The rankings for the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Best Combat Diver Competition 2023 have been announced. The three-day event took place in September 25-27, 2023, in Key West, Florida. The host was the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS). The competition took place on and around the Naval Air Station Key West installation. This was an inaugural event which should take place on a yearly basis.

There were 13 two-man teams in the competition – taking part in ten competitive events that tested their mental and physical toughness while proving their ability to demonstrate their knowledge of advanced combat dive capabilities. The events took place on land, sea, and air incorporating dive, pool, kayak race, academic testing, and water parachute jumps.

Photo: Competitors in the 2023 U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Best Dive Team Competition validate their equipment and undergo pre-competition training at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School’s Special Forces Underwater Operations School at NAS Key West, Florida Sept. 25, 2023. (Photo by K. Kassens, U.S. Army)

Competition Events:

• Day 1: Academic Exam, Physical Fitness Test
• Day 2: Static line parachute jump into a water drop zone morphing into a 1,500 klic kayak race, pool events, and a 1,500-meter navigation dive in Fleming Bay.
• Day 3: 1,500-meter navigation dive, contour dive, helo cast, surface swim, and four-mile run.

Photo: Competitors in the 2023 U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Best Dive Team Competition validate their equipment and undergo pre-competition training at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School’s Special Forces Underwater Operations School at NAS Key West, Florida Sept. 25, 2023. (U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens)

The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) entered four teams; the remaining teams came from Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) units. The Marine Raiders and Air Force Special Warfare teams withdrew from the competition – but should be present next year. The 13 two-man teams were from the USAJKFSWCS, 1st SFG(A), 7th SFG(A), and Navy SEALs.

Photo: Competitors in the 2023 U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Best Dive Team Competition descend into Patton Water Drop Zone at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School’s Special Forces Underwater Operations School at NAS Key West, Florida Sept. 26, 2023. (Photo by K. Kassens, U.S. Army)

Rankings:

• 1st Place: 5th Special Forces Group
• 2nd Place: 2nd Special Warfare Training Group
• 3rd Place: 5th Special Forces Group
• SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1

Photo: Competitors in the 2023 U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Best Dive Team Competition take part in a 1,500-meter kayak race after parachuting into the water at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School’s Special Forces Underwater Operations School at NAS Key West, Florida Sept. 26, 2023. (Photo by K. Kassens, U.S. Army)

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Video – Inside the Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course, Coffee or Die Magazine, September 18, 2022, 18 minutes. Watch this video about the six-week dive course conducted at Key West, Florida. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaNuUU10kTc

Video – Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School, U.S. Army, August 21, 2015, 4 minutes. Watch a video about the Army’s dive course. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW-dFhkV1qQ

Photos: Courtesy of United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).

By Pat Carty.

The Royal Marine Commando Training Centre, also known as CTCRM, is the principal training centre for the United Kingdom’s Royal Marines. Based at Lympstone in Devon, the CTCRM selects and trains all Royal Marines Officers, recruits and reserves. CTCRM is also unique in that it also provides all Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) command training as well as training 70% of all Royal Marines specialists.

On average, 1,300 recruits, 2,000 potential recruits and 400 potential officers attend courses at CTCRM every year. In addition, the Training Wings run upwards of 320 courses a year for a further 2,000 students.

Benjamin (Ben) McQueen enlisted for training at the CTCRM on 7 December 2009. As part of 103 Troop, and following an intense 32-week training course, Ben passed out as a Royal Marine Commando on 10 September 2010. However, at an inquest on 28th July 2023, Coroner Judge Sir Ernest Ryder concluded that 26-year-old Ben had drowned some eight years later, on 14 November 2018.

Ben, who the coroner said had already passed UK Special Forces selection and was just days from completing specialist training to join “an elite unit”, was taking part in an SF amphibious assault. This involved a lengthy underwater approach to a target, located at Portland Harbour – home of the UK’s Special Boat Service. But went missing.

Tracking devices, which could have located Ben were not used, because the exercise was supposed to be as realistic as possible. However, this resulted in standby divers taking 40 minutes to locate Ben on the seabed and bring him to the surface.

