There are several reasons to consider joining the Army’s underwater army. These reasons can range from Da Vinci’s underwater army to the most challenging course available for combat divers in Army. Even dolphins can be trained! Here are five reasons to join the Army's submerged army. It is the only way to be a combat diver.
Da Vinci’s underwater army
Leonardo da Vinci invented the diving suit, a device which could have helped the Republic of Venice defeat the Ottoman navy at the turn of the 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 with the underwater realm. He envisaged a diving army that would repel the invasion of enemy ships. They would be equipped with diving gear to make holes in enemy ships' hulls. Although this plan never materialized, the underwater army he devised may have inspired the invention of the first scuba equipment.
Special Forces Combat Diver 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. This course will teach you how to use heavy closed-circuit diving equipment. These equipments don't produce bubbles which makes them ideal for covert missions. Students will be taught how a'mixedgas' system works, such as a Draeger LARV. It recycles mixed gases that a diver exhales back to the cylinder. The course will teach students about diving physics as well as physiology. They will also learn how to treat a diver's injuries if they occur while underwater.
The water around the Florida Keys is home to one of the U.S. Army's only Special Forces Underwater Operations school, or SFUWO, in the U.S. Army's Southeast Command. Since the 1960s, the facility has been operating in the Keys. 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. The SFUWO divers were then partnered with the NOAA Blue Star program, which aims to protect the marine environment from harmful materials.
Toughest course for combat divers in the Army
Combat diver qualification courses focus on tactical aspects of combat dive. The Mark 25 Draeger Oxygen Rebreather is a closed-circuit underwater breathing device that emits no bubbles. This allows operators to safely swim unnoticed. Combat divers are also taught how to navigate the oceans, perform various extraction and insertion strategies. This course is usually the most challenging course for combat divers.
Falkenstine, who had successfully completed the Combat Diver Qualification Course (seven-weeks), was invited back for the Supervisor Course. This will prepare them to lead combat dive operations. Combat diving requires an extreme level of physical fitness. It is also mentally demanding. 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
Developing an underwater army with dolphins is not a new idea. In Soviet Union, the Soviet Union used dolphins as a way 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 are quicker than humans and have better swimming and diving skills. They can also dive without suffering from decompression sickness, making them excellent patrol animals. Ethical concerns are raised by the use dolphins of weapons. Animal rights activists have long called to end this program.
The dangers of diving in Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico was contaminated by oil leaking into it, leaving behind brown liquid and volatile, flammable gasses. These chemicals are dangerous to marine life and the people who work on the frontlines of cleanup. If you dive in the Gulf of Mexico, be sure to avoid any areas that may contain oil.
Even though commercial divers have sophisticated breathing equipment, it is still very challenging in the water environment. The water is extremely cold and the currents can be turbulent. Visibility is also often poor. Divers should be on the lookout for mud, sand, sharks, and stinging plants. The extreme pressure of hyperbaric oxygen can cause them to become unconscious and even die.