Soldiers at one of the military's most dangerous special-ops courses say leaders are

[Peter1469]

A friend of mine in the JAG Corps was an SF combat diver when he was enlisted. Cool guy.

Soldiers at one of the military's most dangerous special-ops courses say leaders are putting their lives in danger

In recent months, the US Army special-operations community has suffered several fatalities in training incidents.

Two of the deceased Special Forces operators were attending or preparing for the Combat Diver Qualification Course, a challenging and notoriously difficult-to-finish course that trains US special operators for combat in and underwater. (A third Green Beret during a separate course in North Carolina on October 27.)


Current and former soldiers familiar with the course told Insider they're dismayed that these deaths have failed to prompt a review or procedural changes, noting that the military's shift from focusing on counterterrorism missions to competing with peer adversaries may require more time for troops to adjust to new standards.

"I'm clueless as to why there hasn't been a safety stand down until we figure out why these young Green Berets are dropping dead during basic physical-fitness exercises," a retired Green Beret told Insider.


Combat Diver Qualification Course

There is a common misconception that only Navy SEALs are combat divers. Although all SEALs become combat divers during their selection course, they aren't the only ones in the US special-operations community who can learn that skill.


The Army Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC) teaches Army commandos to be combat divers. Army, Marine, and Air Force commandos can attend this or other schools, but CDQC is notorious for its attrition rate even among qualified and seasoned Green Berets and Rangers.
Because of the course's difficulty, deaths do occur, but two deaths in a few months have caused alarm in the community.

[RMNIXON]

Is it because unqualified persons are being pushed forward I wonder?

[carolina73]

Is it because unqualified persons are being pushed forward I wonder?

Or trying to prove something that they are not physically capable of doing?
There is a great deal of promotion with soldiers in special forces since the capture of OBL. Now former special forces are selling books and running for political office. Is this drawing forward the kids that want the fame?

[Cletus]

SF has changed a lot since 2001. It has expanded to several times its pre-911 size and it has taken on roles and missions it really wasn't designed for. Any time you have a rapid expansion in size, certain standards are going to be relaxed. That is just the way it is.

Most of the books and TV appearances and hype comes from the Navy. I have been saying for decades that the best thing about the SEALs is their public relations guys. Army SF has continued to remain pretty low key as they should.

I haven't looked to see what led to the deaths in Scuba School, but the reality is that it a risky business and $#@! happens. Students have died in Ranger School. Students have died in HALO school. Students have died in SERE School. Students have died in the Q course. Candidates have died during BUDS. Experienced Paratroopers have died on training jumps. It is an inherently dangerous business and as we used to say back in the day... "And the weak shall fall by the wayside".

Sometimes, training standards and practices do need to be reviewed and modified, but we have to also be careful about relaxing them too much in order to make them "safer". I watched the Best Ranger competition a few months ago and saw something that made me really uncomfortable. When the competitors were running the Darby Queen, there were pads placed under the vertical obstacles to prevent injury if someone fell. I thought "WTF? What is next... top roping them and putting someone on belay so they can't fall?"

[Ethereal]

It appears that two of them just dropped dead. The military tried to say that one was a drowning, only to reverse themselves after being contradicted by an instructor who was there when the incident occurred. Why would the military want people to think the death was a drowning? What do they think REALLY caused the death? Could it be the experimental COVID vaccines - the ones that are KNOWN to cause heart problems in young people - they were recently forced to take? No! Not possible! Everyone knows the COVID vaccines are "safe and effective". Pfizer and the government told us so!

[Cletus]

Why try to make it out be something sinister? The CDQC is I would say, the most physically intense course run by the Army. If you have any underlying health problems, this school will bring them out. Ranger School, and SERE School trash you, but the Combat Diver Course is even worse because it puts a different kind of stress on the body. You are operating in an environment where humans are not supposed to be and even a small error can be fatal. It is not like taking a NAUI or PADI scuba course.

[Peter1469]

Is it because unqualified persons are being pushed forward I wonder?

Probably not. The people have already gone through hard schools and units.