Pushing to the
limits
A firm grounding in physical fitness and mental agility is provided
to all trainee divers during the training process at NDU. As in all
cases, training builds the competence required to perform the job.
However, it is a little different in the NDU, where every trainee
diver knows that the training will either make or break him,
depending on his determination to persevere through the rigorous
training.
It takes about six months for a trainee diver coming straight from
Basic Military Training to complete his Class 2 Diving Course,
where theoretical and practical knowledge on diving is
imparted.
To build up the trainees water confidence level and their
knowledge of how their equipment would perform underwater, a pool
competency course is conducted in the first half of the course.
Under the watchful eyes of the safety officer, trainee divers are
subjected to simulated stress akin to actual underwater
conditions.
Each divers performance is closely monitored to ensure that he is
competent in managing potential underwater problems. During these
drills, all trainees must maintain a cool composure and alert mind
to be able to extricate themselves from the problems that they face
underwater.
After he clears this stage, a week of sweat and toil awaits him.
Popularly known as hell week, the old adage - the survival of the
fittest - certainly applies here. Hell week means a gruelling 120
hours of non-stop physical exertion both on land and in water, with
trainees allowed three hours of sleep only on the third day. Only
the best will make it.
The aim of hell week is to let each individual know that he can be
pushed beyond his limits. There is a saying that the human brain is
about 10 times stronger than the body. Theres no way you can test
a persons psychological strength until you break his physical
strength first.
So the first three days of hell week are very physical. However,
you must keep on going if you want to succeed. Those who quit will
be deemed unsuitable to be naval divers. You have to be a team
player to survive. Theres no Rambo in the Navy.
If you thought that hell week would be the culmination of training,
guess again. Naval divers have to brace themselves for another
three months of basic combat training before they can graduate from
the course.
In this last phase, trainees are taught the rudiments of combat
tactics. In an exercise called drown-proofing, trainee divers are
dumped unceremoniously into the pool with their hands and legs
tied. They are then required to bob up and down in the pool, swim
for about 100 metres and perform manoeuvres like somersaults
underwater.