The goal is to give these incredibly skilled operators a fresh take on the underwater world.
Conservation Training
Each year, FORCE BLUE conducts a week-long Recruitment and Training Exercise to bring new SOF veterans onto the team and fulfill certification requirements to earn their American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) Scientific Diver credentials.
In a setting that mirrors a military-style schoolhouse, recruits are given instruction by a cadre of FORCE BLUE veterans as well as established leaders in the fields of marine science and conservation. Training topics include, but are not limited to, marine life identification and survey techniques, invasive species management, human impacts on marine habitats, and marine ecology and restoration techniques.
Beyond completing the tasks for AAUS Scientific Diver certification, this training provides operators with the most current knowledge of science diving best practices that they may perform on future missions. In addition to the practical skills and knowledge, this training reframes how our operators look at the ocean and their role in its future, fostering the principles of Blue Mind and environmental stewardship.
Additional “work-ups” tailored to specific tasks or techniques are conducted by the lead science partner at the start of each deployment to ensure FORCE BLUE fields the most confident, capable team for the mission at hand.