Marine Corps Water Survival Training Program

Marine Corps Water Survival Training Program (MCWSTP)[edit]

The U.S. Marine Corps has a water survival training program that "employs water survival skills of increasing levels of ability designed to reduce fear, raise self-confidence, and develop Marines with the ability to survive in water."^[1] The current Marine Corps Order (MCO) is MCO 1500.52D. It provides "policy and procedural guidance regarding the Marine Corps Water Survival Training Program (MCWSTP)."^[1] In MCO 1500.52D, it details the: qualification levels and re-qualification intervals, MCWSTP requirements, and responsibilities of certain key billets among other detailed program requirements. The MCWSTP is primarily governed and maintained by the Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (CG, MCCDC) who delegates it down to the Commanding General, Training & Education Command (TECOM) as the program sponsor. CG TECOM has appointed the Marine Corps Water Survival School (MCWSS) located at Camp Johnson, NC who is attached to Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools (MCSSS), as the "center for resolution of all water survival training issues and the management of the water survival training program."^[2] CG TECOM is also responsible for planning and conducting course content review boards in accordance with MCO 1553.2C which is a formal school management policy.^[3]

Safety[edit]

As with any Marine Corps training, safety is paramount. Throughout any training, not only MCWSTP, whoever is in charge, mostly Commanders or Officers in Charge (OIC), must apply operational risk management (ORM) in accordance with MCO 3500.27C.^[4] During swim qualification and/or training, MCO 1500.52D mandates that Commanders/OICs will apply ORM^[1]. Before any Marine enters the water, there is normally a detailed brief in the conduct and execution of any training or qualification event with an emphasis on any and all safeties. This safety brief includes, but is not limited to: medical issues, conduct in and around the water, exits, and execution of the events. In the essence of safety, each military occupational specialty is rated a minimum level of qualification in MCWSTP with consideration given to the amount of exposure to aquatic environments as listed in MCO 1200.17E^[5].

Qualification Levels and Re-qualification Intervals[edit]

Marine Corps Instructor Trainer of Water Survival (MCITWS)[edit]

A MCITWS is a qualification attained in order to make new MCIWSs. A MCITWS "Trains and certifies Marine Corps Instructors of Water Survival (MCIWS) and conducts water survival training through MCITWS certification."^[1] To become a MCITWS, a Marine must meet certain criteria outlined in MCO 1500.52D^[1] chapter 3 paragraph 3 along with satisfying qualifying events detailed in NAVMC 3500.41B ^[6]chapter 6.

Marine Corps Instructor of Water Survival (MCIWS)[edit]

MCIWSs "conduct water survival training and is authorized to qualify to the WSA qualification level."^[1] To become a MCIWS, a Marine must meet certain criteria outlined in MCO 1500.52D^[1] chapter 3 paragraph 4 along with satisfying qualifying events detailed in NAVMC 3500.41B^[6] chapter 6.

Water Survival Advanced (WSA)[edit]

"Advanced swimmer capable of rescuing swimmers in an aquatic environment."^[1] This qualification is the top qualification level a Marine may receive before becoming an instructor and going through a formal course.

Water Survival Intermediate(WSI)[edit]

"Enhanced water survival skills providing commanders whose mission profile places Marines frequently around water training or Military Occupational Skill (MOS) requirement option."^[1] This qualification level is mid-level out of the three non-instructor levels.

Water Survival Basic (WSB)[edit]

This is the lowest level of qualification. A Marine possessing WSB qualification has met the minimum standards to become and to maintain being a Marine in the MCWSTP. There is a WSB plus which is "an administrative qualification level only, assignable only at MCRD Parris Island, MCRD San Diego, and TBS."^[1] Once a Marine leaves these initial training commands, they can no longer receive WSB plus.

