Chris Cole, member of the 319th Recruiting Squadron delayed entry program, swims free style during a 500-meter swim test at the Ramstein Aquatic Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 11, 2012. Cole is scheduled to leave for basic training Oct. 17 and, upon graduation, is slated for combat controller training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Katherine Holt)
Chris Cole, member of the 319th Recruiting Squadron delayed entry program, swims free style during a 500-meter swim test at the Ramstein Aquatic Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 11, 2012. Cole is scheduled to leave for basic training Oct. 17 and, upon graduation, is slated for combat controller training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Katherine Holt)
Chris Cole, member of the 319th Recruiting Squadron delayed entry program, swims free style during a 500-meter swim test at the Ramstein Aquatic Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 11, 2012. Cole is scheduled to leave for basic training Oct. 17 and, upon graduation, is slated for combat controller training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Katherine Holt)
Jeremy McKinney, member of the 319th Recruiting Squadron delayed entry program, completes a 500-meter swim test at the Ramstein Aquatic Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 11, 2012. McKinney is scheduled to depart for basic in Spring 2013 and, upon graduation, is slated for explosive ordnance disposal training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Katherine Holt)
by Senior Airman Katherine Holt
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
10/15/2012 - 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 the 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.
