Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers & Staying Ready for the Call | ft. Zach Burley – Episode 123 (22MAY26)

If you’re a pilot, active duty military member, or busy professional who wants to hold yourself to a higher standard—physically, mentally, and professionally—start your application to work with us here:https://bluechipathleticclub.com/program-applicationIn this episode of the Blue Chip Athletic Club Podcast, Blaise is joined by ASTC Zach Burley, a 15‑year Coast Guard veteran, rescue swimmer, instructor, husband, dad, and entrepreneur. Zach walks through his origin story from growing up in Houston, seeing rescue swimmers jump out of a helo in the bay, and deciding “that’s it” as a teenager—to actually becoming one of the roughly thousand people in Coast Guard history to earn the “AST” rate.They dig into what Coast Guard rescue swimmers really do: 24/7 alert duty, 30‑minute launch timelines, getting yanked out of bed at midnight, and making life-or-death decisions on minimal sleep. Zach explains how brutal and specific the A‑School pipeline is—hours in the pool under extreme stress, learning to think clearly while getting “drowned,” and why that stress is engineered so you’re calm when it’s dark, cold, and chaotic over the ocean. He talks about training enough that real-world SAR cases feel familiar, not overwhelming, and what it’s like to see the look on a survivor’s face when you’re the one who shows up.They also hit the less glamorous side: longevity, staying healthy enough to “hang with the young guns” after 15 years, and balancing training hard with not overdoing it so he can keep answering the bell. Zach shares what it was like to help stand up the new rescue swimmer school in Petaluma, CA—rebuilding the program with a fresh instructor slate, working students in the surf and dunes, dragging sleds up “Texas Hill,” and seeing the payoff when young swimmers he trained show up years later ready to go.Explore Zach’s business – Big Iron TobaccoZach also runs Big Iron Tobacco, a small-batch, veteran-owned chewing tobacco alternative built around flavor and ritual. If you’re a current or former dip user looking for a better option, or you just want to support a rescue swimmer’s brand, check him out:Website: https://bigirontobacco.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigirontobaccoListen to more episodes here:https://bluechipathleticclub.com/podcastPartners & Resources1st Phorm supplements:https://1stphorm.com/66bf90e5bed64Sweet Profections protein cookies (code BLUECHIP10 for 10% off):https://sweetprofections.com/?ref=mhcptczoBuilt Different Mastermind (code BLAISE25 for $25 off first month):https://www.builtdifferentcommunity.com/feedLogTen Pro / PilotBase pilot logbook and tools (free 3 months):https://logten.com/partner/logten-for-bluechip/DISCLAIMER: We are not healthcare professionals (doctors). This podcast is not medical advice. Consult your physician for personal guidance.