Photo Information

In an exercise demonstrating knowledge of life saving procedures, Lance Cpl. Aaron Chasse, infantryman, 2nd battalion, 1st Marines, right, buddy tows Cpl. Anthony Noble, infantryman, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, during a Marine Combat Instructor of Water Survival course at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Sept.22.

Photo by Cpl. Frances Candelaria

Strong wills make for strong Water Survival Instructors

15 Oct 2010 | Cpl. Frances Candelaria Marine Corps Training and Education Command

Approximately 19 Marines and sailors are earning their Marine Combat Instructor of Water Survival qualification at the Combat Training Tank, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.

A MCIWS is the second highest water survival qualification in the Marine Corps, behind Marine Combat Instructor Trainer of Water Survival.

The instructor students must retain academic knowledge in order to fully understand every aspect of aquatic environments, survival techniques, physics, physiology and even the mental details that factor into teaching swim qualifications to Marines and sailors who must meet the Marine Corps’ annual requirements.

Upon completion of the course, students will be certified to administer swim qualifications for their units. For the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego drill instructors participating in the course, they will be able to help each of their respective companies with recruits swim qualifications.

Instructor Students increase their conditioning each day by adding 100 meters to their morning and afternoon lap swims.

Their endurance and technique are continually tested during practical application training events that add uniform items and extra gear each time. “Full gear helps the students focus on technique,” said Sgt. Adam Creel, MCIWS course instructor trainer. “No matter how much muscle you have, if you don’t apply the fundamentals you’ll drown.”

The only way students can focus on the fundamentals to perfect their technique and retain their confidence as an instructor is to constantly keep a clear mind.

“We have to overcome our mental fears,” said Staff Sgt. Duane Commiato, drill instructor, Company L, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment. “It’s pretty tough, but you have to keep pushing for everyone else.”

While the instructor students continually encourage one another, the instructor trainers are also there to motivate the students and remind them to stay calm even when fatigue sets in and they feel like quitting.

“They need to relax in the water,” said Creel. “We teach them to relax and focus, even when they think they are being pushed past their limit.”

Every training event is designed to improve skill in multiple subjects and while each instructor student performs events individually, the class may only move onto the next task once the entire class has accomplished the mission.

“It is an individual task, but they all go through the same (suffering) and it makes them come together as a team, to push one another to complete the task,” said Creel.

Most students would agree that the mental and physical aspects may wear them down but they are all in it together.

“Quitting is contagious,” added Commiato. “You see one guy go for the edge and you think it’d be nice and you should grab the wall too, but you can’t because we’re all here to graduate. You keep going for everyone else, not just yourself.”


Marine Corps Training and Education Command