San Diego -- Recruits of Company H, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, completed the Water Survival Basic Qualification during Swim Week aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego July 8.
The purpose of Swim Week is to introduce recruits to the Marine Corps combat water survival skills.
Since the Marine Corps is an amphibious force, it is important to train recruits in the basic fundamentals of combat water survival, develop amphibious confidence and to simulate situations recruits may run into while out in training or combat.
“During swim week we familiarize the recruits with water survival to get them comfortable in the water,” said Sgt. Scott L. Ruby, Marine Corps Instructor of Water Survival, Instructional Training Company, Support Battalion. “It’s a crawl, walk, run mentality where we give them the basics and have them build off of that.”
Swim Week introduces new challenges that recruits must overcome in order to graduate recruit training. The swim qualification consists of a 25-meter swim in the shallow and deep end of the pool, a 10-foot jump from a diving board, a four-minute water tread, a 25-meter swim using a waterproof-pack, and a 10-second gear strip while submerged.
Recruits are required to wear the camouflaged utilities uniform and combat boots. The extra items weigh down the recruits, restricting swim movements recruits may be used to. These challenges can cause recruits to become stressed and panicked, which greatly affects their ability to complete swim qualifications.
“I struggled a lot at first during the water survival training, especially during the four-minute water tread,” said Recruit Mason T. Chamberlain, guide, Platoon 2171. “I was panicked at first but once I listened to the instructors, slowed my breathing and calmed down, it became easier to do.”
For some recruits, this is the first time they’ve ever been in the water. Educating recruits so they understand the techniques and are comfortable with performing the events is critical for instructors.
“Before we begin the swim qualification events, water survival instructors give in depth classes and demonstrations of how to properly execute the events,” said Ruby. “One-third of each company has never really been exposed to water so we need to teach them to stay calm and relax.”
Although the majority of recruit training is focused on land-based training, combat water survival training is just as critical to learn. Marines can be deployed on ships around the globe, as it is one of the main components to the Corps long history and purpose.
“As Marines we’re not just warfighters, but amphibious as well,” said Ruby. “The basic water survival training here could end up saving their life out in combat.”