USCG Rescue Swimmers

Repost• As a community, we have always been good at remembering and honoring those brothers who are no longer with us. Our hopes are that the stories of Senior Chief Leeman, ASM3 Caines, AST1 Skimin, and ASTC Jorge are still being told in RS shops today… but we are reaching the point now where most of the guys who served with these 4 men have retired or left the service. One of the driving goals behind the DECERT Retreat is to provide an opportunity for the newer Swimmers to meet the older Swimmers… to hear the stories of how things were in the beginning of the program and to hear the stories of the ones we’ve lost.
This year, the DECERTATHON GAMES is taking place on SATURDAY, JUNE 8th which marks the 27th Anniversary of the loss of ASM3 Jamie Caines and the entire crew of the 6549. Our resident fitness guru, has come up with a workout to honor and remember all 4 of our lost brothers. Basically this workout was designed to be miserable: giving the participant a chance to enter that “embrace the suck” mentality where we can reflect and be grateful for the incredible lives we lead and the family that we are a part of… a chance for us to give 100% for those who no longer have that chance. THE FALLEN BROTHERS workout will take place during the Saturday Games. The 4 exercises will be done consecutively for time. The fastest time will be awarded an awesome prize from one of our sponsors. We look forward to adding this event to DECERT and can’t wait to see everyone in a couple weeks!
Sincerely,
THE DECERT TEAM

Repost• Let’s kick off the week with a banger!

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If you’re a new-ish RS or even a well-seasoned one and you haven’t done a lot of research on where we came from, how our program started, and the people upon whose shoulders we stand today, we encourage you to invest the energy. The whole “you don’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been” saying is very true.
The private Facebook group “The Swimmer Shop” is a great place to start. Some of our OGs post cool old pictures and stories that are worth your time.
Anyway, George Cavallo has new book out. Here’s to history 🍻🇺🇸🦈
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Repost• This is one of the few photos taken by Butch Flythe during the first ever Coast Guard rescue swimmer school in Elizabeth city North Carolina 1988. A rescue swimmer is a highly trained specialist who is responsible for rescuing people who are in distress in the water. Rescue swimmers are typically members of a four person Aircrew.
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Our program is 39 years old, boys and girls. Know your history. Know where you came from so you can know where you need to go. NEVER STOP IMPROVING, “So Others May Live.” 🇺🇸🦈
Repost• TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 01 MARCH 1985*** (2 OF 2): the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program became operational at Air Station Elizabeth City, NC. Following the loss of 31 crewman from the M/V MARINE ELECTRIC tragedy on 12-13 February 1983 - Congress analyzed the lessons learned and directed the Coast Guard to establish a rescue swimmer program.

Wow - 40 years next year in 2025!

Learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid02Fgw9S73kKpFc3g2gQobFwUMAWs6shAEXBMbj3Hh7WsiyULSCdLxDNPRsuXt9YBsul

This is well worth the read. It’s ok to not be bulletproof, and here’s proof that it’s not a career-killer to tell the truth. Professionals deserve to be treated as such; we’re not broken or useless because we need to hit pause.
THANK YOU for speaking up.
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