DEP members take swim test

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Katherine Holt
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Five members of the 319th Recruiting Squadron delayed entry program took a swim test Oct. 11, at the Ramstein Aquatic Center, here.

The five men are all entering the Air Force hoping to land a job in a special operations career field.

One member, Chris Cole, leaves Oct. 17 for basic training. Upon graduation, he will go on to train for combat control.

"I wasn't looking for a desk job," said Cole. "Being a combat controller seemed like something I would want to do."

Though Cole was required to pass a swim test to become a combat controller, another member came for the workout.

"We workout like this at least once a month," said Jeremy McKinney, a hopeful explosive ordnance technician. "I leave sometime in the spring, and I need to be fit."

All DEP members waiting for departure with special operations aspirations are highly encouraged to pass physical tests under the Iron Man standards. This means a 500-meter swim in 8:45, a mile and a half run in 9:30, 13 pull ups in a minute, 65 sit ups in a minute and 60 pushups in a minute.

"When someone first comes in showing interest in the Air Force, or even special operations, I give them the minimums and tell them to take the test on their own," said Tech. Sgt. Zachary Tift, 319th RCS recruiter. "People have to start somewhere. We work out with these guys and make sure they are physically ready to take on the training that is ahead of them."

After their Iron Man workout, the members rested for an hour and then completed the standard Air Force physical training test.