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. The schooling and training is some of the most demanding you will find in any branch of the U.S. Military. But it was too late for the majority of them. 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. Matthew Belson/U.S. 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. USCG boot camp is physically and mentally demanding. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. 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. Maximizing detection of smuggling vessels in the WHTZ will bolster Coast Guard interdiction efforts. 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. Its the purpose enshrined in their motto: So others may live. For the sake of future victims as well as the swimmers own good, only the most prepared are allowed to do the job. Therefore, its crucial to study hard for the ASVAB and give it your maximum attention. 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. in Pounds (Newtons) I - Inflatable. Further responsibilities include the storage and handling of aviation ordnance and pyrotechnic devices. U.S. Air Force Rescue Swimmers are known as pararescuemen. Those are in addition to performingpush-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, just like other military fitness tests. The U.S. Coast Guard also participates in critical search and rescue missions at sea. Rescue swimmers must have flexibility, strength, endurance, and be able to function for 30 minutes in heavy seas. These rescue swimmers are trained by either the Danish national guard or Danish Maritime Safety Administration (Danish: Farvandsvsnet). The U.S. Coast Guard pays well for your services. This highly specialized position is extremely challenging. Initially, all new ASMs were required to complete US Navy Helicopter Rescue Swimmer school at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, prior to reporting to USCG ASM "A" School and EMT "C" School. Stuart Sterzel was also the CEO of Webtel.mobi, the company staging the event. Officers earn more than enlisted members if you want to work toward that type of promotion. An approximate 75-100 attend training for the team each year and some progress to become specialists of the unit. They are expected to be able to function swimming in heavy seas for up to 30 minutes at a time, and provide first aid, including CPR, while in the ocean. 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. 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 official sources, it's estimated that there are around 350 Coast Guard rescue swimmers currently serving. There, students learn the challenges of vertical-surface rescue, cliff operations, sea-cave traversing, and extreme-high-seas rescue. They need the. All rights reserved. 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. He was one of three that graduatedand for one of those guys, it was his second time . Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com. AST School in Elizabeth City, North Carolina lasts for 24 weeks, and includes intense physical fitness, long hours of pool fitness and instruction, extreme water-confidence drills, and classroom instruction. The minimum physical fitness tests (or PFT) standards for a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer include: It is recommended that you perform even higher than the minimum PFT standards in order to get a high enough score in AST A School. 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. Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Capabilities: The RS must have the mental capacity, flexibility, mobility, strength, power, agility, endurance, and equipment to function for at least 30 minutes in heavy seas, on unstable platforms, on rugged terrain during severe adverse weather conditions. . Schooling for an opportunity as one of the team members lasts 24 weeks. Currently assigned to Helicopter SeaCombat Squadron 28, Gibson is the only female Senior Chief in the Navy and serves HSC-28 as the Leading Chief Petty Officer. MEPS exams your medical history as well as your psychological competence. In addition to EMT training, ASTs are required to attend a one-week Advanced Helicopter Rescue School (AHRS) at a station in Washington. Click Here to learn more about the Coast Guard PT test standards. 1 mile Litter walk in 16 minutes or less. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. Aviation Survival Technicians (AST)/Helicopter Rescue Swimmers, as they are more technically called by the U.S. Coast Guard, are called upon in extreme rescue situations. 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. In 2014, a state of the art training center was opened under the command of the Aviation Technical Training Center aboard BASE Elizabeth City, NC and houses AST "A" School as well as Underwater Egress "C" School. But it's not the standard EMT training; it's for rescues to be conducted in the open seas under extreme conditions. After much internal debate, the collateral duty of "Helicopter Rescue Swimmer" was issued to the ASM rating. All Rights Reserved, Commercial Aircraft Life Support Equipment Technician. It is likely the ship's engineers were trapped belowdecks when the vessel capsized. 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. A local Coast Guard recruiting office has more information on the requirements and expectations of the military branch. These elite lifesavers are trained to respond and rescue in a plethora of deadly situations a. The unit reportedly has one of the highest attrition rates of any Special Operations Force in the U.S. Military. During Hurricane Katrina, Faulkner rescued 48 people during one 12-hour shift, along with many others during rescue operations on subsequent shifts. The rescue swimmer training program has a high student attrition rate averaging in the 80% range, similar to many special operations forces selection courses.[2]. 1. Rescue swimmers also must have the skills to provide basic pre-hospital life support for rescued individuals. The PJs are often sought out for use by other branches of the military because of their high-quality training and versatility. Therefore, there are positions available in the Coast Guard with the right dedication and discipline. Her accomplishment of being the first woman to graduate from the Coast Guards sixteen-week training program and then work as a rescue swimmer came about partly by coincidence. 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. 2021 United States Coast Guard. Hed originally been in a class with 11 would-be rescue swimmers who all washed out. Candidates attend a four-week Aircrew School followed by a five-week Aviation Rescue Swimming School in Pensacola, Florida. 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. 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. View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page. Officially known as Aviation Survival Technicians, the primary mission of rescue swimmers is to conduct rescues at sea, medical evacuations, and train others in life-saving techniques. Read more about the deadliest American maritime disaster in decades: Watch: Into the Storm: What It Was Like to Rescue a Ship's Crew, The Real-Life Diet of Pro Surfer Nathan Florence, Who Runs on Raw Fish, 17 Streamlined Workout Shorts for Men That Look Pretty Great Beyond the Gym, Too. A lock Lets explore the world of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer below, Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers Vs. Air Force Pararescue. Requirements for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, Standards for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, Training Regimen for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, Pros and Cons of Enlisting in the Coast Guard, Air Force Pararescue Physical Ability and Stamina Test PAST, What to Know About Special Operations Fitness Tests, Some Tips and Tricks for Surviving Coast Guard Boot Camp, Overview of Coast Guard Health Services Technician, Coast Guard Job Description: Aviation Maintenance Technician, Coast Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI), Enlisted Jobs in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Related Article Coast Guard Jobs List: A List of all 24 Ratings in the Coast Guard. They qualify on the M-240, GAU-21, M4, and M11. Read the full story by the U.S. Coast Guard. 