It is a military profession related to working in depths that in some disciplines may reach a depth of 80 meters under the sea, and some disciplines require special physical and mental abilities, because they include dealing with lethal weapons that may lose an officer his life.
And the military training school for diving in the southeast of the country in the Var region, the French consider it one of their military feats.
The newspaper Le Figaro says in its report that the headquarters of the diving school of the National Navy is located in Saint-Mandrier (southeast of France, in the Var region). Quiet in all seasons.
According to the second commander of the diving school, Captain Francois, the depth of the diving training area ranges between 5 meters and more than 20 meters, which provides optimal conditions for introducing beginners to diving, and informing them of how to work underwater and accomplish specific tasks there.
groups
The captain says that the role of the school is education and training with a program that includes 4 basic groups: the first is called the “air group” dedicated to various types of air, land and sea weapons, where 220 candidates train for 6 weeks to be able to work under 35 meters underwater.
The success rate in this section is 75%.
As for the second group, it is called the “intervention through diving and mine warfare”, and it is a group that specializes in training divers to dismantle mines, where the training lasts for a whole year, and special physical and mental qualifications are required for applicants to this group, because the task of this group is very sensitive and dangerous and their lives may end in the depths because they deal with explosives and sea mines.
Their working area may be up to 80 meters deep under water.
They begin their service after graduation in defensive roles aboard minesweepers, or in demining teams.
The third group constitutes the "combat sailor", and before reaching the diving school, the candidate must have spent several years of service in the Naval Special Forces, and obtained the certificate of "team leader".
If accepted, he immediately enrolls in the diving school in the offensive operations group.
While the fourth group is known as the "inland water group", it includes only the land forces, and the elements undergo training in non-marine water areas, such as rivers.
One of the departments that is considered one of the feats of the French National Navy is the Helicopter Diver Training Department.
Le Figaro quoted coach Anthony as saying that the trainee does not jump from the helicopter, but remains tied to a rope 90 meters long, with a strength of 272 kilograms, and saves people in the face of danger at sea.
Annually 78 divers graduate and rescue an average of 300 people.