Three Marines have drowned so far in 2022 – two while recreationally swimming and another during training in Hawaii, according to the Naval Safety Center. A total of 39 American troops have died off the coast of Okinawa in particular since 2000, the report also said.
"Especially in Okinawa, Japan, you know, Marines have a little alcohol in their system, and they want to touch the water… And then no one sees them again," Marine Corps water survival instructor Sgt. Kenneth Wilson is quoted as saying in the report. "So [Marines] learn enough to survive in a controlled environment. But what happens when you really hit the real thing?"
Marines are coached to pass the basic water survival test during training, but not adequately trained to survive a real water emergency, Wilson also reportedly said.
So-called "Swim Week" during Marine Corps training includes little personal instruction, instead focusing on simply passing trainees through the test, the report said, citing Wilson and another water survival instructor.
"The whole point of [the swimming qualification] is so you can survive not being on the boat you’re supposed to be on, right? The current basic swim qual is not sufficient for that," Marine Corps water survival instructor Sgt. Jonathan Tilas also reportedly said.
Additionally, there are concerns that Marines are not staying current on their water survival qualifications by retesting every couple of years as is officially required, the report said. There is little accountability to ensure Marines review swimming skills and retest them, according to Tilas.
If the military were to randomly audit Marines on their swimming qualification, the fail rate would be "higher than anyone anticipates," Wilson added.
Marine Corps Training Command is currently conducting quiet assessments of how to address concerns about swimming proficiency and access to water training across the branch, the report also said. Former head of the command, Maj. Gen. Dale Alford, stated in May that the Marine Corps is trying to figure out how to train service members in pools more frequently than in the past, the report said.