thedrifter
09-22-08, 07:31 AM
CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan —The Submerged Vehicle Egress Trainer arrived on Okinawa recently to be used as a training aid by Survival Systems USA.
Submerged vehicles have caused deaths of Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. The trend prompted the Marine Corps to initiate a training program to give Marines the skills necessary to egress from submerged vehicles.
Like the Modular Amphibious Egress Trainer, used to train Marines to escape from a submerged helicopter, the SVET was developed to simulate a submerged humvee or AAV.
According to Kurt Reese, the chief instructor with Survival Systems USA, the SVET is designed to duplicate the conditions a Marine may face if he or she is trapped in a vehicle upside down and underwater.
The training will prepare the Marine to be able to escape from the vehicle, he said.
The egress training will take place at the Camp Hansen 25-meter pool where a hoist is used to raise and lower the device into the water, simulating a submerging vehicle.
The training will not only ensure the Marines are capable of escaping from the nearest exit, but also give them the knowledge and experience to use alternate exits in the event their primary exit is blocked, he said.
Camp Hansen is the only location in the Marine Corps with this training capability, he added.
The new course will present many challenges but instructors want to teach the Marines to be comfortable in the water and have confidence in their training.
The training will teach Marines "when the mind wants to panic and the body wants to panic, to take control, slow down and then kick in with their survival skills," said Brett Pitt, an instructor with Survival Systems USA.
Reese said when training begins, the SVET and MAET training may be tied together into an extended course so Marines can receive egress training for all three types of vehicles.
The training will be open to all Marines who want to come out and train, however priority will be given to Marines set to deploy, Reese said.
Submerged vehicles have caused deaths of Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. The trend prompted the Marine Corps to initiate a training program to give Marines the skills necessary to egress from submerged vehicles.
Like the Modular Amphibious Egress Trainer, used to train Marines to escape from a submerged helicopter, the SVET was developed to simulate a submerged humvee or AAV.
According to Kurt Reese, the chief instructor with Survival Systems USA, the SVET is designed to duplicate the conditions a Marine may face if he or she is trapped in a vehicle upside down and underwater.
The training will prepare the Marine to be able to escape from the vehicle, he said.
The egress training will take place at the Camp Hansen 25-meter pool where a hoist is used to raise and lower the device into the water, simulating a submerging vehicle.
The training will not only ensure the Marines are capable of escaping from the nearest exit, but also give them the knowledge and experience to use alternate exits in the event their primary exit is blocked, he said.
Camp Hansen is the only location in the Marine Corps with this training capability, he added.
The new course will present many challenges but instructors want to teach the Marines to be comfortable in the water and have confidence in their training.
The training will teach Marines "when the mind wants to panic and the body wants to panic, to take control, slow down and then kick in with their survival skills," said Brett Pitt, an instructor with Survival Systems USA.
Reese said when training begins, the SVET and MAET training may be tied together into an extended course so Marines can receive egress training for all three types of vehicles.
The training will be open to all Marines who want to come out and train, however priority will be given to Marines set to deploy, Reese said.