MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- A select group of Marines demonstrated mastery of water rescue skills by graduating from the Marine Corps Combat Water Safety Swimmer Course and earning the title CWSS here Sept. 15.
The Marines survived more than 40 hours of training and are now qualified to assist Marine Combat Instructors of Water Survival during water survival qualification.
“They’re the lifeguards of the Marine Corps,” said Sgt. Nicholas Heier, MCIWS and native of Philadelphia.
During the course, the Water Survival Qualified Marines completed long-distance swims, perfected combat survival strokes and learned how to rescue victims of water-related accidents.
The core of the course was rescue training, during which the Marines learned how to safely approach a victim, escape an attacking victim and tow or carry a victim to safety.
During one training scenario, students were tasked with rescuing a victim who was wearing full combat gear and who, under the weight of his gear, sunk 13 feet to the bottom of the pool. The student rapidly lowered himself to the helpless victim and methodically removed his gear before carrying him to safety above the water’s surface.
“You have to stay calm in that situation,” said Cpl. Jacob Rich, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron aircraft recovery specialist and native of New Braunfels, Texas. “It’s a lot about your presence in the water and your ability to reassure the victim that he’s going to be alright.”
The ability to confidently handle life-or-death situations is developed through long-distance swims in combat gear, underwater swims which increase in length as the course progresses, and regular rehearsals of rescue procedures.
“The course is a confidence builder,” said Heier. “We take a mediocrely confident swimmer and give him the skills to be very confident in the water.”
Physical training also forms a substantial part of the course in the form of “water aerobics.” Similar to the IT (incentive training) Marine recruits go through during boot camp, water aerobics is a relentless cycle of physical conditioning exercises. In combat gear, CWSS-hopefuls swim laps and perform poolside calisthenics at their instructors’ discretion.
“If you want to save lives, you’ve got to be in shape,” the instructors exclaim to the red-faced Marines during a water aerobics session.
Though the Marines struggle (the intense exertion leaves them barely able to lift their arms or legs), they complete enough laps and reps to temporarily satisfy their instructors. After nearly 30 minutes of continuous exercise, they finish the last lap holding their teammates’ hands in a unified formation.
“We’ve definitely developed a lot of teamwork, especially since it’s just the three of us,” said Lance Cpl. Laura Schindler, H&HS personnel clerk and native of Allen, Texas. “It was tough, but we got through it together.”
In the end it was the Marines’ individual efforts which allowed them to pass the course’s final tests – demonstrate proper execution of several survival strokes, perform a flawless rescue and pass a written evaluation.
While the tests proved the Marines possessed the skills and knowledge needed to be a CWSS, they didn’t reveal the true reward of completing the course, according to Rich.
“It was all about heart. My confidence is through the roof.”
Upon graduation, the Marines also became American Red Cross Community First Aid and CPR certified.