Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers have been called upon in emergency situations such as natural disasters involving heavy flooding or hurricanes in the past. This Manual promulgates a revision of the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Manual. Pass a military entrance medical exam (MEPS). Once stationed at a Coast Guard Air Station, apprentice ASTs must complete 6 months of qualification on their respective airframe before moving on to finish their rescue swimmer syllabus and becoming journeymen. According to the U.S. Coast Guard reports, approximately 350 individuals are currently part of the Coast Guard Rescue Team, or Aviation Survival Technicians. Upon graduation from the brutal two-week course, they will go to the fleet as operational rescue swimmers. Recruits are allowed to receive letters throughout boot camp, and are encouraged to reach out to friends and family while they go through the grueling training. In order to join the Coast Guard reserve, you will need a minimum AFQT score of 40 on the ASVAB. Additionally, recruits need to pass the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) medical exam before they can begin basic training. Average salary (a year) 20,000 Starter to 30,000 Experienced. Consequently, Coast Guard Rescue Swimming training is considered one of the toughest U.S. Military training courses. 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. Women must meet the same physical, endurance, and performance standards as men in order to earn a qualification as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Related Article Coast Guard Jobs List: A List of all 24 Ratings in the Coast Guard. While serving as Helicopter Rescue Swimmers, ASTs may find themselves deployed into a myriad of challenging scenarios ranging from hurricanes and cliff rescues to emergency medical evacuations from ships at sea. Coast Guard basic training only lasts eight weeks yet is very challenging. Today, at what is known as A-School, the days start early with land-based endurance training: sprints, push-ups, rope climbing, endurance jogs, kettle bell training, followed by water-based endurance in the form of 2000-yard laps, 500-yard sprints, swimming with weights, treading water with weights, underwater exertion. Once they are NATOPS certified, and completed with the PQS and boards, they are eligible to wear Naval Aircrew wings. Here are some frequently asked questions. Two women, Kelly Mogk 86 and Jody Vander Hyden 89, were graduates and swimmers following the Navys course in earlier years. You will learn how to perform the crawl stroke, underwater swim and buddy tow properly with this preparatory lifeguard course. But if they do graduate, their training is not over. Looking for U.S. government information and services? The ultimate goal of the Coast Guard's SAR program is to prevent loss of life in every situation where our actions and performance could possibly be brought to bear. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Nick Anderson has been serving on Active Duty in the U.S. Navy for the last 10 years. The coastal defense and maritime law enforcement branch has strict physical fitness standards. There are two FRS's for AWS's. ASTs are knowledgeable about aviation survival equipment and keep it maintained while waiting for emergency responses. 2021 United States Coast Guard. Try This Military Swim Workout to Prepare for Special Ops, Diver or Rescue Swimmer Training. Watch the video of the rescue. The first female Coast Guard rescue swimmer was Kelly Mogk Larson, who joined the Coast Guard in 1984 and later became the first woman to complete Navy Rescue Swimmer School, on May 23, 1986. Not cocky. ASVAB Scores For Air Force Jobs: All 130+ For 2022, How To Choose The Right Military Branch For You, 18 Pros And Cons Of Joining The Coast Guard, medical conditions that are disqualifying, Air Force Nondestructive Inspection: 2A7X2 & 2A732 Career Profile, DPS Military Move: 8 Things You Need To Know, 300+ Military Separation Codes And Their Meanings, Navy Cryptologic Technician Collection (CTR), Army Prime Power Production Specialist (12P MOS). Ask your recruiter about the Annex-X Program if interested in the AST rate! Finally, follow a low-fat nutrition plan to keep your body in peak shape and drink a ton of water. The Basic SAR TECH course is 11 months in duration. The Coast Guard requirements make sure that you are physically and mentally prepared for service. Required fields are marked *. Rescue swimmer is the collateral duty or aircrew position of the AST. The crew departed the air station as a low-pressure storm system battered Southeast Alaska. You have to be able to think and perform challenging tasks while submerged, holding your breath and getting tossed around my 10- to 20-foot waves. Instructors playing victims thrash and wrestle with their rescuers in the water. After seven weeks of EMT training, they must take and pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians-Basic (NREMT-B) test as part of their qualification as a helicopter rescue swimmer. The most-viewed rescue swimming event in the media was a marine rescue done by rescue swimmers during the Webtel.mobi Intercontinental Challenge on November 25, 2009. As the instructors like to say, If you panic, they die. And so, if a candidate loses one of the survivors in training, it almost inevitably means ejection from the program. Upon graduation, candidates must attend seven weeks of training at the Coast Guard Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) School in Petaluma, California. Arguably the most widely recognized team of rescue-swimmer operators, the elite United States Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician (AST)/Helicopter Rescue Swimmer team is called upon to respond in the most extreme rescue situations. But it was too late for the majority of them. They can perform ground handling/servicing of aircraft, conduct routine aircraft inspections, and aviation administrative duties. Romeos also go through a longer 'A' school than Sierras. 4. The Coast Guard refers to military jobs as ratings. The Coast Guard also trains a basic form of life-saving swimmers known as Cutter Surface Swimmers. [citation needed] This school is very similar to the Aviation side but lacks some aspects. . The time before getting recognized as an official member of the unit is long. Matthew Belson/U.S. 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. 1. U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers attracted international attention during the rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, and surrounding areas. In fact, it has the highest failure to complete rate of any military branch (yes, even over the Marine Corps). 