You should consider joining the Army's submerged army. 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 you should join the Army’s underwater army. This is the best way to become 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 in chaos at the time and was involved in several international border disputes.
Leonardo da Vinci, Renaissance artist, was fascinated about the underwater world. He envisioned a diving army to repel invasions of enemy ships. They would have diving suits that they could use to cut through enemy ships' shells. Although this plan didn't materialize, the underwater army that he created may have inspired 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. The course teaches you how to use closed-circuit, heavy dive equipment. These equipments produce no bubbles, which makes them perfect 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 be taught about diving physics, and physiology. They will also learn how the to treat any injuries suffered by divers while submerged.
One of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces Underwater Operations schools is located in the water surrounding the Florida Keys. Since the 1960s the Keys has had the facility in place. 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. SFUWO divers were then joined by the NOAA Blue Star program which seeks to protect the marine environment against harmful materials.
The Army's toughest course for combat divers
The Combat Diver Qualification Course focuses on tactical aspects in combat diving. The Mark 25 Draeger Oxygen Rebreather is a closed-circuit underwater breathing device that emits no bubbles. This allows operators to safely swim unnoticed. The course also covers how combat divers can navigate the oceans and use various insertion or extraction strategies. This course is typically the most difficult 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 is physically demanding, but it can also be mentally challenging. Falkenstine says the training is extremely challenging, but she feels honored to be a member of such an elite community. She describes the camaraderie among combat divers as unmatched.
Training with dolphins
This idea of an underwater army made up of dolphins is not novel. The Soviet Union has used dolphins in training its sailors. It also uses seals as part of its training program. Although the Soviet Union collapsed, the Ukrainian Navy resumed training in the program several years later.
Dolphins are faster than human beings and can dive better 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 called for an end to this program since long.
Dive in the Gulf of Mexico: Dangers
The Gulf of Mexico was contaminated by oil leaking into it, leaving behind brown liquid and volatile, flammable gasses. These chemicals can cause severe harm to marine life and people working in the field of clean-up. Avoid areas that could contain oil if you dive 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 temperature is low, the currents and visibility are often poor. Divers need to be aware of sand and mud as well as sharks or stinging fauna. They are also exposed to hyperbaric tension, which can prove fatal.