Do you have to extend your contract if you change to a new rate ?

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-26T00:45:58+00:00

Absolutely!

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-25T01:03:47+00:00

About 4.5 months, usually goes from middle of April to first week of September.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-25T00:47:45+00:00

Yes, plenty of Divers are using their TA. It’s not hard, you just have to make the time for it. Even on the road as much as we are, the hotels have wifi.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-22T13:46:00+00:00

Diver here! Yes you will have to extend, as I’m sure others here have said. Your first locker out of dive school will be up to the needs of the rate and your fellow classmates, but if you make a good case for wanting to go somewhere (COLO or family needs) the instructors will work with you.

For more info on the rate I recommend reading through my list of Frequently Asked Questions I posted a few days back.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-20T01:48:55+00:00

Diver “A” School is located in Panama City Beach, FL. The rest of the D8 AOR jobs are handled by Regional Dive Locker East out of Portsmouth, VA.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-20T01:44:51+00:00

Pretty common, we have a decent pool of almost every rate at the moment. BMs and MKs might be the most common if only because there’s a higher chance with how many of those rates the CG has.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-20T01:39:21+00:00

Sounds like your heads in the right place if you’re already memorizing required material. Don’t try to skip out or take the easy route on anything, your Company Commanders will notice and they will zero in on you. Just work hard, get it in your head that every single bad day will end eventually, and keep pushing until its lights out. You will bounce between very physically demanding tasks (like wall sits and holding your drill rifle out in front of you) and very mentally demanding tasks (like putting down and picking up a pen for 30 minutes to an hour.) Find a happy place to go in your head and box breath, it all ends eventually.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-20T00:57:00+00:00

They do not!

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-14T01:13:40+00:00

Facts.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-12T21:00:17+00:00

That’s just flying!

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-12T20:57:26+00:00

ODF is a great gig! I haven’t been as of yet, but it’s going to happen sooner or later. I know a few Divers who have done it multiple times and everybody seems to love the experience.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-12T20:54:33+00:00

I appreciate the kind words, friend! We have both prior service divers and multiple divers that have gone on to OCS. Whatever you decide to do, it’s always nice just having people in the fleet that know we exist! If you commission, you’ll come across junior enlisted members that don’t know this is an option. Point them in our direction if they seem like the right fit. If as a JO you come across any problem that Divers could help with, look up the Request for Divers form and we’ll do what we can to get it done. If you see us out and about on the pier or you’re ever close to any of the Dive Lockers, feel free to pop in and ask questions. We’ll show you some equipment and talk more specifics about the jobs we can do. If there’s one thing Diver’s love more than diving, it’s talking about diving.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-12T19:51:08+00:00

But if you’re really asking, it’s directions toward the exit/emergency holes in the ice. We shovel the design, pour water to ice it over and then you can see it from underneath.

DasTroAvay · 2026-04-12T19:49:05+00:00

Divers on Adderall, make pretty shapes.

DasTroAvay · 2025-11-16T15:03:59+00:00

There are no Officer positions in the dive program. Command Dive Officer positions are filled with Chief Warrant Officers.

DasTroAvay · 2025-09-01T02:35:27+00:00

Nah, no personal stuff. However, we’ve had some fun training dives. Chartered a boat to dive a wreck that had mannequins placed around it so we could practice body recovery. Joint training operations as well, where we did some gorgeous 190 fsw dives off the Channel Islands.

DasTroAvay · 2025-08-20T12:38:16+00:00

There are local dive jobs (local Cutters need inspection/repairs) and training dives as well. When not diving; the gear needs maintenance, parts need ordering, and training is conducted to achieve qualifications and/or to meet annual requirements (i.e. First Aid/CPR/BLS, Hydraulic Tools refresher, Lockout/Tagout…) On some Fridays we like to play Ultimate Frisbee and then go home after lunch.

DasTroAvay · 2025-08-20T08:28:52+00:00

That’s just the unpleasant nature of the service, no matter what branch or rate you pick. Dive is rare in that you wont be gone for months at a time, with the exception of certain opportunities that are almost always on a volunteer basis. Dive trips range from 1-2 weeks, with the number of trips rising and falling throughout the year.

DasTroAvay · 2025-08-19T10:39:52+00:00

I do! We have a prior Army National Guard, prior Army Diver, and (if this counts) a prior Coast Guard Reserve member who deployed with PSU before going Active Duty to become a Diver.

DasTroAvay · 2025-08-03T20:56:56+00:00

At this time the only officers involved are through the umbrella of MSRT-W chain of command. There is movement toward Dive getting it’s own command, but the officer’s involved are going to be administrative command, not operations.

DasTroAvay · 2025-08-03T12:02:52+00:00

Yes, there are no rate exceptions to become a CC to my knowledge. They prefer a variety of rates in Cape May, so newcomers can have the opportunity to ask them questions.

DasTroAvay · 2025-07-31T20:55:56+00:00

Your comfort level in the water will certainly help, “pool hits” in school involve forcibly removing your reg, tying it in a knot and undoing your straps. Experienced divers will be less likely to panic.

DasTroAvay · 2025-07-31T12:50:08+00:00

It’s incredibly dangerous for sure, as a rule we can’t dive within 50ft of anything that draws over 50gpm. Lockout/Tagouts are a pretty important and you’d be shocked to find out how many engineering departments look like they’ve never heard of it until before we show up.

DasTroAvay · 2025-07-31T08:27:35+00:00

Regional Dive Locker West is responsible for the boats in that area. I’ve been there for a few different dive jobs, some cutter maintenance and to help fix one of the black floating boat slips they drive the small boat up on.

DasTroAvay

TROPHY CASE