BBOOTTTTOOMM IIMMEESS€¦ · SPC Kristopher Lawrence- ETSed in June We also had the opportunity to...

BBOOTTTTOOMM TTIIMMEESS Volume 13, Issue 2 July 2013

Training Developer SFC Roger Lester

It has been an interesting first four months here as the 12D Training

Developer at beautiful Fort Leonard Wood. I have spent much of that time

taking the mandatory classes to learn the basics of my job and becoming a

regular visitor at the Phase I Course. As my number one priority, I have been

working hand in hand with MSG Ramirez, SSG Gills and SSG Cavenaghi in

an attempt to crack the code on the attrition rate for the Phase I Course. We

made a few adjustments to the curriculum and stress level during the first

week of the course in an attempt to provide the students with time to become

more comfortable with the water and their equipment. Believe it or not, many

of the Soldiers who show up to Phase I are neither physically, nor mentally

prepared for the rigors of the course. During the second week, the imposed

stressors are added in, and the students are introduced to a more demanding

environment. This adjusted curriculum will be tested on two more iterations

before the final evaluation is made.

Additionally, I have been working with

the Chief Diving Supervisor in updating

several Army publications to ensure that

Engineer Divers are represented accurately.

Much of the doctrine that we have been

reviewing was very out of date, or made little

mention of the Engineer Divers’ usefulness.

Hopefully, we have increased our visibility to

military leaders when referencing specialized

unit support during a wide spectrum of military and civil response

operations. Finally, I have been working with the information presented

by CPT Martin during January’s Critical Task Site Selection Board

(CTSSB) to update our training strategy for demolitions in DA PAM 350-

38, Standards in Training Commission (STRAC). If these changes are

approved, each unit should have ample amounts of demolition materials to

conduct realistic training with a greater allotment of C4.

In the future, I will incorporate the results that we collect from the

three trial runs of Phase I into an updated Program of Instruction for the course. Also, I will be working

with SFC(P) Flack in Panama City to conduct an analysis on the Navy’s proposed Joint Diving Officer

course to ensure that Army Dive Officers receive the necessary training from the 5V Critical Task List

developed during the CTSSB. I look forward to tackling many issues during my time here as the Training

Developer, and will do what I can to advance our field. I will continue to live off the land out here in

Missouri and provide a wonderful picture of my interactions with nature in every issue of the Bottom

Times. Until next time, be safe and take care.

IN S ID E TH IS

IS S U E

2 544th En Dive

4 TACOM

6 569th En Dive

8 627th En Dive

10 JPAC

11 7th En Dive

13 74th En Dive

14 A/169th

19 86th En Dive

21 511th En Dive

23 CDS

24 CDID

25 Phase 1

26 USADA

USADA

Getting some well earned down

time at Stone Mill Spring on Fort

Leonard Wood.

BBOOTTTTOOMM TTIIMMEESS Volume 13, Issue 2 2 July 2013

544th Engineer Dive Detachment

CPT Nathan Branen

The Sea Monkeys have been charging hard through the first half of 2013. We started the year off

with a new First Sergeant. 1SG Kurt Langley took over for 1SG John Larrew, and hit the ground running.

We spent the month of February out in Oregon and Washington supporting the USACE Walla-Walla and

Portland districts. SSG Winter planned, coordinated and executed the mission flawlessly. Our divers

conducted inspections and repairs on five different lock

and dam systems as well as inspecting waterfront facilities

in the city of Clarkston, WA. It was a fantastic

opportunity to put our skills to work, and we are grateful

to Rick Benoit and the USACE Portland and Walla-Walla

Districts for giving us the opportunity to come out this

year.

March saw us back on Fort Eustis conducting

recovery and equipment fielding. We were fielded the

new ENFIRE and BDASS systems at the beginning of the

month. Both fieldings went smoothly and we are happy to

have the new equipment to upgrade our capabilities. The

rest of March was dedicated to recovery from our mission

in February.

During the first week of April, the detachment

conducted NBC training and tested our mask confidence in

the NBC Chamber. This was a lot of fun… to watch. We rolled right into a range week at Fort Pickett

with the 569th

. We knocked out a 12 mile ruck march, weapons qualification and a demolitions range, all

of which were quality training events. The rest of April was devoted to our unit level licensing program.

SSG Hoover, SSG Winter, SSG Weber and SGT Howard all took turns teaching classes, conducting

practical exercises and testing the divers to license them on the dive equipment.

SGT Rager is lowered off Bonneville in a man

basket to conduct Q and A dive while SGT Hall

tends.

Divers heading into the NBC Chamber. Divers coming out of the NBC Chamber.


We started off May with a unit level dive

maintenance inspection. We were pleased with the

results, but identified some areas for improvement. 1LT

Hanabury, 1SG Langley, and SSG Weber conducted a

recon to Alaska the second week of May to check out the

site of a

mission we

will

conduct

there later

this year.

While they

were gone, the detachment was hard at work under the

direction of SSG Hoover preparing for the unit’s June

Shallow Brown exercise. SSG Hoover was the NCOIC and

expertly handled the coordination and resourcing for the

training. The detachment built concrete projects, welding

projects and taught train-up classes all while inventorying

and packing equipment. Everything was in place and ready

to go by 31 May, thanks to the hard work of all the Soldiers.

Shallow Brown took place 03-18 June and was a fantastic training event. Each diver had the

opportunity to work with hydraulic tools, perform underwater cutting and welding, work with lift bags,

and conduct a hull inspection. 1SG Langley was able to certify three First Class Divers as unlimited

supervisors, and our Second Class Divers all earned check offs toward their Salvage Diver pins. We

spent the rest of June conducting recovery, and that brings us up to date with what’s been happening in

the 544th

.

