5th Special Forces Group wins 2023 Best Combat Diver Competition
The events included a water airborne drop, a kayak race, academic testing on combat diving operations, and several other challenging events.
The 2023 U.S. Army Special Operations Command Best Combat Diver Competition has ended, and two Green Berets from 5th Special Forces Group took first place. For the first time, the three-day competition was held at the U.S. Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, Florida.
The competitors are still active duty special operators, so their names are not being released to the public. Green Berets secured the top three spots with the 2nd Special Warfare Training Group taking second place; a second team from the 5th Special Forces Group in third place; and the Navy’s SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 taking fourth place.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s nice when all your hard work and dedication into something pays off — it’s the ultimate prize of winning a competition like this,” said a Special Forces soldier from the winning team. “All the competitors from across the branches are working hard. We know that everyone that comes here is fit and some of the best divers, and to come out on top as the winner is a great feeling.”
13 two-man teams, hailing from U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) and Naval Special Warfare (NSW) competed in this year’s competition, marking it the first time Army teams competed against representatives from other branches of service. The events included a water airborne drop, a kayak race, academic testing on combat diving operations, and several other challenging events.
This is the third annual Best Combat Diver Competition; the first two were hosted by the 3rd Special Forces Group at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
This story was updated to reflect the correct number of teams who participated, and from what branches of service after clarification from an Army spokesperson.
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