AIRR ?'s

Kristen · 03-17-2013, 06:44 PM

You are going to need to be working out and training way more than 40 minutes a day to prepare for RSS; atleast that's what im doing but Hassino would know much more than i do. I can tell you bascially what i do in a week for workouts if that helps. He is right about not being able to volunteer im bootcamp. You have to talk to your recruiter and tell him you want to be a Rescue Swimmer and he will call the local specwar coordinator to schedule you a PST. You must also get paperwork from MEPS that allows you to be qualified to take the PST. Once you pass the minimum requirements in the swim, push, pull, sit, and run then he will enter you in the draft where you will hopefully be picked up and given a contract. Your scores must be competitive though, you are competiting against many others who want that contract too.

Haasino · 03-17-2013, 07:08 PM

Lifting isn't gonna do anything to help you prepare for RSS... in fact, it'll probably hurt you because muscle sinks! It's all about running... 6 miles at a 8:00/mile pace should be an easy day for you! The general workouts for both NACCS and RSS are endurance, leg, and core exercises... push-ups, sit-ups, flutter-kicks, and running.

Speaking with the RSS candidates, the biggest killer for them is simply not being proficient in the water... you're gonna be expected to jump in and not touch the side or bottom of the pool... get pulled underwater and tow an unresponsive body for up to a mile without stopping.

After that, there are the candidates who can't get the first-aid down... and then there are even the folks who class up, realize they're going AWR and are likely never going to get to rescue anyone, and lose the drive to succeed.

FutureAW · 03-17-2013, 07:52 PM

I can swim 500m in 10 min on freestyle, but i know that is sub standard for airr. As my out of water pt, that doesnt worry me. Crossfit has taken care of that. As for "lifting", i do high rep endurance lifting. Nothing lower than 20 reps followed by loads of flutter kicks. I will be doing my own pst tomorrow and I will post the results. As for my desire for airr, it's something challenging. Not too sound conceited, but it's a big deal to save lives and I would like to be that person. They allow for volunteers through boot camp, and I leave in April so I feel I may just go for broke.

FutureAW · 03-17-2013, 07:54 PM

Thank you both for the replies too, I appreciate you taking the time to do that. Any insight on the work outs they do in pool?

Haasino · 03-17-2013, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutureAW

As for my desire for airr, it's something challenging. Not too sound conceited, but it's a big deal to save lives and I would like to be that person. They allow for volunteers through boot camp, and I leave in April so I feel I may just go for broke.

You need to be aware that most Aviation Rescue Swimmers don't actually make rescues. If you get AWR, you'll be conducting anti-submarine warfare work in the back of an MH-60R... and if you're an AWS, you'll primarily be conducting VERTREP (Resupply) or manning a door gun depending on the mission. Sure, you'll train for rescues, and if you're hot enough to get assigned to a SAR squadron, you'll probably make some actual rescues while assisting the Coast Guard or local governments... but you're job is an H-60 crewman first, and a rescue swimmer second... and even the purpose of that is essentially to rescue downed pilots, and fortunately they don't go down very often.

Bottom line - if you wanna be like Ashton Kutcher in "The Guardian", join the Coast Guard and become an Aviation Survival Technician... if you wanna be a helo crewman, do some cool shit, and maybe... maybe... make an actual rescue, then AIRR is an awesome program.

And who has been telling you that you can volunteer for AIRR at RTC? They do not have the staffing or time to run people through PSTs and give them slots in 800 divisions... and RSS is currently so backlogged, they're haven't put a single AIRR candidate in a NACCS class for almost a month now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutureAW

Thank you both for the replies too, I appreciate you taking the time to do that. Any insight on the work outs they do in pool?

Lots of sprints... crawl as fast as you can... treading, drown-proofing, buddy tows, etc. This is in addition to all the other water survival training you've done at NACCS. Here's a somewhat recent video that'll give you an idea:

USN Rescue Swimmer School (2011)

FutureAW · 03-17-2013, 08:27 PM

I am aware of all this. But too have the chance to affect some bodies life is worth it. It's a good thing rescues don't happen more often, like you said. Airr is a great program from what I've read, and Im very eager to be helo. How often is dry helo handed out? When would I receive my platform if I stayed dry?

Haasino · 03-17-2013, 08:36 PM

AWS slots for AIRC come and go... currently they are giving out 2-4 slots per class, but that's all subject to change once it fills up... there are only 2 squadrons for the MH-53E. It also varies by class... 2 classes before me, they had 4 slots and 6 people wanted it... class before me had 2 slots and 1 wanted it so the 2nd was forced on someone else... my class had 3 slots and 4 people wanted it. Next class? Who knows...

ADbait09 · 01-18-2014, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristen

You are going to need to be working out and training way more than 40 minutes a day to prepare for RSS; atleast that's what im doing but Hassino would know much more than i do. I can tell you bascially what i do in a week for workouts if that helps. He is right about not being able to volunteer im bootcamp. You have to talk to your recruiter and tell him you want to be a Rescue Swimmer and he will call the local specwar coordinator to schedule you a PST. You must also get paperwork from MEPS that allows you to be qualified to take the PST. Once you pass the minimum requirements in the swim, push, pull, sit, and run then he will enter you in the draft where you will hopefully be picked up and given a contract. Your scores must be competitive though, you are competiting against many others who want that contract too.

at what point can u "volunteer" for air crew? Im a contracted AD (haven't been to boot yet) and I been under the impression I can volunteer at anytime for air crew. I am really intrigued by rescue swimmer.

