What it Takes
Start Training to Become an Assistant Scientific Diver
In an effort to build a cadre of volunteer divers, and to include more veterans in FORCE BLUE’s mission to preserve and restore, our team is encouraging any/all honorably discharged military veterans — regardless of their branch of service — to become “FORCE BLUE Assistant Scientific Divers” by first undergoing SCUBA training through a network of FORCE BLUE “Outposts” across the country.
FORCE BLUE Outpost Program
FORCE BLUE will utilize the FORCE BLUE Outpost Program to give those veterans who may not have been divers during their military careers the chance to volunteer alongside FORCE BLUE Scientific Divers on future marine conservation missions.
To become a FORCE BLUE Assistant Scientific Diver, candidates must first possess at least a Rescue Diver certification from an accredited dive training organization. For many though, this pre-requisite training can be cost prohibitive. Now, through the FORCE BLUE Outpost Program, veterans can use their educational benefits to pay for their dive certifications at approved NAUI VA Testing Centers.
Let Your Military Service Serve You
Through a program recently established by Veterans Administration, veterans can now use their G.I. Bill® education benefits to fund diving certifications and licenses. Service members who qualify can use one month of G.I. Bill® benefits per certification or license exam and can progress as far as they would like — from Basic Open Water Diver to Divemaster, Instructor, even Course Director!
Apply for your G.I. Bill® benefits
Those veterans who have received at least their Rescue Diver Certification, are able to provide proof of at least 50 recreational dives and possess current certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED), First Aid and Oxygen Emergency Provider training — and are willing to provide a copy of their DD214 — are eligible to take the FORCE BLUE Assistant Scientific Diver course and to serve as Veteran volunteers on future FORCE BLUE missions.
FORCE BLUE Assistant Scientific Diver (ASD) Course
The Fource Blue ASD course includes an online academic component that covers topics of: Scientific Diving Standards, Data Gathering Techniques as well as Fish Identification and Fish Counting techniques, Navigation and mapping, Coral Identification, Disease and bleaching while documenting through photography and monitoring — as well as (4) open water dives to assess a candidate’s diving and watermanship skills and learn the various scientific skills and tasks underwater. Once a veteran has completed the FORCE BLUE ASD Course, he/she will have the opportunity to volunteer with FORCE BLUE and to dive alongside FORCE BLUE Scientific Divers on future marine conservation missions. To get started, please email dan@forceblueteam.org.