Divers

Background

Sometimes, military tasks such as ship repair, construction, and patrolling must be done under water. Divers in the military usually specialize either as scuba divers, who work just below the surface, or as deep sea divers, who may work for long periods of time in depths up to 300 feet. Military divers perform tasks under water such as ship repair, construction, and patrolling.

What They Do

Divers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Assist with underwater construction of piers and harbor facilities
• Conduct underwater research
• Inspect, clean, and repair ship propellers and hulls
• Patrol the waters below ships at anchor
• Perform search and rescue activities
• Recover sunken equipment
• Survey rivers, beaches, and harbors for underwater obstacles
• Use explosives to clear underwater obstacles

Physical Demands

Divers must be good swimmers and physically strong.

Special Requirements

No information available.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

• A high degree of self-reliance
• Ability to stay calm under stress
• Interest in underwater diving

Helpful School Subjects

Helpful school subjects include:

• Building trades
• Shop mechanics

Helpful Fields of Study

No information available.

Work Environment

Divers work under water. However, they plan and prepare for work on land or aboard ships. Because diving is not usually a full-time job, divers often have another job specialty in which they work.

Services offering this career:

• Army
• Marine Corps
• Navy

Hiring Practices

To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.

This position is for enlisted personnel.

Wages

The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.

Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay. 

Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.

There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.

Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.

Training Provided

Job training consists of five to 13 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in diving and repair work. Training length varies depending on specialty.

Course content typically includes:

• Maintenance of diving equipment
• Principles of scuba diving
• Underwater welding and cutting

Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian divers work for oil companies, salvage companies, underwater construction firms, and police or fire rescue units. They perform duties similar to divers in the military.

Related Civilian Careers

• Commercial Divers

Employment and Outlook

In peace time the services have about 1,500 divers. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new divers due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, divers work in teams headed by experienced divers. Eventually, they may become master divers and supervise diving operations.