The Coast Guard also trains a basic form of life-saving swimmers known as Cutter Surface Swimmers. The Marine Corps piloted a mindfulness program in 2013, intended to address rising suicide rates among Marines and instances Get the scoop on discounts, pay, benefits, and our latest award-winning content. AST2 Grant Roberts, a rescue swimmer with the Coast Guard Air Station Sitkas MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and three of his fellow crewmembers Lt. Justin Neal, Lt. Jonathan Orthman, and AET2 James Schwader received the DHS Secretarys award for Valor for their heroic actions while rescuing a 70-year-old fishing vessel owner and operator from stormy seas in 70 mph headwinds and zero visibility over the water and at the shoreline. While he never actually served in the US Military, he has a passion for writing about military related topics. Initially met with significant resistance throughout the USCG, the AST has become a durable and required part of Coast Guard rotary wing operations. While they are going through the swimming and classroom phase of their training, candidates also must attend classes to learn about the aircraft they will serve on. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. [4][5][6] In May 2013, Karen Voorhees was the first woman to be advanced to chief petty officer in the rating of aviation survival technician since women were integrated into Coast Guard active duty service in 1973. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. You can make the transition to the Coast Guard easier by exercising regularly, practicing your swimming skills, and eating healthy. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Standards for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers The required monthly physical training fitness regimen includes a 12-minute crawl swim of 500 yards or longer, a 25-yard underwater swim, and a 200-yard buddy tow. 1. In fact, it has the highest failure to complete rate of any military branch (yes, even over the Marine Corps). Here Are the Fitness Standards to Become a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer, Ask Stew: How to Apply a Never-Quit Mindset When Joining the Military. DISCLAIMER: This guidance is not a substitute for applicable legal requirements, nor is it itself a legal rule. The U.S. Coast Guard is not the only branch of the U.S. Military that has its own rescue swimmers. However, 17-year-old recruits will require parental consent Women must meet the same physical, endurance, and performance standards as men in order to earn a qualification as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. They are highly trained and relentlessly conditioned field operatives. If you would like to join the Coast Guard, youll need to meet (and preferably exceed) the physical fitness requirements. In 1983, the disaster of the SSMarine Electric spawned a Congressional Inquiry that found the USCG was the only military service unable to deploy a member from an aircraft for search, rescue and recovery, and initiated a legal requirement for the armed force to do so. In addition to its responsibilities to the U.S. Armed Forces, the Coast Guard also provides maritime law enforcement. Average salary (a year) 20,000 Starter to 30,000 Experienced. What was more challenging than the sea state was the night conditions and water current, said Roberts, a Utah native who has served in the Coast Guard for eight years. I had completely lost sight of him when I got in the water.. A third standby rescue swimmer was John Brokaar, also a former special operator from Special Forces. He said theres no way he could have gotten down in the water and to the survivor without all of the crew members doing their parts to safely navigate through the challenging weather and darkness of the night. The focus is to run shorter and faster runs in the week and a long, slower run at a comfortable pace on the weekend. The U.S. Coast Guard also participates in critical search and rescue missions at sea. There, students learn the challenges of vertical-surface rescue, cliff operations, sea-cave traversing, and extreme-high-seas rescue. A Surface Rescue Swimmer is typically attached to a United States Naval Vessel and serves as their SAR asset. The station is host to Air Force pararescuemen, which provides candidates the opportunity to interact with pararescuemen as well as Navy rescue swimmers. To qualify for Rescue Swimmer Training, both men and women must: Rest 10 minutes Perform at least 42 push-ups in 2 minutes, Rest 2 minutes Perform at least 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes, Rest 2 minutes Perform at least 4 pull-ups in 2 minutes, Rest 10 minutes Run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes or less. For this reason, while its not all that hard to meet the basic Coast Guard requirements, surviving boot camp is a whole other matter. The Japanese film series Umizaru depicts the development of the main character, a coast guard officer, as a rescue swimmer. To qualify for Rescue Swimmer Training, both men and women must: * Meet specific eyesight requirements: uncorrected vision no worse than 20/100; correctable to 20/20 in both eyes with normal depth and color perception * Meet the minimum Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) score: VE+AR+MK+MC=210 or . Operation Military Kids was founded to be a resource for teens and young adults who are interested in joining the military, but don't know where to begin. Secondly, youll need to pass a medical screening at MEPS. ASTs may serve at large or small Air Stations servicing HC-130J (Hercules), HC-27 (Spartan), HC-144 (Ocean Sentry), HH-60T (Jayhawk), and MH-65D (Dolphin) aircraft. 