SPC Disinger shoots from the kneeling position

as he qualifies.

1SG Langley looks on as Soldiers fill a concrete

form.

An injured diver is stripped down during a scenario. 1SG Langley briefs the divers before the splash.

SPC Disinger shoots from the kneeling position as he

qualifies.


The 544th

bid fair winds and following seas to the following Soldiers in the past six months:

CPT Steven Pingree- Attending Captains’ Career Course

WO1 Jason Jakovenko- PCSed to Hawaii

1SG Jonathan Larrew- Transferred to 86th

for deployment

SSG Chaise Turner- PCSed to FLW Missouri

SSG Samuel Winter- PCSed to FLW Missouri

SSG Norman Bogiel- ETSed in March

SGT Dakota Rager- PCSed to Hawaii and the 7th

Dive

SPC Kristopher Lawrence- ETSed in June

We also had the opportunity to welcome the following Soldiers to the 544th

family:

SSG Eric Shults- Dive Supervisor

SGT Christopher Esqueda- Diver

SGT Jesse Gutierrez- Medic

SGT Scott Loher III- Diver

SPC Michael Disinger- Mechanic

SPC Zachary Holder- Diver

SPC Lynda Volker- Mechanic

SPC Gordon Yeaple- Diver

PFC Benjamin Krick- Diver

Finally, we would like to welcome SPC John Huff’s new baby girl, Layla, and PFC Benjamin

Krick’s baby girl, Sophia, to the 544th

family.

SSG Weber directs the placement of equipment on LCU 2001.


TACOM

SFC Tracy Bower

Since the last Bottom Times, TACOM has fielded 6 new

Breakaway Divers Air Storage Systems (BDASS) to the 86th

,

511th

, 569th

, 544th

, 7th

, and A/169th

Engineer Dive Teams. Each

fielding went well, and we are expecting the standard LIN to be

established on or around August 1st. The final system fielding

will take place with the 74th

in August-September time frame.

Progress continues to move forward with the Compressors,

Boats and Motors, Underwater Construction, and Deep Sea

Sets.

Recently, the Fort Eustis dive teams received the

ENFIRE reconnaissance systems. Thanks to major effort on the

part of SFC Tomlin, and A/169, those systems have already

been integrated with the Hydrographic Survey Systems. This

served the dual purpose of testing the integration capability, and

extending the life of the current Hydrographic Survey Systems.

The next generation

system will operate in

the same manner as

well.

TACOM is also working to standardize the dive

maintenance programs for the entire field. This will create a

single point maintenance manager for diving systems, and

allow for uniformity of maintenance actions across the dive

community. Each maintenance book is loaded with manuals,

information, and maintenance sheets for all the pertinent

equipment in the sets. Look for them on the Diver AKO page

under the materials and maintenance folder.

https://www.us.army.mil/suite/files/35258822

On June 14th

, LTC Eric Rannow left PM SKOT. LTC

Rannow is a true friend of the Dive community, and we wish

him the best in his new position at the Pentagon. He has been

replaced by LTC Chris Ford, and we look forward to continued

excellence in equipment support and acquisition under his

leadership.

Retired Master Diver Rocky Heikkinen

conducts new equipment training on the XLDS

during the BDASS fielding.

SFC Tomlin trains junior Soldiers on properly

setting up and linking the Hydrographic

Survey System to the ENFIRE

reconnaissance system.

https://www.us.army.mil/suite/files/35258822



CPT Michael Jappe

Greetings Deep Sea Community! The mighty

Megalodons have had an action-packed six months

following our return from deployment. Although the

majority of our equipment was undergoing reset

maintenance for the first part of the year, we wasted no

time flexing our capabilities in targeted training events all

over the state.

In March, the 569th spent a week in the frigid

winter waters of Lake Rawlings sharpening the unit’s skills

in underwater search techniques. Shortly after the Lake

Rawlings trip, 1LT Will Guinther, SSG Andrew

Miltenberger, and SPC Matt Jones took a road trip to the

beautiful town of Bayonne, NJ in order to conduct a

reconnaissance for the annual USACE Caven Point Marine

Terminal rehabilitation project. This planned three-week mission will take place in early August and

includes a comprehensive scope of work aimed at restoring critically damaged infrastructure during the

Super-Storm Sandy disaster in late 2012. Upon completion of the Caven Point recon, the entire unit

headed out to Ft. Pickett for a joint weapons qualification and demolition training event with the 544th

Sea Monkey squad. Needless to say, it was a blast!

After receiving the majority of our equipment back from reset

in May, we were able to conduct a two-week salvage diving exercise

utilizing lift bags, salvage patches, a 1500 GPM pump, and our huge

brains! Under the watchful eye of training NCOIC SSG Joel Grover,

the 569th successfully patched, pumped, and floated a 5000lb

aluminum salvage container.

SPC Jones surfaces after successfully locating and

retrieving his target with a blacked out mask.

SSG Miltenberger and SPC Jones

take detailed measurements during

the Caven Point recon.

Left: Soldiers prepare timber cutting charges.

Right: Timber successfully cut with great precision!


Moving into the latter half of the year, Team Megalodon remains postured for a rigorous diving

season with a full plate of operations to include supporting the USACE Olmsted Lock and Dam Project

with the 511th Dive Detachment in Illinois, a hydrographic survey support tasking at Ft. Story, and the

Caven Point Rehabilitation mission in Bayonne, NJ.

The 569th would also like to take this time to acknowledge our Soldiers’ many achievements.

