Re: NAVY DIVERS

Hello there, let me introduce myself as I am new to this forum. My name is Adam and I am 24. I have served 6 years with the Parachute Regiment, and served in Sierra Leone, N.Ireland, Kenya and Iraq.

Why am I on this forum you ask.....well I would like to join the Navy as a DIVER. Now I have all the info you can get from the careers office, so I dont need no help with that.

I would like to know what sort of pay I would be on as a qualified Diver in the navy after my training and at the age of 24/25. Any help from ex divers would def. be appreciated, as no one can give me even the slightest estimate!!!!

Any help many thanks, out for now.

Adam.

 

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.4172

Have a butchers at this. It should answer some of your questions...

 

Hi Adam,
I'm Andy, similar age to you, spent nearly three years in T.A Royal Signals (yeah, yeah... hat), served in ermmm... Longmoor, Catterick, STANTA - alright you got me there.

I'm going through the process of joining up as a Clearance Diver - off to Raleigh very soon. In regards to pay, as I understand it you'll get the basic wage as per 'the_matelot's link plus additional diving pay (off the top of my head I think it worked out at £2500-£3000 a year, but don't quote me on that.)

Get yourself booked on to a Pre Entry Diving Acquaint as soon as possible, I went down in January and it was the absolute dogs bollocks. Quick heads up, the diving branch has its own fitness test - the (Divers Personal Fitness Test). DPFT consists of a best effort 1.5 miler, sit-ups, dips and pull-ups (best effort, 1 minute).

Good luck, might see you around in a few months then.
Andy

 

Cheers for the replys lads, most helpful.

Any chance of a heads up on the Pre-dive course down Horsea, Scaley? just wondered what times etc...

Adam.

 

From memory:

about 9:00 min for your 2.4km run.
14+ dips
10+ heaves
60+ sit-ups

Think about starting to do weighted chins and dips - the dive set in use when I did ship's diver was about 25kg, and you're expected to get out to a pontoon upto a metre above you. And wait for "circuits" - climb to top of 5m dive board, jump in, fin 100m (ish), run around the lake back to the board, carry on with your "out of water motivational exercise" until Staff are happy. Other motivational exercises include towing a RIB + Staff the length of Horsea lake with a buddy (and racing the rest of the course).

It was hoofing fun when I did it, my only shame is that because I was the wrong branch I couldn't become a MCDO....

 

Here's what happened on my acquaint, the structure could have changed by now but i'm sure the key parts are the same. Basically the PEDA breaks down like this (although the AFCO will give you all the information you need before you go, this should give a little more insight):

It's a fairly intense day, you get a superb breakfast from the cookhouse (I mean GALLEY!) and then you're off for a presentation which teaches you all about the job, the training, future prospects and life as a diver followed by a quick Q and A sesh - always worth asking a few questions as the PEDA is a rare opportunity to talk with the bods doing the job.

After the presentation you get into your PT kit, do a 1km squadded run as a warm up for your DPFT. You need to run 1.5 miles in under 10.30 (I think), but you should aim for under 9.30. Then off to the gym for pull-ups (Benchmark is 8 in a minute) dips (16 in a minute) and sit-ups (40? 45? per minute).

Next is the tour of the DDS. You get to visit the Fleet Diving Units and see what they do, have a look at the kit/photos and get a talk from the blokes. For me this was the best bit of the acquaint.

After lunch you get to see some training in action in the Paisley Tank and we saw some hard-hat diver training in the lake. The DS will then sit you down in a classroom and go through your DPFT scores to tell you what aspects of your fitness you need to improve on (if any). Then it's into the drybags for more phys!

You'll go and draw a drysuit, fins and other bits and bobs from the stores, stick it all on and then do a 1km run down to the end of the lake, at which point you will get into the lake and swim 1km back down. Once thats done, out you get and it's time for more fun.

Water jumps in drysuit and fins. You'll jump from the 3m board intially, and then from the 6m board. Then you'll do circuits where you jump from the 6m board, swim across the lake, get out, run back around the lake, jump from the 6m board again etc. etc.

Can't remember what came after that, but not long afterwards you are once more at the disposal of the gym queens for more running about, press-ups and other associated fun and games. As per the rest of the course, just give it maximum welly. After that you can get some scran and have a kip.

The following morning is simply breakfast, debrief and an individual assessment with a grading system whereby you will be informed of what you need to work on (if anything).

Tips in summary:
Always give your very best
Ask questions
Be prepared (Take a small bag with you, containing notepad and pen, water and PT kit)
Stay switched on
Show them that you are interested, if you are offered the opportunity to do something (try something on, mess about with any kit), go for it.
ENJOY IT!

Right, I need a beer now!

Hope that helps,
Andy

 

Cheers for that bud, a most comprehensive summary!!

I think you have just about covered everything, thanks for the help.

Adam.

 

JUST ANOTHER QUICK ONE...DOES ANYONE KNOW THE EXACT TIMES REQUIRED FOR THE BFT? AND PULL UPS, PRESS UP etc?

ALSO HOW HARD IS THE LAKE SWIM!!??

ADAM

 

RNFT (Royal Navy Fitness Test)
Minimum scores for your age group are:

Press-Ups: 23
Sit-Ups: 30 (Could be wrong)
1.5 Mile Run: 11 minutes 13 seconds

If you want to be a Diver you have to take the DPFT (Divers Personal Fitness Test). Minimum scores for your age group are:

Dips: 16
Pull-Ups: 8
Sit-Ups: 45 (Could be wrong)
1.5 Mile Run: 10 minutes 30 seconds (again, could be wrong) Aim to be doing it in under 9 minutes 30 seconds. A lot of the lads who came in slower than that on my PEDA really struggled with some of other CV fitness activities.

The lake swim is as hard as you think it is, one bloke wrapped in the first 150m and was promptly unboard the jack wagon... erm, jack RIB. It's only 1km, we swam it at what I would call a leisurely pace in about 20-25 minutes. If you're used to swimming in drysuit and fins it is a doddle, I do a lot of that so for me it was very easy. If you aren't used to it then it may be worth buying some cheap stiff rubber fins off eBay (These are very similar to the ones you use on the PEDA) and doing some swimming with them on to build up your muscles. You lie on your back and fin, keep your hands up by your chest and use long, efficient kick cycles. If you're splashing about a lot then you are doing something wrong, technique is more use than power here and practice makes perfect.

 

SOUNDS ALRIGHT, SO YOU SWIM ON YOUR BACK ON THE LAKE SWIM??

SORRY FOR THE BONE QUESTIONS!!

ADAM

 

Yeah. No need for the block capitals mate.

 

Oh that'll be bucshee then, I thought you had to front crawl it!!

Everything else sounds pretty basic, I might see you about.

Adam.

 

you try and put your arse as far into the water as possible, almost forming an 'L' with your body. Look for efficent, elegant kicks - as mentioned, if you're splashing and making a song and dance about it you're going wrong.