SAR school and BUD/S [Archive] - SOCNET: The Special Operations Community Network

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BOFH

5 February 2006, 07:49

OK so I just reported to my new ship. Apparantly, they are short 1 SAR swimmer, and they are pretty much begging me to go to SAR school when we get back to Norfolk. My question is this. If I take SAR school, would there be a certain length of time I would have to wait before I could go to BUD/S??

ratamojada

5 February 2006, 09:44

You know the Navy, make your self to valuable and they won't let you go. However you owe it to yourself to not be a slacker and do the best job you can possibly do in your given position.....dude sucks to be you!!!:p

good luck with that one....

p.s. have fun at SAR school

Rata

ratamojada

5 February 2006, 09:45

5 February 2006, 11:21

A challenge to do something different. The water beckons...

5 February 2006, 11:36

Talk to your chain of command. Let them know of your intensions and concerns. Find out what the obligation would be and then make your decision.

rpb7926

6 February 2006, 01:43

Sorry to intrude but for a Surface SAR guy there shouldnt be a set commitment. If you go Aircrew, which if I read correctly you are not, that will get you stuck. The command might not be happy about letting you go, but if you dont try to hide the fact that you want to go to BUD/S from the get go it should be a non-issue. Try to get a few other guys interested in SAR to work out with you and you maybe able to train your own replacement. Good Luck, SAR school is a blast.

RPB

ExSquid

6 February 2006, 11:08

When I asked to go to SAR school my command said, "no can do, your PRD is 9 months out and we need at least a 1 year commitment." Fast forward one week, "we can not find anyone who can pass the PT test. Can you go next week?" Be up front about what you want and see what they say. I had a blast at SAR school in San Diego.

x/S

Cass

6 February 2006, 11:18

IrishSquid
From within your parent command you can apply for SEAL BUDS anytime. However, your parent command can turn down your application anytime for their own reasons......Next step, getting qualified and accepted as a BUDS applicant.

Advise: Take the SAR School. It is a plus under your belt. Then apply for BUDS. No matter the outcome you have the merit of SAR School under your belt.

BOFH

12 February 2006, 16:48

Thanks for the replies, guys. My only concern was that if it takes too long before my command is willing to send me to BUD/S, I might not be able to go at all. I take my 2nd class exam in March, and I've earned consistend EP evals so far, so if they were going to make me wait too long, I'd be unable to go to BUD/S (Unless I could refuse promotion...does anyone know if that's possible?)

Ex-PH

12 February 2006, 20:33

Thanks for the replies, guys. My only concern was that if it takes too long before my command is willing to send me to BUD/S, I might not be able to go at all. Is your detailer willing to release you to the BUD/S detailer? This is something a lot of guys overlook. I've known folks (mostly IS types) who had the full blessing of their command get shot down because their detailer wouldn't release them for one reason or another.

I take my 2nd class exam in March, and I've earned consistend EP evals so far, so if they were going to make me wait too long, I'd be unable to go to BUD/S (Unless I could refuse promotion...does anyone know if that's possible?) Even if you can do it, refusing a promotion is just stupid. Put your self in your cheif's shoes for a minute; he goes to bat for you by giving you consistant EPs, then you screw him by refusing the promotion. Think he'll give you any more EPs?

BOFH

14 February 2006, 10:53

My detailer is willing to send me, as I don't hold any critical NECs. As to refusing a promotion, I certainly wouldn't want to. God knows I need the money. I have a wife, and my 2nd child on the way. But it is the only way I know of to get around the "E5 and below" rule. Then again, hopefully, it won't take me 2 years, even after SAR school, to get a BUD/S package in. I'm still looking into it with my NC1...just wanted to try to get some insight here.

Vincent

14 February 2006, 15:32

Is the E5 and below rule a hard and fast rule? I thought it was waiverable. If it is, and you go to SAR to satisfy needs of the Navy, that have to reflect well on you.

trident86

14 February 2006, 16:06

Don't refuse promotion, whatever you do--especially if you're supporting a wife and kids. It may make getting to BUD/S a bit more difficult, but you can do it if you really want to. If this instead puts you on a different career track, then sort it out and make it work for you.

KGUNS

14 February 2006, 21:14

BOFH

15 February 2006, 12:56

The official site still lists the requirement as E-6 and below, so unless you plan on getting advanced really, really, fast, you should be ok in that area. (Maybe the BTDTs have more current info?)

http://www.seal.navy.mil/seal/pdf/activeduty.pdf

In that case, I'm good. Lol. I was told by my Career Counselor at my last command...(an OS2, not an NC) that the cutoff was now E5 and below...so that could have been bad if I went to SAR and had to serve out a term on the ship. I don't anticipate anything more than a 2 year wait from E5-E6...then again, maybe I'm just being a cocky bastard.

Vincent

15 February 2006, 13:08

maybe I'm just being a cocky bastard.

And if you were a little more cocky and a lot less talented, you could be a Naval Aviator. :D

BOFH

16 February 2006, 15:45

Well said, Vincent!! Very well said!

0699

16 February 2006, 21:32

And if you were a little more cocky and a lot less talented, you could be a Naval Aviator. :D

Don't forget the mandatory big watch!! :D

BOFH

20 February 2006, 08:31

Ok...update...I've also been offered a spot on the VBSS team on my ship. They are pretty well trained, as far as I know. I'm told they train at Blackwater. I'm also told by a friend who has been to BUD/S (Med drop...awaiting surgery before re-applying) that VBSS will look much better on my BUD/S package, and also that it does not constitute any hold at all...My question is this: Which of these would look better on my BUD/S package, and which would be more fulfilling, overall? I love to swim, and think I would enjoy SAR immensely, but my goal is BUD/S, so if VBSS would look better going up for BUD/S, I want that instead. Respectfully request input from people smarter than myself!! (I realize that constitutes a large portion of the board, but hey...all replies are welcome.)

BOFH

22 February 2006, 18:44

For some strange reason I can't find the edit button for my last post...How's this...I seriously overstated my question. Which would help me more going up for BUD/S, SAR or VBSS? Much simpler?

CTA

23 February 2006, 10:38

I have no clue which NEC would be more appealing to getting into BUD/S, but I would consider these two options from a different perspective. Does your current ship handle more SAR missions as opposed to VBSS? Seeing how you're on an FFG; I would go the VBSS route thinking the ship deals with more VBSS missions, but that’s just me. Regardless, if you are squared away with stellar PT scores, Evals, etc., I could not see how holding either would hurt. I’m sure Frog or T86 could give you much better gouge.

YMMV

25 February 2006, 08:58

Your goal in going to BUD/S is to make it through BUD/S. If/when you make it through, the SEAL's will teach you what you need to know about shooting. Going to SAR will improve your swimming/PT and therefore help you along to your stated goal. I recommend SAR.