Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Patterson, Navy Operational

Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Patterson, Navy Operational Support Center Atlanta Coastal Riverine Squadron personnel specialist, forces air into his Naval Work Uniform (NWU) pants to act as a temporary personal floatation device (PFD) at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. Aug. 24, 2017. Patterson was training to earn his Second Class Swim Qualification (SCSQ). The SCSQ determines if a person can stay afloat and survive without the use of a PFD. It is used as an entry-level requirement for small boat operators, naval aircrew, and rescue swimmers. The SCSQ consists of a deep water jump, 100-yard swim demonstrating the crawl stroke, breast stroke, side stroke, and elementary backstroke. Immediately after the completion of the swim, students are required to prone float for five minutes and transition to a back float before exiting the water.