NAUI VA Program – GI Bill® Open Water Scuba Diver Level
Use your hard?earned GI Bill® benefits to start your diving journey with the NAUI VA Program Open Water Scuba Diver Level at Vets Recover, in partnership with the Helping 2 Overcome (H2O) Program. This entry?level course is designed specifically for Veterans, Active Duty service members, and eligible dependents who want to build new skills, confidence, and purpose in a supportive, veteran?centric environment.
The Open Water Scuba Diver Level is your foundation for safe, enjoyable diving. You’ll learn essential scuba skills, dive planning, equipment use, and in?water problem solving, while building comfort and confidence in open water. The course fee for this level is 1,500 USD and includes the NAUI Open Water Scuba Diver course plus two (2) additional NAUI specialty certifications, giving you more value and capability than a standard basic course. At this level, Helping 2 Overcome also provides you with a gear credit balance that you can apply toward the purchase of personal dive equipment, helping you begin building your own kit from day one.
All NAUI VA Program GI Bill® courses are paid up front by the participant. This is a Department of Veteran Affairs Requirement.
After you successfully complete the Open Water course and pass the required NAUI exam(s), you submit your paperwork to the Department of Veterans Affairs under the licensing and certification reimbursement process. The VA then reimburses you directly for the approved cost of the course according to your individual GI Bill® eligibility level and remaining entitlement. This Open Water Level is structured so that it uses only one month of GI Bill® eligibility, making it an efficient first step in a clear, stackable pathway that can take you all the way from beginner diver to NAUI dive professional.
By choosing Vets Recover and Helping 2 Overcome for your Open Water training, you’re not just earning a certification—you’re joining a community. You’ll train alongside other members of the military and veteran community, with access to a recovery?focused, peer?support environment and opportunities to keep diving through future levels, trips, and events.
