Photo Information

Company H recruits jump into the shallow end of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Swim Tank April 30. Co. H started week four off with Combat Water Survival that requires them to swim in Marine pattern utilities with combat boots. They must pass multiple important water tests during this week to be able to be called a Marine.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Crystal Druery

Co. H swims through training week four

30 Apr 2012 | Lance Cpl. Crystal Druery Marine Corps Training and Education Command

Heads surface for air through the blue viciously moving water as recruits attempt to make it through 25 meters of shallow water in the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Swim Tank April 30.

Company H began week four with Combat Water Survival. They must pass swim qualifications to move on to the next week of recruit training.

“It’s not as common now for Marines to be on ship,” said Staff Sgt. Julian Russell, chief swim instructor, Swim Tank, Support Battalion. “Just in case the situation was to present itself, Marines need to know how to swim.”

All Marines are amphibious. Marines fight on land, air and sea, making it important for future Marines to know how to swim. Prior to getting in the water recruits are given mandatory classes that inform them of safety, dangers of being in water, flotation devices and different swimming techniques.

“Some of the recruits that come to recruit training have had a bad experience with drowning. We have to weave these recruits out the first day to break them of their habits,” said Russell.

To distinguish these recruits from the others, they all have to first swim 25-meters in the shallow end of the pool. This also makes sure they are capable of swimming in Marine pattern utilities and combat boots.

“I’m not a strong swimmer,” said Recruit Vegas Hastiags, Platoon 2169, Co. H, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion. “So I wasn’t able to pass the first part.”

All of the recruits that need extra help get to re-test the following day with more assistance from the swimming instructors. The stronger swimmers have a ratio of five recruits to one instructor. The other recruits receive a ratio of two recruits to one instructor to ensure they are grasping the basics of swimming in combat gear.

“During the whole swim qualification they wear boots now,” said Russell, “It’s more realistic training. We’re not in jungle environments anymore.”

After passing the first test, recruits jump off the high dive and swim 25-meters from the deep end to the shallow end. A swim instructor launches one recruit at a time off the 10-foot tower. Another instructor stays in the water ensuring the recruit comes up for air once hitting the water. They’re then required to tread water for four-minutes in the deep end. They can float on their back, tread or inflate their blouse, as long as their heads stay above water.

“I was mostly worried about floating on my back for four-minutes,” said Rct. Trent Holcomb, Plt. 2173, Co. H, 2nd RTBn., who passed with no problem.

The recruits are then taken to the shallow end to shed gear in 10 seconds. The recruits aren’t allowed to surface until the flak vest, Kevlar and simulated service rifle is off of them. This part of Marine Corps swim qualification was added last year to adapt to the type of environment the United States is fighting in currently.

“We’ve had a few times when Hummvees have flipped over and Marines died because they weren’t able to get their gear off,” said Russell.

The last event the recruits must accomplish to become Marine Corps swim qualified is 25-meter deep-water travel. They have to first throw a pack into the water and hold it with one hand in front of them while swimming the full 25-meters. They can use any type of swimming stroke they were taught during this portion. The strokes they are taught are breast stroke, crawl also known as free-style, back stroke and side stroke.

“I used the breast stroke,” said Holcomb. “The breathing techniques they taught us definitely helped keep my stamina up.” Once they have completed swim week, Co. H then moves on to grass week at Edson Range, Weapons Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. There they will learn Marine Corps marksmanship fundamentals that they will apply throughout their Marine Corps career.


Marine Corps Training and Education Command