Reservist Marine here trying to reenlist & lat-move and need swim qual updated
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  1. #1

    Reservist Marine here trying to reenlist & lat-move and need swim qual updated

    My 8 year in the Marine Corps ends on 18 July 2013, so that leaves me less than two months to start the process of reenlisting and lat-move.

    But the problem is that I'm trying to lat-move to another reserve unit and into an MOS that requires that I be a 2nd class swimmer. I've gotten 2nd class back in 2008 when MCWST was still under the old system (from to high, Lv.4 --> Lv.3 --> Lv. 2 --> Lv. 1. Our unit did swim qual during last year's AT under the new system (Basic --> Intermediate --> Advance) where not many people were given the chance to qual beyond the Basic level. So right now I'm at Basic, which makes me currently ineligible for the MOS I want (which is 6174 Helicopter Crew Chief).

    So right now I'm wondering if there is any way I can get my MCWST upgraded to Intermediate--in other words to requal for the Intermediate level so I can reenlist and then be eligible for the MOS I'm trying to lat-move to. I mean, is the only way to get requal'ed to wait for another mass swim qual event? I was hoping to be able to somehow find a MCIWS who may be willing to get me qual'ed up to Intermediate on an individual basis. But I'm just not sure how easy it would be to arrange that or does it have to involve any certifying Staff, officers, or other bureaucratic procedures.

    I live in the Richmond, VA. My current reserve unit is in Virginia Beach, VA. I'm hoping to find a MCIWS somewhere near me or at least near my reserve unit. I'm willing to travel if that's what it takes to get qual'ed up quickly, as I only have less than 2 more months until my 8 year deadline is up. Any advice and input, especially from current MCIWS would be greatly appreciated.

    Semper Fidelis

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  2. #2
    josephd
    Guest Free Member
    Are you willing to drive to Quantico or Lejeune? You'd probably have to bring it up with your chain but I don't see any reason why they couldn't get you on a swim qual that is already going somewhere at one of those place. My reserve unit did this for a few Marines that needed rifle qual., they got them attached with an active duty unit in Pendleton for a week in order for them to shoot.

    I shouldn't have to tell you this but bring it up with your highers and they should be able to hook it up one way or another.


  3. #3
    josephd hit the nail on the head (like he always does). Your chain of command (training NCO) or I&I Staff will have to cooridinate all this for you. There will need to be some type of orders involved so you are legally covered; can't expect to just show up at some pool somewhere. Don't know if something like this can be accomplished for an individual (normally done as a unit/group). It will take some work and you will also be asking someone to now make this a priority. Since training/pool schedules are already set, you may be too late. You need to be making your requests to the appropriate personnel yesterday (and hope they will take action).

    Good luck and let us know if this works out for you (believe it's a long shot just because of the short fuse).


  4. #4
    That was actually what I did back in 2008 when I tried to lat-move for the first time as a LCPL. Right after we got released in the evening from drill weekend to make our trip home I got a call from our unit's then-Career Retention Specialist saying that I need go down to Camp Lejeune the next morning to do my swim qual with an active duty unit at Camp Johnson. So I drove down to from VA Beach and got onto Camp Johnson and slept in my car for about 2 hours before calling the point-of-contact given to me by said Career Planner. The SSGT whom I spoke with on the phone acted like it wasn't a big deal and just told me to go into the pool and tell the MCIWST running the swim qual (a SGT, a HM2, and a SSGT) that I need to jump in with them. There was a MSGT and GYSGT from another unit who apparently was doing the same thing I was doing at the time. There was also a young LT sitting by the book just reading a book. Whether he's acting as some sort of certifying officer for the event or what, I'm not sure. But he's definitely not there for his own health. Day 1 was Lv.4 and Lv.3 qual. I had to spend another night in my car in the cold@$$ winter. The next morning I had trouble with Lv.2 and had to be remediated by the HM2 one-on-one. The MSGT was the only one who went for Lv.1 in the end.

    When everything was said and done and all the E7's and above left, I had a chance to talk one-on-one with the SSGT who was running the show as I helped him straighten up the training tank. He asked how did I came about, and I told him. He concurred it was kind of screwed up the way I was sent down there at the last minute and to have this taken care of on my own (no orders, no pay, nothing) and was not happy after hearing that I spent two nights in my car (though I did sneak into the students' barracks to launder my cammies). But at the end I was just glad that I got it taken care of. And in the end he said he'll email me a scan of the official paperwork (Form-NAV.... something, of course) so I can turn it into our S-1 shop to get it run in the unit diary, have my MCWST level updated, and gave me his cell number in case there is there is a problem. By that point I was just baffled seeing that I'm being taken care of by a SNCO I just met to that degree compared to what I've seen at our unit and our recent deployment back in 2007. Anyway, back to the topic...

    I called him about a week later and he said he'll have the paperwork emailed to me by the next day. And sure enough, I received it from him the next morning. The whole process back then just didn't seem that complicated on their end, for the MCIWSTs, that is. But I don't know how easy it would be for me to arrange something like that now or how long (it took almost 6 months for our Career Planner to arranged to have the whole thing set up, and of course that last minute notice was not a good sign either).

    I'm gonna see if there is any way I can extend my current contract by a few months. Hopefully that will buy me some time to get the swim qual thing taken care of. I'm just kind of worried that by the time everything is set there would be no boat space left for me for the MOS, or I wouldn't be considered a 1st Term Reenlistment.

    There is a pretty active Facebook page for MCIWSTs I found. Maybe I'll ask on there to see if they can give me a more definitive answer. I'll be sure to keep you all posted.

    Thanks for the response and Semper Fidelis!


  5. #5
    As mentioned above ask your training NCO in the S3 shop to see if he could get you a seat with a unit and cut TAD orders for your trip.

    Try to contact FAST/Marine Corps Security Forces since they are in Virginia, ask when their next swim qual is before your EAS date.

    S/F,
    CEYA!


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