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. Rescue swimmers at Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, Alaska, must maintain the EMT-Intermediate level of proficiency due to the remoteness of their operational area and the number of medical evacuations performed by that unit each year. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Ryan Pierce learned that lesson the day the call came to evacuate a man who'd suffered a heart attack aboard a cruise ship off Florida's Atlantic coast. An aquatic segment of training was merged into ASM "A" school in the late 1980s, and full initial rescue swimmer training was completed at the USCG's Elizabeth City training center. This is where the wannabe rescuers learn techniques in staying calm and subduing frightened, drowning people who need their help. In fact, the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force also have their own rescue teams. All Rights Reserved. Coastguards help prevent the loss of life along the coast and at sea by co-ordinating and supporting search and rescue operations. But if they do graduate, their training is not over. Qualified SAR TECHs have opportunities for advanced training and promotion. Set Your Fitness Goals to Become a Military Asset, Practicing Mindfulness the Marine Corps Way Leads to Mental Resilience, Ask Stew: How to Become a Faster Runner When Time Is Tight. Surface Rescue Swimmer School Candidates selected for the school must first go through what is called the airmen training course. [9] In contrast, paramedics (, kynan-in) of the JASDF, Japanese counterparts of the United States Air Force Pararescue, are not always medical professionals, but they must complete the Airborne Ranger Course of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force to acquire mountain rescue and combat search and rescue capabilities.[10]. After graduating from Rescue swimmer school (RSS), students go on to their respective 'A' School, also in Pensacola, Florida. 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. If you would like to pursue the specialized unit, making yourself aware of the intense training and schooling is step one toward becoming a fully-qualified, recognized member. The Coast Guard holds a one-week Advanced Helicopter Rescue School (AHRS, formerly known as Advanced Rescue Swimmer School) at Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment, Washington, which is host to Air Force pararescuemen (PJs), Navy rescue swimmers, and foreign rescue departments as well. The actress who played the main character in the live-action film based on the same work, Yuko Takayama, was the orphan of an Air Self-Defense Force medic who was killed in the line of duty. Minimum Adult Buoyancy. An aptitude for mechanics as well as school courses in algebra, geometry, and machinery are very helpful. Lastly, the Coast Guard will perform a background check to study your personal conduct. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. 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. As of 2022, Erica Gibson, a 17-year enlisted Sailor, became the first female aviation Navy Search and Rescue (SAR) swimmer to promote to the rank of senior chief petty officer. Your email address will not be published. In 2019, the Amazon Prime reboot of Jack Ryan featured a helicopter rescue swimmer in the pilot episode. Reportedly, only 75100 Coast Guard personnel attend the school each year. Which rating a rescue swimmer attains depends on what type of helicopter they are to become qualified in. But this is perhaps the most crucial part of the training; if these candidates can't endure extreme conditions, it's going to be hard to rescue someone in distress. Pararescue is a notoriously rigorous CSAR (combat search and rescue) unit, with eight out of every ten candidates failing the indoctrination course. U.S. Navy Support. Your email address will not be published. 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). The time before getting recognized as an official member of the unit is long. The final operational phase is used to evaluate the individual's ability to use all previously learned skills and will be the deciding factor in awarding the qualification to Wings Standard. But in this case the enemy is the weather. The U.S. Coast Guard is extremely physically demanding. (LockA locked padlock) The training you are seeking is hardcore physical and mental training that will challenge you to your core. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers represent one of the most thrilling and challenging roles in the U.S. Coast Guard. To better your chances of being accepted, you should try to score higher. 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. Coast Guard basic training (or boot camp) lasts eight weeks. 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. 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. 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. There are now two additional categories of rescue-swimming specialists: mobile rescue technicians (, Kid-kynan-shi) and the top-tier Special Rescue Team (SRT). 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. Interested in Building Up Mileage? The Coast Guard requirements on physical fitness are intense for a reason. His team was able to put a spotlight on the survivor. Ad Choices, The Waterlogged Hell of Becoming a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer. Advanced courses are Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Helicopter Rescue School, Operational Fitness Training, and Survival instructor resident courses. in Accounting and is a graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, pursuing an M.B.A. in Finance. Summary. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. They are exposed to high seas, rough terrain and other dangers an ordinary EMT will not survive. Visit hisFitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. 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 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 make about $38,000 per year, which averages out to around $18 per hour. Roughly 75 to 100 students go through 24 weeks of Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer school in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and just over half of them complete the course successfully. U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers attracted international attention during the rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, and surrounding areas. However, there are many other benefits to serving the U.S. Military that your typical job does not cover. Other rescue swimmers are members of the Danish Navy and operate from Westland Lynx Mk 90B helicopters based on Thetis-class ocean patrol vessels in the waters around Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and, occasionally, Iceland. 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