Combat Swimming Training

Military personnel engaged in various aquatic training exercises, depicting resilience, teamwork, and survival skills in a range of water environments.

France, Brittany, Coetquidan, Guer on 2021-03-24. Report on the training of the Inter-Arms Military School in Saint-Cyr Coetquidan in Morbihan. The EMIA recruits its students from among active non-commissioned officers and non-commissioned soldiers selected by competition. The cadets follow a two-year training course. At the end of the first year, they are appointed to the rank of second lieutenant, then lieutenant at the end of the second year. Photograph by Martin Bertrand. France, Bretagne, Coetquidan, Guer le 2021-03-24. Reportage sur la formation de l' Ecole militaire interarmes à Saint-Cyr Coetquidan dans le Morbihan. L'EMIA recrute ses eleves parmi les sous-officiers d'active et les militaires du rang selectionnes par concours. Les eleves-officiers suivent une formation de deux ans. A l'issue de la première annee, ils sont nommés au grade de sous-lieutenant, puis de lieutenant a la fin de la seconde annee. Photographie de Martin Bertrand.

981013-N-7660T-001. Subject Operation/Series: DYNAMIC MIX Base: Uss Saipan (LHA 2) Country: Italy (ITA)

U.S. Army Soldiers compete for the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Mississippi, July 30, 2022.

U.S. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Amick Philip, assigned to the 305th Engineer Battalion 416th, tosses his uniform top to complete his swimming event in a competition at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, on May 15, 2022. Approximately 40 Soldiers from across the nation traveled to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, to compete in the 2022 U.S. Best Squad Competition from May 14-21, 2022 BWBSC is an annual competition that brings together the best Soldiers and squads from across the U.S. Army Reserve to earn the title of Best Warrior and Best Squad among their peers. Competitors are evaluated on their individual and collective ability to adapt to and overcome challenging scenarios and battle-focus events that test their technical and tactical abilities under stress and extreme fatigue.

An Army combat engineer from Breacher Company, 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion (Airborne), 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, swims to shore during helocast training at Clunie Lake, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 29, 2022. The combat engineers conducted the helocast operations to build confidence and familiarize themselves with future training they will encounter. Army aircrew from the B Company, 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion provided air support for the training.

PERTH, Australia (April 20, 2022) From the left, Military Sealift Command civil service mariner Vincent O' Haire from Rhineback, New York, Eric Nanpei from Machanao, Guam, and Carlos Laguana from Mongmong, Guam, search-and-rescue swimmers assigned to the Emory S. Land-class submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), conduct a SAR exercise while moored at HMAS Stirling Navy Base, April 20, 2022. Frank Cable is on patrol conducting expeditionary maintenance and logistics in support of national security in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

Special Tactics Training Squadron students swim the length of the pool with their hands and feet bound during a pre-scuba class at Hurlburt Field, Fla., June 29, 2016. The training familiarizes trainees with the basics of water operations. Trainees perform tasks such as tying knots underwater, staying afloat without their arms and hands, and using snorkeling gear.

France, Brittany, Coetquidan, Guer on 2021-03-24. Report on the training of the Inter-Arms Military School in Saint-Cyr Coetquidan in Morbihan. The EMIA recruits its students from among active non-commissioned officers and non-commissioned soldiers selected by competition. The cadets follow a two-year training course. At the end of the first year, they are appointed to the rank of second lieutenant, then lieutenant at the end of the second year. Photograph by Martin Bertrand. France, Bretagne, Coetquidan, Guer le 2021-03-24. Reportage sur la formation de l' Ecole militaire interarmes à Saint-Cyr Coetquidan dans le Morbihan. L'EMIA recrute ses eleves parmi les sous-officiers d'active et les militaires du rang selectionnes par concours. Les eleves-officiers suivent une formation de deux ans. A l'issue de la première annee, ils sont nommés au grade de sous-lieutenant, puis de lieutenant a la fin de la seconde annee. Photographie de Martin Bertrand.