33.0 (150) I - Buoyant Foam or Kapok. The good news is that the Coast Guard gives you time to train physically for service. ASVAB Scores For Air Force Jobs: All 130+ For 2022, How To Choose The Right Military Branch For You, Coast Guard Jobs List: A List of all 24 Ratings in the Coast Guard, Air Force Nondestructive Inspection: 2A7X2 & 2A732 Career Profile, DPS Military Move: 8 Things You Need To Know, 300+ Military Separation Codes And Their Meanings, The preparation and maintenance of emergency flotation devices (fancy word for rafts), Storage and handling of aviation ordnance and pyrotechnic devices, Be in superior physical shape with no chronic orthopedic problems, Have a high level of mental acuity and military bearing, High degree of confidence in, around, and below water (goes without saying! Equally important to their role as Helicopter Rescue Swimmers, ASTs are trained to inspect, service, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair: cargo aerial delivery systems, drag parachute systems, aircraft oxygen systems, helicopter emergency flotation systems, portable dewatering pumps, air/sea rescue kits, and special-purpose protective clothing. Copyright 2023 www.OperationMilitaryKids.org. Each crewman must be a master of their weapons and be able to perform under pressure in order to complete their respective missions. They are also known as "Romeos" and "Sierras" in their community. Verify your free subscription by following the instructions in the email sent to: Here is a workout I like to do to check progress, or lack thereof, in a variety of running styles and benchmark distances. Each branch of the military, including the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Army, have some form of rescue swimmer. AHRS is considered the premier helicopter-rescue training school of its kind by most military and civilian rescue operators.[3]. The Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Manual, COMDTINST M3710.4C, is canceled. in Accounting and is a graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, pursuing an M.B.A. in Finance. 22.0 (100) II - Inflatable. Finally, before graduating, candidates are required to pass a test involving multiple rescue scenarios. Rescue swimmer is a designation given to rescue specialists, most commonly in the service of the military. Consequently, Coast Guard Rescue Swimming training is considered one of the toughest U.S. Military training courses. 2021 United States Coast Guard. The specialists have advanced through incredibly difficult training and testing in order to achieve the rank of an Aviation Survival Technician (AST)/Helicopter Rescue team member. Therefore, its crucial to study hard for the ASVAB and give it your maximum attention. Related Article Coast Guard Jobs List: A List of all 24 Ratings in the Coast Guard. Pass a military entrance medical exam (MEPS). On the day of the rehearsal, the rough-sea state and high winds forced Sterzel and Eloff to exit into the North Atlantic Ocean from the skid of a Bell helicopter at a height of over 40 feet, which causes significant water-entry shock on entry. 200 yards (Rescue swimmers shall use the cross-chest carry or equipment tow.). As the service's website notes, they're key members in helicopter crews that rescue people from the most precarious of situations "off cliff faces and rooftops, ice flows and glaciers, and from crashing surf and ocean caves." Aviation Survival Technician (AST) is a rating or job specialty in the United States Coast Guard. Most often, they are referred to as Search and rescue swimmers (or SARs), and their primary goal is to rescue downed aviators. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com. The rescue took place in extremely dangerous conditions in the North Atlantic, with the downed pilot being located in less than 15 minutes after his ditched entry into the ocean, in an area where the average time for locating a person in the water is four hours. Schooling for an opportunity as one of the team members lasts 24 weeks. Find out what the Coast Guard requirements are for height & weight, age, physical fitness, test scores, and more. Trainees are introduced to extreme water drills and classroom instruction. In fact, the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force also have their own rescue teams. The program was born out of a 1984 tragedy when the cargo ship Marine Electric, en route from Virginia to Massachusetts sank, in a February storm with 34 crew members on board. The first female U.S. Navy rescue swimmer was HMC Catherine Elliott (Rizzo). or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. > Flying Into the Storm: The True Story of a Harrowing Ocean Rescue, > Welcome to the Coast Guard's Flamingo-Ridden Bahamian Base. Meet the minimum Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) score: VE+AR+MK+MC=210 or VE+AR+MK+AS=210. A high degree of confidence in, around, and underneath the water is required. Upon graduation from the brutal two-week course, they will go to the fleet as operational rescue swimmers. This Manual promulgates a revision of the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Manual. Once they are NATOPS certified, and completed with the PQS and boards, they are eligible to wear Naval Aircrew wings. While Katrina brought domestic and international news coverage to Coast Guard rescue swimmers and their crews, their story was first shown on television in a series of 1999 specials on Discovery Channel, Coast Guard: Rescue Swimmers and Coast Guard: Helicopters to the Rescue. The Coast Guard requires you to take a monthly test, which ensures that youre keeping in the shape they need you in. An approximate 75-100 attend training for the team each year and some progress to become specialists of the unit. It is a risky and challenging job, yet also comes with the opportunity to save lives. All Rights Reserved. The U.S. Coast Guard is one of eight uniformed services. When training is complete, they will become