JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – When former military brat Bruce Antonowicz participated in Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s lifeguard training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in June 1991, he did it to help pay for school.
“I started as a lifeguard because I didn’t want to work fast food,” he said. “I thought fast food was really hard work.”
But after making it through training and being the slowest person on staff, he wasn’t satisfied.
“So, I worked on my swimming, I became a better swimmer, I became a better lifeguard, I gained a bunch of skills and abilities,” he said.
Antonowicz earned his water safety instructor certificate to teach lessons, and for four years, he continued as a lifeguard and instructor. Eventually, he became a manager, then Aquatics director, and then the Sports, Fitness and Aquatics director, before landing his current position – Community Recreation Division chief.
Now, it’s summer lifeguard training season again at JBLM. Classes will be held from May 2-4, with Friday hours from 5 to 10 p.m. and weekend hours from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at McVeigh Fitness Center’s Kimbro Pool on Lewis Main. The training is free and open to applicants 15 and older, said Joshua Adams, MWR Sports, Fitness and Aquatics director.
JBLM LIFEGUARDS AND POOL AVAILABILITY
The number of working lifeguards will help determine the base swimming pools’ availability this summer, Adams said.
“There are certain standards and ratios that we have to keep, or we have to close the pools,” he said. “Having enough staff there to safely open the facilities is huge.”
About 60 lifeguards are currently on staff, and gaining another 20 “would be wonderful,” in addition to a seasonal leadership team, Adams said. He explained that the lifeguard job posting is always open on USA Jobs and the number of hours covered is more crucial than a certain number of guards.
“Some lifeguards are available for 30 hours a week and some are available for five hours a week,” he said, adding that some can work weekends while others can’t. “So, our aquatic leadership team, they deal with a lot of these outside variables.”
More lifeguards allow the outdoor, seasonal McChord Pool to be open additional days throughout the summer. The current plan is to open the pool on weekends, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. With more guards, MWR can tell the Air Force they have the staff to expand the number of open pool days and ask them which days they prefer, Adams said.
“Getting that open as many days as possible is always our goal coming into summertime,” he said. “Last year was the first time we were able to expand to four days a week at McChord Pool.”
The pool’s schedule was continued for an extra week last summer, too, keeping it open into mid-September instead of closing on Labor Day weekend, Adams said.
Reaching this summer’s goal of keeping McChord Pool open five or more days per week is “all dependent on staffing,” he said.
LIFEGUARD TRAINING REGISTRATION
Additional lifeguarding classes will be held June 13-15, Aug. 8-10 and Sept. 12-14. At least two days before the first day of classes, potential lifeguards must take an in-water pretest, which includes “a 300-meter front crawl or breaststroke swim, two-minute tread using legs only and a timed brick retrieval,” the MWR website says.
The upcoming classes’ locations will be announced at the pretest, Adams said.
To schedule the pretest, call 253-967-5026 or email jblmsfa@army.mil.
“If they’re good, strong swimmers, it takes less than 10 minutes to knock it out,” Adams said.
When the pretest is completed successfully, an instructor will send online learning content to students via email. Certification and a pocket mask are included in the training, according to the MWR website.
“You must complete an online course (approximately seven hours) prior to the first day of class,” the MWR website says. “Expect a physically strenuous class with skills work both in and out of the water.”
MWR also offers a lifeguard trainee program, which allows potential lifeguards to be paid while spending 30 to 45 days practicing for and passing the pretest and the lifeguard course, with the goal of becoming certified lifeguards. Those interested can apply on USA Jobs or at NAF job fairs. The next job fair will be held May 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Eagle’s Pride Golf Course.
“Nothing really disqualifies them unless they can’t swim,” Adams said. “As soon as they get their official job offer from HR, that’s when the clock ticks .… We’ve had trainees three weeks in become certified lifeguards and are permanent members of our team.”
Those who already have lifeguard certifications can apply for lifeguard positions on USA Jobs and upload their certifications, Adams said.
“The skills that you learn as a lifeguard and as part of the lifeguard team I think are really priceless,” he said, adding that people never know when life-saving techniques and swimming skills may come in handy.
He also said lifeguarding could help people get their feet in the door for government jobs, like it did for Antonowicz.
“It’s a lifelong skill,” Antonowicz said. “It benefits not only you – it’s a good-paying job – but then you’re helping protect and keep people safe in our swimming pools.”
For more information, call 253-967-5026, email jblmsfa@army.mil or visit https://jblm.armymwr.com/calendar/event/89516.
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