KEY WEST, Fla. – “To construct the perfect expert maritime operators for such harmful missions, the coaching these Troopers endure is inherently harmful,” mentioned Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jim Dougherty, Particular Forces Underwater Operations (SFUWO) chief warrant officer. “Till now, no memorial existed to honor the reminiscence of the courageous Troopers who took their final breath.”
Dougherty’s opening remarks echoed throughout the Particular Forces Underwater Operations compound throughout a memorial unveiling ceremony honoring the legacy of eight fallen fight divers since 1964 earlier than kicking off the 2024 USASOC Greatest Fight Diver Competitors at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, June 10-12.
This yr marks the sixtieth anniversary for the reason that inception of Particular Forces Underwater Operations. Underneath the U.S. Military John F. Kennedy Particular Warfare Middle and Faculty footprint, that is the second yr the Particular Forces Underwater Operations college hosts the competitors at Fleming Key, Key West’s northern level.
“The aim of the USA Military Particular Operations Command Greatest Fight Diver Competitors is to foster camaraderie amongst the joint particular operators who fight dive,” mentioned Maj. Alexander Pombar, commander of the Particular Forces Underwater Operations college. “The competitors checks plenty of key attributes of a fight diver.”
The rivals had been challenged on tutorial rigor, bodily toughness, psychological agility, and flexibility whereas executing high-risk waterborne operations. The competitors included rigorous tactical underwater occasions, boat actions, and airborne insertion associated to real-world fight dive operations.
Twelve two-man groups from throughout U.S. Military Particular Forces, U.S. Marine Forces Particular Operations, and U.S. Air Drive Particular Operations competed in a ten occasion, a number of day, and evening competitors to reveal talent and functionality by way of efficiency.
Day one occasions encompassed a fight dive bodily health check, security spherical robin, and tools validations.
Day two formally kicked off the competitors with a memorial unveiling ceremony straight right into a helo-cast kayak race on the SGM Jerry D. Patton Water Drop Zone in Fleming Key. Opponents then carried out a subsurface swim, cache race, and neuro-crossover subsurface actions within the pool.
Day three began with a goal contour dive in Mole Harbor, the place dive groups needed to check their navigation abilities to tag a number of targets. They went on to conduct an Over-the-Seashore dive then shuttle race on Patio Seashore and return to the ocean for exfiltration. The ultimate occasion was a helo-cast, adopted by a one kilometer floor swim, and a 5 kilometer run.
Following the conclusion of the competitors, the winners had been introduced throughout an award ceremony.
This yr’s winner of the USASOC Greatest Fight Diver Competitors is the fight diver crew from the tenth Particular Forces Group.
The first Marine Raider Battalion took second place adopted by the USASOC crew in third.
CW2 Dante from third Particular Forces Group scored highest within the bodily coaching occasion.
The Particular Forces Underwater Operations Faculty is the premier establishment in producing the knowledgeable particular operator in underwater and maritime operations. Fight dive operations displays one in every of many superior capabilities of the particular operator in unconventional warfare, built-in deterrence, and irregular warfare.
For extra details about the U.S. Military John F. Kennedy Particular Warfare Middle and Faculty, go to www.swcs.mil.
The names of the fallen fight divers are the next:
• 2nd Lt. William Koscher, seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 15 Aug. 1969
• Spc. 4 John A. James, third Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 15 Aug. 1969
• Sgt 1st Class Kevin L. Devorak, 1st Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 18 Oct. 1990
• Workers Sgt. Bruce L. Miller, third Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 14 Sept. 1991
• Sgt. Charles L. Glenn, fifth Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 15 Might 2007
• Workers Sgt. Mark M. Maierson, seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 13 March 2009
• Workers Sgt. David J. Whitcher, seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 2 Nov. 2016
• Workers Sgt. Micha E. Walker, tenth Particular Forces Group (Airborne), 27 July 2021
By Steve Morningstar
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