-SPC Richard Lee (recently promoted to Sergeant!) was 7th Special Troops Battalion Soldier of the

Month for April 2013

-SGT Frederick (recently promoted to Staff Sergeant!) was 7th Special Troops Battalion NCO of the

Month for April 2013. He was then selected 7th Sustainment Brigade NCO of the quarter.

-SPC Matthew Tommaso was 7th Special Troops Battalion Soldier of the Month for May 2013.

-SPC Scott Wilson was the 7th Special Troops Battalion Soldier of the Month runner up in May 2013

after losing a hard fought board battle with his battle buddy SPC Tommaso.

-SPCs Matthew Schlosser and Arthur Leforge were promoted to Sergeant.

These Soldiers’ expertise, knowledge, and ironclad military bearing propelled them ahead of their peers

during these Soldier boards and brought great credit to our organization.

Congratulations to these Soldiers!

In closing, the 569th would like to wish fair winds and following

seas to the following Soldiers leaving our organization:

-CPL Zacharie Thelisma PCS to Germany

-1SG Earnest Vance PCS to Fort Hood, Texas

-CPT Brett Evans PCS to Fort Shafter, Hawaii

And a warm welcome to the units newest Soldiers:

-SGT Jennifer Lugtu, Supply Sergeant

-SFC Beau Woodcox, First Sergeant

-PFC Chris Miller, 2nd Class Diver

-SGT Arthur Leforge, 2nd Class Diver

-PV2 Zsazhamar Davis, Mechanic

The 569th spent two weeks in May performing salvage tasks in an effort to float this sunken 5000lb training

container. Mission success!

SPC Schlosser promoted to

Sergeant!


627th

Engineer Dive Detachment CPT Jacob Patterson

Howdy from South Texas! This is our first Bottom Times submission in quite some time and

there have been several changes on the

team since the last time you read about

us. We have a new logo, new

commander, and a new way of doing

business the Bull Shark Way!

We bid farewell to the outgoing

commander CPT Terrence Tysall who

moved back to the intelligence

community and accepted a position

with the Information Operations Group

in Austin, Texas.

Since December 2012 we have

had three divers graduate from Second

Class Dive School and enlisted two

prior service Army Divers to the team,

which brings our total number of

qualified divers to 11.

We currently have our XO, 2LT

Roman Jansky and one of our Squad Leader, SSG Joey Wieland in Panama City attending the MEDO and

1C courses with both scheduled to graduate 4th

Quarter FY 2013.

The Bull Sharks have been busy establishing

new partnerships and strengthening old ones here in

the Coastal Bend as well as reaching out across the

Great State of Texas. We recently conducted joint and

inter-agency operations in the Port of Corpus Christi

throughout May and June 2013. We have partnered

with the Department of Homeland Security to conduct

underwater searches of foreign arriving vessels as they

enter their first U.S. port since leaving a foreign one.

During our training and operations we were able to

work with Border Patrol, Port Police Department,

Customs Border Protection (CBP), Homeland Security

Investigations (HIS), TSA, and the U.S. Coast Guard

(USCG) Enforcement Team. We spent several days

working with the USCG and CBP on boarding and

Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) procedures where we were

able to board multiple oil tankers to familiarize the

team with the array of vessels that enter the Port of

The new unit logo for the 627th

Engineer Dive Detachment.

SGT Amador entering the water preparing to conduct a

sweep of the USNS Fisher.


Corpus Christi on a daily basis.

Also during our train up for joint operations we dove on the USNS Fisher which is a 900ft Bob

Hope-Class roll on roll off cargo ship that is semi-permanently located here in Corpus Christi, Texas. We

were able to conduct several searches to familiarize all of our divers with different searching and

sweeping techniques prior to conducting real world missions. In exchange for use of their vessel we

helped out with their anti-piracy drills; conducting a boarding of USNS Fisher while the Capt and her

crew went through their battle drills of a forced boarding. All in all it was a fun event for us, and the crew

of the Fisher identified areas they needed to work on and which in place procedures worked as planned.

Once all the training was completed we conducted two operations with the previously mentioned

agencies. Although the divers did not find the parasitic devices that we were searching for we gained a

tremendous amount of experience and developed internal SOPs that will greatly assist us going forward.

This will be an ongoing mission for us here in South Texas that will benefit local authorities, the Texas

Army National Guard and helps us to remain a viable asset for State and Federal agencies in Texas.

Members of the 627th

Engineer Dive Detachment, the U.S. Coast Guard and various local law enforcement agencies gather

on the pier for a pre-mission brief.


Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) SFC Tyler Dodd

Over the past six months JPAC’s

Underwater Search and Recovery Team

(USART) has remained busy. We started

our year out with a new addition to the

team. SSG Daniel Bevell hit the island

running and was on mission in Cambodia

within 21 days of signing into the unit.

Unfortunately, due to our governments

current climate with sequestration our

efforts in Cambodia were cut short and we

were unable to execute the mission. Our

apologies once again go out to our battle

buddies in 7th

Dive. We sincerely

appreciate all the effort you put into conducting this noble

mission. Upon returning from our Cambodian “vacation” we

yet again received another new member to our Team. CPT

Brett Evans has now taken the helm as Team Leader.

In true JPAC fashion we had CPT Evans out the door

on a Southeast Asian adventure within 60 days of boots on

ground. This time our mission was executed even with the

lingering financial uncertainty. The 45 day Joint Field

Activity was a great logistical feat for the team, utilizing

Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 1, USN Seabees, Combat

Camera Command, USN EOD MU1 and US Army Signal

Command augmentees. Each dive on the mission averaged a

240 minute bottom time and consisted of dredging and crane

operations. We are certainly proud of the efforts made in

Vietnam this year and look forward to returning to wrap up

our operation there.

