Retired Navy Rescue Swimmer | CNO SAR Model Manager to HSC-85 – Always the Student, Always the Teacher

Retired Navy Rescue Swimmer | CNO SAR Model Manager to HSC-85 – Always the Student, Always the Teacher

Author: Brian Dickinson December 17, 2025 Duration: 1:11:50

With multiple deployments and decades of service, Jason Barney embodies what it means to be a lifelong student and leader. From his early days as a Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer to serving as CNO SAR Model Manager and with HSC-85, Jason’s career has been defined by excellence, mentorship, and innovation.

In this episode of Calm in the Chaos, Jason shares stories from his time in the Navy, the lessons learned from global deployments, and how he continues to shape the next generation of rescue swimmers. His perspective reminds us that leadership isn’t about knowing everything — it’s about staying teachable, even after retirement.


In this episode:

  • Lessons from multiple deployments
  • The role and responsibilities of the CNO SAR Model Manager
  • The evolution of the Rescue Swimmer program
  • What it means to lead with humility and purpose


👉 Subscribe, share, and review — it helps more veterans, first responders, and families find hope through these stories.


CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 47


So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸


Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!


#JasonBarney #RescueSwimmer #NavyRescueSwimmer #AviationRescueSwimmer #CNO #SARMODELMANAGER #HSC85 #CalmInTheChaosPodcast #BrianDickinson #SoOthersMayLive #NavyLeadership #NavyVeteran #RescueSwimmerStories #MilitaryMentorship #SARCommunity #VeteranStories #NavyLife #AlwaysTheStudent #MilitaryExcellence


For more content, subscribe to our channel and follow @TheCalmintheChaosPodcast:

Twitter: https://x.com/briancdickinson/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandickinson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briancdickinson  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briancdickinson


There’s a moment in every rescue when training meets turbulence, and a person must decide to step into the storm. Calm in the Chaos-U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Podcast is built around those moments, sharing firsthand accounts from the men and women who have lived them. Host Brian Dickinson, drawing from his own experience as a former Navy Rescue Swimmer and an author who has faced extreme environments, guides these conversations with a rare understanding. Each episode unfolds a real mission, but the focus often settles on what happens between the orders-the split-second decisions, the managed fear, and the profound humanity required to save a life in perilous conditions. This isn't just about historical operations; it's an intimate exploration of the grit, mindset, and quiet faith that define these individuals. The podcast has found a dedicated audience, ranking in the top tier of podcasts globally, precisely because it goes beyond the heroics to examine the tangible calm forged in chaos. While not affiliated with the U.S. Navy or Department of Defense, the stories offer an authentic window into a world where running toward danger is the job description. Listeners will hear voices often reserved for debrief rooms, sharing narratives of loss, survival, and the weight of the helmet, all framed by Dickinson’s grounded perspective.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 55

Calm in the Chaos - U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Podcast
Podcast Episodes
From Guitar Hero to Real Hero: A Navy Rescue Swimmer’s Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:10
Before answering the call of duty, he was just a kid playing Guitar Hero. In this episode, we follow the unexpected path from music-loving civilian to U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer — facing down life-or-death mission…
F-14 Crash Rescue in Shark-Infested Waters | Real Navy SAR Mission [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:39
An F-14 goes down. Shark-infested waters. Zero margin for error.In this episode, a U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer recounts the tense and heroic mission that followed one of the most dangerous aircraft crashes imaginab…
Man Overboard Rescue, Pizza Runs & Copenhagen | Rescue Swimmer Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:16
This episode dives into the wild and unexpected—from a man overboard emergency to delivering pizza and Copenhagen in the middle of SAR ops. It’s all part of the unpredictable life of a Navy Rescue Swimmer.Calm in the Cha…