- Roger Garcia
- Marine Specialist
National Undersea Research Center
University of North Carolina at at Wilmington
515 Key Largo, Florida 33037
garciar@uncw.edu
In 1983, I graduated from Hialeah High School in Miami, Florida and enlisted in the U.S. Navy later a few months later. I attended boot camp in Great Lakes Illinois followed by Hospital Corps School. In February of 1984, I received specialized training for combat medics at Camp Johnson, North Carolina. I was later transferred to my first command in April, 1984 — Weapons Battalion Aid Station Marine Corps, Recruit Depot Paris Island, South Carolina.
In June 1985, I transferred to 2nd Marine Division Camp Lejuene, North Carolina where I served with several Marine Corps units until August of 1989. After my tour of duty with the Marine Corps I was transferred to Naval Hospital in Orlando, Florida where I worked in the Emergency Medical Services Department. I was transferred to Marine Brigade Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii in August of 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait. I subsequently served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm with 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines.
After my tour in combat I applied for and was accepted to the U.S. Navy Dive School in May 1992, at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) Panama City Florida for diver training.
At this point in my career I realized I found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life — be a professional diver. I graduated as a qualified Navy Diving Medical Technician from NDSTC in November of 1992. I stayed on for instructor duty at NDSTC from 1992 to 1996. After completing my tour as an instructor I was transferred to the U.S. Navy Dive Locker in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Following my tour in Cuba from 1996 to 1999, I was transferred back to NDSTC for instructor duty once again. I decided to retire from my 20–year Naval career after finding this job opportunity with the National Undersea Research Center (Aquarius). I am qualified to dive SCAMP, Surface Supplied Air (SSD), SSD Mixed Gas, and 100 percent oxygen rebreathers. I am also a qualified inside tender for recompression therapy and recompression chamber operator. During my tenure as a Navy Diving Medical Tech, I qualified as a SCUBA diving supervisor, SSD Air supervisor, SSD Mixed Gas supervisor, and Re–compression Chamber supervisor.
I hope to be a part of Aquarius for many years to come…
