SWCC Participate in Basic Tactical Swimmer Course
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (AW/SW) Joshua T.
Rodriguez, Naval Special Warfare Group 4 Public Affairs
NORFOLK (NNS) -- Special warfare combatant-craft crewman (SWCC) from
Naval Special Warfare Group 4 and Special Boat Team 20 participated
in a Basic Tactical Swimmer Course at the Naval Special Warfare
Combat Swimmer Facility at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va.,
March 3-6.
The course gave the operators the knowledge and skills needed to
improve their efficiency in the water as measured by time, stroke
count and heart rate for any given distance swam, and how to create
their own training regimen to reach their full potential in the
water.
"We hosted this course because SWCC's live in and on the water,"
said Chief Special Warfare Boat Operator (SWCC/FPJ) Chris Favata.
"Our guys learned to be a more effective swimmer, lasting longer in
the water while exerting less energy and to be an overall better
tactical swimmer."
Efficiency gains of more than 20 percent are not uncommon results
from graduates of the course, according to Jeff Utsch of Streamed
Lined Performance, the course instructor who has been working with
the naval special warfare community since 1994. This course involves
multiple hours of classroom training teaching proper technique and
how to avoid exhaustion. More than 10 hours are spent in the pool in
a variety of drills, stroke analysis and demonstrations in effort to
build the perfect tactical swimmer.
"If you can improve the competency level of all the combat swimmers
in any given maritime environment, it can only be a benefit," Utsch
said. "You just have to learn to be slippery in the water."
The swimmers all start off the course knowing the basic strokes, and
then Utsch breaks down their movements.
"Jeff has taught me that swimming more efficiently in the water
doesn't mean moving your arms and legs faster; truly slow is smooth,
and smooth is fast." said Special Warfare Boat Operator 1st Class (SWCC/FPJ)
Daniel Hathorn.
Utsch teaches three different swimmer courses for the naval special
warfare community, including basic tactical swimmer course, advanced
tactical swimmer course and the instructors course.
During this recent training, he taught the basic course -- two
classes a day with eight to 20 students per class.
Even experienced operators who have been combat swimming for years
can use a refresher.
"In order to become a better operator in [special operations forces]
you have to revisit the basics in order to change with the times,"
said Hathorn. "I would take this course again because you are never
done learning, you can always learn something more."
For
more news from Naval Special Warfare Group 4, visit
www.navy.mil/local/nswg4/. |
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