Mar 1992...A Navy diver trainee in the water gets instructions from a shipmate on board a small craft off the beach of the Amphibious Base. Base: Coronado State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

SOUTH CHINA SEA (July 6th, 2022) - Military Sealift Command civil service mariner Carlos Laguna, from Guam, assigned to the Emory S. Land-class submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), signals to the ship during a man-overboard drill, July 6, 2022. Frank Cable is currently on patrol conducting expeditionary maintenance and logistics in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific in the 7th Fleet area of operations.

Sgt. William Wickett, 2nd Radio Battalion, performs a rescue drill during the Marine Corps Instructor of Water Survival Course at Marine Corps Base Camp Johnson, N.C., March 5, 2013. Wickett, from Springfield, Mass., is one of more than 20 students attending the three-week MCIWS course. The course creates instructors who can train Marines to react and survive life-threatening situations in the water.

U.S. Marines with Maritime Raid Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct physical training with Republic of Korea and Philippine reconnaissance Marines during KAMANDAG 6, at Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim, Philippines, Oct. 4, 2022. The U.S., Republic of Korea, and Philippine reconnaissance Marines conducted PT together every morning to boost morale and strengthen relationships. KAMANDAG is an annual bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen interoperability, capabilities, trust and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences.

A soldier with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducts helo cast training with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 23, 2014. Iron Fist is an amphibious exercise that brings together Marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, other I Marine Expeditionary Force units, and soldiers from the JGSDF, to promote military interoperability and hone individual and small-unit skills through challenging, complex and realistic training.

Arabian Sea, March 23, 2012 - Search and rescue swimmers swim towards sailors as they jump off aircraft elevator No. 4 during a swim call aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

France, Brittany, Morbihan, Saint-Pierre-Quiberon on 2022-03-29. Students from the Ecole Militaire Interarmes (EMIA), the military academy responsible for training army officers recruited internally, i.e. from the ranks of non-commissioned officers and other ranks, take part in a training course at Fort de Penthievre, a fortified structure on the Quiberon peninsula that has become a training base. Photograph by Martin Bertrand.France, Bretagne, Morbihan, Saint-Pierre-Quiberon le 2022-03-29. Les eleves de l' ecole militaire interarmes ( EMIA ), l' ecole militaire chargee de la formation des officiers de l' armee de Terre issus du recrutement interne, c'est-a-dire issus des rangs des sous-officiers et des militaires du rang, participe a un stage d'aguerrissment au Fort de Penthievre, un ouvrage fortifie sur la presqu'ile de Quiberon devenu une base d'entrainement. Photographie de Martin Bertrand.

A 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldier hits the waters of Lake Margrethe at Camp Grayling, Michigan, while practicing for a helocast exercise for soldiers supporting the unit through Northern Strike 22, August 11, 2022. A helocast is an insertion method used by special operations forces in which a helicopter will fly over a body of water to drop off a boat and soldiers who will jump out, swim to the boat, and move to their on-shore target.

U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Brandon J. Klewicki, a platoon commander with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, practices using an Emergency Breathing System during Helicopter Underwater Egress Training at the base pool, aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, March 23, 2017. The purpose of this training is to prepare service members for an emergency exit in case of a crash landing over water.

U.S. Marines surface the water during a dive sustainment training on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 8, 2024. The training is designed to enhance the Marines proficiency and capabilities for specialized insert and extract operations. The Marines are with 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division Marine Corps

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (August 3, 2022) LTJG Douglas Delrisco rescues a simulated person stranded at sea during a search and rescue evaluation at the Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain aquatics center August 3, 2022. NAVSTA Rota sustains the fleet, enables the fighter and supports the family by conducting air operations, port operations, ensuring security and safety, assuring quality of life and providing the core services of power, water, fuel and information technology.

