Navy divers perform a variety of repair, support and combat missions. Because the level of skill required is much higher than that required of a recreational diver, applicants are carefully screened. Training is demanding, both physically and intellectually. Navy divers can usually find many civilian employment opportunities after they retire from the Navy, according to the website Globally Employable.
Purpose
As a Navy diver, you will perform salvage operations to locate and retrieve sunken wreckage; use explosives to demolish underwater obstacles and clear waterways; perform search and rescue missions; inspect, maintain and repair ships and submarines; and provide communications, logistics and security during combat and drills. You will also conduct underwater research and classified reconnaissance missions. You might be required to live deep underwater for weeks at a time, and you can be assigned to missions anywhere in the world.
Qualifications
To enter the Navy Dive and Salvage Training Command, you must join by your 30th birthday, according to Navy.com. Both males and females are eligible, and a college degree is not required. You must be a U.S. citizen and qualify for security clearances. Your eyesight must be correctable to 20/25, and you must achieve a minimum score on an aptitude test. You must pass a physical screening test that evaluates various aspects of your strength and endurance. For example, you must be able to complete a 500 yard swim in 14 minutes or less.
Courses
You must complete basic training before you enter the Navy Diver Preparation Course. The Navy Diver Preparation Course lasts 32 days, not including days off. More than half the coursework will consist of electrical and engineering training. Once you complete the course, you will proceed to Second Class Dive School for 70 days of advanced dive training. You will study a number of subjects including underwater mechanics, dive medicine, physics and salvage operations. Finally, you will be assigned to a Navy Diving Unit for Fleet Training for on-the-job training in underwater ship repair, salvage and construction. Later in your career, you might undergo advanced training to become a first class diver or a master diver.
Training Locations
The Navy's Diver Preparation Course takes place at the Naval Training Command, which is part of the Great Lakes Training Station in Illinois. Second Class Dive School is at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida. Fleet training takes place at a naval base or on the high seas.
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