To try to address your questions more specifically:

1. No one here can address the specifics of his situation because we aren't there. Perhaps someone else can comment on whether it is typical for the airman program. Frankly, 5000 pushups over two weeks sounds like good preparation.

2. He should listen to his lawful superiors, especially his supervisors.

3. He should obey all lawful orders, regardless of who gave him those orders.

4. He is always legally entitled to take any complaints or questions up the chain of command. Whether that is a good idea or not depends entirely on the circumstances.

Joe,

Good to hear from you, funny thing (amazing how God works) Kevin called today and said he got his first SAR. The link below shows him getting ready to hoist two boaters in to the helo. He said the boat ran aground and the two sustained facial lacerations and one had a head injury. He was all pumped when he called, no the swells of Alaska, but cool none the less. We visited him in July and took a tour of the Air Station and had a great time. He is scheduled to take his advanced rescue swimmer at the end of the month in Astoria, can't wait for the stories.

Hope all is well with you.
Richard

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php...Id=1024550

Paso,

I'm not sure about your son's specific circumstances...but this is not the first time I have heard of these types of training. I know a shipmate of mine (who eventually gave up) was told to do 100 pushups every time he entered the swimmer's shop. His mentors continually sent him in and out of the shop just so he'd do the pushups, and eventually it broke him down mentally to the point where he gave up.

I'm not saying it's right, and I'm not saying it's the 'norm', but it does happen and a lot of it is probably a mental test. My advice is to tell your son to smile as he's doing the pushups. 350+/- a day isn't horrible but I can understand your concern with injury. That's a lot to do in a day...but not much more then we did at basic training on our 'bad' days.

Sunny,

I'm still waiting on Airman Orders...still trying my best to stay motivated in the gym without burning myself out prior to the program. It's getting a little harder now that my cutter is out of dry-dock and we are back underway frequently...but I'm doing what I can.

Richard, 

Great link! I cant count how many times I've 'almost' run aground in C.C. TX area...lots of shallow water full of redfish and trout that entice us.

Take care all.

Thanks for the input. I know it is harder for us as parents to see the tactics used for training as we have seen, and we can see why the drop out rate is so high. Our son is strong though and we have belief he can make it through, even if he has an extra 500 push ups for 10 days. He comes home on his two days off so he can swim and train since he's not getting the training he'd like there.

Hey People, Shawn, Paul, Richard.
Erich only had two rescues since the Sitka memorial service.
A 32ft. fishing boat sank and two fishermen were floating for two hours in the water in their gumby suits. The one native Alaskan was so happy he wasn't going to die, that he kept standing up in the basket before the hoist. He wanted to climb up the wire. Erich kept putting his head down between his knees, and he finally got the picture. He did the resue of the two in 12 minutes.  
The other was way offshore. A fisherman caught his arm in the machinery and lost it. They got him to Dutch Harbor alive. Last I heard he lived, but minus an arm.
If you go on the AST rating site see link below:
http://www.gocoastguard.com/find-yo...cian-(ast)
You'll see Jason Flynt (AST in Atlantic City, NJ) and Erich in AST school almost two years ago.

Shawn, Erich said to run as much as you can. You need to show them in A-school you have the endurance. When you can't run anymore, they'll run you more. You will do PT with nearly no breaks for over 9hrs a day for the time you are there in E-City. Don't let all that scare you, there is usually a class graduating and people become AST's. Keep getting prepared, it will help you. Don't become muscle bound, it may not help you if you get too bulky. Erich is having the time of his life in Kodiak, next stop Hawaii, he hopes.
Joe

For some reason they took the photo down, buy they put up a video. Don't blink!

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php...Id=1025542

Richard

Posted By proudUSCGpop on 17 Oct 2010 04:36 PM
For some reason they took the photo down, buy they put up a video. Don't blink!

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php...Id=1025542

Richard

Good link Richard, thanks for sharing!

'A' school list was released today and I'm still low 70s, with no orders as of yet. There are 10 others in front of me with an approved flight physical. Hopefully I'll get them before the end of the year so my Wife can find a job wherever we'll be going!

Keep us updated on your ASTs and AST hopefuls. I love reading about it.

Richard
I know Kevin and you all are proud. Good job, by the grace of God.
Joe

Posted By proudUSCGpop on 17 Oct 2010 04:36 PM
For some reason they took the photo down, buy they put up a video. Don't blink!

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php...Id=1025542

Richard

Richard,

an AST2 from that shop just told me about a surfer they picked up near a jetty there (I'm being vague on purpose just in case). Sounds like CCTX is getting some action!

Take care.

I can't believe our son David is a week away from being half way done with airman school. This last 10 days were quite challenging, two funerals. He lost a good friend and his grandpa. Today was a highlight though and what he's been waiting to do. Being a duck and lowered in and out of the water from the Helo. Tomorrow he gets to go out again and he is so excited. It made him realize even more how much he wants this.

USCG for me - David was about 30 days. If I remember right he had a couple options of days to start when he talked with the yoeman and he chose the one after a planned vacation. I hope your number comes up soon.

Got a call from my son last night, he is in Astoria taking the advanced AST swimmer training. He said they went out and the seas were 30' (rollers and breakers). He said the rollers weren't too much to handle, just get you a little sea sick, but the breakers are something all together different. He said when you see a breaker coming you swim into it (I guess surfers do the same thing). He said with a dry suit on it is sometimes difficult since it wants to keep you buoyant and you need to get under the surface.

He said he was partnered with a navy rescue swimmer and they both got slammed by a breaker, he almost had his fin torn off and the navy swimmer had her fins and booties removed from the force of the water.