Cadets participate in Combat Survival Training (CST) on June 24, 2022 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. More than 1,000 Academy cadets are learning to lead in intense war-fighting environments, taught by cadet cadre and supervised by SERE specialists during June and July 2022, receiving training on medical care, food preparation, aircraft signaling, and navigation.

An Air Commando participates in a Parachute Water Survival Training April 5, 2022, at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The training, led by Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape specialists, prepares students for water-based emergencies.

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force members with Air Rescue Squadron 71, Fleet Air Wing 31, prepare to deploy a motor raft from a JMSDF ShinMaywa US-2 during the JMSDF New Year flight at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, January 5, 2023. The JMSDF New Years flight is typically held at the beginning of January, and this years flight showcased the US-2s capabilities, as well as Fleet Air Wing 31s ability to swiftly and successfully conduct search and rescue missions. This is the first time in 9 years the event has been held at Iwakuni.

Rescue Swimmer - 26-HK-257-10. Hurricane Katrina

040729-F-2559D-006. Base: Long Beach Island State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Jamil P. Alkattan, Advanced Infantryman Course chief instructor assigned to School of Infantry West (SOI-W) Detachment Hawaii, conducts practical application prior to helocast training during the Reconnaissance Team Leader Course at Water Front Ops aboard Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, April 26, 2016. The mission of Marine Corps Base Hawaii is to provide facilities, programs and services in direct support of units, individuals and families in order to enhance and sustain combat readiness for all operating forces and tenant organizations aboard MCB Hawaii.

Recruits from Fox Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, conduct swim qualification remediation on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Dec. 7, 2022. Recruits who fail their initial swim qualification are required to return for additional training.

Navy student treads water while taking in High Risk Training to prepare them for Special Operations training on November, 01, 2022 at Joint Base San Antonio- Fort Sam Houston, Tx. Naval operations often require aggressive training programs to prepare personnel to perform mission essential high-risk tasks in a variety of environments. All basic or advanced, individual or collective training in a traditional or non-traditional environment exposes the crew, staff, students, and assets to the potential risks one might encounter out in the field.

040316-M-2917M-004. Base: Mcas, Cherry Point State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: 2D MAW

Candidates compete against their own desire to quit in the Special Warfare Training Wing Assessment & Selection Course at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland on Jan. 17, 2023. The Special Warfare Training Wing prepares candidates physically, mentally, emotionally and cognitively for demanding careers as special warfare operators.

On the last day of March, the Bronco Battalion reported to the Boise State University pool for their annual water training exercises. The exercise required cadets to tread water, swim while keeping the muzzle of a rifle above the water line and jumping off the high dive board.The cadets of the Boise State ROTC Program, the Bronco Battalion, crossed the midway point through the semester in March. Their last field training exercise in the foothills overlooking the City of Boise took place in March. They travelled to Utahs National Guard Camp Williams for the actual application of their cumulative knowledge of tactics for the semester. Their focus on fitness training has been in preparation for the Army Combat Fitness Test in April. The Spring 2022 Semester is rapidly coming to an end April 29 with graduating cadets scheduled for commissioning on May 6 and graduation on May 7.

DN-ST-86-02832. Base: Annapolis State: Maryland (MD) Country: United States Of America (USA)

France, Brittany, Coetquidan, Guer on 2021-03-24. Report on the training of the Inter-Arms Military School in Saint-Cyr Coetquidan in Morbihan. The EMIA recruits its students from among active non-commissioned officers and non-commissioned soldiers selected by competition. The cadets follow a two-year training course. At the end of the first year, they are appointed to the rank of second lieutenant, then lieutenant at the end of the second year. Photograph by Martin Bertrand. France, Bretagne, Coetquidan, Guer le 2021-03-24. Reportage sur la formation de l' Ecole militaire interarmes à Saint-Cyr Coetquidan dans le Morbihan. L'EMIA recrute ses eleves parmi les sous-officiers d'active et les militaires du rang selectionnes par concours. Les eleves-officiers suivent une formation de deux ans. A l'issue de la première annee, ils sont nommés au grade de sous-lieutenant, puis de lieutenant a la fin de la seconde annee. Photographie de Martin Bertrand.

