Depot warriors suit up for an underwater scuba diving adventure

9 Jul 2004 | Lance Cpl. Justin J. Shemanski Marine Corps Training and Education Command

Strap on an air tank, grab a pair of goggles and hop into the water.
That is what some curious individuals did at the Depot's Combat Pool for the past couple of weeks.

Several Depot Marines are students in a scuba diving course taught by Capt. Dev Spradlin, commanding officer of Instructional Training Company. He is a certified master scuba diving instructor who holds these classes just for the simple purpose of exposing Depot personnel to the wonders of recreational scuba diving.

For a nominal fee, students went through five days worth of classes, which were each approximately three hours long. The classes started in the classroom, where the students learned about the scuba equipment, as well as safety measures that must be used while diving.

Afterward, the aspiring divers practiced for a couple of days in the pool where they learned hand signals, which are used to communicate with other divers while underwater. Students also got the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the scuba diving equipment.

The course culminates when Spradlin rounds up his eager students and they head down to Panama City, Fla., or maybe up to Charleston, S.C., to experience first hand the enjoyment of scuba diving in the ocean.


Marine Corps Training and Education Command