In the near future we will be back in Papua New

Guinea conducting recovery and investigation operations.

Currently, USART is conducting RESET and REFIT

maintenance operations and planning FY14 missions. SSG

Bevell is in Panama City finishing ALC Phase 2.

In closing I’d like to take a moment to publicly

congratulate CPT Brett Evans who was recently selected for promotion to Major. “Until They Are Home,

Hoo-yah Deep Sea”

Divers conducting surface checks.

Support for our mission….Until they are home!


7th

Engineer Dive Detachment CPT Rob Meyer

Greetings and Aloha from Hawaii! Since the last

edition of the Bottom Times the 7th

Engineer Dive

Detachment has been busy with leadership transitions,

conducting unit level training and establishing unit systems

that will endure through next year and into our upcoming

deployment in FY14.

The 7th

Dive Detachment and the Army Dive Field

bid farewell to CPT Scott Sann on January 16, 2013. His

Change of Command ceremony was held along the canal

leading into Pearl Harbor and was the perfect scene for a

Deep Sea sendoff. CPT Sann’s influence on the Dive Field

has been widespread from Virginia to Hawaii, and he will

be sorely missed!

Though we had to say goodbye to CPT Sann, in his

placed stepped CPT Rob Meyer. He and his wife Audra

have taken the reigns of the 7th

Dive and have great hopes

for the future. Other individuals recently hailed include

SGT Javonnii Curry and his wife Michelle, and SGT

Dakota Rager and his wife Ashley. The team has been

almost fully manned since February and continues to bond

closer together in preparation for upcoming dive missions

throughout PACOM.

Shortly after the 7th

Dive Change of Command the unit was reassigned under the 84th

Engineer

Battalion (Construction Effects), 130th

Engineer Brigade. With 65th

Engineer Battalion’s upcoming

deployment to Afghanistan, the 7th

Dive was realigned under 84th

EN BN to ensure a local headquarters

element was in place for the next year. The transition was

smooth and the team is glad to be part of the “Never Daunted”

family. The new focus on construction within 84th

EN BN is a

refreshing change after leaving the Sapper and route clearance

mentality within the 65th

EN BN. This transition is for the

better seeing as 7th

Dive’s capabilities more closely mirror

those of a technical engineer company over a unit trained in

assured mobility.

Sequestration and uncontrollable limitations have not

enabled 7th

Dive to travel and conduct missions as was planned

over the last six months, but the team made wonderful efforts to

creatively execute training at the unit level. In February,

following the cancellation of a two month deployment to

Cambodia in support of JPAC, the team conducted weekly

round-robin training events on tasks including salvage skills,

CPT Scott Sann passes the 7th

Dive Detachment

guidon to LTC Dar Place, 65th

EN BN Commander,

during the recent Change of Command ceremony.

CPT Rob Meyer (center-left) and 1SG David

Chebahtah (right) look on.

PFC Cody Callahan fills a lift bag during a

train-up dive prior to the 7th

Dive SALVEX.


cutting and welding. This training culminated in a weeklong SALVEX with conditions requiring all

divers to execute the skills they had practiced during the

earlier weeks’ training.

During April the team conducted a joint

underwater demolitions range with members of the Navy

EOD Hawaii detachment. Given the opportunity to place

charges at a depth of 60 feet in open ocean, the team took

advantage of the opportunity to execute multiple initiation

techniques for non-electric systems. The wealth of

experience the Navy EOD personnel so openly shared

with members of 7th

Dive went a long way to improve the

team’s knowledge of underwater demolitions charges and

also served as a mechanism to maintain a lasting

professional relationship with a fellow diving unit on

Oahu.

The future for 7th

Dive is bright with many great

training opportunities on the horizon. With potential

missions in Cambodia, Korea, Guam and throughout the

Hawaiian Islands, the team is itching for the opportunity

to travel on TDY to any of these great locations

throughout the Pacific. Until the next edition of the

Bottom Times, we wish you Pomaika`i, Aloha, and Deep

Sea!

From: 1SG David Chebahtah

Greetings to my fellows Army Divers!

Having taken over for SFC Woodcox in

October of last year it has been an interesting

transition from TRADOC (I served with B/3-

10 Infantry as a BCT 1SG prior to arriving

here). I am glad to be working with CPT

Meyer; an extremely competent and

dedicated leader and an exceptional person as

well. The team here is composed of a great

group of individuals and we are hoping to do

great things with the team here in HI as we

start to get ready for our deployment to the

CENTCOM AOR at the end of FY14. That is

all from my foxhole for now. More to follow

at next publication.

Members of 7th

Dive prepare their C4 charges and

initiation systems during a recent underwater

demolitions range.

SSG Bill Behr gives a dive brief to members of 7th

Dive prior to

placing demolitions charges off the Oahu coast.


74th

Engineer Dive Detachment CPT Charles Martin

The 74th has returned safely from Kuwait, and has completed their reintegration process. We all

look forward to block leave and spending time with our friends and family that we have been away from

for the past 9 months. Since the last issue, the 74th has certainly accomplished a lot. All Sergeants and

below have completed their Salvage Diver check list, while SSG Logan Forbing and SSG Ray Cortright

are now command qualified unlimited supervisors.

During the deployment, all members of the 74th were awarded the Kuwait Naval Diving Badge by

the Kuwait Navy Divers, and we just got written approval from Major General Cheek authorizing the

badge for wear. We were also fortunate to be invited to the house of one of their Dive Officers to

experience an authentic Kuwaiti meal. They certainly know how to dine in style.

