Question on Certification

[tomfcrist]

Send me a copy of your training qualifications and I'll certify you.

Walter, Does SEI require you to at least verify a divers competence/skill level in confined water before handing out a card?

 

[northen diver]

Walter, Does SEI require you to at least verify a divers competence/skill level in confined water before handing out a card?

From the SEI that Jim Laptena had posted:

SEI policies allow for U.S. Military trained divers to apply for a sport diving certification card through our
agency.
For many years highly trained military divers, after leaving the Armed Services, have found it difficult to buy
air, acquire space on dive boats and otherwise obtain the right and privileges afforded to individuals with
recreational diving certifications. SEI welcomes them to the civilian side of diving.
An administrative fee equal to the cost of processing the individual's card and returning it to them by mail will
be charged. This is the same fee charged to SEI divers who have lost and desire a replacement
certification card.
A military diver desiring a recreational certification card from the SEI must provide a photocopy of a U.S.
Navy or Army Special Forces certificate of training/ U.S. Military dive card, and a check or money order
payable to Å´EI? (Contact the SEI Office for the current fees). The individual must also provide their full
name, date of birth and current address.
SEI views this policy as an administrative service for U.S. Military divers to provide them with the means to
pursue recreational diving without having to duplicate training at significant personal cost through a local
civilian facility.
This decision is in keeping with the SEI tradition of working with the U.S. Armed Services.

This post is a result of a question in another forum. Just for your info and thanks for serving!

 

[tomfcrist]

so all a military diver has to do is go through SEI directly? That would make sense, I would just find it a liability as an instructor signing off someone without personally seeing that they are competent.......but if the agency is doing it on their own administratively it sounds good to me.

 

[Walter]

I would just find it a liability as an instructor signing off someone without personally seeing that they are competent

SEI has very high standards. Military divers are trained to much higher standards than SEI's. Competence isn't an issue.

 

[knotical]

Kudos to SEI.

The only issue I can think of is that SEI is not yet as widely known as some of the older agencies. You might want to bring along some info on SEI.

I was about to suggest you alternatively refer them to SEI's website, but their URL seems broken – at least for me. It keeps sending me to Sinai Divers, not Scuba Educators International.

 

[Tom Smedley]

All agencies have a program for experienced divers. Most would require that you do the written test and the water work. In today's litageous society it would be insane to certify you sight unseen.

I would recognize the Navy card and invite you to take the Scuba Skills Update as an easy way to prove your competency. You could even enroll in an Advanced Open Water course and go from there.

I cringe every time I go to the Caribbean and some 18 year old wants to test my abilities but I just look at it as a game and go forward.

I think that the reason that the boat might have refused you is purely liability prevention. A young lady in Curacao told me I couldn't dive Nitrox because all I had was my Tri-Mix card. Jerry was initially refused at a resort because all he had was his SSI Pro-5000 Card.

 

[idocsteve]

Send me a copy of your training qualifications and I'll certify you.

I cannot tell if this is sarcasm. If I had to guess, I'd say yes.

Edit

After reading subsequent posts I just changed my mind to "No", Walter is not being sarcastic he's really going to certify the guy sight unseen based on his paperwork.

That's very nice

 

[MBD0607]

To all who responded to my question, a Sincere Thank You!
I was able to arranged certification through SEI. To alleviate some fears out there, I mailed copies of all Certs; Current USN Dive Physical; Last 10 dives and last 20 dives (USN and Recreational); along with a break down of total dives in categories (i.e deep, limted viz, cold, surge, boat, shore, SCUBA and MK16); where those dives where; and arranged to have copies of all USN Dives (what we call a "smooth log") available if needed.
I also should have explained that I am still diving for the Navy, and am still within our qualifications.
Thank you again for your help and assistence.

 

[MBD0607]

I apologize for the poor spelling. Late night with a sick child.

 

[Thalassamania]

I'm glad that you'll get your card, I hope the kid's better.