Port Inspection Diver

[CF104Starfighter]

I read the qualifications and whatnot on the DND page, but I was wondering if there were any age requirements you had to have?  Like...Can you join as a diver when you're young?

 

[shootergurl]

I am interested in becoming a port inspection diver (reserves).  I am wondering if there is anybody out there that can share some personal info about this trade.  I have read the information from the website, but I would like to get the whole deal straight from the horses' mouth.  Any help would be great

Thanks

 

[NavyGrunt]

There is a PID in Calgary thats 17....he joined at 16 right into the trade. The rules on entering that trade change from unit to unit. Like In my unit you cant join or remuster into diver. You have to be a qualified diver and transfer from another unit. So it all depends on where you live.

 

[Navalsnpr]

I'm suprised that no one responded to your question.

Check out this thread:

http://army.ca/forums/threads/26216/post-160477.html#msg160477

 

[coors]

Does anyone know what the status is on the proposed Port Inspection Diver badge? I've seen pics of the proposed badge but have not heard any news of whether it is still being considered. Thanks, Coors

 

[Navalsnpr]

Have not heard anything on the topic of a new badge.

I would imagine that the clearance divers would like to see it as they go through a crap load more training to become a clearance diver, but PID's wear the same badge as the clearance divers.

 

[coors]

The ones I know wear the Ships divers badge. I've never heard of them wearing the clearance divers badge, as you say it takes a lot more to get. On the other hand I was told they were getting their own badge because they do the same course as the ships divers but go on to do OJT that the Ships divers do not and therefor wanted their own badge as they have some more training and it is an MOC not just a secondary tasking.

 

[eliminator]

The proposed badge looks something like the pic I posted. I think someone said that on the D-DIVE-S site there might be some more info. And yes, PID Divers did/do wear the same dolphins as the Clearance Divers after their phase 3. (they wear the ship's divers ones after their initial ph2 course)

A badge for them is way overdue. Members that do 12 weeks of courses shouldnt get the same as the elite Clearance Divers that take 18 months to earn theirs.

 

[cameron]

I'm glad this topic was brought up because it gives me the opportunity to ask a couple of things i've been wondering about for a while.  The first is, I get the impression from the Canadian Navy website that the PID trade is a reserve force trade.  Am I correct in this, that PID's are reservists and clearance divers are a regular force occupation?  My second question is this, say you have a scenario where Canada is involved in military operations, whether unilaterally or as part of a coalition, against a state and/or terrorist group.  Suppose that state and/or terrorist group mines a harbour that is of strategic importance to Canadian or coalition forces (a believable scenario because Saddam Hussein did this during the second Irag War, unfortunately the name of the port escapes me at present).  Which would be deployed to clear that harbour of mines PIDTs or clearance diving teams?

 

[Navalsnpr]

The first is, I get the impression from the Canadian Navy website that the PID trade is a reserve force trade.  Am I correct in this, that PID's are reservists and clearance divers are a regular force occupation?  My second question is this, say you have a scenario where Canada is involved in military operations, whether unilaterally or as part of a coalition, against a state and/or terrorist group.  Suppose that state and/or terrorist group mines a harbour that is of strategic importance to Canadian or coalition forces (a believable scenario because Saddam Hussein did this during the second Irag War, unfortunately the name of the port escapes me at present).  Which would be deployed to clear that harbour of mines PIDTs or clearance diving teams?

The PID is a Reserve Force Trade, and all Naval Reserves Unit have, or should have personnel who are qualified PID divers. Clearance Divers are Regular Force members who have re-mustered from another trade, usually a combat engineer who is combat diver qualified or someone in the Navy who is Ships diver qualified.

There are a few Reserve PID divers who work side by side the Clearance Divers at the FDU's. I've not heard of any PID's that have deployed internationally, normally that would be left to the Clearance Divers. Within Canada, it could be a combination of both PID's and Clearance Divers who may do the job, it would really depend on the situation which we should not get into on this forum.

 

[cameron]

Thanks Navalsnipr, you've cleared up all the questions I had.  By the way, i've been searching on the net for the longest while for more info on Canadian Navy clearance divers, do they have a website, whether official or unofficial?  Cheers!

 

[navydiver]

Check out my Unofficial web site (not affiliated with DND) at: http://members.tripod.com/clearancediver/. You can find it easily by doing a Google search for "Clearance Diver". If you are an active member of the CF, I also host a web site on the DWAN under MARPAC -> J3 Operations -> J3 MAR 4 Operational Readiness -> J3 MAR 4-3 Diving & Coastal Warfare. On the Diving information page of my site you will see that I have posted the Naval Diving Operational Concept of Employment (ND OCE) that I wrote when I was at NDHQ/CMS/DMPOR from 2002 - 2005 - It is the current terms of reference for all forms of Naval Diving including Clearance Diver (Reg Force), Port Inspection Diver (Reserve) and Ships Team Diver (Part Time Diver mainly REG Force but open to RESERVES in Special Circumstances). Also MARCORD 46-500 (Avialable on the DWAN on the NDHQ/CMS web site) has a plethora of info regarding naval diving - a big piece of the puzzle. OCC specs for both CD and PID occupations are also available online under ADM HR-MIL (I think). Ships Team Diving is an Sub Speacialty and not an occupation so doesn't rate an OCC SPEC. You can find my work e-mail link on my site and I can send anyone that requests all the DWAN links noted above...
Strength in Depth!

 

[cameron]

Good morning all, I sent this query on the CF website last week but received no reply as yet.  I also used the search function and found no answers (but a lot of interesting info about the trade though).  My question, is the trade of Port Inspection Diving Officer open only to reserve MARS officers or can one apply from any specialty; for example, reserve intel officer?

 

[cameron]

Perhaps my query was not properly worded so let me explain myself better.  If some is interested in joining the Canadian Naval Reserves as a commissioned officer and wishes to specialize as a port inspection diver, can they enter this trade directly, like their NCM counterparts, or would they have to enter another trade first and then apply to be a port inspection diver?

 

[aesop081]

Perhaps my query was not properly worded  

...or maybe no one here knows the answer......

 

[cameron]

In that case I feel honoured that I asked a question none of you guys can answer.

 

[aesop081]

Well....since there is no such trade for Officers i would say that you need to enter another occupation first ( MARS ) before youcan take a specialty

 

[medaid]

CDN Aviator's most correct! I asked about this when I applied for my transfer. You need to have a primary MOC, then apply to go to your PID Course then your supervisor course, then you'll probably be put in charge (Read aministration) of the diving cell at your NavRes unit. Cheers and good luck!

 

[cameron]

Thnx MedTech

 

[M Feetham]

When you apply to become a PID you first have to do the ship's diver course, normally on that course, MS,PO2/1 have the choice of becoming supervisors while on couse, Officers on the other hand do not get the choice, they have to become a supervisor. The reason for that is because S/LT's and or LT(N) are the ship's diving officers. I worked at the Fleet diving unit in Shearwater for two years and never saw a PID O. The Port inspection team usually worked for a Clearance diving officer. Nowadays the PID team works for the Underwater engineering branch ( I think, cause there have been a couple of changes since I left), and they have a LT(N) Clearance diving officer in charge of them. "HOD". The best thing to do would be to call Navres Hq or one of the diving units and talk to the training cell. You could also try calling D dive S in Ottawa. All these numbers are available on the individual unit web sites.
Feet