There are many reasons you should consider joining an Army's underwater arm. These reasons range from Da Vinci's underwater army to the most demanding course for combat divers in the Army. You can even train alongside dolphins! Here are five reasons to join the Army's submerged army. It's the ultimate way to become a combat diver.
Da Vinci's underwater army
Leonardo da Vinci created the diving suit. It was a device that could have helped Venice defeat the Ottoman navy around the 16th century. The Mediterranean Coast was in turmoil at the time. It was embroiled with a series of international border disputes that included a full-scale civil war.
Leonardo da Vinci (Renaissance artist) was fascinated with the underwater realm. He imagined a diving army to resist enemy ship invasions. The soldiers would be equipped in diving suits to cut into enemy ships' hulls. Although this plan didn't materialize, the underwater army that he created may have inspired the first scuba equipment.
Special Forces combat diving school for the Florida Keys
If you are interested in joining the military and want to learn how to conduct covert missions underwater, you can enroll in a Special Forces combat diving school in the Florida Keys. The course will teach you how use heavy, closed-circuit divers equipment. These equipments do NOT produce bubbles making them extremely clandestine and useful for covert missions. Students will learn how to use a'mixed gas system' such as a Draeger LARV that recycles any mixed gases exhaled by a diver back into the cylinder. During the course, students will also learn about diving physics and physiology. They will also learn how they can treat diver injuries that occur underwater.
One of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces Underwater Operations schools can be found in the Florida Keys. It has been in existence in the Keys since 1960. Students learn to navigate the seafloor as part of combat diving training. This training is important because a contractor once dug up munitions from the Civil War in the area. SFUWO divers were then partnered up with the NOAA Blue Star Program, which aims at protecting the marine environment from hazardous materials.
The Army's toughest course for combat divers
Combat diver qualification courses focus on tactical aspects of combat dive. The course also teaches the use of a closed-circuit underwater breathing apparatus, known as the Mark 25 Draeger Oxygen Rebreather, which emits no bubbles and allows operators to swim undetected. Combat divers are also taught how to navigate the oceans, perform various extraction and insertion strategies. This course is often the most difficult for combat divers.
Falkenstine had completed the Combat Diver Qualification Course for seven weeks. He was invited back to do the Supervisor Course. This course prepares them to manage combat dive operations. Combat diving is physically demanding, but it can also be mentally challenging. Falkenstine acknowledges the challenges of combat diving, but feels honored to be part in such an elite group. She believes the camaraderie among combat divers is unmatched.
Dolphin training
It is not a novel idea to create an underwater army using dolphins. The Soviet Union has used dolphins to train its sailors. It also uses seals, and other marine mammals in its training program. The Ukrainian navy resumed its training program after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Dolphins can swim faster than humans, and they have superior diving and swimming skills. They are excellent patrol animals and can dive without getting decompression sickness. The ethical issues surrounding the use of dolphins for weapons are still present. Animal rights activists long demanded the end of this program.
Diving in the Gulf of Mexico is dangerous
Oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico has left behind oily liquids and volatile, flammable substances. These chemicals are dangerous to marine life and the people who work on the frontlines of cleanup. Avoid areas that could contain oil if you dive in the Gulf of Mexico.
Even though commercial divers have sophisticated breathing equipment, it is still very challenging in the water environment. The water temperature is low, the currents and visibility are often poor. Divers must also be alert for mud, sand and sharks. Hyperbaric pressure can also be dangerous for divers.