Kristanna Loken and other actors from the Terminator 3 movie came to the Kuwait to visit, and

spent some time at the Detachment talking with our divers. They seemed very interested and even

somewhat envious of the cool stuff we get to do.

The 74th would like to thank all of the families, friends, and fellow divers that helped us during

the deployment with encouragement, care packages, thoughts, and prayers. It was a good time of personal

and professional growth, but we are happy to be back and resume our lives as Army Divers at Ft. Eustis,

VA.

Terminator 3actress Kristanna Loken visits the detachment in Kuwait.


A/169th

Engineer Battalion

U.S. Army Engineer Dive School CPT Joseph Lunn

Greetings from the Meca of military diving at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center!

Alpha Company of the 169th

Engineer Battalion has had an extremely successful second and third quarter

of Fiscal Year 13. Currently this year, Alpha Company has graduated 22 AIT Students, 14 ALC students,

4 Master Divers and 8 Dive Officers. We have a full ALC/First Class Diver Course on board, a full

Marine Engineer Dive Officer Class and an Army Second Class Diver Course in session. Our Second

Class Training team is in their preparation phase of picking up another full class for the Army 2C June

convene. After speaking with the 1st Engineer Brigade commander, there are areas here at Dive School

that remain our highest priority in curriculum development. Our 2C students are tested to their physical

and mental limits on a daily basis; however, if we are making changes to the curriculum here at Dive

School it is that they are running, swimming, and rucking further and faster. They are doing more push

up, sit ups and pull ups to better themselves mentally and physically. Training is designed to be tough, to

set a high standard and prepare them for the rigors of the Deep Sea life style.

A/169th

EN Battalion (January 2013)


Dive Officer Selection will be held this year and we are targeting the beginning to mid-September

timeframe. A memo will go out to all commands

informing them of the upcoming selection once

the date for the selection has been locked in. This

year we will be selecting four new dive officers all

will be assigned to Joint Base Langley Eustis, VA.

At one point during this year we had a total of

nine MEDO students in class. This was a

monumental occasion as this is the largest annual

thru put that we have seen on record here at Dive

School. I would like to thank our MEDO training

team for their outstanding efforts they put forth

every day to produce the highest caliber of Marine

Engineer Diving Officers.

The next Master Dive Convene is

currently scheduled for FY 14 in the spring (10

April to 13 May of 2014). More information will

follow as time gets closer from the Chief Diving

Supervisors office. Out ALC training team is in full swing with another full class on board.

Alpha Company just completed the fielding of the new mobile dive system the BDASS. We

would like to thank SFC Bower and his fielding team for their

outstanding support and efforts in fielding us this equipment in an

efficient and professional manner. TACOMs efforts enable us to

complete a smoother transition in certifying and integrating this new

air system into NDSTC system.

On the horizon, the Center for EOD and Diving has again

addressed the creation of a Joint Dive Officer Course and the merge of

Army 2C with the Navy Diver Course. Efforts are in full swing to

reduce redundancies and better align resources here at the command.

The end result of these actions are that if a Joint Dive Officer Course

(JDOC) was established the MEDO program will be stood down and

all Army Engineer Officers would go through the 79 day JDOC with

an added phase 3 specifically designed to meet Army Dive Officer

requirements. AIT and MOS-T Soldiers would be aligned with the 68

day Navy 2C course, then complete a phase II of underwater

construction school, followed by an Army specific phase III where the

FTX, SALVEX, Rifle Range, Swift Water Diving, and Mobile Dive

Station training would occur. We have received significant support

from the United States Army Engineer School, 1st EN BDE, 169

th EN

BN and the Command here at NDSTC. CEODD is currently

developing this new curriculum with a potential implementation of a

pilot program as early as summer of FY14.

The BDASS fielding at Dive Lab

13-20-A2C and MEDO looking good at dive school!


If you are interested in joining our training team contact your friendly Chief Diving Supervisor;

we are looking for highly motivated, physically qualified individuals to join our ranks and become

instructors at the Naval Diving Salvage Training Center.

We would like to welcome

the following individuals who

have joined our ranks here at

Alpha Company 169th

EN

BN:

SFC Sherrod (MDV)

SFC Tomlin (MDV)

1LT Doblar (XO)

SSG Christensen (Medic)

SGT Stull (Medic)

SFC Torres (AIT PSG)

From the Naval Diving and

Salvage Training Center we

wish you all a safe and

enjoyable summer and fall of

2013. Hooyah and Deep Sea!

Second Class Diver Training Team

MDV Micah Sherrod

I have recently taken over from SFC/MDV West, as the Course Manager for the Army’s Second

Class Diver Training. SFC West is going to be moving to JBLE in the fall. He has given me a great turn

over and truly has a great training program in place. We currently have seven Army students, two enlisted

and five officers, who WILL graduate in August,

thanks to SSG Key and his tutelage. We also

have a new class on board as of 17 June 2013.

We will have 31 students in class, 17 of which are

Army enlisted. We are looking forward to the

challenge of having such a large class. As we

prepare for the task at hand, I am grateful for the

opportunity to be a part of such a fine team of

NCOs. We are responsible for the future of our

community and I want you to know that the

NCOs down here are aware of what’s at stake.

SFC Tomlin’s training team will be

leading the way with the new class, with SSG

Tanfield as the proctor. SSG Ford, SSG Jarrard

and SSG Bays have been working their backsides 13-20-A2C and MEDO enjoy a morning beach run.

