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JOURNEY IN DIVING SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION

1. Underwater diving as a human activity is a practice of descending

below the water surface to interact with the environment underwater.
Immersion in the water and exposure to the high ambient pressure have
physiological effects that limit the depth and the duration of the dive. To
overcome such adversity a diver has to be well prepared and equipped with
necessary gear, physical fitness and strong mental uptake. Since human
bodies are not naturally adapted to such extreme working spaces so a diver
has be trained in the proper curriculum, qualified instructors, safety
precautions and other institutional facilities. Such demands can be met by the
Diving and Salvage School under Special Warfare Diving and Salvage
Command. Each year this institution trains personnel from different services
and of different ranks to build them as Divers.

2. Our Journey of diving school started from 19th January 2020 for a
period of 14 weeks which is due to end on 23 rd April 2020. The course intends
to make officers as qualified diving officers. Hence the course is named,
“Basic Diving Officers Course”. This is the 7th intake of the course in the
school. With the training received from the course an officer will be able to
impart the duties of a diving officer onboard ship, bases and in diving teams
as well. An officer of BDO course is well oriented in diving with Self Contained
Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA), Surface Supplied Diving Set
(SSDS) and Closed Circuit Oxygen Diving set. Other than this an officer also
learns to carry out salvage operation, underwater search, underwater wielding
and cutting as well as a number of other under water activity.

AIM

3. The aim of the journal is to describe my journey over the period of 10

weeks in diving school.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

4. Basic Diving Officer Course is a voluntary course where the officer

meeting the specified criteria can put forward their names for the course. The
criteria are as below:
a. Rank of Lieutenant or Sub Lieutenant

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b. Under the age of 26

c. All officers except aviators, hydrographers and submariners

5. Primarily all officers have to go through the preliminary medical check

for the suitability of the course which includes eye sight, dental checks, heart
and lung condition and other pathological examination.

6. Upon successful completion of the medical checkup the suitable

candidates have to appear a physical test which reflects the physical fitness of
the candidates. The suitable physical test includes:

a. 500m Swimming
b. Push ups
c. 8 count body build ups
d. Mountain climber
e. Bladder kicks
f. Hello Darlings
g. Sit ups
h. Pull ups
i. Jump from heights
j. Breath hold
k. 3 km run

7. All officers meeting the expected results will be short listed and
recommended for the course. It is finally the Naval Secretariat which gives
approval for officers who will join the course.

TRAINING IN DIVING SCHOOL

8. From 23 candidates, only 8 were selected and deemed fit for the diving
course. The course started on 19th January 2020. The 9 weeks of training at
the diving school was segregated in different parts. Each week was allocated
for each subject except the first week which was dedicate to season our
bodies for the thrust of the diving course

Diving Theory

9. Although a physical course, the diving course includes a good amount

of theoretical knowledge which will assist a diving officer to carry out his
responsibilities. The instructors of the course impart knowledge on subjects
like Diving Physics, Diving Medicine, Diving Administration and Organization,
Air Diving, Oxygen Diving, Salvage, Under Water Search and Under Water
Welding and cutting. Each of the subject is taught through lecture and an
exam is taken upon completion of the subject.

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Training Without Equipment

10. Initially the students are trained without equipment. Training like these
are giving to familiarize the divers with the atmosphere under water and get
accustomed with the environment of it. Exercise like these help the student to
be more confident underwater, gain confidence and boost physical
endurance. Many of the exercise push the physical limit and help the students
become a competent diver. These exercise include: Breath holding under
water, drown proofing, underwater weight carry, jump from various heights,
skin dives, underwater weight carry and breathe out drills.
Training with Equipment
11. We’ve had our first interaction with the diving gear was just the
swimming mask, gradually moving to the snorkel set, then the SCUBA set and
later on the SSDS and the oxygen diving set. It was then we got the true taste
of what it’s like breathing and working underwater which truly was out of our
comfort zone.

TRAINING IN KAPTAI

12. In BDO course, major part of practical training is conducted in Kaptai

Lake. In diving school officers undergo different practical activities at diving
pool, which in a sense doesn’t exactly stimulate the real environmental
challenges. Kaptai Lake provides a real simulation of diving operation
because of its depth and environmental characteristics. Another important
feature of Kaptai Lake is deep diving can be conducted in it. To become a
Navy Diver, one must have the capacity to dive 150 feet and above. BDO
course can touch this benchmark in Kaptai Lake.

Deep Diving
It is very important to have the experience of diving at deeper depth for
becoming a Navy Diver. As the temperature, pressure varies greatly with
depth, diver should be able to sustain these changes. Officers of BDO class
achieve this quality by touching the milestone of 150 feet gradually in Kaptai
Lake.

SSDS Diving
SSDS is the most modern and most widely used diving system. Though BDO
Class practice it in diving pool but real practical experience comes in Kaptai

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Lake. Kaptai Lake provides greater depth to practice and muster in SSDS
diving.

Oxygen Diving
It is also important to learn oxygen Diving for BDO class as it is required to
conduct clandestine operation. Kaptai Lake provides a large area to practice
the bearing taking and station keeping in that bearing. It also provides a
simulation of environment in which clandestine operation can be conducted.
Long Endurance swimming
Divers should have the capacity to swim a long distance. To enhance this trait
long endurance swimming about 8 km is arranged in Kaptai phase.
Physical fitness
Physical fitness is very important for diving course. Kaptai phase plays an
important part to enhance the physical fitness of BDO Class. Time run in
between all activities in the hilly area increases both stamina and energy.
Officers reach at the peak of their physical fitness in Kaptai.

CONCLUSION

13. Navy Divers are a part of an extraordinary community. The journey of a

diver takes anywhere from the darkest depths of the oceans to the murky
waters of Karnaphuli, accomplishing a task only the few number can perform
with no margin for error, excellent execution and fast action.

14. The accomplishments are on epic proportions. The expertise is

unrivaled. Very few units are as specialized and intensely trained as the
officer of the BDOC under the diving and salvage school to succeed in the
perilous world of the underwater. Each assignment they take on is crucial and
backed by a steadfast dedication to teamwork. And only they put on the
insignia of the Clearance Diver of Bangladesh Navy.

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