9th Comm. Marines test new swim qualification

Photo By Sgt. Joshua Young | Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Smith, a 22-year-old ground radio repairman with 9th Communication Battalion, jumps off the 10-foot platform for the new swim qualification at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 1. The new standards require Marines to wear their boots during the test.  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

12.01.2011

Story by Lance Cpl. Joshua Young 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - More than 30 Marines, with 9th Communication Battalion, conducted their annual swim qualification under the new requirements here, Dec. 1.

All Marines are required to qualify annually. Earlier this year, the swimming standards were changed to provide a more practical means of measuring the abilities of Marines to survive in water.

“I think it is a much better judge,” said Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Smith, a 22-year-old ground radio repairman with 9th Comm. Bn.

“I feel a lot more confident with this.”

Marines train to be physically fit, combat ready and prepare to survive and handle grave situations.

“You have to be able to swim,” Smith said. “Especially if you go out on a Marine expeditionary unit or anything like that.”

One new swim qualification is that Marines now perform the swim test with their boots on the entire time.

“How many times are you going to abandon the ship without your boots on,” asked Sgt. Jerry D. Reese, a 26-year-old intermediate computer repairman with 9th Comm. Bn. “It’s more practical.”

The new swim standards help Marines build confidence while in the water.

“They put you in situations to take you out of your comfort zone,” Reese said. “It’s not comfortable to jump into the water.”

The new standards have three levels of qualifications: basic, intermediate and expert. Some of the changes include the wearing of boots during the entire test and keeping their head under water while removing combat gear.

“During the swim qualification we run a 25 meter assessment for basic, then you jump off a tower, conduct self-rescue and swim 25 meters,” said Cpl. Brandon Yost, a 24-year-old water survival instructor from Modesto, Calif. “After that you do a stay on the surface assessment which is four minutes of treading water.”

The changes have been made to the swimming standards to provide Marines with the best possible gauge for their ability to survive situations.

“The swim qualification is a lot better than the old one,” Yost said.

“If a Humvee or a 7-ton flips over in Afghanistan in some kind of water or canal, Marines will have a better understanding of how to shed their gear in shallow water instead of retaining all their gear and drowning.”

The swimming standards have changed but there are ways to prepare for the test.

“Go to the pool at least once a week,” Reese said. “If you know you need to work on swimming, get out there. If you feel like you need to work on treading water, you need to get to a pool and do it.”

• Date Taken: 12.01.2011
• Date Posted: 12.02.2011 12:09
• Story ID: 80830
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US