MDV Sherrod correctly diagnosing the injured diver.


off to get quals, so they may facilitate these classes. Our goal is to send highly trained, highly motivated

Soldiers to the field who truly care about the dive community. I can only ask that you keep them on the

move and continue to challenge them. HooYah, Deep Sea!!!

Marine Engineer Dive Officer Training Team

MDV Kane Tomlin

Greetings from Panama City. Since the

last issue of the bottom times, I have been

“banished” here as the Army Marine Diving

Officer Course Manager. It’s a tough job but

someone has to do it. Since my arrival we have

graduated four new Army Diving Officers and

two Navy Officers. I was TDY when 13-10-

AMEDO graduated so hopefully someone showed

them how to put their dive badge on right side up.

We currently have five AMEDO’s on board, so all

the teams should be ready to receive and mentor

some officers soon. With myself and all the new

instructors on board, we have had a lot of ground

to cover but we are getting up to speed and expect

to keep the Deep Sea standard high as we class up

the newest class on 17 June; they include EOD

Officers, Navy and Coast Guard combined with our Army and Seabee students. At this rate the Army

will be running dive school!

First Class Diver Training Team

MDV Weston Cox

The ALC training team is proud to

announce the graduation of eight Diving

Supervisors from our 13-10-A1C class. The

graduates include, SSG Neilsen, SSG Grover,

SSG Fountain, SSG Crowley, SSG Broughton,

SSG Bays, SSG Ormond, and SSG Hoover. Be

sure to congratulate them all on a job well done

when you see them. SSG Bays attained the

highest overall GPA and was the Honor man of

the class. We are very fortunate to have him here

as a 2C Instructor. SSG Odonoghue and I just

started the 13-20-A1C class and he will be taking

the last steps to becoming fully qualified in the

ALC course. We have seven on board for this

13-20-A2 and MEDO show that log who’s boss!

SSG Bays conducts small boat operations at Shell Island


spring class and the crew is pretty solid so far.

The candidates for this class are, SSG Frederick, SSG Schofield, SSG Morales, SSG Bevell, SSG

Giagnocavo, SSG Hall, and from the Texas National Guard SSG Weiland. Our command team had the

pleasure of promoting SGT Hall to SSG while he was here attending class. Congratulations SSG Hall on

your promotion, we are glad that that we could be a part of it. The ALC training team will continue to do

our best to prepare our Deep Sea Divers to step into the role of Diving Supervisors. I am proud to serve

with you all as a Deep Sea Diver and wish you all fair winds and following seas.

We make strong divers!



CPT Jon-Paul Navarro

Hello from the 86th

Engineer Dive Detachment again! We hope everyone is enjoying another

beautiful summer. 86th

Dive has decided to spend our lovely summer in Kuwait. For the next nine months,

15 brave Soldiers will enjoy the luxuries of Kuwait Naval Base and offer our immense talent and the

finest engineer dive skills to wherever needed in the Middle East.

Back tracking a few months, the team returned from a relaxing Christmas break and jumped

straight into getting all of our equipment ready for deployment. For the next two and a half months, 86th

Dive worked relentlessly to inventory, service, and pack almost all of the unit’s equipment into 13

containers. Under the remarkable leadership and management of 1LT Ezra Swanson and SGT Casey

Gasway, the team successfully loaded all gear onto one of the Army’s Logistic Support Vessels.

86th

Dive even managed to sprinkle in some

training during our load-out. We conducted a nine

day Salvage Diver Rodeo where our junior Divers

had a chance to work and perfect their underwater

skill set and display the knowledge they have

accumulated over the last two years. After all was

said and done, SGT Randall Stancil, SGT Casey

Gasway, and SPC Dennis Grew completed their

Salvage Diver Checklist and earned the right to sport

the Salvage Diver Badge. We also headed to Fort

Pickett for one week to do some final training.

Soldiers qualified on their M4s, practiced their

explosive demolition skills, and practiced some good

old warrior tasks and battle drills in the snow.

Left to Right: SGT Gasway, SPC Grew, and SGT

Stancil show off their shiny new Salvage Diver badges

with their families and 1SG Larrew.

Soldiers use a simulation trainer to enhance their

warrior skills.

Soldiers familiarize themselves with

firing the M4 in an NBC mask.


The team enjoyed a month long block leave during April and a few weeks later boarded a plane to

sunny Kuwait. The 74th

Engineer Dive Detachment picked us up and eagerly began to transfer equipment

and responsibility to us. There were several cases of separation anxiety on 74th

Dive, but we managed to

pry them from their desks and drive them to the airport. Now that it is all said and done, 86th

Dive has

assumed the mission and has already hit the ground running with several missions. All of us look

forward to perfecting the 12D craft and building the diver reputation while out here.

Danie Larrew, 1SG’s wife, has graciously volunteered to be our FRG Leader during our

deployment. I would like to give her a big thumbs up for taking care of our families. Her support is

greatly appreciated and the Soldiers here can rest easier knowing we have an amazing volunteer ready to

help our families through the deployment.

I would like to use this closing opportunity to say “welcome” to some new 86th Dive Deep Sea

Divers since the last Bottom Times. The Beavers brought in SGT Matthew McDonald and SFC Jonathan

Larrew into the mix and I look forward to seeing them take this team to the next level.

We also said our fond farewells to some great Leaders and Soldiers: SPC Bradley Zeman, SSG

David Pulver, SSG Chaise Turner, and SFC (P) Kurt Langley. Thank you for your service, immeasurable

professionalism, and performance.

Finally, this will sadly be my last Bottom Times article. I will be passing the guidon to the new

incoming commander, CPT Matt Schiller, in August. I would like to say thank you to all the amazing

divers and Soldiers I have worked with over the last two years. It was truly a privilege to lead this

detachment.

