Scott Fontaine covers Fort Lewis, McChord Air Force Base, the Washington National Guard and the veteran community. Fontaine has worked at The News Tribune since 2006. E-mail along story suggestions and tips to scott.fontaine@thenewstribune.com
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Matt Misterek is the communities and military team leader at The News Tribune and has supervised local military coverage since 2003.
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A program started at Fort Lewis designed to prevent soldiers from drowning when their vehicles roll over into rivers or canals is being expanded.
The Shallow Water Egress Trainers, or SWETs, was started about four years ago at Fort Lewis. Now, according to an Army press release, it's being expanded to installations in Hawaii, Georgia, North Carolina, Kansas and Germany.
Eight other posts will receive SWET units next month.
A soldier is strapped into a stainless steel frame and dropped into a pool of about four feet of water. The idea is to train the soldier to relax, get his or her bearings and then calmly leave the vehicle.
Click below to read the full press release:

