Apparently I am the only one who had any contact with the program or the products of the program, so I will jump in with some observations..
1) I visited Chino several times to observe and comment on the program and later to present lectures.
The candidates were exceptional humans, very manerly, very muscled, and very intelligent, few if any sported the sign at that time of prison life, the tatoos. Some where some how they had taken the wrong turn in life and ended up in Chino.
As students they were exceptional; like sponges they soaked knowledge like a sponge--they were eager to learn and create a place for them selves in their future world.
They began the day with exercises... not just any exercises but special ones; the log, 4 maybe 6 would do 100 or so setups with a telephone pole on their chest. Then the the back bends, legs trapped between two horizontal poles and they would do back bends from the knees all the way touching the ground with their heads, and then there was the running both distance and wind sprints.
They ended the day with water work, the circuit training and long swimms, back and forth in the pool.
Then one half day in class and one half day water training...Studing long hours into the night--but confined to a special area.
This was their routine every day for two years (or was it three?)
2) Many were hired by Submarine Engineering Associates (SEA) of Newport Beach California. SEA was owned by Platzi Miller, who expected performance out of his divers. He had discovered that the products of the commerical training programs were essentially useless; to many complaints; too cold, too dark, too windy. So he hired ex GIs and Chinos.
3) I was a long term friend of Platzi and was teaching part time at the local college, Orange Coast college ( Yes, like the TV program "The OC".) We both realized that they had fantasic skills but had no surf training, so a number enrolled in my advanced class at the college.
The ADC was taught at night and was well over 100 hours of training, three hours of lecture, 3 OW hours every Saturday for 18 weeks, three trips, 3 days in Norcal diving, 1 day in SD, and 2 day BT to the islands and a feild trip to CDC for swimmer hats and helmet dive training. All this for $20.00 California tax dollars! Upon completion they received an Advanced NAUI & PADI (who was the new kid on the block) certifications and from LA County an Intermediate Diver card. Some how I suspect today that PADI would probably issue some sort of a super-duper-poper type certification..
They were always on time, always had the home work completed and always received an A. At the beach, which many had never seen, they were equally outstanding. Very strong and fearless in the water as one would suspect. The adapted very fast and were alway at the top of the class in academics and watermanship.
I always eagerly looked forward to them attending in my classes, they rasied the bar for the other students and certainly made my life easy.
It was and still is my considered opinion they were equal to most LA county Instructors
4) In the very early 1970s also developed the very first civilian Diving Med course presented in US. This was a 72 hour college level course, consisting 4 hours of lecture for 18 weeks, an indepth term paper plus a field trip to CDC for a chamber ride to experiece NN.
Many of the college students stated it was the most dificult course they had ever taken--and it probably was. The Chino divers-they were working full time as divers -were often late or missed class. If they did, I could count on a call the next day. Their term papers were fantastic! They all were A students.
I recall the last night of the course, the class wanted to celebrate at "Hamberger Henrys." We all drove over to HH --as the instuctor I was the last to arrive. When I arrived I noticed three Chinos standing out side waiting I assumed for me and they were. I walked to the door and greeted them. One of them said "HH sells alcohol and we can't join you." I replied to the effect "I understand lets keep in touch." And we did for a while as they progressed in the commerical diving profession.
I can't recall their names after the passage of 35 years, but I some how think that they are some where telling stories about the Millers, Sam & Platzi who first hired them and and guided them into the world of diving.
SDM
Instructor,
LACO & NAUI 2 digits
PADI 3 digits
FYI,
The Manson Girls are housed next door in the womens section of Chino. One of my dive friends in the Long Beach Neptunes was an instructor of English there and had a Manson Girl as a Labbie ( lab assistant.)
We on occasion discussed her, as I recall it was Susan Akins, she was very intelligent, had her masters and had resolved that she would spend all of her life in Chino. She was devoting her life to helping others prepare for life after Chino.
sdm
