Why does Diver (12D) have a huge fail rate?

2020-03-09T23:43:13-04:00

I’m very interested in the MOS.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2020 11:44 PM

2020-03-09T23:44:08-04:00

Former 12D can say. It’s really hard.

Response by SSG Brian G. made Mar 10 at 2020 12:03 AM

2020-03-10T00:03:43-04:00

Because it is not as simple as it looks. You have to conquer your fear of drowning enough to be able to think and reason quickly and effectively. You have to be able to navigate when you cannot see, by compass alone. To deal with any number of water obstacles.

From topside it looks simple. It is illusory. People think they are ready for it and then that first taste of panic sets in.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2020 1:28 AM

2020-03-10T01:28:22-04:00

Because of the dive portion. People think swimming is the same as diving, when diving is closer to drowning. The divers came and briefed the Career Counselors to help them recruit. They said they run three dive classes to get enough people to pass to fill one engineering class. It's not uncommon to have less than 10 people graduating the dive portion.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2020 7:43 AM

2020-03-10T07:43:57-04:00

Because they wash out?

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Mar 10 at 2020 1:31 PM

2020-03-10T13:31:48-04:00

It is physically and mentally challenging and they are held to a high standard for conduct during training. They just don't put on a dive suit and swim around all day. They are learning to build, navigate, demolish, map beaches and maintain things underwater. Lots of written course load for them and hands on eval's as well.
When I had the Engineer Training Brigade I was surprised at the course load they had and very impressed with the training I got to observe. The morning swim we did with them in the bay kicked my butt, I had all I could do to keep up and not embarrass myself and I have been a recreational diver for years.
Here's an excerpt from an interview with one of the phase one cadre "The first three days of the course are the most intense, according to Gills, and each day prior to training, students have to swim a 1,000 yard bay swim, which is 19 pool laps on their back."

Response by SSG Sean Tremblay made Mar 15 at 2020 7:05 PM

2020-03-15T19:05:30-04:00

Most fail in the first 4 weeks, the standards are high not just physically but also academically