coast guard rescue swimmer age limit

There's a lot of range in that salary, though, depending on your rank. DISCLAIMER: This guidance is not a substitute for applicable legal requirements, nor is it itself a legal rule. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 500-meter full gear swim, followed by a 400-meter buddy tow in 26 minutes or less, 400 meter swim in 11 min (Free style, Side Stroke, or Breast Stroke), This page was last edited on 6 October 2022, at 06:03. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. It helps gauge how candidates can do under very stressful circumstances. For example, a BM (Boatswain's mate (United States Navy)) can apply to attend Surface Rescue Swimmer School. 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. Watch the video of the rescue. AHRS is considered the premier helicopter-rescue training school of its kind by most military and civilian rescue operators.[3]. There are nearly 41,000 active-duty members of the Coast Guard and an additional 7,000 Reservists. [2] Prospective U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers are physically conditioned to meet high physical fitness standards. 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. In the anime television series Yomigaeru Sora Rescue Wings , the main character is a rescue helicopter pilot, but rescue swimmers also appear as regular members in each episode. Continued physical fitness training is required. He currently resides in Meridian, Mississippi. Meet the minimum Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) score: VE+AR+MK+MC=210 or VE+AR+MK+AS=210. From innovations in unmanned aircraft to the age-old rescue swimmer program, this division of 711 is responsible for some of the most unique aspects of Coast Guard aviation. After completion of A-School, all ASTs are sent to Training Center Petaluma, California to attend the Coast Guard's Emergency Medical Technician school. U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers make about $38,000 per year, which averages out to around $18 per hour. Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Nick enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17. 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 . Rescue swimmers usually are charged with the rescue, assessment, and rendering of medical aid to persons in distress in the sea, on the land, or in the air. However, while its not extremely common, its worth speaking to a recruiter if you would like to discuss different contract terms. 2021 United States Coast Guard. Consequently, youll need to get in excellent shape and excel swimming and wading in water. If they pass, then their collateral duty is to be the Swimmer for their respective vessel. PJs are an elite special operations component, engaging in combat search and rescue. 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. The RS must also possess Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) skills in order to provide basic pre-hospital life support for the rescued individual(s). It prescribes policy, standards, instructions and capabilities pertinent to all phases of Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer operations and is intended for use by operational commanders, unit commanding officers, and aircrews tasked with rescue swimmer Pass a military entrance medical exam (MEPS). I thought I was going to die out here.. In addition, the RS shall have the survival training, knowledge, understanding, and experience to survive at sea or on land if left onscene for greater than 24 hours. Try This Military Swim Workout to Prepare for Special Ops, Diver or Rescue Swimmer Training. Each crewman must be a master of their weapons and be able to perform under pressure in order to complete their respective missions. Coast Guard requirements are necessary to make sure that new recruits are ready for service. The course is 24 weeks long. The coastal defense and maritime law enforcement branch has strict physical fitness standards. To become a Surface Rescue Swimmer you must be able to perform physically. Every AST candidate now receives an AST mentor to help guide them through the whole process and answer any questions they may have. The other name for this brave group of men and women is "aviation survival technicians". They are also expected to know various in-flight procedures, such as hoist-operating procedures and in-flight trouble-shooting. Even though the choppers had arrived in time to rescue plenty of the men, 31 died. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the most common contract consists of four years of active duty and four years in the inactive Reserve component. A third standby rescue swimmer was John Brokaar, also a former special operator from Special Forces. The Coast Guard basic requirements allow the coastal defense and maritime branch to make sure you are fit for service: *NOTE: Coast Guard Reservists may enlist between the ages of 17-40. Average salary (a year) 20,000 Starter to 30,000 Experienced. The attrition rate in some years has been as high as 85%, although the 10-year average is just over 73%. Related Article: 18 Pros And Cons Of Joining The Coast Guard. In Japan, air-sea rescue operations are mainly conducted by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). They qualify on the M-240, GAU-21, M4, and M11. Which rating a rescue swimmer attains depends on what type of helicopter they are to become qualified in. A prospective Coast Guard rescue swimmer takes off his fins after swimming laps with a 10-pound weight at the Aviation Technical Training Center on Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Dec. 18, 2019. Candidates are expected to undergo intense training so they are prepared to handle dangerous, high-risk rescue missions. According to CareerBliss, U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers make about $38,000 per year. The team is currently composed of approximately 350 active-duty members. Trainees are introduced to extreme water drills and classroom instruction. Lets explore the world of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer below, Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers Vs. Air Force Pararescue. These rescue swimmers have to be fully qualified as helicopter technicians before they start a 4-week course at the Danish Frogman Corps, followed by a 2-week first aid/PHTLS course. 