R 101220Z JUL 25
MARADMIN 322/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC PPO PO//
SUBJ/WET SILK PARACHUTE TRAINING INTERIM POLICY MESSAGE//
REF/A/DOC/MCRP 3-10.1 (W/CH1)
REF/B/DOC/MCO 3120.11A
REF/C/DOC/USSOCOM MANUAL 350-3CC
REF/D/DOC/TM 1670-10/1 
AMPN/REF A IS THE STATIC LINE PARACHUTING TECHNIQUES 
AND TRAINING MARINE CORPS REFERENCE PUBLICATION. 
REF B IS THE MARINE CORPS ORDER (MCO) FOR PARACHUTING 
POLICY AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION. REF C IS THE SPECIAL 
OPERATIONS FORCES BASELINE INTEROPERABLE AIRBORNE 
OPERATIONS (PARACHUTING) TRAINING STANDARDS. REF D IS THE 
OPERATOR’S MANUAL FOR PARACHUTE SYSTEM-2 (PS-2) AND TANDEM
OFFSET RESUPPLY DELIVERY SYSTEM (TORDS).
POC/J. HIBLER/LTCOL/POF PARACHUTE SPONSOR/
TEL: 703-692-4494/JASON.HIBLER@USMC.MIL//
POC/M. EATON/MGYSGT/POF PARACHUTE SPONSOR
/TEL: 703-692-4305/MICKEY.EATON@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/PURPOSE/1. This message directs all Marine Corps 
units to comply with the enclosed interim policy guidance 
for the conduct of deliberate Water Drop Zone (WDZ) 
parachute operations and personnel parachute operations 
in the vicinity of high-risk water obstacles. The content 
contained herein is supplemental to that expressed in the 
references. 
2.  Background
2.a.  The conduct of deliberate WDZ parachute operations 
and personnel parachute operations in the vicinity of 
high-risk water obstacles presents an acute risk to force 
that must be mitigated through additional equipment, 
training, and planning by leaders at all levels.  
2.b.  Per ref (a), a high-risk water obstacle is defined 
as any water body within 1000 meters of any edge of a 
DZ, more than four feet deep, and more than 40 feet wide.
3.  Action
3.a.  Currency and refresher training requirement
3.a.1.  To account for the risk of unintentional water 
landings, wet silk currency training is required for all
personnel participating in parachute operations at DZs with 
a high-risk water obstacle or where one-third of the 
freefall or canopy flight is over water. The wet silk 
currency training interval is no greater than 48 months. 
3.a.2.  Wet silk refresher training is to be conducted no 
more than 90 days prior to deliberate WDZ operations for 
participating parachutists. All supporting personnel to 
include Drop Zone Safety Officers, Malfunctions Officers, 
supporting Corpsmen, and safety swimmers shall be present 
at the time of training regardless of currency or jump status.    
3.a.3.  All qualified Military Freefall (MFF) and 
Low-Level Static Line (LLSL) parachutists assigned to 
parachutist-coded billets must be current in wet silk 
training before composite to a Marine Expeditionary Unit 
(MEU), Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR), or Special Purpose 
Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) or deployment 
under the Unit Deployment Program (UDP). 48 month 
currency periods for qualified parachutists must support 
the completion of the deployment’s anticipated duration 
(otherwise, currency training must be conducted prior to 
MEU/MLR/SPMAGTF composite or UDP deployment). 
3.a.4.  Students attending the Multi-Mission Parachutist 
Course (MMPC) and conducting training at DZ Sawtooth 
(Eloy, AZ) are exempt from the wet silk currency 
requirement due to the impracticality of training 
completion prior to system familiarization and qualification. 
DZ Sawtooth has two high-risk water obstacles within 
263 meters of the DZ edge (six-foot deep ponds at 118 
degrees and 279 degrees magnetic from the DZ center point).  
3.b.  Currency and refresher wet silk training procedures
3.b.1.  Wet silk training is conducted at the unit level 
by appointed unit jumpmasters and designated safety 
swimmers. 
3.b.1.a  Designated safety swimmers will possess a Water 
Survival-Advanced swim qualification and will utilize the 
equipment as described in ref (a). 
3.b.2.  Personnel will conduct wet silk training in the 
camouflage utility uniform and boots. Currency and 
refresher wet silk training will consist of the following.  
3.b.2.a.  Jumpers will stand at the edge of the pool and 
execute each step of unintentional water landing emergency 
procedures. 
3.b.2.b.  Jumpers will demonstrate lowering/jettison of 
combat equipment.  
3.b.2.c.  Jumpers will loosen or unfasten the chest strap 
and waistband.
3.b.2.d.  Jumpers will enter the water, release leg 
straps, arch out of the harness, and swim free of the 
harness and suspension lines.
3.b.2.d.1.  For LLSL parachute systems, jumpers will then 
swim under the canopy and demonstrate their ability to 
follow a radial seam to safely egress from under the 
canopy and make an air pocket under the canopy to breathe 
from.
3.b.2.d.2.  For ram air parachute systems (zero porosity), 
jumpers will demonstrate the ability to swim out from 
underneath the canopy material.  
3.b.2.e.  Jumpers will simulate the activation of their 
flotation system, demonstrating an understanding of its 
operation. In addition, jumpers will be placed into an 
inflated flotation device utilizing a belt and manipulate 
the inflated system to different locations on their body 
to experience how it changes their orientation in the water.
3.c.  Administration
3.c.1.  Per ref (b), Marine Corps personnel filling valid 
parachuting billets and/or participating in parachute 
training on a permissive basis must be qualified as Water 
Survival-Intermediate at a minimum.
3.c.2.  Unit Training Managers will document the completion 
of wet silk currency and refresher training, with training 
rosters, in the Marine Corps Training Information 
Management System. Wet silk training records will also be 
maintained within individual parachutist record jackets.  
3.c.3.  MFF-qualified parachutists will complete currency 
wet silk training for both LLSL and MFF systems. The 
refresher training requirement applies only to the 
parachute system being jumped during the upcoming 
deliberate WDZ parachute training event.  
3.c.4.  Due to system scarcity and replacement timelines, 
personnel qualified to jump the Coach’s Ram Air Parachute 
System (CRAPS) and TORDS-Equipment/Personnel (TORDS-E/P) 
will conduct currency and refresher training with available 
training aids that best emulate the CRAPS and TORDS systems.
3.c.5.  Completion of wet silk refresher training prior 
to deliberate WDZ parachute operations resets 48-month wet 
silk currency requirements for the specific system used in 
training.  
3.c.6.  Personnel out of 48-month wet silk training 
currency are not authorized to participate in parachute 
operations in high-risk water obstacle DZs. 
3.c.7.  Personnel out of 48-month wet silk training 
currency are not authorized to participate in parachute 
operations where more than one-third of the freefall or 
canopy flight is over open water (measured from the 
planned high altitude release point to the water’s edge).
3.c.8.  Wet silk currency training is mandatory for tandem 
passengers participating in parachute operations on DZs 
with a high-risk water obstacle or where more than 
one-third of the freefall or canopy flight is over water. 
Tandem passengers must complete wet silk refresher training 
to participate in deliberate WDZ operations. Completing 
currency training within 90 days of deliberate WDZ 
operations fulfills the refresher training requirement. 
3.c.9.  Personnel who have completed wet silk training 
prior to the promulgation of this message within 48 months 
have satisfied the currency training requirement for the 
parachute system utilized (for a period of 48 months from 
the training date). 
3.c.10.  Initial wet silk currency training requirement for 
parachutists must be completed no later than 31 January 
2026. Students attending the Basic Airborne Course (BAC) 
or MMPC are exempt from the wet silk currency requirement.  
3.c.11.  Before the commencement of all personnel 
parachute training, units will conduct a Casualty 
Evacuation (CASEVAC) rehearsal that includes immediate 
stabilization, loading a simulated casualty, preservation 
of the simulated mishap site, and transportation for 
link-up at an ambulance exchange point. Deliberate WDZ 
operations or operations near a high-risk water obstacle 
require a physical rehearsal of simulated casualty loading 
from the water into a safety boat. The Drop Zone Safety 
Officer, safety craft operators, safety swimmers, drivers, 
supporting Corpsman, and Malfunctions Officer will conduct 
an on-site debrief of the CASEVAC rehearsal before live 
parachute operations commence.     
4.  This interim policy guidance is inclusive of all 
parachute systems and configurations.  
5.  Units with parachuting missions are directed to 
utilize procedures contained in the references for guidance 
not specifically enumerated in this message. 
6.  Commanders of Marine Corps units and activities with a 
parachute requirement are required to utilize the 
Dive/Jump Reporting System module within the Risk 
Management Information safety reporting application to 
document all parachuting activities.
7.  Duration.  This policy applies to the Marine Corps 
Total Force, with the exception of student personnel 
assigned to BAC and MMPC. This guidance will be codified 
in MCO 3120.11B. 
8.  Headquarters Marine Corps Plans, Policies, and 
Operations directs forwarding this message to subordinate 
units for the widest dissemination. 
9.  Release authorized by MajGen J. L. Morris, Director, 
Operations Division.//