Because I am the Rescue Swimmer. Found this comic Because I’m the Rescue Swimmer in a binder that I drew back in 1994. A classmate in Rescue Swimmer School (RSS) during a drill said, “Because I’m the Rescue Swimmer, That’s Why” And it cracked me up. Hey let’s face it, if in an emergency do you really want to talk back to the dude rescuing you? I think not. Remember a Rescue Swimmer is defined as someone who jumps without fear into the murky unknown to save others so you don’t have to. See also Poseidon, Neptune. Below is a story…

Because I Am the Rescue Swimmer: The Legend of the Jumping God of the Sea

It was 1994, and Rescue Swimmer School (RSS) was in full swing. The water was cold, the drills were relentless, and everyone in the class was either soaked to the bone or getting ready to be soaked to the bone. These were the days when Navy Rescue Swimmers earned their salt—literally—by jumping into the cold, unforgiving ocean and pulling people out of situations that most would rather avoid. If it involved being in the water when you shouldn’t be, a Rescue Swimmer was there, like a modern-day Poseidon, minus the beard and trident.

Among these brave souls was a classmate named Steve, a guy who seemed to embody the entire idea of jumping into the abyss without hesitation. Steve was the type of Rescue Swimmer who oozed confidence in the water. The man lived for the thrill of jumping from helicopters into choppy seas. But Steve also had a sense of humor—one that came out in the most unexpected moments.

One fateful day, during a particularly grueling drill, the instructors had the class going through rescue scenarios like their lives depended on it. The scenario? Someone drowning far off in the distance, with waves higher than their paychecks. Steve, the designated swimmer for this drill, was already halfway into his wetsuit when one of the newer recruits, let’s call him Johnson, hesitated before the jump.

“Wait, shouldn’t we—uh, maybe check something first?” Johnson asked nervously, his eyes wide as he looked at the stormy ocean below.

Steve turned, one eyebrow cocked and a grin forming on his face as if Johnson had just suggested using a rubber ducky as a flotation device.

“Check something? What, like the water temperature? The fish? Maybe see if Neptune’s busy today?”

Johnson stammered, “I just mean, should we—”

Steve cut him off, standing tall on the edge of the platform like he was about to walk on water. He looked out at the angry sea, waves crashing as if the ocean itself was daring him to jump.

“Johnson,” Steve said, with the authority of someone who had done this a million times and lived to tell the tale, “I’m the Rescue Swimmer. That’s why.”

And then, with a dramatic flair that would make a Hollywood director weep with envy, Steve dove headfirst into the chaos below, leaving Johnson standing there, mouth agape, as if the sea had just claimed its newest deity.

The Legend Is Born

The phrase “Because I’m the Rescue Swimmer, That’s Why” instantly became the stuff of legends. It spread through RSS like wildfire. It was the kind of thing you said when you were halfway through a grueling workout and someone asked, “Why do we do this again?”

“Because we’re Rescue Swimmers. That’s why.”

It was the perfect response for any and all situations. Someone questioning why you were willing to jump from a perfectly good helicopter into churning seas? “Because I’m the Rescue Swimmer, that’s why.” In need of a comeback when your buddy was talking trash about your swimming speed? “Because I’m the Rescue Swimmer, that’s why.”

You couldn’t argue with it. It was airtight logic, and everyone knew it. When you’re the person responsible for saving lives in situations that defy human comfort—whether it’s freezing water, stormy seas, or a terrifying scenario involving an overturned boat—you don’t need to explain yourself. You’re the Rescue Swimmer. That’s why.

Poseidon in a Wetsuit

By the end of the school, Steve had unofficially taken on the persona of Poseidon himself. Whenever he walked into the room, people would jokingly bow and chant, “All hail the Rescue Swimmer!” And Steve, always ready with a quick grin, would respond, “I’ll accept your tribute in the form of more push-ups. Ready? Go!”

But the phrase had stuck. And when it came time for real-life rescues, the humor behind it gave way to something deeper. Everyone knew that when it came to jumping into the murky unknown, there was no second-guessing. You didn’t pause. You didn’t ask questions. You jumped in because someone’s life depended on it, and you had trained for exactly that.

During one of their final drills, another recruit found himself in a tricky situation. The water was colder than usual, the current was stronger, and doubt was creeping in. The recruit looked back at the rest of the class, hesitating for just a second too long.

Steve, of course, was already suited up, ready to dive. He clapped the recruit on the shoulder and simply said, “Remember: you’re the Rescue Swimmer. That’s why.”

With a deep breath, the recruit jumped, finally understanding that sometimes, the only explanation you need is the fact that you’re the one who jumps. You’re the one who dives into danger, because that’s your job. No more, no less. You’re the rescue swimmer, and you get it done.

The Legacy Lives On

Years later, long after Steve had moved on to other deployments and other ocean rescues, the phrase “Because I’m the Rescue Swimmer, That’s Why” lived on in training schools, on missions, and in the hearts of the swimmers who continued to jump into the unknown. It became a mantra, a reminder of why they did what they did.

And when they were hoisting survivors into helicopters or pulling someone from the jaws of the sea, no one ever questioned their motives. Because, as everyone knew:

They were the Rescue Swimmers. That’s why.

The End

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