Due to concerns about national security surrounding the circumstances of Ben’s death, the majority of the evidence was presented behind closed doors, with only Ben’s family and security-cleared legal representatives able to attend. However, in open court, Sir Ernest Ryder raised significant concerns about the planning and supervision of the training provided by the MoD, which led to Ben’s death. These included;

• Not topping up breathable gas levels between the two dives.
• The lack of a training requirement for all signals to be acknowledged.
• Inadequate risk assessment for the combined use of the equipment used in training.
• Failing to identify mitigating measures for the risks arising.
• A marked and inappropriate increase in the rate of training progression.
• Insufficiently firm instruction on when student drivers should surface.
• Limitations in training in the Emergency Ascent Drill.
• Not specifically training dive students to check their cylinder pressure after drills;
• Inadequate consideration of the risk of a loss diver in selecting the most appropriate air cylinder for the stand-by diver;
• Failure to ensure a full and rapid debrief of the student divers who surfaced in choosing where to deploy the standby diver;
• The lack of formal authorisation from Headquarters for some of the equipment being used.
• A lack of proactive engagement in the chain of command.

It was said during the inquest that Ben was extremely well-liked by his fellow troops and commanders and was also said to have been a considerate and human being as well as a competent and natural soldier. He had also stood out in his career reports for the excellence he brought to his role, and had achieved his life ambition of serving his country by joining the Corps and being selected for such an elite unit.

The Government’s Health and Safety Executive had previously served the MoD with two improvement notices, and following their earlier investigation, the MoD had also accepted two Crown Censures. These illustrated a level of overconfidence within the MoD when it came to providing safe systems of training to its soldiers.

The Coroner Judge, having heard evidence as to what improvements had been implemented by the MoD since Ben’s death, also made four recommendations to the MoD via a Prevention of Future Death Report, to ensure that lessons arising out of Ben’s death were learned.

Sebastian Del Monte, acting on behalf of Ben’s family said:

“It is clear from the coroner’s conclusions that Ben’s death was preventable and is symptomatic of the Ministry of Defence’s opaqueness, which led to overconfidence surrounding safety and training processes. It is the family’s view that this complacency and lack of oversight caused the tragic death of a young man serving his country.

“Due to the lack of transparency and the need for a secure inquest, the family has waited nearly five years to uncover what happened to their son. Inquests are difficult processes for any family but especially so in these circumstances. Ben’s family fought tirelessly and with dignity to learn the truth surrounding Ben’s tragic death. They did so to ensure that other families do not have to go through the same torturous process.”

Ben’s mother, Kathy McQueen, and Ben’s father, Colin McQueen added:

“Ben was a precious beloved son, brother, soldier, and friend and is sorely missed. He lived life to the full, a natural soldier with a humble heart. He had a fierce focus and determination to reach his best. His life was cut short because he was failed by the very organisation in which he put his trust. We do not know exactly what happened in Ben’s final moments, but we do believe Ben’s death was preventable. His legacy will be significant changes in dive training and ethos across the forces and an inspiration for others to face their fears as he so courageously did. We do not grieve as those who have no hope because we will see Ben again and his live and death have not been wasted.”

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Author: Pat Carty is a NATO accredited journalist who covers military news, events, operations, and exercises; including special operations forces. He is a contributor to SOF News as well as several other military defense publications.

The Combat Diver Foundation is holding its annual Deep Dive 2023 get-together on Saturday, August 5, 2023 in Perdido Key, Florida. There will be a memorial 5K on the beach, a charity dinner, live music, auction, raffle, a display of combat diver gear, and a tactical demonstration.

Entertainment will be provided at the Flora-Bama Lounge – one of the best beach bars in the USA. The venue is located on the Alabama-Florida line. The auction and raffle feature some very good prizes to include a Florida Keys cruise, combat diver art, Miami Dolphins CLUB tickets, knife by Spartan Blades, mobile phone diving case, Divex Submariner watch, t-shirts, and more. The event has a number of sponsors associated with the diving industry.

For those coming from afar the best option is flying into Pensacola International Airport to get to the Flora-Bama. Rental cars and taxis are available. By car from airport to venue is about 50 minutes.

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Images. All graphics are by the Combat Diver Foundation.

Combat Diver Deep Dive

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. approved new Air Force combat dive badges and associated wear criteria for Airmen who have been wearing the Navy scuba badge.

Airmen who have graduated the Air Force Combat Dive Course are now authorized to wear the new Air Force-specific qualification badges for divers and diver supervisors as soon as they become available in Army and Air Force Exchange Service stores. 