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. Eventually, navy swimmers were called in to help. All rights reserved. 1. 200 yards (Rescue swimmers shall use the cross-chest carry or equipment tow.). Therefore, there are positions available in the Coast Guard with the right dedication and discipline. The right preparation can help you make it through the Department of Defense's toughest military swimming and diving courses Copyright 2023 Military.com. The Coast Guard will use this measurement as the basis for all future weight screenings. What can you expect in terms of training and schooling to become an Aviation Survival Technician (AST)/Helicopter Rescue team member? The schooling and training is some of the most demanding you will find in any branch of the U.S. Military. In 1999, along with the realignment of enlisted aviation rates throughout the USCG, the Aviation Survivalman rating was redesignated to Aviation Survival Technician. High seas, medical evacuations, downed aviators, sinking vessels, and hurricanes are some of the deadly scenarios that Coast Guard rescue swimmers are trained to handle. They also continue to train after receiving a position on the specialist team in order to stay sharp on skills already learned, as well as develop new ones. A rescue swimmer from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is hoisted back into an HH-60 Jayhawk after retrieving a rescue training dummy. Like every other US military branch, Coast Guard pay is determined by years of service and your rank within the branch. Upon graduation, Navy rescue swimmers are assigned to their respective A School and have other requirements they need to complete. When you arrive at the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer School in Elizabeth City, N.C., you will be expected to excel in one of the most stressful environments in military training. Minimum of 50 sit-ups in two minutes Minimum of 42 push-ups in two minutes 1.5 mile run in less than 12 minutes 400 meter swim in less than 11 minutes During your time as a SRS, you will be required to pass physical and swimming tests at designated intervals. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Nick enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17. Each branch of the military, including the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Army, have some form of rescue swimmer. All rights reserved. Official websites use .gov The focus is to run shorter and faster runs in the week and a long, slower run at a comfortable pace on the weekend. It is possible to get through your training program with running only a few days a week, but your risk future injury. This page was not helpful because the content, Read the full story by the U.S. Coast Guard, Extreme Rescue: Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Receives DHS Secretarys Award for Valor. 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. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com. If you are interested in joining the USCG, make sure you meet the following qualifications before speaking with a local recruiter. The Coast Guard requires you to take a monthly test, which ensures that youre keeping in the shape they need you in. The first few weeks of boot camp are especially difficult. The training is purposely demanding and intense. Roberts explained that a massive chain of activities are required to safely rescue someone and usually includes support from civilian partners (ambulance drivers, hospital staff, etc.). The U.S. Coast Guard also participates in critical search and rescue missions at sea. At-sea interdictions of pure cocaine are the most effective way for the Coast Guard to limit cartels and other criminal networks from trafficking their entire spectrum of illicit products. Related Article: 18 Pros And Cons Of Joining The Coast Guard. There is no reported waiting list to join the U.S. Coast Guard as a rescue swimmer. 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. For example, a BM (Boatswain's mate (United States Navy)) can apply to attend Surface Rescue Swimmer School. They are trained as combatants and paramedics, operating on air, sea, and land, and are considered, along with Air Force combat controllers, among the most elite of the U.S. military's Special Operations forces. Training is extremely stressful and is designed to identify those candidates who possess the physical and mental skills to handle the rigors of being a helicopter rescue swimmer. Rescue swimmers must have flexibility, strength, endurance, and be able to function for 30 minutes in heavy seas. 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. U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers, also known as Aviation Survival Technicians, do a dangerous but rewarding job: They execute rescue operations at sea, sometimes under very severe conditions. However, the training sessions are still highly controlled and closely monitored. Continued physical fitness training is required. All Rights Reserved, Commercial Aircraft Life Support Equipment Technician. These elite lifesavers are trained to respond and rescue in a plethora of deadly situations a. Along with covering the history and the demanding training rescue swimmers must complete, the specials also feature dramatic on-scene footage of several heroic rescues. The U.S. Coast Guard is extremely physically demanding. 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. Adding even more pressure during training, instructors treat candidates with a drill sergeant style. The Coast Guard physical fitness program is designed to ensure that all Coast Guard members have the strength and stamina to perform their jobs safely and to emphasize lifelong health and fitness. 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. It is obviously far and above the normal lifeguard course; you're not just treading water, you're expected to be able to hold your breath, and perform challenging tasks. Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Many serve in other roles, including as aircrew on fixed-wing assets, at Coast Guard fire departments and as instructors at any of the various training commands. . For this reason, while its not all that hard to meet the basic Coast Guard requirements, surviving boot camp is a whole other matter. It averages to about $18 per hour. All told, Coast Guard, Navy, and merchant vessel crews recovered 24 bodies from the scene of the capsizing. These swimmers are generally recruited from the diver-corps (which has a 6-to-10-week diving course from the Danish Navy Diving School) and receive basic helicopter-crash-survival training. The instructors goal is to ensure that only those with the calmest nerves are dropping into the water. 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