Navy Diving vs. Commercial diving

[NavyGreg]

Here's another option to consider depending on what type of diving work you want to do-
There's an infamous part of the Navy known as the SeaBees. Basically, the equivalent of a construction company for the Marine Corps. We have units that specifically do underwater construction. There's only two teams so competition among those who know about their existence is pretty tough. Do a google search on "Seabee Underwater Construction Team"
Another recommendation is before you talk to a recruiter, try to get an idea of what branch you want to dive with and what type of work you want to do. Try to find a unit that does that type of diving and see if you can contact them. Most of the time, there will be someone within the unit that will be willing to work with you to make sure you can get into the program without the recruiter jacking you around.

Good Luck!

 

[NAM001]

dont mind the nit pick at all, it has been 6 months or so since i went through it with him. i am sure that udt was my name for the new mane. i was more concerned at the time that he got the right info, under what ever name. for the big bonus money he had to do parachute jumps and other stuff in the pipeline. i do know i went into it far enough to make sure he did not enlist for one thing and get stuck with another. the recruiter said that he did his acceptance physical then signed the recruitment for enlistment forms and at that time he would be given his dive school comencement date from navedtra or whoever that is today. the recruiter also could not say how they handled atrites for reasons not fault of enlistee. fo course the recruiter also could not tell us how thier thrift retirement account works either. you would think that career people would know that. any my guy is going in in may, so his email says. he is fininshing up some college first. they were looking at his dm cert and college. motivation issue probably. sl he will be booting it at e3 to start and getting the bonus upon grad of basic dive schoool or something like that. dont know which dive path he finally took but that was his choise.
they may have called the pipeline eod or something.

chief trichan huh....... stsc ss here 1993 ret

just looked it up on the net here
Navy Diver (ND)

they use eod/seal support as thier labeling for it.

either way recruiters have never bee trustwotrthy and prpbably never will. i have never seen so many nam's in one spot than i did nin the recruiters office.

 

[captain]

One thing to consider if going Navy. If you don't get into the diving program or don't get through it you still have the 6 year obligation, you don't just go home.

 

[DCBC]

The Captain makes an excellent point.

 

[NAM001]

you can definately do a lot worse than the navy.

 

[paddler3d]

Former Army here, so I can't help out on the Navy side to much, other than 'Go Army'.

Aside from that serving in the Armed Forces can be a career and for many it is. You get in at 18 and can retire at 38 when you have your 20. Trust, there is a whole other world to work it once you retire. Likely along the way, you can get a lot of your higher education covered! I've got a buddy that is being sent through to get his 2nd masters degree now. He's doing more than 20, but you get the point.

As was pointed out, the way the military tends to work is you enlist and get a 'job'. In the Army it was called a MOS. Only certain MOS's could go to certain schools. For instance, 11B (Infantry Man) is qualified to just about any of the fun schools (Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault, Pathfinder, SF, so on so forth), but a cook is likely not going to be able to go to those fun schools.

When you talk to the recruiter, look at 'Jobs' that are qualified to try out for Navy Diver.

You enlisted for X amount of years, so if you get sent to diver program and fail out, you're going to go back to your old job. You may be able to try again. Depends upon the school.

At Ft. Campbell you'd show up on Wednesday for Air Assault. If you failed out of the class, you'd be back next week. When I was in they had a 60-70% drop out rate! It was atypical for someone to make it first time through.

 

[Sauerkraut]

Coast Guard Diver info - Coast Guard Diving Program

 

[fstbttms]

And let's face it- becomming a commercial diver is a tough row to hoe these days, regardless of where you get your training. Competition is fierce, pay is low to start and this ain't the best economy for construction work of any kind. I may just own a small hull cleaning business, but I get calls and e-mails from hard hat divers looking for work all the time.

 

[RonFrank]

You don't have to join the Military if you want to be a commercial diver. In fact, if your motivation for joining the armed forces to to learn to dive, I would assess the thinking behind that decision, especially if you are not certified.

I would suggest taking a certification through one of the standard agencies (PADI/NAUI/SSI, etc). IF you dive for a bit, and determine you want to become a commercial diver there are many paths to that door.

If you want to join the service for whatever reason, than do that. However IMO do NOT join the Military to learn to dive....

 

[fstbttms]

I would suggest taking a certification through one of the standard agencies (PADI/NAUI/SSI, etc). IF you dive for a bit, and determine you want to become a commercial diver there are many paths to that door.

I think recreational diving has very little in common with commercial diving and is probably not a good indicator of whether or not you are cut out for it. Diving is just how you get to work, it's not the job. The job is welding, construction, demo, rigging, etc. You need those skills before you have any value to anyone as a commercial diver.