“Air Force combat divers are essential to both combat and austere rescue situations,” said Maj. Gen. Charles Corcoran, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. “Having our own service-specific qualification badge accurately represents our unique capability to augment missions with any sister service component, and most importantly, highlights our member’s heroic actions to conduct rescue and retrieval operations to ensure no one gets left behind.”

The Air Force Combat Dive Course was established in January 2006 at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida. Prior to the establishment of the AFCDC, Air Force personnel had to attend the U.S. Army Combat Diver Qualification Course or U.S. Marine Combat Diver Course to earn combat diver qualifications.

Upon graduation, graduates were awarded the Navy Scuba qualification and badge, even though the Navy-designed badge does not accurately represent Air Force combat diver capabilities.

“Navy scuba divers are trained for submarine and salvage diving,” said Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Uriarte, Air Force Command Dive Program manager and diver. “In contrast, U.S. Air Force combat divers are trained in the fundamentals of underwater tactical diving for insertion, extraction, and maritime rescue and recovery operations.”

These fundamentally different qualifications drove the requirement to establish a separate and distinct qualification badge for Air Force members and follows the precedent of other military branches replacing the Navy scuba badge with their own.

The new badges were developed by 350th Special Warfare Training Squadron Detachment 1 personnel. Two levels are authorized: Air Force Combat Diver, with a closed-circuit rebreather and Air Force Combat Dive Supervisor, identified by a traditional star and wreath on the badge, positioned on the rebreather.

Eligibility for wear of the respective badges is approved for graduates, both officer and enlisted, who have completed a Combat Diver or Combat Dive Supervisor course authorized in accordance with AFI 10-3504, Air Force Dive Program, paragraph 3.7.

The Air Force combat dive badges will be worn in accordance with AFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, guidance for wear of Miscellaneous Badges.

The textile badges are expected to be available in AAFES by the end of October 2022. The metal badges are currently in pre-production development.

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This article was originally published online by the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs office on October 18, 2022. Content published by the Department of Defense is in the public domain.

Image at top of article by U.S. Air Force is the Air Force Combat Dive Supervisor Badge.

Video of National Guard Special Forces. The 19th and 20th Special Forces groups have units in a variety of states across the country. Guard SF units play a large role in contributing to the homeland security as well as participate in overseas training and combat operations. Watch a four-minute long video about the National Guard Special Forces published by the National Guard on May 20, 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX82Xxdz-Ws

]]> 6541 https://sof.news/misc/combat-diver-foundation/ Sun, 04 Mar 2018 22:20:51 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=5177 Combat Diver Foundation – Preserving and memorializing the heritage of the Combat Diver community. This non-profit organization is dedicated to preserving the memory of the elite Combat Diver community. The organization’s ultimate goal is the construction of the Combat Diver [...]]]>

Combat Diver Foundation – Preserving and memorializing the heritage of the Combat Diver community.

This non-profit organization is dedicated to preserving the memory of the elite Combat Diver community. The organization’s ultimate goal is the construction of the Combat Diver Museum to serve as a home for military combat diver history and artifacts.

The Combat Diver Foundation was established in early 2018 and is based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Learn more about the foundation at the link below.

http://combatdiver.org

SOF News Weekly Update for 20160911 – 9/11 anniversary, new facilities upgrade for SF Combat Diver school, Turkish incursion into Syria, USSOCOM innovation, MoE and Psychological Operations, peace in Colombia, MARSOC dogs, and more.

9/11 Anniversary. Today is the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

MARSOC Dogs. The Raiders of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) have some specially-trained canines who train, jump, swim, and deploy with them. Read more and view some impressive photos in “These awesome dogs are full-on MARSOC operators”, We Are The Mighty, August 26, 2016.

NSW Stennis Receives Award. The three components of Naval Special Warfare (NSW) at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi were presented the “Industrial Award of Excellence” from the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission. Read more in a news report – NSW Stennis Commands Receive Prestigious Award, DVIDS, August 25, 2016.

Fleming Key Upgrade. The U.S. Army’s Special Forces Combat Diver school is getting a facilities upgrade. Read more in “Army Special Forces upgrading facilities”, Florida Key News, August 29, 2016.

