Manual of the Medical Department (NAVMED P-117): Chapter 15: Medical Examinations: Special Duty

15-71 Naval Aviation Water Survival and Rescue Swimmer School Training Programs

Department of the Navy
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

(2) Additional Standards. Standards in section III apply with the following modifications as cause for rejection:

(a) Vision

(1) Surface Rescue Swimmer Candidates. Uncorrected vision, near and distant, worse than 20/100 in either eye. Must correct to 20/20 in each eye.

(2) Designated Surface Rescue Swimmer. Un corrected vision, near and distant, worse than 20/200 in ei ther eye. Must correct to 20/20 in each eye.

(3) Naval Aviation Water Survival Training Program Instructor (NAWSTPI) An uncorrected vision is acceptable but must correct to 20/20 in the better eye and 20/40 in the worse eye.

(b) Psychiatric. Because of the rigors of the high risk training and duties they will be performing, the psychological fitness of applicants must be carefully appraised by the examining physician. The objective is to elicit evidence of tendencies which militate against assignment to these critical duties. Among these are below average intelligence, lack of motivation, unhealthy motivation, history of personal ineffectiveness, difficulties in interpersonal relations, a history of irrational behavior or irresponsibility, lack of adaptability, or documented personality disorders.

(1) Any examinee diagnosed by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist as suffering from depression, psychosis, manic depression, paranoia, severe neurosis, severe borderline personality, or schizophrenia will be recommended for disqualification at the time of initial diagnosis.

(2) Those personnel with minor psychiatric disorders such as acute situational stress reactions must be evaluated by the local medical officer in conjunction with a formal psychiatric evaluation when necessary. Those cases which resolve completely, quickly, and without significant psychotherapy can be found fit for continued duty. Those cases in which confusion exists, require review by the TYCOM medical officer fa fleet personnel, a MED 21 for shore based personnel. It must be stressed that any consideration 1a return to duty in these cases must address the issue of whether the service member, in the opinion of the medical officer and the member's commanding officer, can successfully return to the specific stresses and environment of surface rescue swimmer duty.

(3) Special Requirement

(a) Surface designated rescue swimmer school training program instructors (RSSTPI), surface rescue swimmers, candidate and designated, will have their physical examination conducted by any priviledged provider under the guidance and periodicity provided in section 1.

(b) Naval Aviation Water Survival Training Program instructor (NAWSTPI) and aviation designated (RSSTPI) will have their physical examinations performed by a FS or AMO, and will be examined following article 15 62(2)(9).

(c) Waiver request will be forwarded to BUMED (MED-21) following section V.