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. Full qualification as a rescue swimmer can take up to a year from graduation of A-School, as graduates must learn the aircraft systems and emergency procedures of their assigned aircraft. 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. According to the course syllabus, rescue swimmers need to demonstrate advanced strength, flexibility, and endurance. This was attributed to their previous training and experience. 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. In 1999, along with the realignment of enlisted aviation rates throughout the USCG, the Aviation Survivalman rating was redesignated to Aviation Survival Technician. 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. Officers can make $85,000 to around $100,000 a year . Each branch of the military, including the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Army, have some form of rescue swimmer. Upon graduation, Navy rescue swimmers are assigned to their respective A School and have other requirements they need to complete. Official websites use .gov This is what makes a Rescue Swimmer a part of the Special Operations force of the United States Navy. Coast Guard rescue swimmers from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City train off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. In addition to the basic requirements of simply getting in to the Coast Guard, you also need to meet the following qualifications: Once you pass that hurdle, the real fun begins. Rod Powers was a retired Air Force First Sergeant with 22 years of active duty service. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers represent one of the most thrilling and challenging roles in the U.S. Coast Guard. 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. According to the course syllabus, rescue swimmers must have flexibility, strength, endurance and be able to function for 30 minutes in heavy seas. This is where the wannabe rescuers learn techniques in staying calm and subduing frightened, drowning people who need their help. Therefore, the more years you serve and the higher in rank the higher the pay. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers attend a one-week Advanced Helicopter Rescue School (AHRS) at Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Washington. [citation needed], U.S. Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation, Learn how and when to remove this template message, United States Navy SEAL selection and training, Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue, The entire list of graduates can be found here, https://www.uscg.mil/Portals/0/OurOrganization/auxiliary/awards/PUC_citation0506.pdf?ver=2017-10-01-082256-360, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rescue_swimmer&oldid=1114378989, Wikipedia articles that are excessively detailed from August 2022, All articles that are excessively detailed, Wikipedia articles with style issues from August 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2021, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 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 VE+AR+MK+AS=210, Must be a U.S. citizen and eligible for security clearance, 50 yard 50-pound dumbbell carry with 2 1-foot obstacle. 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. The 2006 movie The Guardian featured Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher as well as a number of actual ASTs and Coast Guardsmen as extras, and told a fictional story of two rescue swimmers. Visit the Recognizing DHS Excellence page for more stories about this years awardees. Out of the 75 - 100 Coast Guard personnel that attend training, only around 40 - 50 will graduate and become rescue swimmers. 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. 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. 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. Click Here to learn more about the Coast Guard PT test standards. It is possible to get through your training program with running only a few days a week, but your risk future injury. In fact, it has the highest failure to complete rate of any military branch (yes, even over the Marine Corps). They must also be able to function for 30 minutes in heavy seas. Additionally, the USCG has over 8,500 full-time civilian employees and 7,000 Reservists. This can be everything from rescuing people from a boat in the middle of a hurricane, to assisting with medical evacuations far out at sea. This was reportedly more than the Coast Guard had rescued worldwide in over 50 years. They also serve a variety of other purposes that are not nearly as romanticized, including: Becoming a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer is considered by many one of the hardest things one can do in the US military. All rights reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) The rescue swimmer training program has a high student attrition rate averaging in the 80% range, similar to many special operations forces selection courses. What can you expect in terms of training and schooling to become an Aviation Survival Technician (AST)/Helicopter Rescue team member? The United States Coast Guard (USCG) acts as the coastal defense and maritime law enforcement branch of the Armed Forces. Required fields are marked *. 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