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Navy NEC · Support

808A Basic Swimming and Water Survival Instructor

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

A Navy Enlisted Classification: a skill designation sailors hold in addition to their rating.

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Overview

A Basic Swimming and Water Survival Instructor teaches aquatic skills, swim strokes, water survival techniques, and abandon ship procedures. The instructor also covers flotation devices, marine environmental hazards, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator use, and first aid while organizing and managing classroom and poolside instruction.

Core Skills

  • Abandon-ship procedures and auxiliary flotation instruction
  • Marine hazard and survival-floating instruction
  • CPR, AED, and first-aid instruction
  • Classroom and poolside class organization

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Swimming Instructor

Teaching swim strokes, basic aquatic skills, and water survival in classroom and poolside settings transfers directly to civilian swimming instruction.

How to prepare: Prepare a sample beginner swim lesson that demonstrates stroke instruction and water-safety practice for an aquatic employer. Recreation-worker entry typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent and short on-the-job training, although requirements vary by job.

What the civilian work involves
  • Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
  • Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
  • Observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, interests, and other individual characteristics.

Lifeguard

Instruction in survival swimming, flotation devices, marine hazards, CPR, and first aid provides relevant preparation for aquatic protection and emergency response.

How to prepare: Ask a local aquatic facility which lifeguarding course it accepts, then use that course to develop and demonstrate rescue and surveillance skills.

What the civilian work involves
  • Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
  • Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.
  • Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.

Notes & Sources

  • For swimming-instructor and lifeguard positions, aquatic-facility employers commonly require current CPR or first-aid certification and may require lifeguarding certification and a background check.
Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. NAVPERS 18068F Vol II (NEOCS, Jul 2026 edition): NEC 808A

    [1] NEC entry "808A - Basic Swimming and Water Survival Instructor"; cached text line 20901; NAVPERS 18068F Vol II, 2026-07 edition

    Supports: Abandon-ship procedures and auxiliary flotation instruction, Marine hazard and survival-floating instruction, CPR, AED, and first-aid instruction, Classroom and poolside class organization, Swimming Instructor (O*NET 25-3021.00), Lifeguard (O*NET 33-9092.00)

  2. O*NET: Self-Enrichment Teachers

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Swimming Instructor (O*NET 25-3021.00)

  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Recreation Workers

    [3] How to Become a Recreation Worker; Education and Training, Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations; page dated 2026-08-27, retrieved 2026-09-24

    Supports: Swimming Instructor (O*NET 25-3021.00), Lifeguard (O*NET 33-9092.00)

  4. O*NET: Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Lifeguard (O*NET 33-9092.00)

Defense contractor jobs for 808A

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Similarity is a browsing aid, not documented equivalence or transfer eligibility.

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