221030-N-TR763-1374 WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 30, 2022) - A Sailor assigned to amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) jumps into the Pacific Ocean during a swim call Oct. 30, 2022. Tripoli is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

030315-M-5455N-010.. Base: Mcas, Cherry Point State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: 2 MAW

PANAMA CITY (April 19, 2012) Navy Diver 2nd Class Tyler Smith, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2, Company 2-1, is hoisted up and over the side of the Military Sealift Command rescue and salvage ship USNS Grapple (T-ARS 53), while Navy Diver 1st Class Joseph Jenkins describes the extraction process to the Panamanian divers. Company 2-1 is participating in Navy Dive-Southern Partnership Station 2012, a multinational partnership engagement designed to increase interoperability and partner nation capacity through diving operations.

Students in Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Participate in Surf Passage Exercise

A U.S. Navy Sailor assigned to USS New Orleans (LPD 18), jumps from the catwalk during a swim call aboard New Orleans in the South China Sea, Sept. 25, 2022. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.

220707-N-XG173-1068 PEARL HARBOR (July 7, 2022) Sailors assigned to Australian Clearance Diving Team One conduct dive training during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

Navy personnel perform High Risk Water Training in preparation for selection for special operations career fields. Medical Deep Sea Diving Technician, Search and Rescue Medical Technician or Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman training held October, 24, 2022 at Joint Base San Antonio- Fort Sam Houston.

Green Berets with 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conduct power legs during a two week long pre-dive course on Jan. 10-19, 2024.Combat Divers go through multiple days of training while problem solving in oxygen deprived environments. They must face discomfort and overcome instinct gain confidence in the water. The pre-dive areas of emphasis include; weight belt training, equipment recovery, dive supervision pre-inspection, and U.S. Navy drown proofing techniques of hand bound, travel, bobbing, mask retrieval, and floating.

Members of SEAL Team, one climb up a jacobs ladder onto the deck of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS LOUISVILLE (SSN-724) as part of Operation Varsity Swimmer '93 off the coast of southern California. A second zodiac boat loaded with SEAL team members can be seen approaching the Louisville from out of the fog. Subject Operation/Series: VARSITY SWIMMER '93 Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

Combat control team members aboard an inflatable boat leave the beach during a water training exercise. The airmen are from the 63rd Military Airlift Wing. Base: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A 304th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron pararescueman assist a simulated victim in the frigid water of the Oregon River during a training exercise. The Air Force Reserve squadron is based at Portland International Airport. Base: Portland State: Oregon (OR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A student practices on the parachute drag at the station's Aviation Physiology Training Unit. Base: Naval Air Station, Norfolk State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

221007-N-LK647-0479 ATLANTIC OCEANBoatswains Mate 3rd Class Glen Gonzalez, assigned to the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), attaches a ladder to the fantail to collect GPS buoys from a rigid-hull inflatable boat while Normandy is underway as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, Oct. 7, 2022. The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is on its inaugural deployment conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navys commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region.

Reservists with the 507th Air Refueling Wing and the 513th Air Control Group perform water survival training June 4, 2022, at Hurricane Harbor in Oklahoma City. Training is required every three years for aircrew, and is designed to train members on how to survive an emergency water scenario long enough to be rescued.

Florida Army National Guard Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, prepare their diving equipment for a 500-meter underwater swim at the U.S. Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, Fla., June 24, 2014.

Close-up of hunter in waders pulling decoys to canoe in river.

