Questions about SF Dive teams...

[SolidStrike]

I have some questions about SF Dive teams.

Do the dive teams basically just use their abilities for infiltration, or do they also do things similiar to FR and SEALs, like underwater attacks on ships and things like that?

Also, would a certain SF dive ODA train more near or on the coast and rivers as opposed to normal SF ODAs , or do they stick around with the rest of the Company wherever that may be - and how hard is it usually to get a billet to Dive school? Also: is the Dive school more popular with Officers, enlisted, or an equal mix?

Thanks in advance

[ForceOne]

Special Forces diving teams are equipped with both open-circuit twin-80s and closed-circuit Dragger Lar-V, Zodiac boats and Klepper kayaks.

The COMBAT DIVER'S COURSE teaches students the use of open-and-closed circuit SCUBA equipment, underwater search techniques and long-range underwater compass swims, as well as medical and physical aspects of combat diving.

The COMBAT DIVER'S SUPERVISOR COURSE gives training beyond that of a combat diver, including work in parascuba and submarine operations.

Special Forces diving teams can do every-thing as the other ODAs, except they do it underwater or near the water.

As for them doing underwater attacks that I'm not sure about, I would imagine so, maybe.

[ForceOne]

The dive school should be an equal mix, but again I really don't know that.

[mcdude]

Force, did you forget DMT, or are they still offering it? I know that they changed it back in 1988, so that you didn't have to a W-7 or W-9 medic to go...just 18D. Is DMT still being taught?

MD

[Tracy]

Originally posted by SolidStrike:
I have some questions about SF Dive teams.

Do the dive teams basically just use their abilities for infiltration, or do they also do things similiar to FR and SEALs, like underwater attacks on ships and things like that?

Also, would a certain SF dive ODA train more near or on the coast and rivers as opposed to normal SF ODAs , or do they stick around with the rest of the Company wherever that may be - and how hard is it usually to get a billet to Dive school? Also: is the Dive school more popular with Officers, enlisted, or an equal mix?

Thanks in advance

Specialty Teams in SF get a bad rap from the rest of the SF community because some of the dive and freefall teams spent more time diving than working on their METL skills like everyone else. Specialty pay was more important to them than the SF mission.

The Specialty Teams that focused on the METL AND did EXTRA training for their specialty were the best teams in SF, period. I can think of two good examples: SFODA-525 (Sharkmen) from 92-93. When the CO and I had to pick two teams for deployment to Somalia, ODAs 523 and 525 got the nod; because they had the METL skills in top form.

The Sharkmen gained fame during Desert Storm when their hide was compromised in Iraq and they had a running gun battle with a reaction force. 'Bulldog' Balwanz got the Silver Star.

Another good example was SFODA-535 77-80. This was a HALO/SCUBA Team because of the mission they had; and was the only HALO/SCUBA detachment in the Army for a long time. Bulldog and I were both on this team and not only did we get tasked with all of the standard stuff, we did extra trips to support the HALO/SCUBA requirements. When other teams stood down, we were stood up as replacements for other teams. We had no support cycle or training cycle, it was all missions. We had a string of very good team sergeants that demanded excellent field skills before anything else; and our skills were in high demand.

Amphib teams don't blow up ships, but they can do basic hydrographic recon and use the water as a means of getting to the land-based target.

[USNSCC]

Tracy, How would you compare SF dive skills the SEAL dive skills? (people,please don't turn this into a flame war )

[wally]

Tracy,
Don't forget about the scout swim teams. We got to play in the water without the extra pay. Man how I hated sitting in the kleppers. Butt and legs go to sleep. Ahhh the good ole days

[Tracy]

Originally posted by USNSCC:

Tracy, How would you compare SF dive skills the SEAL dive skills? (people,please don't turn this into a flame war )


No comparison at all. SEALs are hands-down better than SF in dive skills. Over the years we (SF) actually surprised the SEALs with some of the basic stuff like compass swims, sea canoes, surface swims. On joint ops they thought we'd be a liability and they were pleasantly surprised with us.

Regarding waterborne operations, there's actually not that much overlap between SF and SEALs. Where there is an overlap, SEALs predominate by doing the job more often. SF Dive Teams aren't handicapped either, they do very respectable job of keeping up the standards. Those standards are written by SEALs.

Scout Swimmer teams are a new 'animal' to me. During my time in SF, Scout Swimming and Diving were all done by the same team. Which made for more training to keep up the standards. Not good if you're married and come back from a standard deployment; only to go right back out again for amphibious training while everyone else is on leave/break.

Scout Swimming is a more useful specialty than Combat Diving for SF; in that it directly supports movement over water to a land objective. Scout Swimmers can literally go over the horizon for insertions; even SEALs can't do that with Draegers and Fins.

[This message has been edited by Tracy (edited 08-03-2001).]

[USNSCC]

Thank ou for the reply.

[ForceOne]

Yes, the course is still taught. The DMT course encompasses diagnosis and treatment of diving injuries, including operation of the recompression chamber.

[jinX]

Tracy,

If SF Scout Swimmer teams can perform Over The Horizon insertions that SEALs can't do, what equipment do they use that allows them to do this?

Please ignore this question if it violates OPSEC; I'm just being curious.

[Tracy]

Originally posted by jinX:

Tracy,

If SF Scout Swimmer teams can perform Over The Horizon insertions that SEALs can't do, what equipment do they use that allows them to do this?

Please ignore this question if it violates OPSEC; I'm just being curious.


Carefully re-read the post.