Prep for Combat Diving (NAUI vs PADI)

[Dr. Spaceman]

I am enlisting to become a combat diver in ~2 years.

The military will teach me what I need to know when the time comes, but I would like to get some initial exposure beforehand in order to make sure that my body has no physiology problems with diving and gain some prior knowledge which can help.

I have access to both a NAUI and PADI open water certifying programs and I will talk to the instructors of each to see how they run the course.

With that said, based on your experience which program is more rigorous, focuses on gear problem-solving, and will best foster confidence and competency?

 

[northernone]

You will be wanting to find a good instructor suited for your particular goals. The recreational diving organization they certify with will not matter.

Perhaps a former military diver would willing to offer a private class.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[Centrals]

GUE

 

[rgdiver1]

My first instructor many years ago was a former military diver. My training then was very rigorous and as close to military style as he could make it. Most recreational training today has completely abandoned military style training to get as many people as possible in the sport of scuba diving. While you can get an introduction to scuba diving with a typical recreational open water course, I suspect your training in the military will be very different. I'd recommend you make sure you're an expert swimmer if you're not already and in top physical condition. I think these things are much more important than a recreational diver course. If you still want to pursue recreational diver training, I'd recommend GUE. Their courses are the most stringent and most like my original training, in my experience. IMO PADI and NAUI open water courses are both very similar to each other by comparison.

 

[bmbeaty]

Assuming you're in America, the biggest thing you will want to focus on is physical abilities. Military diving is very different from rec diving, so it really doesn't matter who you get certified through. Make sure you can easily run 5 miles and are a good swimmer. A specific goal is to be able to swim 50 meters underwater on a single breath. The military focuses on some very intense free diving skills before you even begin scuba. Keep in mind as well- it's only special operations that has access to combat dive school, and as such you'll need to make sure you can pass the requirements to be successful there first.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

To prepare yourself for the physical challenges of military diving, I'd recommend joining your local YMCA's US Masters Swim Team. The distance swimming and sprinting will help prepare your body for the physical demands. Your coach could also help you do the combat side stroke technique. Take a lifeguard course which will further help your comfort in the water and give you a rescue background. I don't know if you are from a coastal or inland area, but go to either a lake beach or ocean beach and do beach sprints, run - swim - runs, and open water swimming to keep your times within United States Lifesaving Association standards. If you can, take a freediving course to get used to breath hold diving under the watchful eye of an instructor or trained buddy. A significant number of fatalities have occurred when people have practiced incorrectly or by themselves. Finally, of the two agencies you have mentioned I would pick NAUI because it is more old school like you'll encounter in the military. NAUI still teaches (I believe they still teach anyway) ditch and don techniques which you will most certainly do in military training. I work for a dive center where the owner is a former U.S. Air Force para rescue jumper. He chose to be a NAUI instructor over a PADI instructor because the standards accommodated military style training a bit better. GUE is an excellent agency, but the finesse of their progressive training is far removed from the old school ways of the U.S. government.

 

[mmadiver]

Hi Spaceman -

Assuming your looking at a US military combat diver program? Which service?

No civilian diving program is going to prepare you for military dive training. The best thing you can do is augment your physical fitness program (assuming you're already training hard, or you had better start). Get yourself some rocket fins, mask, and snorkel and do laps at your local pool (a lot of them).

With that said your best bet is to not worry about the diving right now. Combat dive training is advanced training in all services SOF communities and you have a long road to go before you get there.

 

[SOFDiver]

No one can enlist to become a combat diver. Selected members of U S Army Spcecial Forces and some other military members are selected to attend this training, which when I checked last, lasted for 7 weeks and 4 days. The combat divers school is loosely affiliated with NAUI, but the schools training program is nothing like that of any certification agency. While significant diving experience would be helpful, IMO the most important keys to success to this and most other specialized military trading are excellent physical conditioning, mental toughness, highly positive outlook, and strong level of self confidence. The route to becoming a combat diver is a very long road with many possible pitfalls, and combat divers are 1% of the 1% of the U S Army.

 

[oldschoolto]

Diving is a small part to passing... Mental state in very high stressed problem solving... Mentally pushing your body when it's saying "NO MORE"...

So go to the pool and swim laps till you can't go another inch, Then swim 10 more laps... Going out to run and when you can't go one more step, Run 2 more miles..

Sleep without blanket or pillow and just make yourself sleep even though you're cold.. Teach yourself to wake up every hour and go back to sleep to train your mind and body to rest fast and on the fly.

People are not really aware that being a special operations guy and now we have a few badass girls... Is all in the head.. I saw a lot of big boys that didn't even make it two days without sleep.. or food, I forget about food.. Stop eating for days just water and snack bar..

Oh.. And good luck...

Jim....

 

[BoltSnap]

US Navy including special forces get NAUI certification card. You need to find a good NAUI instructor with experience, especially university and scientific diver experience, and earn your "Scuba Diver" and the "Advanced Scuba Diver" training and certification.

Note: Military diver training has different focus and required much more advanced skill and knowledge than recreational diving.