It is a rare treat to witness Navy divers do their thing; after all, we will ordinarily not get to see who they are and what they can do when they are somewhere in deep waters. Navy Week gave residents of Clearwater, Florida an opportunity to do just that, as divers from the Navy Bomb Squad suited up and showcased what for them was all in a day’s work in the Clearwater Marine Aquarium – and 10Connects was there to document it all, as shared in a feature on WTSP.com by Melanie Brooks.

Their being at the Aquarium, showing off what they can do and spending time with the residents will hopefully bridge the gap between the Navy and the people they have pledged to protect, and bring them closer to the people.

Chief Clay Pressley of the Navy Bomb Squad shares how the Squad is in Clearwater to demonstrate “some of our capabilities” and how he loves to answer questions from the public. He also shared how he would like to let people know “just how special the Navy is.”

Pressley shares further: “For me, diving is something I enjoy to do, but doing it for the Navy is an honor.  It’s hard and a camaraderie thing, very small community of us.” People like Pressley are hard to come by – there are, according to the article, only 1,500 worldwide.

They have, among other things, been sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as helped out at home during Hurricane Katrina and a massive bridge collapse in Minnesota.