CHAPTER 2
ENGINEER DIVING ORGANIZATIONS
Engineer diving units are relatively small, specialized organizations. Each detachment or team has specific duties and responsibilities but is flexible and improvises to support the theater in most situations. Diving units are subordinate elements of the theater's ENCOM. They normally provide general support to the theater. When required, they also provide direct support to commanders below theater level.
Diving units are divided into two tables of organization and equipment (TOE). The C&S diving detachment, TOE 05-530LA00, is assigned to EAC and provides command and support to LW teams. The LW diving team, TOE 05-530LC00, is assigned to the C&S diving detachment and can be attached to supported units during the execution of diving missions. Although assigned to EAC, the C&S augments LW teams during missions requiring additional diving support.
CONTROL AND SUPPORT DIVING DETACHMENT
Each C&S detachment can support up to six LW teams within the theater. The C&S detachment has an organic scuba team used for inspection and survey. The C&S detachment monitors the current and projected work load of its organic scuba team and assigned LW teams.
The C&S detachment has 13 soldiers and sufficient equipment to provide specialized support when required by the LW teams. The detachment has a command, control, and operations section; a supply/prescribed load list (PLL) section; an equipment maintenance section; and manpower for a 7-man scuba team. The team can dive independently or augment a LW team to provide manpower needed for deep-sea diving. The C&S scuba section is limited by its equipment to performing only inspection, survey, and damage assessment missions.
The C&S detachment provides the following support to EAC commands:
Staff assets for theater diving integration and planning.
Command and support of all assigned diving assets.
Theater command diving expertise.
A scuba section for damage assessment and premission assessment (site reconnaissance).
The C&S detachment provides assigned LW teams with the following specialized support:
Mission analysis and planning.
Special life-support diving equipment.
Divers, equipment, and support personnel when augmenting into a deep-sea team.
Repair parts and supplies for engineer diving life-support equipment.
Diving equipment maintenance.
Recompression chamber treatment augmentation.
Diving medical support.
Requalification and diver training.
When the C&S detachment augments the LW team to perform deep-sea missions, scuba inspection capabilities are lost. Initial survey reports and availability of diving assets influence routine work priorities. See Chapter 4 for normal working depths.
Figure 2-1, illustrates a typical engineer diving organization and assigned LW teams. Figure 2-2, shows the organization of a LW team.
Appendix A lists C&S detachment manpower and special equipment allotted in the base TOE. C&S detachment personnel have the following responsibilities:
Detachment commander--CPT. (Must be a qualified diver.) Responsible for all diving operations within the theater. Commands and supervises detachment and assigned LW teams throughout the theater. Performs as the diving officer during deep-sea diving operations.
Operations officer--lLT. (Must be a qualified diver.) Coordinates all diving missions. Assigns diving missions to teams and sections. Plans and schedules required training for the C&S detachment and assigned teams. Performs as executive officer and supply officer for C&S and LW teams.
Senior diving supervisor--MSG. (Must be a qualified diver.) Senior diving supervisor in the theater and responsible for the safe conduct of all diving operations within the theater. Performs duties as the detachment's master diver. Supervises deep-sea and demolition diving missions. Assists the commander and operations officer during planning, scheduling, and executing training and operational missions. Coordinates medical treatment with the theater Army diving medical physician. Provides diving expertise to staff planners and assigned LW teams.
Diver--SSG. (Must be a qualified first-class diver.) Supervises diving teams during scuba and surface-supplied diving operations. Works closely with the master diver and diving officer during preparation of the operations order; plans the dive step by step. Determines equipment requirements and assigns divers to specific tasks. Supervises maintenance of all diving equipment and associated diving-support equipment through intermediate-level maintenance.
Supply sergeant--SSG. Supervises the PLL clerk in support of specialized PLL required for the detachment and assigned teams. Performs as the supply sergeant for the detachment and assigned LW teams, maintaining diving supplies and repair parts through intermediate direct support maintenance (IDSM) and intermediate general support maintenance (IGSM) levels. Coordinates depot-level repair for diving life-support equipment.
Diver--SGT. Performs as a diver on the detachment scuba inspection section or when augmenting the LW teams. Performs maintenance and repair functions on diving life-support equipment for the detachment and assigned teams through the intermediate levels of maintenance.
