RAF Sub-Aqua AssociationRAF Sub-Aqua Association

Committee Mtg 6 Jun 08Committee Mtg 6 Jun 08

MOD – DGT&E PG

AFATC (JSAT SCHEME)

D I TRG (A)2SL

DNLM3

SO1 PAT4

SOD2

PTCFD (AT)

JSSADPAC5

NDC BSAC

INM1

HQ LANDHQ ATG(A)

ATG(G) - KTC CJSATC

JSSADCBOVISAND

(LEAD CENTRE)

RNRMSAAASADA RAFSAA

UNITBRANCHES

Line

COMDCHAIN

UNITCOs/OCs

PJHQ

JPATUBF Gibraltar

SADCASCENSION

ISLAND

HQ AG/ATRA

SADCBovington

Functional

Liaison / Advisory

Policy

Implementation

1. Medical Issues. 2. Safety and Standards. 3. Tri-service Sponsor of AT Sub-aqua diving. 4. Delegated from DNLM. 5.Chaired by DNLM-SO1 PAT.

C2 OF JSAT SCHEME – SUB AQUA DIVING

FD ATFD ATPolicy & guidance:Policy & guidance:

– Civilians (Minor (UK) & Major (overseas) expeds)Civilians (Minor (UK) & Major (overseas) expeds)– Exped organization & arrangementsExped organization & arrangements

• Single service provider / agentSingle service provider / agent• LocationLocation• AccommodationAccommodation

• Jt Services Adv Trg Form ‘Alpha’ (JSATFA)Jt Services Adv Trg Form ‘Alpha’ (JSATFA)• Contents – Aim & ObjContents – Aim & Obj• Approvals procedureApprovals procedure• What Clubs & Exped Ldrs can do to help themselves?What Clubs & Exped Ldrs can do to help themselves?

– Medical & Fitness Declaration – 1023AMedical & Fitness Declaration – 1023A– AT Scheme & PADI dive centres / qualifications AT Scheme & PADI dive centres / qualifications

Context – Supervisory Context – Supervisory FrameworkFramework

Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Policy Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Policy Advisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee

– DNLM, Chair - CO HMS TemeraireDNLM, Chair - CO HMS Temeraire– Superintendent of Diving (SoD)Superintendent of Diving (SoD)– Institute of Naval Medicine (INM)Institute of Naval Medicine (INM)

•RN BR1750A & Surgeon General’s Policy LetterRN BR1750A & Surgeon General’s Policy Letter

– Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Centre - COJt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Centre - CO– Single Service Association ChairmanSingle Service Association Chairman

Context – Supervisory Context – Supervisory FrameworkFramework

•Service branches affiliated to BSAC Service branches affiliated to BSAC •BSAC Safe Diving (best practice)BSAC Safe Diving (best practice)• HSE Diving at Work Regs ’97HSE Diving at Work Regs ’97

– All MOD sport diving – ‘diving at work’All MOD sport diving – ‘diving at work’• Approved Code of Practice (ACOP)Approved Code of Practice (ACOP)• JSP 419JSP 419• Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Regulations Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Regulations (JSSADRs)(JSSADRs)• DIN Guidance to COsDIN Guidance to COs• AP 3342AP 3342

Context – Supervisory Context – Supervisory FrameworkFramework

•All Armed Forces open water diving is All Armed Forces open water diving is Adventurous TrgAdventurous Trg

– JSTAFA and risk assessment reqdJSTAFA and risk assessment reqd– Minor expeds – PEdO approvalMinor expeds – PEdO approval– Major expeds – FD ATMajor expeds – FD AT– Civilian participation – FD ATCivilian participation – FD AT

– Highlights civilian ‘excessive’ use vs other activities / Highlights civilian ‘excessive’ use vs other activities / sports sports

BSAC Diver Trg ProgrammeBSAC Diver Trg Programme

•Progressive

•Challenging

•Comprehensive

•Numerous events per grade

•Takes time to progress through grades

•More than one exped to complete

+ Skill Development Courses

Supervision - SADSSupervision - SADS• SADS – supervize all open water dives from surfaceSADS – supervize all open water dives from surface• No SADS = no diving = exped cancelledNo SADS = no diving = exped cancelled• SADS = BSAC Advanced Diver + 1 Yr; 1 week course; 1 week SADS = BSAC Advanced Diver + 1 Yr; 1 week course; 1 week

assessmentassessment• Limitations:Limitations:

– < 30m = 8 divers< 30m = 8 divers– > 30m = 6 divers> 30m = 6 divers– More restrictive - weather & water conditionsMore restrictive - weather & water conditions

• One One BSAC Advanced Diver – BSAC Advanced Diver – oneone wave only while SADS dives wave only while SADS dives– < 30m = 4 divers< 30m = 4 divers– > 30m = 2 divers> 30m = 2 divers

• Dive conduct – SADS availability; wave timing; slack water Dive conduct – SADS availability; wave timing; slack water • Exped requirements:Exped requirements:

– Ideally, 2 SADS – flexibility for sickness, dive wave structure & Ideally, 2 SADS – flexibility for sickness, dive wave structure & timingtiming

– One SADS & one BSAC Advanced DiverOne SADS & one BSAC Advanced Diver

Diver Trg & Instructor Diver Trg & Instructor DevelopmentDevelopment

• Instructor Development Programme

•Not directly related to Diver Grade

•BSAC instructor requirements vs diver grade and skill development courses

•Instructor : student ratios

•Defined in BSAC Instructor Manual & JSSADRs

•1:2 maximum

•1:1

•National Instructors for specified courses – RAF Adv Inst Trg in ASI

ImplicationsImplications

• Takes time to develop & progress through diver Takes time to develop & progress through diver grades - gain sufficient experience and knowledge grades - gain sufficient experience and knowledge to lead dives, supervize & instructto lead dives, supervize & instruct

• No SADS, Advanced Divers or OWI / AIs:No SADS, Advanced Divers or OWI / AIs:– Critical for BranchCritical for Branch– Exped aim and obj - compromisedExped aim and obj - compromised– RAF diving withersRAF diving withers

• SADS & Instructor : student ratios importantSADS & Instructor : student ratios important– Affect / limit exped conduct / outcomeAffect / limit exped conduct / outcome

• Most (All) expeds involve trg, experience Most (All) expeds involve trg, experience progression progression

• Only Diving Officer can award qualificationOnly Diving Officer can award qualification

ImplicationsImplications

• RAF redundancy, operational tempo, RAF redundancy, operational tempo, civilianization, contractorizationcivilianization, contractorization– Smaller pool of SADS, Advanced Divers, OWI/AIsSmaller pool of SADS, Advanced Divers, OWI/AIs– In demand – across all 3 ServicesIn demand – across all 3 Services

• Greater reliance on civilians – most retired Greater reliance on civilians – most retired military military – To supervize & instruct expedsTo supervize & instruct expeds– Day-to-day Club management, organization and Day-to-day Club management, organization and

trgtrg– No diving? Disenfranchised? – RAF Clubs witherNo diving? Disenfranchised? – RAF Clubs wither

ImplicationsImplications

• Greater reliance on civilians Greater reliance on civilians (continued) (continued) – Totally self-fund – no Public expenseTotally self-fund – no Public expense– Leave from civilian employer:Leave from civilian employer:

•Timely approvals required Timely approvals required

Expedition PlanningExpedition Planning

• Aim of AT / Ex objective:Aim of AT / Ex objective:• Undertake challenging divingUndertake challenging diving• Exped organization – ‘package holiday’Exped organization – ‘package holiday’• Live ‘rough’ – tents, self catering, B&B, boats, Live ‘rough’ – tents, self catering, B&B, boats,

hotelshotels• Boats – day boat / liveaboards to access Boats – day boat / liveaboards to access

best dive sitesbest dive sites• Single source provider / agent:Single source provider / agent:

• More cost effectiveMore cost effective• ‘‘Free’ places for groupFree’ places for group

• BSAC Duke of Edinburgh Prize WinnersBSAC Duke of Edinburgh Prize Winners

MedicalsMedicals

• IAW JSSADRs and BSACIAW JSSADRs and BSAC– RN BR 1750 and Surgeon General’s Policy RN BR 1750 and Surgeon General’s Policy

LetterLetter– Chest x-rayChest x-ray– Full medical – every 5, 3, 1 yearFull medical – every 5, 3, 1 year– Medical Certificate Fitness to Dive – annualMedical Certificate Fitness to Dive – annual– BSAC Self DeclarationBSAC Self Declaration– Medical and Fitness Declaration – Leaflet Medical and Fitness Declaration – Leaflet

1023A 1023A

PADIPADI• During PADI During PADI coursescourses do not need to dive do not need to dive

iaw with JSSADRs or with SADS supervisioniaw with JSSADRs or with SADS supervision

• PackagePackage– More expensive? Paying professional More expensive? Paying professional

instructors instructors

• Not BSAC qualified – little incentive to join Not BSAC qualified – little incentive to join and contribute to Service diving on return?and contribute to Service diving on return?

• Greater opportunity to use BSAC schools / Greater opportunity to use BSAC schools / centrescentres

Potential Way AheadPotential Way Ahead

• Exped Organizers:Exped Organizers:• More clearly define on JSATFA:More clearly define on JSATFA:

• Exped aims, objectives, expected outcomesExped aims, objectives, expected outcomes

• Need for civilian supervisors & instructorsNeed for civilian supervisors & instructors

• RAFSAA to provide guidanceRAFSAA to provide guidance

• ‘‘Essential’ civiliansEssential’ civilians• More pragmatic ‘Essential’ definition & More pragmatic ‘Essential’ definition &

approval processapproval process• Different level of UK and overseas scrutiny? Different level of UK and overseas scrutiny?

Potential Way AheadPotential Way Ahead

• Leaflet 1023 exemptionLeaflet 1023 exemption

• Use BSAC centres for BSAC Use BSAC centres for BSAC qualificationsqualifications

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