Sarlier, Parlier

SASEBO, NAGASAKI, JAPAN

02.14.2016

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Naomi VanDuser 

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

SASEBO, Japan - The final examination began with disorienting sound. As each member recites the Sailor’s Creed, water sprays them head to toe mid-sentence. This disruption thrusts chaos into an ordinary event. This is preparation to save someone’s life. They enter the pool to conduct a variety of life-saving scenarios. If they miss a vital step at any point, all that work and training would amount to nothing.

Out of the 30 candidates in class 16001, only six made it through the nearly five week course and final exam. Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 3rd Class Zachary Parlier, assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), is one of those six.

This is the final training that every Naval Search and Rescue (SAR) swimmer must go through in order to graduate. With one out of every three passing the course, the training is an intense combination of physical fitness and medical know how.

“One guy passed out on the bus between exercises on the first day,” said Parlier. “He was kicked out.”

Parlier saw this as a challenge for him to conquer.

“I was training with my SWCC [Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman] buddy before the Navy so I already had the physical part down,” said Parlier. “When my plans for diver fell through, I ended up becoming an AZ.” Parlier jumped at an opportunity as soon as the emails went out searching for SAR school volunteers.

The normal daily routine of an AZ is one of seemingly endless paperwork and files. As the nerve center for aircraft intermediate maintenance department, AZs spend most of their time performing necessary and essential administration duties for the entire department. For an AZ to become a SAR swimmer is a rare occurrence. Upon graduation, Parlier was informed by his instructors that he was the only AZ in the Navy to complete the course and become a SAR swimmer at that time.

“When I found out it made sense because SAR swimmers are mostly surface ratings,” said Parlier “I was happy too because it was what I wanted to do.”
Now, his BHR co-workers call him “Sarlier.”

• Date Taken: 02.14.2016
• Date Posted: 02.14.2016 21:18
• Story ID: 188845
• Location: SASEBO, NAGASAKI, JP