FORT LIBERTY, N.C. – The tan nylon of the parachute gently swayed at the surface of Atchley Pool as members of the Fort Liberty Dive team, donned in scuba gear, waited beneath the chute as Soldiers with the 1st Special Forces Group trained for an upcoming water jump.
The Soldiers took turns diving under the chute, purposefully entangling and extricating themselves while the three-member dive team waded beneath the surface to support them if needed.
This elite team is relatively new. It grew from a tragic moment roughly twelve years ago when the Fort Liberty Fire and Emergency Services confronted a hazard they couldn’t mitigate at the Little River.
“After the incident, we were given the directive to stand up a 16-man dive team,” explained Joshua Hopkins, FES assistant chief of special operations and dive team lead. “The team was created without a model to follow, and we did what firefighters do – We jumped in with two feet and sorted out the details once we were knee-deep in it.”
While the team initially started only supporting emergency response situations, today, it has become a critical asset supporting unit mission capabilities. The team has gone from supporting 10 incidents each year to well over 40 in the past 10 years.
Today, the dive team actively supports the units on Fort Liberty through WAAL River reenactments, helocasts, water drops, wet silk operations, ruck raft events, and competition-level events. It is there to provide professional-level support, ensuring the safety of the Soldiers.
“It is a privilege to be on the dive team,” said Hopkins. “And because it’s a privilege, these guys have to earn their place.”
The dive team member slots are highly desirable despite being an additional duty on top of being a firefighter. Spaces only become available as someone departs the team, and roughly 50% of the members have been on it since its inception.
To become full-fledged members, those wishing to join must pass a rigorous swim test and complete eight certifications, regardless of prior experience. Each member takes the same training to maintain consistency and efficiency on the team.
In the 2023 fiscal year, the team supported over 50 dive and water rescue events. Those included training support, vehicle recoveries, and body searches and recoveries.
“I encourage new members, and I tell them, when I was the one on the end of the rope doing the body recoveries, even though I could see a little bit, I intentionally closed my eyes,” explained Hopkins. “I’d rather it be an exercise in muscle movement as opposed to a scarred memory I can’t erase.”
Due to the job requirements, the FES team has a robust critical incident stress team. The team responds to all incidents involving a fatal response or traumatic injury. Upon returning, the responders are met at the station, ensuring mental, emotional, and physical resiliency.
“Middle of the night, two in the morning, it doesn’t matter,” said Hopkins. “We want a quick connection to make sure the team is alright and get a pulse check.”
Hopkins’ favorite story is when he and his team supported a training jump into Lake Auman several years ago.
“That particular day, the jump was delayed due to a low ceiling,” detailed Hopkins. “So, they did like they always did and packed them tight to make up for the shortened timeline.”
The water that day was choppy, and after a jump, a wave came over the bow of a partner agency’s boat, causing it to nosedive into another wave. The boat rolled over, end over end, dumping four Soldiers, two firefighters, and all their gear into the water.
Hopkins’ team immediately took action, closed the landing zone, and zoomed over to assist. They rescued those in the water and were able to recover the boat. After completing the rescue, they reopened the landing zone and continued the training.
“Every member of the team worked together in perfect synchronization,” continued Hopkins. “No one got seriously hurt, and the whole team jived. They did exactly what they needed to do.”
It is the training and team cohesion that enabled them to respond so effectively to the situation. The dive team consists of 16 divers and 15 tenders working in small, cohesive teams.
The tenders serve above the water and orchestrate communications, guide the divers, and maintain safety. Each team must be professional, confident, and have critical thinking skills.
“This location serves the crème de la crème of Soldiers who respond around the world,” stated Hopkins. “If we’re going to be here supporting those Soldiers, we, too, should be the best of the best. We want to be the best and settle for nothing less. The community we serve demands it.”
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