So you want to become a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer? The pathway to becoming an Aviation Survivalist Technician (AST) is a journey with many challenges to overcome in accomplishing this objective. The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer/AST rate is one of the most highly sought after career paths / adventures the U.S Coast Guard offers. Many people seek to join the Coast Guard specifically to do this mission as it is one of the most adventurous jobs in the organization with a direct impact on saving lives. In this episode of the Coast To Coasties Podcast, I sit down with my longtime friend and bootcamp shipmate AST3 Max Gardiner as we discuss in this 2 part episode, how his journey began and how he got to where he is today. In the first episode we cover how Max discovered the Coast Guard and what motivated him to pursue a career as a Rescue Swimmer. We walk through his preparation for AST A-school and his time as a non-rate. For anyone who wants to learn more about Aviation rates or may have interest in becoming an Aviation Survivalist Technician, tune into this episode and listen to Max share how he prepared for this amazing adventure!