220926-N-EV253-2462 SAN DIEGO (Sep. 26, 2022) - US Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Luke Anderson, assigned to assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Search and Rescue Model Manager (SARMM) component of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3, and from Kauai, Hawaii, secures a practice dummy to a litter before hoisting it to an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter during a dynamic proof of concept exercise in Glorietta Bay off the coast of Coronado, Calif., Sep. 26, 2022. During the evolution, SARMM tested the practicality of using two rescue swimmers versus the traditional one, as well as alternative litter deployment and recovery methods in an effort to decrease the time required to affect a rescue, and give future flight crews increased flexibility in a variety of different personnel recovery scenarios. As the designated SARMM, the Merlins of HSC-3 ensure that SAR units are fully-qualified to perform lifesaving operations with the responsibility for promoting policy and standard

A Brazilian service member with the Grupamento de Mergulhadores de Comabte, Marinha do Brasil (Brazilian Navy Combat Divers Group), assists a U.S. Navy SEAL assigned to a Naval Special Operations Team, to mount a Combat Rubber Raid Craft during a dive mission as part of exercise UNITAS LXIII in Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 12, 2022. UNITAS is the world's longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise that focuses on enhancing interoperability among multiple nations and joint forces during littoral and amphibious operations in order to build on existing regional partnerships and create new enduring relationships that promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the U.S. Southern Commands area of responsibility.

Private First Class Christopher Cauley from Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), takes off his Improved Outer Tactical vest (IOTV) during a water training on Fort Campbell, Ky., July 21, 2022. The training went over how to get off an IOTV when submerged underwater.

110818-N-KB666-179PANAMA CITY, Panama (Aug. 18, 2011) Cpl. Luis Escudero, a Panamanian navy diver, conducts a front step water entry during joint dive operations with Company 2-3 of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2, and divers from Panama and Belize as part of PANAMAX 2011. PANAMAX is an annual multinational training exercise focused on the security of the Panama Canal, with participants from 17 countries and involving more than 4,500 personnel throughout the U.S. Southern Command.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Austin Conner, a fire protection specialist assigned to the 673d Civil Engineer Squadron, prepares to rescue fellow firefighters during ice rescue training at Six Mile Lake on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 8, 2023. After completing a classroom course, the JBER firefighters took to the ice to test their skills in a series of scenarios designed to simulate real-world rescues. The firefighters received certifications as ice rescue technicians having qualified in the skills needed to conduct ice rescue and recovery efforts in extreme cold-weather environments.

Recruits from Fox Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, conduct swim qualification remediation on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Dec. 7, 2022. Recruits who fail their initial swim qualification are required to return for additional training.

AQABA, JORDAN - U.S. Sailors assigned to Commander Task Group (CTG) 56.1 tie gear to be brought out of the water after a dive as part of Exercise Eager Lion 22 at the Royal Jordanian Naval Base, Jordan September 4, 2022. Eager Lion 22 is a multilateral exercise hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, designed to exchange military expertise, and improve interoperability among partner nations, and considered the capstone of a broader U.S. military relationship with the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). Jordan is one of U.S. Central Commands (USCENTCOM) strongest and most reliable partners in the Levant sub-region.

Navy students take part in High Risk Training to prepare them for Special Operations training on October, 25, 2022 at Joint Base San Antonio- Fort Sam Houston. Naval operations often require aggressive training programs to prepare personnel to perform mission essential high-risk tasks in a variety of environments. All basic or advanced, individual or collective training in a traditional or non-traditional environment exposes the crew, staff, students, and assets to the potential risks one might encounter out in the field.

040628-F-0365G-002. Base: Fort Lewis State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

040316-M-2917M-005. Base: Mcas, Cherry Point State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: 2D MAW

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Katherine Montgomery, a pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, sits in a life raft during water survival training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Jan. 8, 2024. VMFA-242 participated in winter water survival training as part of their annual back in the saddle program to keep pilots and aircrew proficient in water survival training.