He did say he thought that Astoria would be a great duty station and he really likes the 60 versus the 65 (more room for equipment and seats). I told him to get lots of pictures. If he sends any I'll try to post some.

Richard

Awesome Richard. I've heard that's a great school.

I haven't dealt with much surf, but the few times the TX surf was rough while I was there, I played around in it (despite the recommendations not to enter due to rip current). It is amazing how strong that water is...and it was no where near 30'.

Keep us posted, and share some pics if you get any!

Take care,
Shawn

Hi People
 
I just talked to Erich and he'll be going to advanced AST swimmer training in Astoria in Nov.

Richard: How did Kevin like it? Was it hard? How long is the training?

Shawn: Hang in there. With Gods help you can do it.

We ask Erich if he's coming home for Xmas.
He said he'll be on St. Paul Island around that time.

He also said surfing was great around Kodiak, 10 foot rollers and no stormy winds.

Joe,

Kevin is still there, he arrived Sunday for a Monday-Friday class. So far from what I've heard the waves are very challenging (to put it nicely). Yesterday he was in the basket, his time at being the survivor, and a 25+ foot wave hit him and kept him under for what seemed like an eternity. All in all Tuesday was an intense day. He said he is working with a bunch of air crews from Alaska (pilots, flight mechs) and swimmers from all over.

Keep our sons and daughters in prayer.

Richard

Erich called last nite with a gruesom story.
The SAR alarm went off about 2pm. Two AK state troopers take off with the helo crew to a small cabin near Kodiak were there was a man shot in the neck with a bear gun (big bullet). After bleeding for about two hours, the helo lands near his cabin across a small body of water.
My AST son and the troopers find a small skiff and motor over to the cabin. My son said there was blood everywhere. They were slipping and sliding on the floor it was so bad. The guy was alive, they got him in the boat and took him across the water to the helo. My son gave him all the necessary aid he could and they flew him to the Kodiak hospital.
I don't know if it was an criminal or accidental shooting. My son had to clean the helo, what a mess. Haven't seen anything in the news about it yet, it's been a whole 24hrs.
The Kodiak adventure goes on.

I read about this on the internet earlier today! But I can't find the article again, it's disappeared off the face of the internet. Maybe they took it off for privacy or security reasons?

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?p...19&id=9281

I like how Alaska State Troopers acronym is 'AST'.

Interesting story Sunny, thanks for sharing. It's amazing how versatile an AST is...that's one of the things that interests me in the job, it's ever-changing. One day you save a surfer who busted his head on a jetty, the next day you are pulling a man's arm out of a cable winch offshore. Before you know it, you're treating gunshot wounds or medivac'ing someone. Semper Paratus.

Shawn

Thanx for finding the link.

Joe

I was hoping someone can shed some light on the possibility of Flight Physicals during Boot Camp.
-do they exist?
-are they necessary to get early on in the AST process?

I believe 'proudUSCGpop' mentioned something about how his son was able to get his Flight Physical during boot camp in some way because he didn't wear glasses.  I'm trying to get a feel for this rate - checking qualifications and whatnot.

-thanks

It is possible to get a flight physical during boot camp.

It's not absolutely necessary to do so, but it may turn out to be more convenient to do so - at some units it can prove difficult to arrange for a flight physical.

A cautionary tale, however: At least one recruit had an issue turn up during a flight physical at Cape May that resulted in his discharge.

I was able to get my Flight Physical during boot camp...but it still takes a while to get approved. It took a good 6-8mths to get approved after I got to my first unit. You also need to make sure you get your security clearance started ASAP once you report to your first unit. This can take some time as well.

Good luck!

Hey Everyone,
Richard
Erich is starting his advanced AST class today in Oregon.
He's with a couple of Kevins friends from his unit.
I'll let you all know how it goes.

Joe,

What is the latest from Oregon? Kevin was pounded by a couple of good waves that they caught on the hoist camera and he was trying to get copies. He did say it took him a couple of days to get warm having been in the water every day. It didn't help that the dry suit he borrowed from the air station had a small leak and, well you know.

Richard

Hi Everone
Richard
Erich is back in Kodiak. He said he had an awsome time with the other 7 AST's.
Lot of training near shore with the 60&65, wire only.

This picture is of Kevins friend(r) with my son (drk shades).

I fished these pix out of Facebook. When I get Erichs pix I'll post them.
He was bow hunting for deer when I called him yesterday. Seen lots but they were too far away.
I saw some pix on Facebook of Kevin while he was in E-City with his class.

Send me a Private Message of last names - I'd like to see the pics on FB if they are public.

Thanks for sharing! Still waiting on airman orders...grrrrr! Hurry up and wait!

Hey Everyone, Shawn
My son just posted 98 pix on FB from AHRSS week.
search ERICH KLINGNER, everyone schould be able to see them.
Joe

Sorry Sunny,

Looks like his Facebook photos are available only to friends...and I'm only a far removed onlooker.  I'm just hoping to see some photos of some of these surf spots up there in AK.

Newms

PM me you FB name. There are pleny of pix to whet your appetite.

Posted By sunny717 on 18 Nov 2010 05:13 PM

Posted By USCGforMe on 15 Nov 2010 11:15 PM
Send me a Private Message of last names - I'd like to see the pics on FB if they are public.

Thanks for sharing! Still waiting on airman orders...grrrrr! Hurry up and wait!

Hey #51
Did you try those names? If it didn't work for you, PM me your FB name and I'll befriend you.

Sunny, sorry I've been away. I like the #51 comment, hah! I tried to find you on FB but there were too many of the same name. Check your PM, I will send you my name. Thanks!