The Army's submarine army is a great option for you. 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. It is the only way to be a combat diver.
Da Vinci's underwater army
Leonardo da Vinci designed the diving suit. This invention could have saved the Republic of Venice from the Ottoman navy at turn of 16th-century. The Mediterranean Coast was in turmoil and embroiled into a series a international border disputes.
Leonardo da Vinci (Renaissance artist) was fascinated with the underwater realm. To repel enemy ships, he envisioned a diving army. The soldiers would be equipped in diving suits to cut into 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 Diver School in Florida Keys
If you're interested joining the military, and would like to learn how you can conduct covert missions under water, then you could enroll in a Special Forces combat diver school in the Florida Keys. During this course, you will learn how to use heavy, closed-circuit dive equipment. These equipments do NOT produce bubbles making them extremely clandestine and useful 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. If an injury occurs underwater, they will be able to treat it.
One of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces Underwater Operations schools is located in the water surrounding the Florida Keys. Since the 1960s, this facility has been in Keys operation. Students learn to navigate the seafloor as part of combat diving training. This is essential because a contractor used to excavate munitions left over from the Civil War. SFUWO divers were later partnered by the NOAA Blue Star programme, which aims protect the marine environment.
Combat divers in the Army face the most difficult task
The combat diver qualification course focuses on tactical aspects of combat diving. 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 is the most difficult course for combat divers.
Falkenstine completed the Combat Diver Qualification Course over seven weeks and was then invited back to take the Supervisor Course. This prepares them for the role of directing combat dive operations. Although combat diving requires a high degree of physical fitness, it is also a mental challenge. Falkenstine admits that the training can be very challenging but she is proud to be part of this elite group. She describes the camaraderie among combat divers as unmatched.
Dolphin training
This idea of an underwater army made up of dolphins is not novel. 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. 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 excellent patrol animals and can dive without getting decompression sickness. However, ethical concerns surround the use and possession of dolphins to be used as weapons. Animal rights activists have long called for the end of this program.
Dangers of diving in the Gulf of Mexico
Oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico has left behind oily liquids and volatile, flammable substances. These chemicals can be harmful to marine life as well as those who are involved in clean-up. Avoid any oily areas if you are diving in the Gulf of Mexico.
Despite being equipped with sophisticated equipment for breathing, commercial divers still find it difficult to navigate the waters. The water is extremely cold and the currents can be turbulent. Visibility is also often poor. Divers should also watch out for mud and sandy, sharks, and stinging flora. In addition, they are exposed to hyperbaric pressure, which can be fatal.