Ship's Divers

[30 for 30]

Anyone know the average composition of a ship's dive team?

Is it a full-time role on a ship?

Can officers serve on/lead ship dive teams?

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

You will find ships with between 6-10 members.

Nope only for certain evolutions like Rescue Stations, Boarding Ops and a few others.

Yup..usually a S/LT or a LT(N) commands the team.

 

[childs56]

hey i guys i think this question may be boardering on opsec. i know you can get the info some where else but telling people the size of specialized teams might best be left alone. some people here might say ya right but just remember loose lips shink ships.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Any question might border on OPSEc dude, if you look hard enough...if you tell me how I will address it however I have been in this business long enough to know what I can share and what I cannot share and how to be vague when needed.

 

[Slim]

hey i guys i think this question may be boardering on opsec. i know you can get the info some where else but telling people the size of specialized teams might best be left alone. some people here might say ya right but just remember loose lips shink ships.

Well...You could be right, but I would say that everyone knows how bigthe infantry and armoured are so why not the ships as well...?

 

[MP 811]

we cant sink any of our ships, they've all been tied up for so long, they've fused to the jetties!..................LOL just kidding!

 

[NavyGunner]

Yup..usually a S/LT or a LT(N) commands the team.

No..... a Senior NCM usually commands the team...the subby is just there as a figurehead

 

[Navalsnpr]

Normally a PO or CPO tend to be the leaders when it comes to the ship's diving section. There normally is an Officer designated as the Diving Officer, but at the end of the day, I'd rather have a Diving Supervisor with decades of diving experience rather than an Officer with only a couple of years of Diving experience.

If I were to go overboard in the North Atlantic, I'd rather have experience working to get me out rather than rank. It gets darn cold in these waters in 5 minutes!!

 

[Slim]

If I were to go overboard in the North Atlantic, I'd rather have experience working to get me out rather than rank. It gets darn cold in these waters in 5 minutes!!

My first dive was in the bay of Fundy, March 01 1995 at 0600 hours...dark, cold, wet (of course-Duhh!) and just generally miserable...Believe me when I say that I and everyone else on the course were "all ears" for the old hands who had done this millions of times and knew their business inside out!

Hats off to all divers who must swim in the N Atlantic...I've been there and it generally sucks! And I have yet to dive in a body of water where I can see more than 12 feet!

Slim
(Shuddering at the memory)

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

No..... a Senior NCM usually commands the team...the subby is just there as a figurehead

My point was that they still have a clear cut chain of command and still answer to an officer.

 

[Navalsnpr]

My point was that they still have a clear cut chain of command and still answer to an officer.

Ex-Dragoon, this is true but there will be times that there may not be an qualified Officer onboard with the Diver's Supervisors course; and therefore the Snr NCM who has the Diver's Supervisors course will fill the position of Diving Officer.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Never ran into that as of yet.

 

[big_johnson1]

Just hoping someone out there can fill me in on the ship's diver course held in Esquimalt. I've heard a lot of heresay but I can't seem to get any straight answers out of people.

1. How long is the course? I've been told 6 weeks.

2. I've heard that it's pretty physically intensive, but couldn't get clarification on what that means. How much running and how far (gives me something to train for).

3. How often are courses run?

4. Any other pertinent info on the course would be appreciated (ie would PADI certification help, etc)

Thanks!

 

[Springroll]

Just hoping someone out there can fill me in on the ship's diver course held in Esquimalt. I've heard a lot of heresay but I can't seem to get any straight answers out of people.

1. How long is the course? I've been told 6 weeks.

2. I've heard that it's pretty physically intensive, but couldn't get clarification on what that means. How much running and how far (gives me something to train for).

3. How often are courses run?

4. Any other pertinent info on the course would be appreciated (ie would PADI certification help, etc)

Thanks!

If you can get a hold of a guy out there by the name of A*** P****** he would be able to answer your questions easier since he took it a few years ago. I asked my husband and he doesn't remember. I do recall hearing that it is physically very demanding and mentally the same. A PADI cert will not help, sorry to say. I was told its like comparing apples to oranges.

Good luck  

Hope this helps, even just a little bit





MOd Edit
Not approriate to use someones name in a pulic post. Specialy a service member (OPSEC/PERSEC)
This was brought to the mods attention by a complaint via report post button
Slim, STAFF

 

[Monsoon]

If you can get a hold of a guy out there by the name of A*** P****** he would be able to answer your questions easier since he took it a few years ago. I asked my husband and he doesn't remember. I do recall hearing that it is physically very demanding and mentally the same. A PADI cert will not help, sorry to say. I was told its like comparing apples to oranges.

Possibly you're thinking of the Clearance Diver course - very, very tough; very mentally demanding.  The Ship's Team Diver course is physically demanding, but it doesn't call for much more than being in good cardiovascular shape and being comfortable in the water.  At its worst, it will be mentally demanding in the way that basic training was.  Any prior experience with swimming is an asset, of course.  As for course length, I believe six weeks is correct.  I think the courses are run no more than twice a year.

 

[Springroll]

MOd Edit
Not approriate to use someones name in a pulic post. Specialy a service member (OPSEC/PERSEC)
This was brought to the mods attention by a complaint via report post button
Slim, STAFF


Thank you Slim..
I forgot, and am obviosuly not able to go back and edit it myself.
Thanks again.

 

[kj_gully]

Hi, here's the straight goods, PM me for more info if required/wanted:

6 weeks long.

physically tougher than most Navy courses, by a long shot. To stand a reasonable chance of succeeding, you should be able to run 1.5 miles in under 10 min, do at least 30 pushups (in a row, and by the end of course you will be able to do much more) 30 situps (same goes) chinups.... seem to be falling out of favour, but a solid 8 will definitely help. Your swim test is 6 lengths of the pool any stroke, but then on course you "surface swim" approx 1 km/ day with fins and wetsuit during PT. During course, you will conduct PT every morning, and will progress to running 8-10 km , 50+ pushups, 50+ situps, 8ish chinups,1.5 miles <10 min and the swim in under (often well under) 20 minutes. It is amazing to see how far a person can progress in a relatively short period of time when given the proper motivation, ie the "standby">

courses are run approx 4 times a year, depending on Naval requirement.

IMHO, PADI cert is an asset, as it will at least provide some knowledge of subsea environment. Fear of the unknown fails a lot of candidates. The techniques are definitely different ie, your first dives on course are conducted with heavy lead boots and vest, with no buoyancy compensato. you "plod" along on the bottom, and ascend, descend by climbig on a weighted rope fastened at the surface.
Hope this helps

 

[Navalsnpr]

I know the east coast serials are done in a  dry suit now with the AGA full face mask. I'm not sure about the west coast.

I believe the reason the east coast does all their training in dry suits and full face masks is due to some of the ccontainments found in the harbour.

 

[NavyGuy2006]

I was curious how to be accepted into Ships Diver training if I am MARENGMECH. And how long should I be in posting before asking to be accepted.....

 

[SweetNavyJustice]

This is just my opinion, but I'd wait until you have all your drawings done, and you're fully swept up on your job before taking over extra duties.  From that side of things, I doubt that your dept would let you go until you had everything done. 

Once you are "settled in" to the ship look for the next message for a course and submit a memo through your division to seek their nomination to be loaded on the course. 

The course is a lot of work but an equal amount of fun (if not more fun).  It's not uncommon to see Ordinary Seaman and AB's on the course so time in won't be a factor for you, just getting trade qualified on the ship.

Again, this is just my opinion as I was with the Combat Dept. when I became a ships diver.  Perhaps the Stokers have a different scheme.