PLL clerk--SGT. Performs as PLL clerk in support of all diving life-support equipment and is supervised by the detachment supply sergeant. Maintains diving equipment specific PLL in support of the detachment and assigned LW teams.
Emergency treatment noncommissioned officer (ETNCO)--SGT. (Must be a qualified diver.) Performs as diving medical technician inside the recompression chamber. Assists the diving supervisor in diagnosing and treating diving-related illnesses and injuries. Performs maintenance on the recompression chamber facility. Coordinates training and medical supplies with the theater Army diving medical physician. Assists the commander and operations officer in planning and scheduling training requirements for ETNCOs in the assigned LW teams.
Diver--SPC. Performs as diver on the detachment scuba inspection section or when augmenting LW teams. Under supervision, performs maintenance on all diving equipment and associated life-support equipment.
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVING TEAM
The LW team is assigned to a C&S detachment which provides mission tasking and specialized diving support. LW teams support engineer groups responsible for key port facilities or major logistics over the shore operations (LOTS) mission support. They may be attached to units requiring extensive diver support for ship husbandry, underwater pipeline maintenance, port construction, and other missions requiring underwater maintainance of waterborne lines of communication (LOC). Typically, supported units are engineer port construction and bridging companies, transportation floating craft general maintenance and boat companies, and quartermaster marine pipeline terminal companies.
The LW teams provide underwater support for diving missions including--
Support of bridging and other water-crossing site surveys.
Search, salvage, and recovery of submerged tools, equipment, weapons, and vehicles.
Removal of submerged obstacles from navigable waterways using underwater demolitions or underwater cutting and welding techniques.
Inspection and repair of damaged bridges, piers, docks, and related structures.
Security inspections of critical bridges and other structures against sabotage.
Search for and recovery of water casualties.
Construction of security screen for critical bridges, piers, docks, wharves, quays, and associated port facilities.
Inspection and repair of watercraft.
Inspection of US support ships to prevent sabotage.
The LW teams also provide special support for the following areas which were discussed in Chapter 1:
Theater operations.
Air Force operations.
Navy operations.
Host-nation support.
The LW team has 17 soldiers and sufficient equipment to deploy one LW team or two 7-man scuba teams as shown in the diving organization diagram (Figure 2-1). The LW team performs diving missions to water depths of 190 feet. The normal work shift for the LW team is 12 hours. Diving missions that require continuous 24-hour operations, or working environments requiring total diver enclosure for protection, are considered deep-sea missions. The LW team can support deep-sea missions when augmented by additional personnel and equipment from the C&S detachment.
Air compressors and high-pressure air flasks, located on the surface, provide breathing air for both the LW and deep-sea teams. Self-contained, man-portable cylinders provide breathing air for scuba teams.
Appendix B lists the LW team's manpower and special equipment identified in the base TOE. LW teams have the following individual responsibilities and capabilities:
Diving team leader/diving officer--lLT. (Must be a qualified diver.) Coordinates and plans diving missions. Responsible for operations and mission accomplishment of the diving unit. Assists and performs as backup to the diving supervisor and master diver during decompression dives or recompression chamber operations. Performs equivalent duties of a platoon leader.
Senior diving supervisor--SFC. (Must be a qualified master diver. ) Supervises surface-supplied diving missions and recompression chamber operations. Assists the team leader in planning, scheduling, and executing training and mission requirements. Provides diving expertise to staff planners.
Diver--SSG. (Must be a qualified first-class diver.) Works closely with the master diver and diving officer during preparation of the operations order. Supervises scuba and surface-supplied diving operations. Is responsible for planning the dive, selecting and setting up the diving equipment, and briefing the divers. Supervises maintenance of all diving equipment and associated diving-support equipment through intermediate levels of maintenance. A diving supervisor must be present during all dives.
Diver--SGT. Performs as a diver during surface-supplied and scuba diving missions. Performs unit maintenance and repair on diving equipment and associated life-support equipment.
ETNCO--SGT. (Must be a qualified diver.) Performs as the diving medical technician inside the recompression chamber. Assists the diving supervisor in diagnosing and treating personnel for in diving-related illnesses and injuries. Maintains the recompression chamber facility. Coordinates diving medical treatments and training with the C&S detachment ETNCO.
Diver--SPC. Performs as a diver during surface-supplied and scuba diving missions. Under supervision, performs unit maintenance of all diving equipment and associated life-support equipment.
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