There are many reasons you should consider joining an Army's underwater arm. These reasons range from Da Vinci's underwater army to the most demanding course for combat divers in the Army. You can even learn with dolphins Here are five reasons why you should join the Army's underwater army. This is the best way for combat divers to get certified.
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 and embroiled into a series a international border disputes.
Leonardo da Vinci (Renaissance artist) was fascinated with the underwater realm. He envisaged a diving army that would repel the invasion 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 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
You can join the Special Forces combat diving school located in the Florida Keys if you're interested in joining the military or learning how to do covert missions underwater. You will be able to use heavy, closed circuit dive equipment during this course. These equipments are very discreet and ideal for covert missions because they don't create bubbles. During the training, students will be taught how to use a'mixed gas' system, such as a Draeger LAR-V, which recycles the'mixed gases' that a diver exhales back into the cylinder. During the course, students will also learn about diving physics and physiology. 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 is located in the water surrounding the Florida Keys. Since the 1960s the Keys has had the facility in place. Combat diving training teaches students how to navigate the ocean floor. This is essential because a contractor used to excavate munitions left over from the Civil War. SFUWO divers were then partnered up with the NOAA Blue Star Program, which aims at protecting the marine environment from hazardous materials.
Army combat divers face the toughest challenge
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. The course also covers how combat divers can navigate the oceans and use various insertion or extraction strategies. This course is often the most difficult 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 said that while the training is difficult, she felt honored to be a part of such an elite community. She said she is astonished at the camaraderie between combat divers.
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 in its training program. Although the Soviet Union collapsed, the Ukrainian Navy resumed training in the program several years later.
Dolphins are faster than humans and have better swim and diving abilities. They can dive safely and are good patrol animals. However, ethical concerns surround the use and possession of dolphins to be used as weapons. Animal rights activists long demanded the end of this program.
Dangers of diving in the 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 harmful to marine life and those working on the front lines of clean-up. Avoid areas that might contain oil when you dive in 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 be on the lookout for mud, sand, sharks, and stinging plants. Hyperbaric pressure can also be dangerous for divers.