OPS & TRAINING

TOUGH LOVE

08 Sep 2014

Naval divers are all they are made out to be - hardy, resilient and calm in the face of danger. The Naval Diving Unit (NDU) opens its doors for a rare glimpse into a week of the Combat Diver Course (CDC). Pass this week and they get to call themselves frogmen.

STORY // Ong Hong Tat

PHOTO // Chai Sian Liang

Getting the cold shoulder

The trainees have been drilled almost non-stop from Day 1. Exhausted, they are packed into boats filled with ice blocks and water in a test of teamwork and physical endurance.

We're in the same boat

Boat PT (Physical Training) is a naval diver course staple - the teamwork needed to carry your boat even in the most exhausted state is crucial to mission success.

Cooling measures

The trainees getting a hose-down in between boat PT drills.

You drop, I drop

Trainees supporting each other's weight on their shoulders in a push-up position. This is an intense exercise that can only succeed if each man holds on, no matter how exhausted he is.

It's never a simple dip in the sea.

In an exercise called the Sea Circuit, trainees must complete an obstacle course out at sea, climbing ropes and balancing on narrow beams.

Wet & sandy

Trainees (who are just back from a sea swim) are told to get themselves sandy as possible to acclimatise themselves to eventual beach operations.

So you want to give up?

The hallowed NDU bell - all the diver trainees have to do is ring the bell, and they can leave the CDC. It's a test of mental toughness as the instructors taunt the trainees.

Paddle me

Trainees now have to paddle their way to another training location for their situational test, where they are assessed on their leadership and problem-solving abilities under extreme conditions.

Rest

Advanced boat skills

Already exhausted from days of physical activity, the trainees are pushed to conduct capsize drills - an essential diver skill which teaches them how to safely right a boat which has overturned in water.

No rest

All wet from earlier drills, the trainees are made to do simple aerobic exercises. This is to get them accustomed to the unrelenting physical tempo of real operations when there may be little or no rest.

Hygiene matters

Trainees getting a wash-down before meal time. This is standard practice before meals, to make sure that basic hygiene is not neglected even during the toughest training.

Can't keep my eyes open

It's almost the end of the course and the trainees are asked to write essays; this is one of the mental aspects of the course which tests how far the trainees can push themselves mentally through fatigue.

It's the end

Cheers of joy and relief all round as Team Building Week (TBW) is declared over. The trainees are never told of the exact time or even date that TBW ends - it's at the discretion of the trainers.

Tags:

september-2014-issue

Got a great story to share?
Send it our way — we might feature it!

Share Your Story

ALSO READ IN OPS & TRAINING

SAF tests new fighting concepts & capabilities at Exercise Wallaby 2026

27 Oct 2026

With a focus on adaptability and innovation, the 36th Exercise Wallaby brings about 6,000 personnel and 1,200 platforms from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to Australia for complex, large-scale training.

This exercise marks the largest ADMM-Plus exercise in a decade, involving 2,200 personnel from the militaries of all 19 ADMM-Plus countries and civilian agencies.

19 countries come together for Exercise Trident Resolve

23 Sep 2026

This exercise marks the largest ADMM-Plus exercise in a decade, involving 2,200 personnel from the militaries of all 19 ADMM-Plus countries and civilian agencies.

S’pore commandos, Indonesia special forces train & strengthen ties at Ex Chandrapura

08 Jul 2026

From conducting tactical airborne jumps to a coordinated urban raid, soldiers from Singapore and Indonesia deepened their decades-long partnership in this bilateral army exercise.

SAF & Home Team to refresh Medical Classification System

13 Apr 2026

The refreshed system will allow about 1,200 servicemen annually to be deployed for vocations and roles they were ineligible for previously.