part of a four-member helicopter crew, with on-board duties running the search cameras and some of the radio equipmentthat is, when theyre not deployed by the aircraft to search and swim and rescue. Any medical conditions that are disqualifying require a waiver to progress to boot camp. Moreover, the U.S. Coast Guard has a good benefits package which includes health insurance and financial aid for continuing your education. The U.S. Coast Guards Rescue Swimmers are considered to be one of the top rescue specialist units in the world. The attrition rate in some years has been as high as 85%, although the 10-year average is just over 73%. This was reportedly more than the Coast Guard had rescued worldwide in over 50 years. The standard fitness tests in the military are basically health and wellness tests. Therefore, the more years you serve and the higher in rank the higher the pay. Not cocky. Candidates are expected to undergo intense training so they are prepared to handle dangerous, high-risk rescue missions. However, the training sessions are still highly controlled and closely monitored. Those are in addition to performing push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, just like other military fitness tests. Lets explore the world of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer below, Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers Vs. Air Force Pararescue. Required fields are marked *. Once Navy rescue swimmers have graduated 'A' School, they will go on to their respective Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS). But it's not the standard EMT training; it's for rescues to be conducted in the open seas under extreme conditions. The rescue swimmers for this emergency were Stuart Sterzel and Garth Eloff, both former special operators from Special Forces. The attrition rate in some years reportedly was as high as 80 percent, though over a ten year average has been much lower approximately 54 percent. The training is purposely demanding and intense. The PJs are often sought out for use by other branches of the military because of their high-quality training and versatility. Wayfair Huge Deal-A-Thon - Up to 60% off everything! AST2 Grant Roberts, a rescue swimmer with the Coast Guard Air Station Sitka's MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and three of his fellow crewmembers - Lt. Justin Neal, Lt. Jonathan Orthman, and AET2 James Schwader - received the DHS Secretary's award for Valor for their heroic actions while rescuing a 70-year-old fishing vessel owner and operator from stormy seas in 70 mph headwinds and zero visibility over the water and at the shoreline. But if they do graduate, their training is not over. The course is 24 weeks long. To qualify for this role, the roughly 75 candidates a year must make it through an 18-week training program at the swimmer school in Elizabeth City, North Carolinaa place where the graduation rate hovers at 50 percent. The instructors goal is to ensure that only those with the calmest nerves are dropping into the water. The four-month-long course, which, despite its name, has nothing to do with the Air Force, helps prepare candidates for the grueling rescue swimmer course. The U.S. Coast Guard requires you to meet these minimum physical fitness requirements before you graduate boot camp: And these physical fitness requirements are for females: The Coast Guard has demanding physical fitness requirements because of the degree of difficulty being in dangerous waters. If you have been motivated by the heroics played live on your television set or movie screens to think about becoming aCoast Guard Rescue Swimmer, be prepared. All Rights Reserved, Commercial Aircraft Life Support Equipment Technician. Roberts attributes the immersion suit the gentleman was wearing as the reason he had not become hypothermic yet. Do you have more questions about joining the U.S. Coast Guard as an Aviation Survival Technicians (AST)/Helicopter Rescue Swimmer? Life and death role-playing is a constant. Looking for U.S. government information and services? The right preparation can help you make it through the Department of Defense's toughest military swimming and diving courses Copyright 2023 Military.com. Right in your inbox. Though ASTs experience some of the most demanding schooling and training of any known U.S. Military unit, there are no reported deaths during training. This is what makes a Rescue Swimmer a part of the Special Operations force of the United States Navy. The coastal defense and maritime law enforcement branch has strict physical fitness standards. Although, to be considered "fully qualified", they will have to complete the Level II & III syllabus which can take another demanding 24 months. This school is very similar to the Aviation side but lacks some aspects. In 2019, the Amazon Prime reboot of Jack Ryan featured a helicopter rescue swimmer in the pilot episode. Once located, he was extracted from the water in a flawless marine rescue. HSC-2 located in Norfolk, VA or HSC-3 located in San Diego, CA. In fact, Rescue Swimmer School boasts more than a 50% attrition rate, so it is crucial for you to score high on your physical fitness test (PFT) but, more importantly, be confident in the water. Swiss pilot Yves Rossy, the person who had accepted the Webtel.mobi Intercontinental Challenge, had to ditch into the North Atlantic Ocean midway through the 30-mile flight from Morocco to Spain after his wing was destabilized by a large cumulonimbus cloud. U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers attracted international attention during the rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, and surrounding areas. To their respective fleet Replacement Squadron ( FRS ) they will go to the.gov website the PJs often. 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