As always the members of the 86th Engineer Dive Detachment wish all of you fair winds and following

seas. Until next time, Hoo Yah and Deep Sea! Beaver 6 Out!

SSG Ormond talks with the inside tender as

the outside tender monitors depth.

SSG Ormond, MDV Larrew and SSG Byerle pose with the patient

following the successful 8 hour treatment.



CPT Greg Bascomb

TDY season is upon us, and the 511th

is

making the most of it before shifting gears in

preparation for our FY14 deployment. One half of

the team left mid June for Olmsted, IL to support

the USACE Louisville District by conducting

maintenance on the Olmsted Lock and Dam Project.

This project is located on the Ohio River and is the

most highly trafficked inland waterway in the

United States. There is plenty of work for Army

Divers out in Olmsted, and we are hoping this will

progress into an annual work/train mission similar

to Caven Point, NJ. The second half of the team

stayed behind at JBLE to conduct river

reconnaissance training in preparation for River

Assault 2013 at Fort Chaffee, AR in July.

The last six months have been full of activity for Team Trident. We started off the year with two solid

weeks of cutting and welding training led by SPC Herman Goldstein. The team honed its abilities on the

surface prior to validating them in the

water. 1LT Mark Golay and 1LT Ezra

Swanson ran into CW4 Phillip

Brashear, son of famed Navy Master

Diver Carl Brashear, in the Resolute

DFAC and invited him to join us for a

pay day activities barbeque where he

shared with us a motivational

presentation about the legacy of his

father.

In March, the unit deployed

to Naval Weapons Station Yorktown

Cheatham Annex to conduct three

weeks of emergency protocol based

scenarios during Operation Shallow

Brown. SSG Patrick Morales was the

man in charge as we dove off the

LCU 2004 “Aldie” in the York River

and conducted over 60 scenarios on

seven diving supervisors and three

master diver candidates.

Congratuations to SSG Kyle

SPC Goldstein provides instruction to PFC Dilmore on

cutting metal.

CW4 Phillip Brashear holding a photo of his father, the late, great Carl

Brashear.


Broughton for earning his command qualification as an unlimited Diving Supervisor during this exercise.

We would also like to congratulate SSG Brian Winter who

just recently earned his command qualification during the

544th

’s Shallow Brown.

In April, SSG Kyle Broughton led a recon team out

to Olmsted, IL to penetrate the lock colverts up to 600ft in

order to assess the sediment levels inside.

The 511th has developed a good working

relationship with the Henrico Fire department and the

Hampton Roads Marine Incident Response Team (MIRT).

We recently facilitated the training of 20 local paramedics

who are now certified Diving Medical Technicians and

SSG Brian Winter’s squad executed a three day joint swift

water training exercise with the Henrico Fire Department.

We would like to welcome five new members to

Team Trident: 2LT Zachary Chrismon, SPC Thomas

Dougherty, SPC Courtney Martin, PFC David Dilmore and

PV2 Kenneth Robertson. 2LT Chrismon will be taking over

as the detachment executive officer, while 1LT Golay will

head to Olmsted, IL on an extended TDY to support

USACE as a Mechanical Engineer and Dive Safety Officer.

The Trident family has multiplied since the last

Bottom Times. We are proud to announce the births of Aria

Koaalohahemolele Lock (21JAN13), Noah Alexander

Bascomb (17APR13), and Mikaela Marie-Louise Fountain

(02MAY13).

SSG Broughton, Mission NCOIC, briefs divers

SSG Morales, SPC Feyers, and SPC Dougherty

during Olmsted Lock and Dam recon mission,

Olmsted, IL.

You can find more information, photos and news articles about the 511th

Engineer Detachment on our Facebook page @

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/511th-Engineer-Dive-

Detachment/275817312428407


Chief Diving Supervisor and Bottom Times Editor MSG Ray Ramirez

While compiling the article submissions for the newsletter, I have realized I am part of a great

organization! It is truly amazing to see what divers accomplish. Every team is doing a lot of great work.

It appears divers do more in a week than other units do in a month. Reading everyone’s articles made me

feel very proud to be a part of this organization. Keep up the great work!

There have been a lot of changes since our last Bottom Times; however, my focus for this article

will be on automated systems. Since our last newsletter, SFC Lester and I have created a miBook site on

milSuite. The site will be used for collaboration and dissemination of information. It’s open to all Army

Divers and is a great way for junior divers to stay in the loop. I recommend everyone join the site and

choose to receive email notifications. This will allow you to receive our information without logging

back into milBook. The site can be found at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/army-engineer-dive-

field.

In addition to the milBook site, we have brought back the AKO site. The AKO site will be used to

store our approved documents as they relate to the DOTMLPF spectrum. The site can be found at

https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/669213. Please let either SFC Lester or I know if you can’t get on

the site. In addition, SFC Bower has been working very hard to standardize our maintenance books for

the field. Currently, these books can be found under the materiel section of the AKO site. Please visit the

site today to get the latest books.

