Posted on Apr 24, 2019
2LT Platoon Leader
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Decompression tables, hand signals, specific knots, side-stroke/combat side stroke, APFT/NAVY PFT tips/tricks? Any work-out plans for lap swimming/breath-holding would be MUCH appreciated! Thanks.
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Responses: 4
MSG Dan Castaneda
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I’m not sure what engineer divers need to do to get ready as I am a combat diver. However if you were going to our dive school, I would first tell you to learn to fin with up to 16 pounds, and work on breath holds. Do positive and negative breath holds. For example, take a lung full of air, do 10 push ups then sprint 10, 20, 30 meters before exhaling. Then blow all your air out, hold your breath and repeat. You have to get used to the burning sensation of carbon dioxide building up in your lungs.
Also, be in the best shape of your life. The better in shape you are the faster your body will recover.
Learn dive physics also. Our divers have to pass a pre dive course prior to going to dive school. If you don’t have the same requirement, I suggest you find an engineer diver and have him mentor your preparation. Good luck.
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MSG Dan Castaneda
MSG Dan Castaneda
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P1 V1 T2 = P2 V2 T1

Figure out what that means. You will need to know this formula amongst others in dive physics.
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2LT Platoon Leader
2LT (Join to see)
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MSG, thanks for that info. I have a decent background in diving/physics. However I had never had to recall these formulas under pressure. How exactly would I have to recall this formula? A written test/applied formula usage sub surface? Anything helps. Thank you.
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SSG Vik Polivka
SSG Vik Polivka
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The Key West dive course, and Panama City, where you will go, are very much alike. An Army Engineer Master Diver is at the Key West facility as well. You're best bet is to make sure you can pass the diver fitness test (DPFT), and above minimum scores. You're never going to be 100% rested, so don't count on being "at your best" for anything physical, i.e. PT tests, bay swims, etc. You'll need to learn knots, mostly demolition knots, things like that, but the academics aren't what usually fail candidates. Usually, it's physical, or something drug, or alcohol related...getting in trouble in Panama City. Memorize gas laws, found in the U.S. Navy Diving Manual. Be able to write them out verbatim, and explain how they work. Know how to chart a dive, no decompression, decompression, etc, in accordance with the U.S. Navy Dive Manual. Military dive tables vary from civilian. I went through dive school in the Navy, then in the Army when I crossed over. Let me know if you have any other specific questions, but make sure you've contacted the Phase I, and Phase II POC.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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Get comfortable with drowning and being without air. Underwater knit tying is a good exercise. When these guys came to brief myself and the other career counselors to help recruit people to the MOS, they stressed that it wasn't the swimming that makes people fail, it's being without oxygen that makes them freak out. At the time they had to run three dive classes to get enough students to fill one class of the engineering portion.
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2LT Platoon Leader
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SFC, thank you for the career counselor perspective.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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2LT (Join to see) lol that's not my perspective, that was what the 12Ds told us when we were getting briefed. They said it was very common to have guys who swam competitively for years who would fail out because they've never really had to be without oxygen for a length of time.
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2LT Platoon Leader
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Hello SFC. Tryouts are next month, I've basically been living in the pool practicing underwater confidence, and of course increasing my DPFT and APFT score slowly but surely. Thank you again for the advice, anything helps.
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SSG Sean Tremblay
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Look at the DPFT, other than that let the instructors teach the academics, study after class if you need to. Prepping with no context really won’t help
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2LT Platoon Leader
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Much thanks SSG!
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