Sustainment Intervals[edit]

MCITWS - Three years (36 months)

MCIWS - Three years (36 months)

WSA - five years (60 months)

WSI - three years (36 months)

WSB - three years (24 months)

Training events[edit]

Each qualification, a Marine must complete certain swim tasks with certain conditions for each task. It is designed to progressively become more difficult as a Marine advances through each qualification level. Marines must complete each qualification level before progressing to the next one. Below are the swim tasks and conditions for each qualification:

WSB Events^[6][edit]

Swim for 25 meters using one or any combination of the survival strokes, wearing the combat uniform; which consists of blouse, trousers, and boots; without touching the bottom or any sides without stopping.

Wearing the combat uniform as described earlier, jump from a height of 8 to 15 feet, and swim for 25 meters using one or any combination of the survival strokes in deep water of at least 9 feet.

A water tread while wearing the combat uniform for an interval of four minutes without assistance.

Conduct a “gear shed” in shallow water (three to five feet) while wearing the combat uniform along with flak with ballistic inserts, service rifle, and kevlar helmet. You have 10 seconds to dunk your head in water, staying submerged until you “shed” your flak, Kevlar, and rifle and then emerging from the water.

Conducting an employment of floatation gear while wearing the combat uniform. This event consists of using a waterproofed pack and swimming for a distance of 25 meters without loss of gear. You may use it as a floatation device.

WSI Events^[6][edit]

Conduct an employment floatation gear while wearing the combat uniform and a full combat load. This event consists of using a waterproofed pack, flak with ballistic inserts, service rifle, and kevlar helmet and swimming for a distance of 50 meters without loss of gear. You may use it as a floatation device.

Wearing the combat uniform as described earlier, jump from a height of 8 to 15 feet, and swim for 250 meters using one or any combination of the survival strokes in deep water of at least 9 feet.

A water tread while wearing the combat uniform for an interval of 10 minutes. However, the Marine must show proficiency in utilizing the blouse inflation method for an interval of at least two minutes, after which the Marine must remove and maintain their boots and demonstrate the trouser inflation method for the remainder of the time.

Conduct a “gear shed” in deep water (minimum nine feet) while wearing the combat uniform along with flak with ballistic inserts, service rifle, and kevlar helmet. You have 20 seconds to dunk your head in water, staying submerged until you “shed” your flak, Kevlar, and rifle and then emerging from the water.

Conduct an active victim rescue while both Marines wearing the combat uniform utilizing a waterproof pack. The rescuer must swim to the victim, give the victim a waterproof pack as a towing device, and tow the victim to safety for a minimum distance of 25 meters.

Conduct a passive victim rescue while both Marines wearing the combat uniform utilizing a waterproof pack. The rescuer must swim to the victim, put the victim on the waterproof pack with their face out of the water as a towing device, and tow the victim to safety for a minimum distance of 25 meters.

WSA Events^[6][edit]

Marine must perform the following survival strokes while wearing the combat uniform in a depth of no less than nine feet for a distance of 25 meters per stroke for a total of 100 meters: breaststroke, sidestroke, backstroke, and crawl stroke (freestyle).

While wearing the combat uniform, enter the water from a height of 8-15 feet, surface, and swim utilizing one or more of the survival strokes for a distance of 500 meters in a time limit of 30 minutes.

Perform all three rescues on a victim while wearing the combat uniform along with flak with ballistic inserts, service rifle, and kevlar helmet. All rescues start with the rescuer having to approach the victim for a distance of no less than 20 meters and performing the rescue:


Rescue #1	Rescue #2	Rescue #3
front head hold, front head hold escape, collar tow to safety	rear head hold, rear head hold escape, double arm-pit level off, double arm-pit tow, transfer to the cross chest carry to safety	wrist grip escape, wrist grip tow to safety.

MCITWS / MCIWS Events^[6][edit]

To become a MCITWS a Marine must first become a MCIWS and hold that billet for a minimum of a year after in which a MCIWS may begin to train to become an instructor trainer. The MCIWS course is a formal three-week training course in which students go over all the requirements as stated in the references. Examples of the material are: extensive aquatic physical training, American Red Cross lifeguard training, Automated External Defibrillator (AED), administering emergency oxygen, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and a thorough knowledge of all the associated references required in MCWSTP.