Another valuable site to visit is the Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving website at

www.supsalv.org or https://secure.supsalv.org. This website is a great source of information and is a

valuable resource for all Diving Supervisors and Master Divers. The site is kept current and contains

important Diving Advisories, Advanced Change Notices (ACN), Diving and Salvage publications, and

the AMU List. Please visit the site to get information on the following new diving advisories:

-Personnel qualified to overhaul Conshelf XIV regulators

13-07

-Scuba Regulators 13-06

-Removal of Mares SCUBA regulators from cold water

service 13-05

-Aqualung Buoyancy Compensator Devices 13-04

-Suspend use of sodasorb 13-02

As for the Bottom Times, I would like to thank everyone

for their article submissions. I know many people look

forward to reading the latest and greatest about Army

diving. In addition, if there is anyone that did not receive

this newsletter via email and would like to, send your

contact information to: [email protected]

https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/army-engineer-dive-field

https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/army-engineer-dive-field

https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/669213

http://www.supsalv.org/


Capabilities Developer SFC Thomas Kneipp

Greetings from CDID! It has been a busy year so far with great progress being made on multiple

programs. The BDASS has made it to most of the teams already, which should remove a substantial

maintenance burden from the field. MDVs Bower and Dodd (the elder) have jumped through unspeakable

hoops at the PM shop to make this program a reality for the field.

Next up will be compressors. This program is currently in full swing and we hope to have some

contracting done soon so we can start testing and developing training material. Just so everyone is

tracking, this program will replace our existing 18 and 6.0 with a 26 and new 6.0, and it will also retire

our trusty 88s from service removing that maintenance burden from our books.

The boats and motors program is finishing up source selection and will be moving into contracting

and testing soon. This will replace our 7 man boats, and will also give us 15 man boats as a replacement

for the 12 man that we currently have. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but for those of you who have never

seen a real 15 man; it is substantially bigger with a lot more deck space. We will most likely be going

with a dual motor setup for the 15s with the same motor in a single configuration for the 7s. This means

one standard outboard for all of our boats, which will simplify maintenance and logistics.

The UCS and Deep Sea Set are both approved and are entering the modeling and developmental

phase. Both of these systems will be kitted in ISU 90 containers and will see substantial improvements

from the current systems.

The current SCUBA support set will be replaced by the up and coming Supervisor, Propulsion,

Emergency, and Recovery set (SPEaR). This will upgrade and consolidate all of our miscellaneous

SCUBA support gear and will be kitted in two ISU 60 containers, with space built for compressor and

SCUBA tank storage for rapid transport. This system will also add a few sets of diver propulsion systems

as well as a swift water equipment package. Just wait, there’s more! Along with all this greatness, we are

creating a certification program that will allow the Army to pay for sending people to all these

maintenance classes that the Unit Dive Program Inspection requires, removing a substantial cost burden

from the units. This system is in the early phases of staffing.

On a personal note, I’m getting married on the 24th

of August.

DEEP SEA!

SFC Thomas Kneipp


Phase 1 SSG David Gills

Army Diver Phase one has been busy working on

improving both how we teach potential divers and how

we prepare them for Phase one and Phase two before they

arrive. SSG Cavenaghi has completely reworked the

application packet, attaching examples and instructions to

streamline the process. We have also started a Facebook

page which many of you have already “friended”. We are

not only using this site to give potential candidates a

place to learn about the physical requirements, but also a

place for families to get a glimpse of what their family

members are trying to achieve and where they are in their

training. We are also reviewing the course and have

implemented a temporary change to the rigors of the

course. We hope the changes will better prepare the

students for the tough training days without changing any

standards. Since January we have graduated 21 students

and with these new changes, we hope to graduate several

more this year. Phase one is going through several

personnel changes as well. SSG Cavenaghi has been

picked up for Warrant officer and his replacement, SSG

Winter, has arrived. SSG

Winter, his wife, and their new

baby have arrived safely and are

settling in. SSG Winter will

begin teaching class 13-08.

This is also SSG Wieder’s last

class as the Phase One AIT

Platoon Sergeant before he

leaves to Ft Eustis. SSG Turner

will be arriving in July and we

look forward to working with

him as the new 12D AIT

Platoon Sergeant. I have

recently married and would like

to introduce my wife Elissa.

She is my better half and a great

addition to the deep sea family.

Please give her a warm welcome

when we arrive to Virginia in

January. Hooya DeepSea!

Divers entering the water!

Wanna-be divers listening to instruction given by the Dive Supervisor


U.S. ARMY DIVER’S REUNION 2013

The U.S. Army Diver’s Association (your Association) will be hosting the next diver’s reunion in just a few short

weeks. The reunion will be in Sacramento, California from 25 July to 27 July.

Go to the website (or use this link:

http://usarmydeepseadivers.com/documents/Reunion2013RegistrationFormFinal.pdf) and complete your

Reunion registration. Pack a bag and get ready for some fun. The guys on the west coast are looking forward to

seeing you and are hosting a volleyball competition. Yes, it is East Vs. West and it could get ugly with divers

involved. The competition and family picnic will be held at beautiful Lake Folsom just east of Sacramento, CA.

This is the 13th reunion that has been hosted by the U.S. Army Diver’s Association, with the first being in 1998.

This also will be the first reunion to be hosted on the west coast. All other reunions have been hosted on the east

coast from Fort Eustis, Virginia to Panama City, Florida.

Your reunion committee (lead by George Hunter) has worked hard to put together a complete reunion and

vacation package for all of our diving families. Take a look at your list of diving buddies and contact them. If

they can’t go to the reunion, then at least make contact and have a short reunion on the phone.

For more information visit the Reunion 2013 page on the Diver’s Association website:

www.usarmydeepseadivers.com and read the latest.

Be sure and go to the website after the Reunion to read about all of the West Coast action.

Jim Heimbach, Secretary

U.S. Army Diver’s Association

http://usarmydeepseadivers.com/documents/Reunion2013RegistrationFormFinal.pdf

http://www.usarmydeepseadivers.com/

BBOOTTTTOOMM IIMMEESS€¦ · SPC Kristopher Lawrence- ETSed in June We also had the opportunity to...

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