Senior Chief Petty Officer Thomas Hansen’s path to becoming an elite Coast Guard and military diver all started with an unexpected conversation at Maritime Safety & Security Team (MSST) Seattle.
At the time, Hansen was a machinery technician (MK) with the specialized law enforcement and counterterrorism unit. His Executive Officer (XO) took him aside and handed him a solicitation for candidates for the Coast Guard Diving Program.
Hansen relishes a challenge and was naturally drawn toward the opportunity to do something difficult and new. He was selected to go to Dive Candidate Training and was a member of the Service’s first graduating class of rated divers. The Diver (DV) rate was created about a month before his graduation in 2015.
As much as he loved his new career and identity as a diver, Hansen initially had his sights set on serving for four years in his new rate, then applying to become an agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). “But I just loved diving so much,” he told MyCG, “that I didn’t want to give it up.”
Diving, he explained, satisfies his curiosity and love of travel and exploration. Diving missions have taken him to buoys in the Pacific and piers in Antarctica. And he enjoys that the job requires creative thinking and problem-solving.
Hansen has enjoyed many missions, but he is especially proud of his work repairing and repositioning aids-to-navigation like buoys from Massachusetts to Palau. He thrives on the hard work of repairing derelict buoys and leaving them “pristine afterwards.”
After many rewarding missions under his belt, Hansen locked in on the next challenge. “It was 2020,” he recalled, “and I was at the [Diver] School House. We were talking about procuring recompression chambers.” As his shipmates discussed the future of Coast Guard Master Divers and what that qualification process could look like, Hansen had a thought. If Coast Guard divers go to the Navy’s first- and second-class dive schools, why don’t they do the Navy’s Master Diver evaluations?
As soon as Hansen advanced to Chief, he “fought really hard” for the position of Dive School Chief, because he “knew that would be the most direct path to be able to learn all of the aspects of being a master diver” from “the world’s experts” in the Navy.
He took the time to obtain the many qualifications to become a master diver — all while clearing the path for other Coast Guard divers to follow in his footsteps. The relationships he built as Dive School Chief made a difference. They helped him get on the path to the Navy’s grueling Master Diver course.
Held at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) in Panama City, Fl., the Master Diver course is “the pinnacle of enlisted diving expertise,” according to Master Chief Petty Officer Donald Selby, Rating Force Master Chief (RFMC) for Coast Guard divers. “It is the highest level of qualification a military diver can achieve.”
The course lasts five weeks — and candidates must pass a six-hour written test beforehand — and tests candidates’ ability to oversee complex diving operations, including deep sea salvage and underwater repairs. The hardest part of the course is what’s known as “graded week,” during which seven Navy Master Divers grade candidates on a series of drills without providing any direct feedback. That leaves candidates without any sense of how they stand in the course or their chances of passing.
The course culminates in a “surreal” moment when each candidate debriefs the command on their performance. As Hansen began to assess his work over the preceding five weeks, a familiar face appeared from behind a wall. It was a good friend of his who serves as a command dive officer in Hawaii. That’s when Hansen realized he’d passed.
“I think it’s a huge step for the dive program,” he said. “And I’m really proud to be part of it.” None of it, he added, would have been possible without his mentors and leaders. “I’m just thankful to be part of the dive program and all the incredible individuals that I get to work with every day.”
Force Readiness Command (FORCECOM) is buzzing with pride at Hansen’s success. “This is a remarkable achievement for the DV rate, the Coast Guard diving community, and the Service at large,” said Ms. Jennifer Sinclair, director of FORCECOM. “We are all so proud of Senior Chief Hansen’s dedication, commitment to honing his skills, and eagerness to train and mentor the next generation of divers.”
Hansen is honored by the recognition, but he isn’t resting on his laurels. He hopes not to be the only Navy Qualified Coast Guard Master Diver for long: “I would like to establish a more direct route to get other [Coasties] qualified as master divers as well.”
All the while, his love of diving is unyielding. “If you want the best job on Earth, be a Coast Guard diver.”
The Coast Guard Diving Program is looking for the next generation of divers. Active-duty E-4s and E-5s are eligible to apply to join this rate. To learn more about the Dive Candidate Screener application requirements and deadlines, please see ALCGENL 019/26.
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