Why so many EODs drop during diving?

[missathletic]

I was told that most EOD drops happen during diving for physical reasons. Do any of you know what the main problems are?

Are they just not prepared for the distance?

Can't tread water?

Lose their cool during surf hits?

[ddssdv]

I was told that most EOD drops happen during diving for physical reasons. Do any of you know what the main problems are?

Are they just not prepared for the distance?

Can't tread water?

Lose their cool during surf hits?

Because not everyone can work underwater. Dive school takes away your right to breathe. For most thats too much to bear.

[missathletic]

What do you think is the best way to prepare for that? Working on breath holds?

[ddssdv]

What do you think is the best way to prepare for that? Working on breath holds?

Work on getting 100% comfortable in the water, with your gear and in your head. Spend time, hours doing jus that albiet a pool, lake or ocean. Swim laps but work on breath hold, diving techniques, gear adjustments, mask clearing. Think everything thru without flustration and/or panic. Get used to being in the water. Practice makes perfect.

[missathletic]

So it probably wouldn't hurt to have some diving experience before you get there I suppose. Do most of the people who pass dive phase have dive experience? Or if you don't know, did you?

[eodjw]

No. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it hurts. The hits are not long. Panic is what gets most people. Go to Youtube and type in Navy EOD. There are some video's from Dive School.

[missathletic]

I've watched every video on youtube about EOD and seen all the hits. That why I don't understand why so many drop. It doesn't look all that long or difficult. Of course I'm not the one doing it either.

Are there any other big times when a lot of people drop when they could've prepared better? This could be physical or something one could have studied.

[eodjw]

The drops are a combination of physical, academic, and motivation. It's a long slow painful process to produce a Navy Tech. It takes a lot ofmotivation to keep moving forward.

[missathletic]

I'll prepare the best I can then. I have the analytical brains of an engineer and the hands of a surgeon in the body of a top caliber athlete. I just feel like I was built for this job.

[eodjw]

And you're humble too.

[gator33]

And you're humble too.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, Chief. Pretty funny.

[missathletic]

Oh jeeze I'm not trying to be a ****y ***. But this is how I'm built and I think the job is a good fit. There's nothing wrong with that.

[eodjw]

No issues. You'll either pull your weight or not. EOD is also sometimes known as Ego-D. Dive School is a great humbler.

[buonan]

No issues. You'll either pull your weight or not. EOD is also sometimes known as Ego-D. Dive School is a great humbler.

"Its not the size of the dog in the fight but rather the size of the fight in the dog that matters."

[missathletic]

"Its not the size of the dog in the fight but rather the size of the fight in the dog that matters."

I hope that stands true.

[didley]

When i was in Dive Master training I had to help certify open water students with my instructor. For a lot of people, being underwater is a huge issue for their brain. My dad tried to get my mom into it, but even in the pool in 6 feet of water when she had to fill her mask and clear it, she would freak out and shoot to the surface. Some try and overcome that fear, but others just can't get past it. I'm just glad I learned all that stuff on Guam and know I can handle it. So when I go to BUD/S it will only be more challenging, but nothing completely new.

[missathletic]

do you have to clear your mask with or without air in dive school?

[eodjw]

Gator has a better feel for what is going on at Dive School than I do.

[gator33]

I have heard that things have changed since I was even there. Now they do hits with a blacked out mask. About clearing your mask without air or with...you need air to clear you mask. The instructors will teach you everything you need. I did get my PADI cert prior to going, but I had an unusually hard time with underwater harrassment the first time I tried dive school. Most people are fine with the underwater stuff. I worked a lot on breath holds before I went to school. But, somehow...holding your breath for 2 and a half minutes sitting in your room is a lot easier than 30 seconds on the bottom of a pool with your reg tied in knots and burning eyeballs. LOL! Just get in the pool and tread water with weight and use fins for swims and run. That's the hard stuff. I still had some difficulty on hits this time around, but my mentality was that I will drink this whole pool before I leave training. There was NO WAY I wasn't gonna make it this time. Good luck.

Gator

[missathletic]

Thanks for the tips. Not being able to see your gear would take those hits to a whole new level of hard - having to know it all by feel.

[missathletic]

Well I just realized that was stupid because you would lose your mask during the hit. So now I'm wondering what the point is in blacking out the masks for surf hits...

[gator33]

You don't lose your mask during the hit. It gets filled with water and snapped back on your face.

[ddssdv]

You don't lose your mask during the hit. It gets filled with water and snapped back on your face.

When did they change that? Back in the day it was a free for all.

[gator33]

Yes, for the hits without a blacked out mask, it is a free for all. But, I think that for the hits with a blacked out mask, they keep it on your face. I didn't have those hits. This is just info from guys a few classes behind me. It basically adds a whole new round to pool week from what I hear.

[eodjw]

I think that is actually a good idea. Most of our diving is done in black water. If something goes wrong, you can't rely on your eyes to put yourself back together.

[gator33]

jw,
are you over at 2 now? how's it look over there with 2 mobile units. is 6 up there yet? Just curious. FORCM Santino was just here talking about the new units,etc. Hope all is well.

[eodjw]

I'm at Two. No real issues with two MU's here. Once we get Six up here it will be tight.

[gator33]

jw,
a bunch of the guys in my class just had their orders switched at the last minute to MU 6. Me and one other guy kept the orders to 12. Is 6 going to be at Fort Story or Little Creek? I'm back in class now just going over the things I had already been through. It's good to be back in class, anyway. Hope all is well with you and your new det (or are they platoon's now?).

Gator

[eodjw]

Six will be at LC. We're all going to be one big not so happy family.