Orientation and training on the utilities support equipment was also a 

 continual task. This was performed by detailed checkout of routine and 

 emergency procedures. 



In general, training rather than a specific block of schedule was a constant 

 process. This was necessary due to changing requirements and to personnel 

 turnover . 



WATCH DIRECTOR TRAINING 



Watch directors were chosen primarily from Department of the Interior middle 

 management and professional career employee ranks, with grade levels GS-11 and 

 above and approximately 10 years of field, professional, or related experience. 



Watch director teams arrived onsite one to two weeks prior to going on duty. 

 A typical watch director training schedule is shown in Table 2. In cases where 

 new watch directors and aquanauts arrived simultaneously, many briefings served 

 both groups. 



Most of the watch director training consisted of on-the-job training with the 

 incimibent watch directors leading trainees to assimie an ever greater share of 

 responsibility. 



New watch directors were given a copy of the Mission Operations Handbook (a 

 document written and frequently updated onsite) which they were encouraged to 

 discuss with the incumbent watch directors and the mission director. 



At some point during the on-the-job training, candidate watch directors partici- 

 pated in a simulated emergency situation which involved aquanauts and the entire 

 watch section. This drill usually included a "power down" associated with a 

 simulated wet room flood. 



Near the conclusion of the training session, all incoming and outgoing watch 

 directors met with the mission director for an intensive "skull session" during 

 which the Mission Operations Handbook was thoroughly reviewed and any questions 

 answered. 



During the training period and all during their tours, those watch directors 

 without a diving background were encouraged to learn as much as they could 

 about SCUBA diving. It was found that relations between aquanauts and "topside" 

 were enhanced if watch directors had a firsthand understanding of diving. 



IV-5 



