on_two_wheels
Contributor
"OW training is pretty basic. Diving with someone else that has a whopping 5 dives (and maybe vague training like your's) is NOT a good dive buddy yet"
Strongly disagree here. The best buddies can be the newest divers if they actually know what a dive buddy is and were trained to be one.
Disagree all you want and while your posts are HIGHLY respected by most (myself incl), you have to take into account the OP. He already acknowledged a lack of proper training for both himself and his training buddy. Perhaps YOUR newly certified divers are capable, many certified divers are not properly prepared. I certainly wasn't and it sounds like the two mentioned by OP weren't either. Until things like pre-dive checks, gear maintenance, gear set up, etc are consistently done well, a mentor is a GREAT idea.
I compare it to motorcycling. Take an MSF (motorcycle safety foundation) course and they'll teach you everything you need to know to ride. Does that mean you should take a passenger and hit the southern california freeways right away? Probably not.