 "Photo: Sholten Singer")
The water in Gullickson Hall pool was churning Thursday but not from the swim team.
Marshall University ROTC cadets completed their final lab exercise of the semester at Frederick A. Fitch Natatorium.
The five-part combat water survival test simulated combat situations in which soldiers must swim in full uniform while carrying equipment.
Sgt. 1st Class Drake Brownlee said the exercise prepares future soldiers for various environments.
“The purpose of the water survival training is to assure that today’s officers survive on the battlefield as well as survive in water,” Brownlee said. “As we train our future leaders, we want to ensure that no matter what terrain they cross or come across, they can survive.”
Josh McMillion, senior criminal justice major from Fenwick, W.Va., and cadet battalion commander, said the Army requires completion of the exercise and it is given every semester in ROTC.
“The purpose of combat water survival training is to train cadets how to prepare for maneuvers in water,” McMillion said. “One of the major issues that happens in regards to transportation is when vehicles overturn in water and cadets or soldiers will have to swim out.”
Swimming lessons were offered earlier in the semester to cadets with less experience. Those cadets wore yellow reflective vests during the exercise so the enlisted officers could supervise them.
Each portion must be passed in order to pass the entire test, McMillion said.
In the first portion of the test, cadets swam for 10 minutes without touching the sides of the pool. They were then given a five minute break before re-entering the pool in uniform to tread water for five minutes.
From there, cadets were pushed backward into the water and were required to swim 15 meters across the pool while carrying an artificial M16 rifle and wearing a harness containing canteens.
“Roughly, they’re going to have around 30 pounds of that gear,” McMillion said. “The LVB (harness) wet by itself is probably around seven pounds, the dummy M16 rifle weighs around 16 pounds.”
The test concluded with cadets jumping blindfolded from the 3-meter diving board into the pool and removing their equipment underwater. McMillion said this portion of the exercise adds a fear factor.
“One thing a lot of these cadets have fears with is heights and water,” McMillion said. “That kind of combines both those fears. It’s not just a training purpose. It’s also confidence building. This is more of the reason we do this each semester. You build confidence up.”
Marlowe Hereford can be contacted at hereford4@marshall.edu.
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