in front of you. What they do is get the processing started, get you interested in a job, and send you to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station), I believe the name for that has been changed. At any rate, MEPS is where you will get your physical, drug test, and where you will meet with an enlistment counselour, who will then draw up your contract, and all that it entails.

Time, 1st duty station, MOS (rate), GI Bill, all that will be done by someone other than your recruiter.

Just throwing that out there, your recruiter is a source of (biased) information, do not make any decisions based on what they tell you. And you are not under any obligation, even at MEPS, until you sign the papers.

Good luck

 

[Herk_Man]

Ya, seaducer, I hope I didn't give that impression. But while they cannot give any guarantees, they can be very persuasive by presenting "possibilities" as being more close to certainty than is actually true. As in all things, there are good recruiters and there are "good recruiters."

Any time your performance rating in a job is based on a quota, in this case number or new recruits, the potential for pressure sales and bent truths exists. Just the nature of the beast.

 

[seaducer]

Ya, seaducer, I hope I didn't give that impression. But while they cannot give any guarantees, they can be very persuasive by presenting "possibilities" as being more close to certainty than is actually true. As in all things, there are good recruiters and there are "good recruiters."

Any time your performance rating in a job is based on a quota, in this case number or new recruits, the potential for pressure sales and bent truths exists. Just the nature of the beast.

Not at all, it is just everyone was saying "recruiter", and if the OP goes into a recruitment office with demands he will be disappointed, he needs to save those for the actual job counselor in the MEPS (or whatever it is now) office.

I agree with the assesment you make about recruiters. I wonder how many develop whiplash from always looking over there shoulders for PO'd enlistees

 

[terrydive1]

I would think taking classes would really only be an option if you were in the Navy Reserves. Not sure if they have any Reserve units that do diving though.

There are two EOD support units, one on each coast. If you are considering the reserve diver route, feel free to PM me.

 

[Herk_Man]

I would think taking classes would really only be an option if you were in the Navy Reserves. Not sure if they have any Reserve units that do diving though.

There are two EOD support units, one on each coast. If you are considering the reserve diver route, feel free to PM me.

Bud, this is really your best bet here. As a former active duty guy, and former national guard guy, and now a reservist, I have the unique capability to see things from all 3 angles.

If you can get in one of these EOD units you will be guaranteed of diving in your military career, getting paid while doing it, and getting to go to school on the govt dime to complete the rest of what you need for your commercial diving goals. And the cool thing is, you'll have a heck of a resume and you don't have to quit your military activities when your dream job comes calling.

Good luck!

 

[fjpatrum]

Just for the record, if you do get into dive school and enlist, you won't need the GI Bill while on active duty. Save that for after you get out. While on active duty you use a different program (the one we had in the AF paid 75% of costs of classes taken while on active duty). The reserve option is a great suggestion, though. That way you get the "best of both worlds" so to speak.

Seaducer, I believe you are correct. Where I joined, the recruiter and the MEPs processing people happened to be the same person doing two functions (not sure how that worked out) but generally they are different people. It's an important detail to correct, thanks.

 

[wilderydude83]

Whatever you do, don't tell anyone at NDSTC that you wen't to commercial dive school. My friend let that one slip and they and the second he made one dive mistake they never stopped messing with him.

Anyways, you can joing the diver challenge in bootcamp and start training there if your asvab score is meets the requirments. If your score does NOT meet the requirements then you'll have be in the regular navy for a while and submit a waiver. A little word of advice, go to hospital corps school THEN dive school (only if you're interested in medicine) because when i was there they were hurting for DMT's.

message me if you have any questions regarding dive school. I never made it all the way through but i was there for a long time for medical reasons.

R

 

[fjpatrum]

I'd be very cautious about going into any medical field if you want to then get into dive school. No offense to Robibler, but often medical fields are very "in demand" and as such it is often very difficult to "crosstrain" into another field, even when you will be using both skills.