Army Special Forces personnel are prepared for combat as their Zodiac raft moves up a river during Jaguar Bite '89, a joint Army-Air Force exercise conducted by the U.S. Special Operations Command. Subject Operation/Series: EXERCISE JAGUAR BITE '89 State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

RIO DE JANEIRO - U.S. Navy divers, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 (MDSU-2) await instructions during a UNITAS LXIII diving operation, Sept. 19, 2022. UNITAS is the worlds longest-running maritime exercise. Hosted this year by Brazil, it brings together multinational forces from Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the United States conducting operations in and off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The exercise trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations through the execution of anti-surface, anti-submarine, anti-air, amphibious and electronic warfare operations that enhance warfighting proficiency and increase interoperability among participating naval and marine forces.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan Provencher, assigned to 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, fights with pugil sticks Spc. Jacob Mullen, assigned to 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd ABCT, compete against each other in Marne Gladiator during Marne Week on Fort Stewart, Georgia, Nov. 30, 2022. During this competition, two opponents squared off with pugil sticks to determine the top Marne Gladiator.

3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, conducts waterborne infiltration practice on Bellows Air Force Base at Waimanalo, Hawaii, on Aug. 24, 2022. Scenario-specific training increases the readiness capabilities and builds unit cohesion with the Soldiers across the Indo-Pacific.

120906-N-ZE938-005 CARIBBEAN SEA (Sept. 6, 2012) Sailors assigned to the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) participate in a swim call while crewmembers on a rigid-hull inflatable boat act as safety observers. Underwood is deployed to Central and South America and the Caribbean in support of 4th Fleet's mission, Southern Seas 2012.

Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Company A, 2-127 Infantry Regiment test their skills during a Combat Water Survival and Swift Water Rescue training event September 10, on the Fox River in Oshkosh, Wis. The event familiarized Soldiers with operating combat rubber raiding rafts and tactical swimming techniques. Brig. Gen. Matthew J. Strub, Wisconsins deputy adjutant general for Army, stated that this event, made possible through the support of community partners, is about overcoming adversity and forming a stronger bond as a unit. (Wisconsin National Guard Photo by Staff Sergeant Alice Ripberger)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jake Buck, assigned to 4th Combat Camera Squadron, 315th Airlift Wing, conducts a swim assessment at the 2022 Spc. Hilda I. Clayton Best Combat Camera Competition at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, May 18, 2022. The annual multi-day competition tests the tactical and technical proficiency of visual information and public affairs specialists across the DOD and participating international competitors.

U.S. service members with the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) perform a swimming obstacle course assessment during a French Desert Commando Course (FDCC) pre-assessment at 5th Overseas Interarms Regiment base, Djibouti, April 19, 2022. The French pre-assessment includes a swim obstacle course, a five-mile run, knot tying and French weapons familiarization. Since 2015, the French Forces stationed in Djibouti (FFDJ) have invited U.S. service members with CJTF-HOA and Camp Lemonnier to participate in the course.

Male and female Navy pilots in flight gear tread water in a pool during a survival training course. Country: Unknown

JACKSONVILLE, Florida (JAN. 11, 2023) - Educators from schools throughout the Ohio River Valley, tour one of America's Navy's surface rescue swimmer schools, onboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville, during an educator orientation visit hosted by Navy Talent Acquisition Group Ohio River Valley NTAG ORV covers Ohio, West Virginia Kentucky and parts of Indiana for recruiting and Navy outreach for non-fleet concentration areas.

A U.S. Marine with 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, 2d Marine Division, pulls himself out of the water while executing an arctic plunge during the NATO Cold Weather Instructor Course in Setermoen, Norway, Nov. 25, 2022. NCWIC is a course designed to develop Marines and other service members to be instructors of cold weather survival training in preparation for future deployments.

Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge - The City - 26-HK-383-62. Hurricane Katrina

Participants with the 10th Mountain Division complete the annual Mountain Mudder obstacle course on Fort Drum, N.Y., July 22, 2022. The course ran 5.5 miles through 23 obstacles and was hosted by Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) and Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR).

