Caveeagle
Contributor
I recently went through a week long eCCR training and find this discussion very interesting. My instructor was very clear and professional. Reviewed all drills on land ,at surface then during the dives. Pretty close to 10 hrs in the water. None of the drills were a surprise, but over the course of a typical 60m dive, he clearly meant to challenge me with the simulated issues.
I am compelled to ask: (as an instructor) How can you guarantee you will be able to turn the o2 back on if a student panics and/or bolts during the drill. What if the instructor has a failure or brain-fart? As in all things, we should plan for things to go wrong, and how to survive. It's just my opinion, but Turning off a student's o2 and waiting ~6m to see if he notices, is unacceptable risk with little value.
I have Dive buddies, who are excellent divers who dumped instructors where teaching methods were unprofessional and risky. I have also seen the "bravado" first hand where an individual was boasting about how he had f'ed with a student, all in the name of "high standards". Even one case where the "sneaky valve shut down" was observed by other divers and came over to ask "wtf" after the dives. ..they had assumed it was just a prank.
I know there are active instructors who still practice these tactics. Mask slapping, valve shut-offs, even pick pockets. I would not hire or recommend ANY of these instructors.
You know, there those who defended several live fire exercises as the only way to adequately prepare marines for combat. I think time has proven that crawling through mud with bullets flying 10" above your head is not the only way to teach you to keep your sh1t low.
I am compelled to ask: (as an instructor) How can you guarantee you will be able to turn the o2 back on if a student panics and/or bolts during the drill. What if the instructor has a failure or brain-fart? As in all things, we should plan for things to go wrong, and how to survive. It's just my opinion, but Turning off a student's o2 and waiting ~6m to see if he notices, is unacceptable risk with little value.
I have Dive buddies, who are excellent divers who dumped instructors where teaching methods were unprofessional and risky. I have also seen the "bravado" first hand where an individual was boasting about how he had f'ed with a student, all in the name of "high standards". Even one case where the "sneaky valve shut down" was observed by other divers and came over to ask "wtf" after the dives. ..they had assumed it was just a prank.
I know there are active instructors who still practice these tactics. Mask slapping, valve shut-offs, even pick pockets. I would not hire or recommend ANY of these instructors.
You know, there those who defended several live fire exercises as the only way to adequately prepare marines for combat. I think time has proven that crawling through mud with bullets flying 10" above your head is not the only way to teach you to keep your sh1t low.