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Brunei Divers Train with Safeguard

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050808-17
Release Date: 8/8/2005 3:47:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Brian P. Biller, USS Harpers Ferry Public Affairs

MAURA, Brunei Darussalam (NNS) -- Divers from the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) received instruction and training from U.S. Navy divers aboard the rescue and salvage ship USS Safeguard (ARS 50) Aug. 8.

As part of the Brunei phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2005, more than 10 RBN divers made indoctrination dives to familiarize themselves with U.S. Navy equipment and procedures.

Diving with the Mk 21 mask, the divers were suited up with two tenders, one from Safeguard and one from Brunei, and lowered off the side of the ship following a series of safety checks.

“They enjoy it, because it’s something new to them,” said master diver, Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate (SW/MDV) Jeffrey T. Sampson. Having conducted dive operations during CARAT in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, Sampson explained that many of the divers from navies in the region don’t normally do this type of work.

“They do more SCUBA than anything,” he said. “They really don’t do walking on the bottom type diving as much as we do,” he said.

Royal Brunei Navy Diving Officer, Lt. Mohamed Zouhdy, stated that while some of his men were familiar with the equipment, they didn’t have much opportunity to practice. Zouhdy said he also appreciated the opportunity for his divers to improve and heighten their knowledge of diving, and interact with their U.S. counterparts. Some faces were recognized from last year’s CARAT exercise, and t-shirts were exchanged as new friendships were made and old ones rekindled.

A tour of the Brunei diving facility was planned after the familiarization dives, and Brunei divers are scheduled to dive with Safeguard divers during the underway phase of CARAT Brunei.

CARAT is a regularly scheduled series of bilateral military exercises between the U.S. and several Southeast Asian nations.

Safeguard, with a crew of approximately 100, is commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Doyle Hodges and is forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan.