Wounded Certification

I am a Soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. I
was wounded on October 11th, 2005. I am now getting around alot more
and I am interested in getting PADI certified. I am looking for
information in getting certified. As well as gear that I should look
into. Not just beginner stuff, but gear that will grow with me as I
increase in my ability and certification level.

Are there also any programs out there that offer veteran rates...$300
for certification...ouch.
Please reply here or at oif3vet2005@gmail.com

<oif3vet2005@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1164390838.381224.320030@45g2000cws.googlegro ups.com...
> I am a Soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. I
> was wounded on October 11th, 2005. I am now getting around alot more
> and I am interested in getting PADI certified. I am looking for
> information in getting certified. As well as gear that I should look
> into. Not just beginner stuff, but gear that will grow with me as I
> increase in my ability and certification level.
>
> Are there also any programs out there that offer veteran rates...$300
> for certification...ouch.
> Please reply here or at oif3vet2005@gmail.com

Hi soldier.

Thanks for your service.

As far as instruction goes, the agency is not as important as the instructor
and dive shop you become associated with. Hit all the dive shops you can,
and use the one that feels the best.

As far as gear goes, dont buy anything at first, rent gear and try different
BC's and stuff. Dive shops are going to try and sell you as much gear as
possible right out of the gate, because there is a 25-35% return, meaning
many people who take SCUBA instruction, either never dive again after they
get certified, or dive so little it wont matter.

You will have to buy a mask and snorkel for the course, but you will soon
learn to lose the snorkel, so buy the cheapest one you can find. In fact, I
bet there are a few people reading here who would give you one. There are
hundreds of different fins, and you'll get hundreds of sales pitches and
advice, but most technical and advanced divers us Scuba Pro Jet Fins.

http://www.scubapro.com/prod/fms/Jet%20Fin/Jet.htm

Right out of the gate, I will tell you to get a backplate and wing setup
from Patrick Duffy at Oxycheq;

http://www.oxycheq.com/backplates.html

http://www.oxycheq.com/Wings.html

Once you get the plate and harness set up, you can change the air cell to
match whatever kind of diving you are going to do, cold water, warm water,
doubles or single tanks.

Some others will be right along to tell you I am full of it and to ignore my
advice.

Hope that helps.

Scott wrote:
>
> Some others will be right along to tell you I am full of it and to ignore my
> advice.


I'm not one of them, all of Scotts' suggestions are good. I'd only
point out that oxycheck isn't the only manufacturer of wings/backplates,
and in my experience some of the other producers make good kit. Like
Scott mentioned, these systems are modular, so you can customize them
for the type of diving you do. This is much better then some of the new
BCD's which are all-in-one wing-style.

Have fun.


Bryan

I don't know about discounts for veterans but it wouldn't hurt to ask at the
shops and email the training agencies. I do know that you can take scuba at
some colleges as a credit course so maybe you can get training under the "GI
bill".

Al
Bottoms Up Divers

<oif3vet2005@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1164390838.381224.320030@45g2000cws.googlegro ups.com...
>I am a Soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. I
> was wounded on October 11th, 2005. I am now getting around alot more
> and I am interested in getting PADI certified. I am looking for
> information in getting certified. As well as gear that I should look
> into. Not just beginner stuff, but gear that will grow with me as I
> increase in my ability and certification level.
>
> Are there also any programs out there that offer veteran rates...$300
> for certification...ouch.
> Please reply here or at oif3vet2005@gmail.com
>

"Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:r5mdnXcCTb55pvrYnZ2dnUVZ_uednZ2d@wavecable.co m...
>
> <oif3vet2005@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1164390838.381224.320030@45g2000cws.googlegro ups.com...
> > I am a Soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. I
> > was wounded on October 11th, 2005. I am now getting around alot more
> > and I am interested in getting PADI certified. I am looking for
> > information in getting certified. As well as gear that I should look
> > into. Not just beginner stuff, but gear that will grow with me as I
> > increase in my ability and certification level.
> >
> > Are there also any programs out there that offer veteran rates...$300
> > for certification...ouch.
> > Please reply here or at oif3vet2005@gmail.com
>
> Hi soldier.
>
> Thanks for your service.
>
<snip>
>
> Some others will be right along to tell you I am full of it and to ignore
my
> advice.

Scott is full of it, presuming it means knowledge of diving and good advice.
He's right on the money.

Dennis

ajtessier wrote:
> I don't know about discounts for veterans but it wouldn't hurt to ask at the
> shops and email the training agencies. I do know that you can take scuba at
> some colleges as a credit course so maybe you can get training under the "GI
> bill".
>
> Al
> Bottoms Up Divers

Good plan. If you were on this coast, I'd train you for free.

*, mom to Iraq war vet




>
> <oif3vet2005@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1164390838.381224.320030@45g2000cws.googlegro ups.com...
> >I am a Soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. I
> > was wounded on October 11th, 2005. I am now getting around alot more
> > and I am interested in getting PADI certified. I am looking for
> > information in getting certified. As well as gear that I should look
> > into. Not just beginner stuff, but gear that will grow with me as I
> > increase in my ability and certification level.
> >
> > Are there also any programs out there that offer veteran rates...$300
> > for certification...ouch.
> > Please reply here or at oif3vet2005@gmail.com
> >

oif3vet2005@gmail.com wrote:
<snip>

http://grumman581.googlepages.com/welcome-rec-scuba

Oh well, now that we've gotten the introductions out of the way...
<grin>

> I am looking for information in getting certified. As well as
> gear that I should look into. Not just beginner stuff, but
> gear that will grow with me as I increase in my ability and
> certification level.

http://grumman581.googlepages.com/scuba-certification

> Are there also any programs out there that offer veteran rates...$300
> for certification...ouch.

Overpriced... There's two issues here... Learing how to dive and
getting certified... Getting certified just lets you get a C-card so
you can more easily get air fills... You can teach your own self how to
dive if you have the gear... Getting air fills might be a bit more
difficult in some places these days without a C-card though...

> ... There's two issues here... Learing how to dive and
> getting certified... Getting certified just lets you get a C-card so
> you can more easily get air fills...

Reckon there's more to it then that. It means in theory you have
demonstrated a minimum level of skills. Obviously there are problems with
that, but there are also problems associated with the self taught who have
never been honestly critiqued.

> You can teach your own self how to
> dive if you have the gear...

Although you risk not learning some things that can be quite important.

Realistically, the best way is to start with certification, then dive
with somebody who is good in the water.

Curtis

If you get your certification at a community college, TA will pay for it.
Join a dive club, they can give you lots of free advice as well as show you
many gear set ups. I am a member of Atlantic Rangers (
http://www.atlantisrangers.org/visitors.html) and would be glad to assist.
As far as buying gear, don't rush out and buy a bunch of stuff. Use rental
gear or borrow at first. As I have become a Closed Circuit Rebreather
Diver, I've got lots of regular scuba gear that I no longer use. Drop me an
email at grahamj@nospammerusna.edu take out the nospammer part of the email
address.
Regards,
FC1(SW/AW) USN
<oif3vet2005@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1164390838.381224.320030@45g2000cws.googlegro ups.com...
>I am a Soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. I
> was wounded on October 11th, 2005. I am now getting around alot more
> and I am interested in getting PADI certified. I am looking for
> information in getting certified. As well as gear that I should look
> into. Not just beginner stuff, but gear that will grow with me as I
> increase in my ability and certification level.
>
> Are there also any programs out there that offer veteran rates...$300
> for certification...ouch.
> Please reply here or at oif3vet2005@gmail.com
>

On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 17:13:31 GMT, "\"Magilla\"" <cavey_curtis@$$
yahoo.com> wrote:
> Realistically, the best way is to start with certification,
> then dive with somebody who is good in the water.

Awh, gee Curtis, you're trying to take Darwin out of the equation...
That's not very nice...