Training
Basic training includes:
- drown-proofing training
- pool competency
- fast roping
- improvised explosive device disruption
- underwater mine disposal
- explosive ordnance disposal
- special land operations
Drown-proofing has its roots from the Vietnam War when it was found that captured U.S Navy SEALS were thrown into rivers with their hands and legs bound, and thus drown as they were not trained in drown proofing. Drown proofing teaches NDU divers to swim with their hands and legs tied.
Pool competency is a module to test the divers' water confidence, as well as their ability to keep calm under hectic situations. There are 3 parts to pool competency but is mainly being 'attacked under water. The diver's face mask and regulator will be ripped out and depending on the stage of the test, tied onto his air cylinder. Shoulder straps will be unraveled and the waist belt will be unbuckled. To pass the test, the diver will have to hold his breath throughout this incident and remedy the situation by getting back his air source and donning the air cylinder in the proper manner.
Divers also go through a "Team Building Week", more infamously known as "Hell Week", where divers are pushed to their ultimate limits, going through evolutions such as cold treatment and 3 km night paddling, while receiving only minimal hours of sleep, sometimes only 3 hours collectively over 5 days. After "Hell Week", they will be nearing the end of their 9-month combat diver course.
NDU divers are also regularly sent overseas for training, in particular, with the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets), US Navy SEALs and the British Special Air Service. In 2001, naval officer Captain Wong Foo Chan became the first foreigner to top his class in the Green Berets course, and received a commendation medal for this achievement. He had also completed the Navy SEAL course in 1999.
NDU divers were sent to conduct salvage operations after the crash of SilkAir Flight MI185 on 19 December 1997, which killed all 104 people on board.
Read more about this topic: Naval Diving Unit (Singapore)
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