SUDS Spring 2026 Training Season: Pre-Dive Certification Opens
March marks the beginning of the SUDS pre-season training period — the months when new participants complete classroom and pool training before they're cleared for open-water certification dives in summer. The 2026 cohort is shaping up to be the largest in program history, with applications received from 29 states.
What Pre-Dive Training Involves
New SUDS divers go through a structured, adaptive-modified SDI (Scuba Diving International) certification process. All instruction is conducted by certified adaptive dive instructors with experience working alongside prosthetic and mobility aid users.
- Pool Phase (March–April): Confined water skills, buoyancy control, equipment familiarization in a controlled environment.
- Classroom Phase: Dive physics, dive tables, safety protocols — materials adapted for TBI and sensory accommodations where needed.
- Open Water Phase (May–June): Four open-water dives to achieve SDI Open Water Diver certification.
2026 Participant Numbers
How to Apply
Applications for the 2026 summer season are open now. SUDS works directly with military treatment facilities and VSOs to identify eligible participants. To apply directly, contact SUDS with your branch of service, injury classification and preferred event location.
Participating in a SUDS event requires no prior diving experience. The entire certification process is covered by the program at zero cost to participants.