What It Takes To Be A Royal Navy Bomb Clearance Diver | Forces TV 

I know a 17 year old lad who wants to do this he's a qualified diver/instructor. If you could send any info to help him I would really appreciate it.

@@JagdgeschwaderX Sorry for my late reply, but I wished to answer you in more detail. I will share as much as I can as I believe this country needs more young lads like him, but do bear in mind whatever I can share is from my personal experience over 20 years ago. The info I will share is also not confidential, but just isn't documented in many mediums. There is an aptitude test which lasts two days and one night, which is the first in a number of hurdles. This test is designed not to make people fail, but to weed out those who do not possess the mental ability to keep going when you simply cannot continue. They do not shout at you, they will not be aggressive, quite the opposite they will be incredibly encouraging, but they will push you to your absolute limit, maybe a few cheeky comments here and there to help you. The best prep is to endure the physical and acclimate to lower temps. RUN: you will be doing a lot of running, 1.5 mile runs followed by intense physical beastings and more running. Circuit runs include running up sets of stairs to a diving platform, while holding fins in one hand and an air cylinder in the other whilst in a drysuit, put your fins on, then jumping into a lake from a certain height, and swimming to the other side, then hoisting yourself out while wet, removing fins, running back to the diving board and repeating, if it's the winter you will feel frozen, if it's the summer you will overheat. SWIM: there was a swim that we did at night in the dark, backwards yes BACKWARDS, in a half buoyant drysuit, whilst attached to 4 other guys via rope. It was not fun and took 45 minutes (for us). Swim lots and lots. Strengthen your body: body weight exercises, sit-ups, press-ups, pull-ups. there is a weight lifting gym they use to see how much you can lift etc. Being able to pull yourself up and out of water when wet multiple times when you are exhausted will ensure you can pass. They will not fail you for not being able to keep up, but they will fail you if you give up trying. Just keep trying even if you cannot. DO NOT GIVE UP. Team work and helping team mates is key in this job, demonstrate this during training. Socialise with others, communicate well with peers, share tactics and discuss ways to improve skills and experience. Once the aptitude is done and you meet all physical and mental requirements, basic training commences in HMS Raleigh, divers have been known to lose fitness during this time (because everyone must go through basic training so the requirements are much MUCH LOWER DURING THIS PHASE), if you request it you will be allocated extra time at night for runs, swims and gym (at least we were) to improve and peak your fitness ready for the training that commences after basic, use this time wisely, train hard and run fast. Our group of divers did extensive extra training organised unofficially by ourselves during basic (time is the only factor you will be fighting). Get used to sleeping less and doing more, the hardest part to over come in diver training is sleep deprivation, you will be cold wet and tired but your mind must be sharp. The time you will spend there will be remembered forever, some of the best times will be had, cherish them. Good luck my friend, I wish him all the best in his career!

@@astroblemeRC Thanks for the information, I will pass it on and I very much appreciate the reply. As a landlubber it sounds like absolute hell but to each his own 🙂

In the Thames LUXURY

I did 2 Royal Engineers Diver courses at Portsmouth Vernon and Horsea in '88 and '91. Don't want to swing that lamp...but the endurance phases were as you describe! 3 days of diving, wet PE, diving, dry PE, diving, attending (standing for hours in all weathers) and a wee bit of sleep and eating! I can still remember the state of my hands and the corners of my mouth from the sea salt! Glory days!

Jack stay swims cut your hands to bits. Anyone remember “the Soup” at the far end of Horsea? 😆😆

Amen, be blessed

I might apply soon

Check Navy-Net

Chazza Dazza yeah I asked a similar question on that website but I always gets responses from two sides. Those that haven't even started the recruitment process or people who have been in the Navy for years and its always a different response. I'm hoping that someone who is in the middle of being recruited or someone that has recently been recruited can tell me how long that have had to wait.

The royal navy live chat told me any role takes 3 to 9 months application process but not how long training is

Glen Scott Yeah I did the live chat with them and got the same answer but its not that useful. 3-9 months is vague, the RAF and the British Army live chat all reply with the same 3-9 months answer which probably means they haven't gotten a clue. I also called the recruiting office and got the same answer pretty much. The training doesn't really matter to me because its always a set time when you finish, the hard part is just trying to get in to begin with.

you really wont belive this, if a diver has to go down, its rare but if they have to, all they do is strap explosives to the mine, attach a waterproof fuse to it and light it. this is for sea mines, dunno if its different for UXBs.

@@commieiamewan well the bombs they are dealing with its way to close to shore. So if it's missiles/bombs they have to lift it up on a cargo ship claw and carry it farther from land. If it's mines they have to blow it up. Even moving it can activate it.

Yeah mask snorkel and screwdriver if you was lucky

Same

Same here

Don't do it sweetheart, be a chef !! You never hungry you are warm and you see the world, diver never go anywhere

It’s been four years, did you decide to join the navy? :)

That's more the preview of the SEAL Teams or the SBS. These guys aren't Combat Divers.

Spencer 15 same mate

Did u do it?