need help from navy guys

Well I'm a junior in high school right now taking rotc and I've been planning on joining the navy since the beginning of high school I'm wanting to do (airr) aviation rescue swimmer. When should I start talking to a recruiter. BTW my mile run is a 5:43 which will be even better. 60 pushups and 55 sit ups in a minute could do better. I have the fastest run in the whole rotc program at our school. Let me know what you think. thanks a lot

 

First of all, finish high school as most services want a HS diploma now and a GED is not the same thing.

Your High School may give the ASVAB as part of its student testing. If it does get a copy of your scores to see what you might be qualified for, or visit a recruiter and take a practice ASVAB.

If you are in good shape, like to swim and are thinking that you might be interested in search and rescue don't discount the Coast Guard either.

 

Well I took the asvab I need to retake it because I didn't do good on it I made a 48 on it I ran out of time on it. I'm going to finish high school but I thought I could do DEP.

 

I am Army but I am fairly sure the Navy has a DEP program.. my friend was in DEP for the Navy before he left. He was SWCC. Try and get the recruiter to lock in a job IN your contract before you go to basic, the Army did it for me & remember this throughout your military experience; If its not in writing, its not happening. Make SURE everything you are promised or told will happen is in WRITING in a CONTRACT before you go anywhere. That is the ONLY way to make sure you will get the job you want. BTW, i see you're from KY; that state sucks. I went to basic & OSUT there at Knox... lol.

 

I got in under the old GI Bill by going delayed entry; however, you really don't need to consider it unless there is a specific benefit you want to lock in.

 

Okay, you are going to have to bring that ASVAB up a bit. The source ratings for Rescue Swimmer are : AM(Airframes mechanic, what I was), AD (Av. Machinists Mate; engine tech), AT (Avionics Tech, the geeks of the bunch), AE(Electrician's- the ones not smart enough to be AT's, and not manly enough to be AM's!), AME (Safety Equipment, mainly ejection seats and Oxygen systems), PR's (Parachute packers/crotch sniffers, they are our seamstresses), and AO's (Knuckle dragging bomb jockeys. You see AO's running, try to keep up, they did something dumb as usual!)

The majority will be AM's, AE/AT's, they can serve as a functional crew member in flight. There are not that many slots for AME's in the helo community, and the PR's keep busy sewing up flight gear. Work on your swimming and pushups, they are the two exercises that will prepare you the most, as well as running. Be able to swim at least a half mile at a steady pace, tread water for an hour, and swim back, then Aircrew School and Rescue Swimmer School will be a breeze.

And then there's SERE...but nothing can prep you for that, so I'll let it be a surprise.

 

And yes, Navy has a DEP program.

 

alright well im going to wait and talk to a recruiter at the end of the school year and go from there thanks for all the help and i let yall know how it goes

 

I am a Submariner in the Navy. Trust me when I say the sub fleet is wayy better than anything else. Just know what you are giving up to join and do what we do.
If you have any questions about the Navy, or jobs let me know.
I am a Nuke Machinist Mate.

 

Sadly, Twizter, you forgot the most important rating to be an Aviation Rescue Swimmer... AW. I say that because it is the best rate of them all (yes, I am one) and due to recent changes (4ish years ago) it became the ONLY source rating to be a swimmer. Those that were previously rated were given the choice, keep flying or keep turning wrenches.

Ethan, best of luck with your choice and hope to see you in my ranks soon. PM me if you have any questions about the rate or being a swimmer in general.

 

If you can't get in to be a rescue swimmer, I know on all surface ships have sar members on board. It is a collateral duty meaning not your main job. As for subs, I won't go there, I work with a group of bubble heads, luckily non are nukes.

 

twizter68- Really good explanation of aviation rates.
ptlomacoma- I would beg to differ that AW is the best rate. It might be fun and easy but thinking long term it is not- slow/impossible advancement and when you get out it leaves you will experience that will not transfer to the civilian world.
Taco salad sport- I think you have spent too much time away from the sun. I have met a few sub guys and a majority of them hated it. Long deployments with next to no ports, long stints underwater with nothing but recirculated air and hot racking.
*these comments were not intended to offend anyone.

ethanfoy- If you are wanting to be a rescue swimmer than AW is pretty much your only choice. If I were you I would look into the coast guard too. You definitely need to improve your asvab score. moparatheart is correct- if it is not in your contract, the navy will not give it to you once you sign the paper.

 

So they went ahead and did it, eh? I dropped anchor two years ago, but had not paid much attention to the flying side of the house the last year or so. Was busy teaching and getting ready for my final deployment.

To the sandbox.

Again.

Go figure.

 

None of you bubbleheads are normal...my Pop was one (Rickover Navy) and he is one straaaaaaange bird!

Plus, we Airdales get to see:

A) The Sun.
B) Places other than homeport, and
C) WOMEN! (And some of them are worth looking at!)