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific(MARFORPAC), Marines jump into a pool during water survival training at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, Feb. 27, 2024.MARFORPAC Marine Corps Instructors of Water Survival (MCIWS) trained Marines from units around the island, including the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, through basic and intermediate swim qualifications to fulfill their swim qualification requirements during this multiple-hour exercise. The course is designed to train Marines in water survival through intense aquatic training events such as victim rescues, distance swims, and underwater endurance exercises. Air Force

U.S. Marine Corps recruits with Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, await further instruction after a gear shed drill during the first day of swim week at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Aug. 22, 2022. The basic swim qualification consists of a 25-meter swim, tower jump into the water, four-minute tread, 25-meter pack swim, and an underwater gear shed.

U.S. Army Maj. Jacob McCorkle, a team leader assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), conducts dive operations during an underwater recovery mission in Wewak, Papua New Guinea, Aug. 31, 2022. DPAA personnel conducted an underwater excavation operation in an effort to find a U.S. aircraft crew lost over Papua New Guinea during World War II. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

Leading SEAMAN Jay Denorer of the Royal Canadian Dive Team exits the water followed by his team mates. The dive team provides underwater harbor defense against opposition forces. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN EDGE '96 Base: Kodiak Island State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Swedish Marine Lt. Max Nilsson, a combat swim support diver, with 2d Swedish Marine Battalion, gives a period of instruction on employment of the life vest to U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force, prior to a Swedish swim assessment on Berga Naval Base, Sweden, September 5, 2022 during exercise Archipelago Endeavor. AE22 is an integrated field training exercise that increases operational capability and enhances strategic cooperation between the U.S. Marines and Swedish forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Cpl. Timothy Fowler)

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASH. - A Green Beret with the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) dons his dive gear while being sprayed and doused with buckets of water during the Maritime Assessment Course at Keeler Pool on Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash. Jan. 27. The Maritime Assessment Course is a prerequisite course that physically and mentally challenges the Green Berets and provides them with the skills needed for the rigors of the Combat Diver Qualification Course.

Navy personnel perform High Risk Water Training in preparation for selection for special operations career fields. Medical Deep Sea Diving Technician, Search and Rescue Medical Technician or Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman training held October, 24, 2022 at Joint Base San Antonio- Fort Sam Houston.

040717-F-7751S-004. Base: Savannah State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Navy personnel perform High Risk Water Training in preparation for selection for special operations career fields. Medical Deep Sea Diving Technician, Search and Rescue Medical Technician or Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman training held October, 27, 2022 at Joint Base San Antonio- Fort Sam Houston.

Combat control team members aboard an inflatable boat leave a beach during a water training exercise. The airmen are from the 63rd Military Airlift Wing. Base: Anacapa Island State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

060411-N-6764G-041. Base: Norfolk State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marine Corps. recruits with Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, practice swimming techniques in rows of ten during the first day of swim training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, April 3, 2023. The basic swim qualification consists of a 25-meter swim, tower jump into the water, four-minute tread, 25-meter pack swim, and an underwater gear shed.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Michael C. Early, a Chicago, Illinois, native and combat engineer with 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, 2d Marine Division, pulls himself out of the water while executing an arctic plunge during the NATO Cold Weather Instructor Course in Setermoen, Norway, Nov. 25, 2022. NCWIC is a course designed to develop Marines and other service members to be instructors of cold weather survival training in preparation for future deployments.

CIOR 2022 competitors Army Reserve Sgt.1st Class Charles Blackwell (left), 108th Training Command, and Air Force Reserve Maj. Sterling Broadhead, 82nd Aerial Support Squadron pull themselves over an obstacle during a swim event in Athens, Greece on August 2, 2022. The Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers Military Competition is an annual reserve military competition with NATO member states and other participating nations with 34 countries in total, representing 1.3 million reservists. The MILCOMP, which has been held since 1957, is a military pentathlon testing service members in pistol and rifle marksmanship, land and water obstacles and orienteering. (U.S. Army Reserve phot by Staff Sgt. David Graves)

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, perform wet silk training in the Vicenza swimming pool, Italy, April 12, 2023. In this part of the training the Paratroopers tread water for 10 minutes. This exercise is part of deliberate water airborne operation familiarization training before an upcoming jump at Lake Garda, Italy. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility.

Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians Signalman First Class Gary Hakes (right), wearing wet suit, face mask and snorkel, complete their search of the ponds west of New York Lake for four 500 pound Mark 82 bombs carried by the A-10 that crashed on nearby Gold Dust Peak. The men are part of the Navy's Mobile Unit 7 from San Diego, California assisting in the A-10 recovery effort. Base: New York Lake State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA)

STONEY COVE, England -- Staff Sgt. Cody Cerny (left), 56th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen, explains the "buddy line" procedure to fellow pararescuemen Senior Airman Chris Sanders and Staff Sgt. Kent Swats, during rescue dive training May 30, 2013. The "buddy line" provides underwater communication by way of signals. The pararescuemen trained in a controlled environment allowing them to focus on their curriculum without being disturbed. Before, during and after the dive, the individuals are briefed, run through scenarios, and perform equipment checks.

030217-M-7031A-015. Base: Marine Corps Base, Ternate State: Cavite Province Country: Philippines (PHL)

PACIFIC OCEAN (May 1, 2013) Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Casey Weir heaves the phone and distance line aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) while conducting a replenishment-at-sea. New Orleans is underway earning its amphibious warfare certification and aviation readiness qualification.

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, perform wet silk training in the Vicenza swimming pool, Italy, April 12, 2023. In this part of the training the Paratroopers tread water for 10 minutes. This exercise is part of deliberate water airborne operation familiarization training before an upcoming jump at Lake Garda, Italy. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility.

DM-ST-88-06327. Base: San Diego State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A U.S. Marine Corps. recruit with Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, exits the pool after jumping off a diving tower during the first day of swim training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, April 3, 2023. The basic swim qualification consists of a 25-meter swim, tower jump into the water, four-minute tread, 25-meter pack swim, and an underwater gear shed.

Airmen utilize a raft to negotiating the swift waters of the Truckee River in California, June 9, 2022. The 144th Medical Detachment participated in Swift Water Rescue Training in partnership with Hawaii and Nevada medical detachments in support of FEMA Region IX.

The crew USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) visit Ulithi Atoll on Oct. 31, 2022, the first time a fast response cutter visited the atoll and delivered 20 boxes of supplies, 50 personal floatation devices, and sporting equipment donated by the cutter crew, the extended U.S. Coast Guard Guam family, Ulithi Falalop Community Action Program, Guam Island Girl Power Foundation, and Ayuda Foundation. Ulithi was a central U.S. staging area during World War II, and home to a U.S. Coast Guard Loran-C communications station from 1944 to 1965 before operations relocated to Yap and ultimately shuttered in 1987.

Virginia Army National Guard Sgt. Anna Carter completes the 100-meter swim assessment during testing for the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) July 4, 2022.Fifty-seven Soldiers and Airmen assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa earned the GAFPB July 4-5, 2022, at Camp Simba, Kenya. The badge is a test of physical fitness and shooting proficiency with three levels of the award that can be earned: gold, silver, and bronze. It is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany.

120316-N-ZW825-257 ARABIAN SEA (March 16, 2012) Repair locker members use a fire hose to push a bucket during the damage control Olympics aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jordan Falcon, a tactical air control party specialist assigned to Detachment 1, 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, prepares to rappel down a rock face during mountaineering training at Sunshine Ridge, Alaska, July 20, 2022. The 3rd ASOS special warfare Airmen utilize Alaskas varied and austere training locations to prepare for conditions they may face on deployment.

of 2