Clemson ROTC cadets test their mettle with water survival training

CLEMSON -- U.S. Army Reserve Officer's Training Corps cadets were tested on their stamina and personal courage with the Combat Water Survival Test at Clemson University Jan. 28.

The test evaluates each cadet's stamina in water and their ability to complete three stations while loaded down in full uniform and equipment. Passing the events helps ensure they have the fundamental water survival skills necessary to lead soldiers in a hostile environment where there's water, but as Army cadets who will likely see little if any water environments in their careers the test is mainly an exercise to challenge their mental fortitude.

"In the Army we aren't in combat in the water very often," said Maj. Amanda Kane, Clemson's assistant professor of military science. "We do this event not only to build esprit de corps but to learn to trust our equipment, and to learn to be more comfortable in the water. This is mostly a confidence-builder."

Completing each of the tasks is a matter of handling anxiety without panicking, and passing the test is a mandatory commissioning requirement - one that's a lot more fun than many of the other requirements according to Katheryn Bean, a sophomore from Newport News, Va. studying biological sciences.

"This is my favorite lab," said Bean. "It's a different side of the Army. At first it's kind of scary but at the same time it's exhilarating because you have no idea what's going to happen next. I just think about jumping out of a plane."

During the test, cadets first must swim laps for 10 minutes without touching the pool sides or bottom. After a five-minute break, they must tread water for five minutes without touching the pool sides or bottom.

Next come the three events with full gear on.

In the "equipment ditch," cadets must wear a tactical vest and hold an M-16 rifle while stepping backward into the water. The cadet must submerge completely and remove the vest and weapon before resurfacing.

Then the cadets must swim 15 meters carrying the M-16s without touching the pool sides or bottom.

Last is the five-meter drop, widely considered the most nerve-wracking event. Cadets are blindfolded and guided off a five-meter diving board carrying M-16s. To pass, they must hold onto the weapons upon hitting the water, take off the blindfolds and return to the side of the pool with the weapons still in hand.

The hardest event might not be the one most people think, said cadet Preksha Jayamarughyraman, 20, a sophomore from Alexandria, Va. studying biological science.

"That equipment ditch has never been the easiest thing -- I would rather do the five-meter drop multiple times. It's a two-second drop and before you know it you're coming up for air," she said. "The [equipment ditch] always takes me a second - I've got a ten-pound rifle that I have to stick in the air or at least not let the tip go in. It takes a moment to adjust, and then you're weighed down by your uniform and all your [load-bearing vest] stuff. You start getting really tired at the halfway point, but when you have a lot of people around you encouraging you - you can see the end and that's always helpful."

The Clemson ROTC program was established as an integral part of the academic curriculum in 1893. It offers a general military subject curriculum, producing officers for a wide variety of assignments.