WELCOME!

Welcome to the Combat Water Safety Swimmer Course home page! This site has been developed to document the challenging training students go through here, and to show parent units how their Marines are succeeding.

The class currently on deck is Combat Water Safety Swimmer Course 1-04.

So just what exactly is this CWSS course that often yields over 50% attrition rate? Why is it so difficult that only a few determined individuals volunteer for it? What can be so horrible that some students request to get dropped? To have a better understanding of what the course entails, let us explain first what a CWSS is.

The mission of a CWSS (as per MCO 1500.52B w/CH1) is to assist a Marine Combat Instructor of Water Survival/Marine Combat Instructor Trainer of Water Survival during a MCIWS course of instruction and serve as a safety swimmer for pool and other aquatic training.

In practice, the responsibilites of a CWSS go far beyond those basics. A CWSS is often the only qualified safety swimmer in a battalion level unit. Without a current MCIWS, a unit relies on the CWSS' knowledge and understanding of the Marine Combat Water Survival Training prorogram. A CWSS is often asked for advice on aquatic training and on safety during such activities. Furthermore, he or she has to spread awareness and enthusiasm for water survival training at his or her unit. Qualified to conduct non-swim qual training, a CWSS is a powerful training asset to any unit fortunate enough to harness his or her experience. The traits of professionalism and maturity possesed by safety swimmers are invaluable when they teach weaker swimmers, conduct pool PT, supervise open water/jetty swims, or in other cases act as safety swimmers for LAV, AAV, Reconnaissance, or for related amphibious training. Unfortunately, the Combat Water Survival program is not as agressively implemented in regular training schedules as the more promotion maker/breaker rifle range, PFT, and soon, the Martial Arts programs. However, the amphibious nature of our prestigious Corps forces us to understand the importance of survival in aquatic environments, and (even if only on a lower level) a CWSS contributes tremendously to that overall big picture of amphibious proficiency.

This course prepares CWSS students to face those challenges after they graduate from the school. Visitors to the site are encouraged to see in person what these dedicated individuals do every day to better themselves. The posted Training Schedule can help you follow the curriculum, should you decide to stop by and show your pride and support for your Marines, whether during training or on graduation day.

Some of the important events of the course include full combat gear rescue practices of fellow Marines, lifeguarding techniques, an open water (through the surf zone) beach rescue, CPR certification, and an in depth, 50-question fill-in-the-blank written test. Every student is pushed to his or her limits physically as well as mentally. Endurance, efficiency, and calmness in stressful situations are developed day by day during demanding training evolutions, building the students' ability to deal methodically with dangerous environments and with panicking victims.

Thank you for visiting the CWSS Course home page; please click around and learn more about what CWSS training is and what qualified Safety Swimmers can do to enhance your unit's training.

The Instructor Staff