Insight from US military divers

[Powertrip]

Last question for a bit

Would a first class Diver have any training on atmospheric dive suits or would that be master diver?

 

[Akimbo]

Last question for a bit

Would a first class Diver have any training on atmospheric dive suits or would that be master diver?

Neither. That would be a specialty like the Mk16 rebreather or saturation diving with First Class Diver as a prerequisite. I'm not even sure the Navy as an operational Newtsuit anymore.

 

[Akimbo]

Here is the training schedule as of a few years ago:

US Navy Diver Training Schedule:

• Scuba, 25 training days
• Second Class Diver, 89 training days
• First Class Diver, 65 training days

Master Diver is not a school, it is an evaluation. There were 1-2 Master Diver candidates when I was in First Class School. They would be on deck with the class and the other MDs would throw scenarios at them to see how the react and problem solve. I'm not sure if they throw written tests at them or not. Master Divers rarely get in the water.

 

[Scraps]

@Powertrip,

I respect your efforts to achieve accuracy.

Loved the new Top Gun movie but the implausible ribbon racks, especially on the flag officers, were a distraction. Cannot read Jack Reacher novels because everything pertaining to promotions, discipline, military culture, and anything else personnel-related is impossibly wrong.

Your protagonist can have another rating and still be a Navy Diver. My son was an ETN1 (SS/DV) at the end of his 6-year enlistment 3 years ago. For the civilians out there, the ET means he was an electronics technician, the N means he’s a graduate of the nuclear training program, the 1 means he was a first class petty officer (E-6), the SS means he was submarine warfare qualified, and the DV means he was a Navy diver—one who left submarines while they were submerged. He used a Conshelf XIV.

I can’t talk technical details about Navy diving, but if you want a quick read from an editor who knows military personnel policy, let me know.

Best wishes,

 

[Akimbo]

My son was an ETN1 (SS/DV) at the end of his 6-year enlistment 3 years ago.

I also had the "(DV)" secondary rating with a primary enlisted rating in aviation electronics in the 1970s. That changed in the 1990s when the ND (Navy Diver) rating was created. I suppose the story could take place earlier but it might be confusing for modern audiences that only know what Google tells them. It gets confusing because you can be a qualified diver in the Navy but not have the Navy Diver rating today,

I do not know if they still use the "(DV)" designation for a secondary rating or not. For example, the primary HM rating for Corpsman (medics) can qualify as Diving Medical Technicians. I understand that all Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technicians are rated for Scuba today, mostly open but some closed-circuit. Only a selected group of EODs were Scuba qualified when I was on active duty. Seabees can also have a diving secondary rating.

Today's enlisted SEALs have the SO (Special Operator) primary rating and are qualified in open and closed circuit Scuba, but never had the (DV) secondary rating or were called "Navy Divers". But of course they are divers and in the Navy. All this word salad is what you get with over a century of evolution. In the end, diving is just a mode of transportation to a jobsite.

Maybe @ND5342 can bring me up to date?

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I was gonna let it go as it's not directly relevant here, LoL. Even with advisers they still screw up. They best in the last decade has been John Wick and if you look super hard you can find one or two mistakes.

John Wick was realistic?! That’s hilarious!

 

[TravelGas]

Having worked in the film industry since 1993, I can say that yes, technical advisors are sometimes on set, (or are involved at some point), but as any anxious-to-get-the-shot first AD or director will say, "this is a movie, not a documentary!"

I agree with Gene. I am listed in the credits for 2/3 US/NY filmed John Wick movies.
There are also wide variations in the skill and knowledge levels of the Tech Advisors and the degree to which they are permitted to give their input to Production and have those ideas implemented into the film.

 

[Wookie]

I work with the MARMC divers extensively. They use a KM37. I deal with Seward Services quarterly as they clean my ship hull. They dive personal hats, I’ve only seen KM37. The only times I dealt with a MDSU they were in bump cap and snorkel (Haiti) or the same OC gear the rest of us wear, I think using a ScubaPro regulator (Key West). I’ve taken a ton of Navy Divers offshore in the afore described doubles with a center isolation valve and single post. I don’t know what unit they were from, the trips were usually classified.