Haasino · 01-18-2014, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADbait09

at what point can u "volunteer" for air crew? Im a contracted AD (haven't been to boot yet) and I been under the impression I can volunteer at anytime for air crew. I am really intrigued by rescue swimmer.

You can no longer volunteer for Aircrew as an AD... that ended on October 1st, 2008. You must now be contracted with AIRC (Fixed-wing/MH-53) or AIRR (MH-60/Rescue Swimmer) in your contract from MEPS, to ultimately receive a rating of AWO, AWR, AWV, AWF, or AWS.

You can possibly volunteer for surface Rescue Swimmer duties, which would be a part-time tertiary duty while on a ship... but Aviation Rescue Swimmer is a skill held by full-time flyers in either the Naval Aircrewman (Tactical Helicopter) or Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) ratings.

ADbait09 · 01-19-2014, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haasino

You can no longer volunteer for Aircrew as an AD... that ended on October 1st, 2008. You must now be contracted with AIRC (Fixed-wing/MH-53) or AIRR (MH-60/Rescue Swimmer) in your contract from MEPS, to ultimately receive a rating of AWO, AWR, AWV, AWF, or AWS.

You can possibly volunteer for surface Rescue Swimmer duties, which would be a part-time tertiary duty while on a ship... but Aviation Rescue Swimmer is a skill held by full-time flyers in either the Naval Aircrewman (Tactical Helicopter) or Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) ratings.

Thanks for the info...that's what I'll try to do and possibly cross rate at a later date if I'm not happy with AD

03-17-2013, 06:44 PM	#1
Kristen Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 28 Rep Power: 0	You are going to need to be working out and training way more than 40 minutes a day to prepare for RSS; atleast that's what im doing but Hassino would know much more than i do. I can tell you bascially what i do in a week for workouts if that helps. He is right about not being able to volunteer im bootcamp. You have to talk to your recruiter and tell him you want to be a Rescue Swimmer and he will call the local specwar coordinator to schedule you a PST. You must also get paperwork from MEPS that allows you to be qualified to take the PST. Once you pass the minimum requirements in the swim, push, pull, sit, and run then he will enter you in the draft where you will hopefully be picked up and given a contract. Your scores must be competitive though, you are competiting against many others who want that contract too.

03-17-2013, 07:08 PM	#2
Haasino Active Duty Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,439 Rep Power: 0	Lifting isn't gonna do anything to help you prepare for RSS... in fact, it'll probably hurt you because muscle sinks! It's all about running... 6 miles at a 8:00/mile pace should be an easy day for you! The general workouts for both NACCS and RSS are endurance, leg, and core exercises... push-ups, sit-ups, flutter-kicks, and running. Speaking with the RSS candidates, the biggest killer for them is simply not being proficient in the water... you're gonna be expected to jump in and not touch the side or bottom of the pool... get pulled underwater and tow an unresponsive body for up to a mile without stopping. After that, there are the candidates who can't get the first-aid down... and then there are even the folks who class up, realize they're going AWR and are likely never going to get to rescue anyone, and lose the drive to succeed.

03-17-2013, 07:52 PM	#3
FutureAW Newbie Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 24 Rep Power: 0	I can swim 500m in 10 min on freestyle, but i know that is sub standard for airr. As my out of water pt, that doesnt worry me. Crossfit has taken care of that. As for "lifting", i do high rep endurance lifting. Nothing lower than 20 reps followed by loads of flutter kicks. I will be doing my own pst tomorrow and I will post the results. As for my desire for airr, it's something challenging. Not too sound conceited, but it's a big deal to save lives and I would like to be that person. They allow for volunteers through boot camp, and I leave in April so I feel I may just go for broke.

03-17-2013, 07:54 PM	#4
FutureAW Newbie Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 24 Rep Power: 0	Thank you both for the replies too, I appreciate you taking the time to do that. Any insight on the work outs they do in pool?

03-17-2013, 08:27 PM	#6
FutureAW Newbie Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 24 Rep Power: 0	I am aware of all this. But too have the chance to affect some bodies life is worth it. It's a good thing rescues don't happen more often, like you said. Airr is a great program from what I've read, and Im very eager to be helo. How often is dry helo handed out? When would I receive my platform if I stayed dry?

03-17-2013, 08:36 PM	#7
Haasino Active Duty Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,439 Rep Power: 0	AWS slots for AIRC come and go... currently they are giving out 2-4 slots per class, but that's all subject to change once it fills up... there are only 2 squadrons for the MH-53E. It also varies by class... 2 classes before me, they had 4 slots and 6 people wanted it... class before me had 2 slots and 1 wanted it so the 2nd was forced on someone else... my class had 3 slots and 4 people wanted it. Next class? Who knows...