There are a few reasons why you should consider joining the Army's underwater army. These reasons include Da Vinci’s underwater army to the most rigorous course for combat divers of the Army. You can even learn with dolphins Here are five great reasons to join the Army's underwater army. It is the only way to be 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 was an artist of Renaissance who was fascinated by the underwater environment. He envisioned a diving army to repel invasions of enemy ships. The soldiers would be equipped with diving suits, which they would use to cut holes in the 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 in 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. You will be able to use heavy, closed circuit dive equipment during this course. These equipments don't produce bubbles which makes them ideal for covert missions. The training will teach students how to use a'mixed-gas' system such as a Draeger LARV which recycles the'mixed gases that a diver exhales into the cylinder. Students will also learn about diving mechanics and physiology during the course. 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, or SFUWO in the U.S. Army’s Southeast Command, is located around the Florida Keys. Since the 1960s, this facility has been in Keys operation. Combat diving training also teaches students how the seafloor can be navigated. This training is important because a contractor once dug up munitions from the Civil War in the area. SFUWO divers were subsequently partnered with NOAA Blue Star, which is designed to protect marine environments from harmful materials.
Army combat divers face the toughest challenge
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 learn how to navigate oceans and implement various insertion- and extraction strategies. This is the most difficult course 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 requires high levels of physical fitness. However, it can also present a mental challenge. Falkenstine states that although the training is very difficult, it is an honor to be part of such an elite club. She describes the camaraderie among combat divers as unmatched.
Training with dolphins
It is not a novel idea to create an underwater army using dolphins. In the Soviet Union, dolphins were used to train sailors. It also uses seals as part of its training program. The program was ended after the collapse Soviet Union. However, the Ukrainian navy has resumed its training program some years back.
Dolphins can dive and swim faster than humans. They can dive without decompression sickness and make excellent patrol animals. However, the use of dolphins as weapons has ethical concerns. Animal rights activists have long called for the end of this program.
The dangers of diving in Gulf of Mexico
Oil from the Gulf of Mexico has leaked into the waterways, contaminating them with liquid oil and volatile, inflammable gases. These chemicals can cause severe harm to marine life and people working in the field of clean-up. Avoid oily areas when diving in the Gulf of Mexico.
Even though commercial divers have sophisticated breathing equipment, it is still very challenging in the water environment. The water is very cold, the currents are turbulent, and visibility can often be poor. Divers need to be aware of sand and mud as well as sharks or stinging fauna. Hyperbaric pressure can also be dangerous for divers.