White House Stalls – Green Berets Sit on Sidelines. The Turkish incursion into northern Syria was supposed to have a contingent of about 40 Green Berets. But when the Pentagon requested the go-ahead from the White House the bureaucrats stalled. It seems they needed to have some ‘meetings’ to discuss the issue. The Turks went ahead without the SF teams. Read more in “Turkish Offensive on Islamic State in Syria Caught U.S. Off Guard”, The Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2016.

Australian Special Forces. An editorial in an Aussie newspaper questions the ‘call-out’ procedures and use of SOF to respond to terrorist situations. Read more in “More reliance on special forces”, The Australian, August 30, 2016.

Birth of SAS. The Brits are working on reconstructing the early history of the Special Air Service during World War II. Read more in “Exhausted, filthy but unbowed, the birth of the SAS”, The Telegraph, August 27, 2016.

Colombia Peace Deal. For years U.S. Army Special Forces have trained up the Colombian Army. The Special Forces teams usually were from the 7th Special Forces Group. In addition, teams from the 20th Special Forces Group spent time in Colombia as well. One of the longest conflicts in modern times pitted government troops against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). It appears, at least for the moment, that peace will break out. So what comes next in the aftermath? Read more in “Post-Conflict Colombia: It’s Complicated”, The CIPHER Brief, March 16, 2016.

USSOCOM Reaches Agreement to Collaborate on New Technologies. The United States Special Operations Command has penned an agreemtn to work with the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator (FIBA) on the production of innovative technologies. Read more in Government Security News, August 29, 2016.

US SOF in Latin American – Pace Picks Up. One alarmist sees problems with the increased activity of U.S. special operations forces training in South America. Read “US Special Ops Training in Latin America Tripled, Docs Reveal”, Common Dreams, August 31, 2016.

PSYOP and MoE. Two officers, one Army and one Air Force, have wrote a paper about the importance of Measures of Effectiveness (MoE) in the understanding and implementation of Psychological Operations. PSYOP is an important aspect of both special operations and conventional force operations. Read more in “Falling Short in Measures of Effectiveness”, Small Wars Journal, August 30, 2016.

SOF News Update: RAND report on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Marine Combatant Divers, book review, importance of language & cultural training in military, interview with cdr of NSW, and obesity in the military services.

Marine Combatant Diver School. The Marines have a long history of combat divers going back to World War II when they worked alongside U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT). Currently the Marines run the Marine Combatant Dive School at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center at Naval Support Activity Panama City in Panama City Beach, Florida. Read about this valuable MAGTF asset in “Marine Combatant Divers”, Leatherneck, August 2015.

GCC Report by RAND. The cohesion of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is examined by authors from RAND Corporation in a report entitled The Outlook for Arab Gulf Cooperation (August 2016). This 100-page report examines factors that bind and divide the six GCC states – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The report addresses the political, economic, and security dimensions over the next ten years – and looks at the post-conflict era of Libya and Yemen.

Brit SF on Ground in Syria. Pictures of UK special forces Thalab long range patrol vehicles on the ground in Syria have been published by the British Broadcasting Company. See “UK special forces pictured on the ground in Syria“, BBC,  August 8, 2016.

Service Members Getting Fatter & DoD Is Worried. In 2001 only 1.6 percent of the force was considered obese; that figure tripled to 5.3 percent in 2010. The method of gauging health and physical fitness is under review. Read more in “Spooked by obesity trends, the U.S. military is redefining its basic fitness standards”, Military Times, August 7, 2016.

Book Review – “They Were Heroes”. Sgt. Maj. David K. Devaney, U.S. Marine Corps, Retired, has wrote a book that commemorates the heroism and sacrifices Marines made in the Iraq and Afghan wars. The book has three parts: stories of battles in Iraq, battles in Afghanistan, and those stories by casualty assistance officers. Read a book review posted in Military Review, July-August 2016.

Importance of Language, History, and Culture. Many years ago advanced degrees in social sciences for military officers was considered a waste of time by some. But in today’s world it is vitally important. Read “Foreign Language and History: The Enlightened Study of War”, Military Review, July-August 2016.

U.S. SOF Equipment Captured by Taliban. It appears that some equipment used by U.S. special operations (some news reports say U.S. Army Rangers) in a recent operation in eastern Afghanistan may have been captured by the Taliban. Read more in a recent Washington Post news report (Aug 8, 2016).

