There are many reasons you should consider joining an Army's underwater arm. These include Da Vinci's underwater army and the most difficult course for combat divers in Army. Even dolphins can be trained! Here are five reasons to join the Army's submerged army. This is the best way for combat divers to get certified.
Da Vinci's underwater army
Leonardo da Vinci invents the diving suit. This device could have helped the Republic of Venice defeat Ottoman Navy at the turn of 16th century. The Mediterranean Coast was at that time in turmoil, embroiled in a series international border disputes and even a full-scale conflict.
Leonardo da Vinci, Renaissance artist, was fascinated about the underwater world. He imagined a diving army to resist enemy ship invasions. The soldiers would be equipped with diving suits, which they would use to cut holes in the enemy ships' hulls. Although this plan did not materialize, it may have been the inspiration for the creation of 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. The course will teach you how use heavy, closed-circuit divers equipment. These equipments do not produce bubbles, making them very clandestine and perfect 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. The course will teach students about diving physics as well as physiology. Students will learn how to treat injuries sustained underwater by divers.
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. It has been in existence in the Keys since 1960. Combat diving training also teaches students how the seafloor can be navigated. This is vital because an area contractor used to dig up Civil War munitions. The SFUWO divers were then partnered with the NOAA Blue Star program, which aims to protect the marine environment from harmful materials.
Army Combat Divers: The most difficult course
Combat diver qualification courses focus on tactical aspects of combat dive. The Mark 25 Draeger Oxygen Rebreather closed-circuit underwater breath apparatus is taught. This course teaches combat divers how navigate the oceans as well as various insertion and removal strategies. This is the most difficult course for combat divers.
After completing the seven-week Combat Diver Qualification Course, Falkenstine was invited back to complete the supervisor course, which prepares them to oversee combat dive operations. Combat diving requires physical strength, but also mental challenges. Falkenstine states that although the training is very difficult, it is an honor to be part of such an elite club. She says she finds the camaraderie among combat divers to be unmatched.
Training with dolphins
The idea of creating an underwater army of dolphins is not new. In Soviet Union, the Soviet Union used dolphins as a way to train its sailors. It also uses seals and other marine mammals as part of its training program. Although the Soviet Union collapsed the program, the Ukrainian navy revived the training program several years ago.
Dolphins are faster than human beings and can dive better than humans. They are great patrol animals as they can dive with no 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.
Dangers of diving in the 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 are harmful to marine life and those working on the front lines of clean-up. 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 is cold, the currents are torturous, and visibility is often poor. Divers also must watch for mud and sand, as well as sharks and stinging flora. The extreme pressure of hyperbaric oxygen can cause them to become unconscious and even die.