State of NSW. In an interview from late June, 2016 Rear Admiral Brian Losey reviews the state of the Naval Special Warfare Command.

A lot a special operations forces (SOF) news today. British SAS selection, combat divers, book by a Ranger sniper, SOF vehicles, Ranger Hall of Fame, and some neat videos.

Seahawks Spend Day with Combat Divers. A few players from the NFL team got to spend a day with Combat Divers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The favor was returned when the Special Forces team members spent a day at the Seahawks training camp. Read “Doug Baldwin, Seahawks Pay Tribute to Combat Divers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord”, Seahawks.com, July 31, 2016.

Proposed Law to Limit British PM in Use of Special Forces. According to a news report Jeremy Corby – the Labour leader – thinks that Britain should have a US-style war powers act to prevent secret missions without a paramilitary vote. Read “Jeremy Corbyn calls for law to limit PM’s powers to deploy special forces”, The Guardian, August 1, 2016.

Interview – “Way of the Reaper”. Former Army Ranger Nicholas Irving has written a book about his experiences serving with the Ranger Regiment in Iraq and Afghanistan as a sniper.
http://taskandpurpose.com/ex-army-ranger-nicholas-irving-becoming-reaper/?

Special Operations Vehicles. The past several years, with combat campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations – have seen major advancements in the design and fielding of vehicles for special operations forces. Read an in-depth article on the topic in “Special Operations Vehicles”, Special Operations International, July 19, 2016.

SOCEUR Hosts Jump Week. The Special Operations Command Europe hosted the 2^nd Annual International Jump Week in Stuttgart, Germany from July 25-29, 2016. Jumpers from Belguim, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Lativia, and the UK joined US paratroopers to conduct HALO and static line parachute jumps. Read more in “Paratroopers reinforce bonds during IJW2016”, DVIDS, July 29, 2016.

Description of British SAS Selection. The selection process for the SAS lasts over 5 months and has a 90 per cent fail rate. The “Special Forces Aptitude Test” is required for entry into the 22 SAS, the Territorial Army’s SAS reserve units, and the Special Boat Service (SBS).  There are two courses a year – winter and summer. Read more in “Tested to destruction: the terrifying selection process for British SAS”, Special-Ops.org, August 1, 2016.

Top Ten. A recent news report lists the top ten SF units around the globe. Read “The Top Ten Special Forces Units in the World”, Gazette Review, July 30, 2016. Hmmmm.

New Members of Ranger Hall of Fame. Fifteen retired Rangers were inducted into the 2016 Ranger Hall of Fame class in a recent ceremony. Read “Ranger Hall of Fame welcomes 2016 Inductees”, Army.mil, July 20, 2016.

Mandatory Military Service – Not Needed. Retired Green Beret Scott Mann provides us some reasons why we don’t need the draft in a short video posted by Business Insider (August 1, 2016).
www.businessinsider.com/why-military-doesnt-need-mandatory-service-2016-7

Memorial for Navy SEAL. “A memorial for slain Navy SEAL and “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle has been unveiled in the West Texas city where he was born in 1974”. See a news report by Army Times, July 29, 2016.

Video of MARSOC Individual Training Course. Watch a 3-min long video of MARSOC training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJjFJXfca04

Technology and SOF. Special operators operate in many challenging environmental regions of the world. Technology can assist the SOF personnel in the performance of their mission. The United States Special Operations Command is constantly updating the uniforms and equipment that SOF operators wear. Read more in “Wearable Technology Could Change How Special Operations Forces Fight”, National Defense Magazine, August 2016.

USASOC Jumpmaster School. Learn how tough it is to graduate from the three-week long jumpmaster school run by USASOC at Fort Bragg in “USASOC Paratroopers strive to be leaders in the sky”, DVIDS, August 1, 2016.

Secret Aussie Commandos Honored. Surviving members of a secret Australian command unit – “Z Special Unit” – sent into occupied Asia to fight the Japanese during World War II were recently honored. Read “After 7 decades, memorial of Z Special commandos”, The Australian, August 2, 2016.

Video of Artillery Training. Watch an 8-minute long video of artillery training by 1^st Battalion, 101^st Field Artillery Regiment of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. They are conducting their annual training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Video by SSgt Caitlin Jones, and posted by DVIDS.
www.dvidshub.net/video/477284/massachusetts-national-guard-field-artillery-training