Have any of you been a Navy Seal?

[SBruce]

I am curious, if you have been, what is the training/selection process like?

My son has decided he wants to go Navy and he thinks he wants to be a SEAL.

He really likes the water and has taken a huge likeing to diving classes he's taken.

As a father, with him being my only son, and he being the only one that can carry on the family name when I am gone, I wish he'd pick something a little less dangerous, like underwater welding!

But it's his life, he's an adult now and will make his own choices.

Any info would be appreciated, and thank you in advance.

 

[royinidaho]

I understand your feelings/concern.

You are a good father.

I was a Nuke........other end of the spectrum from the SEALs.

 

[7 loader]

I tried but screwed my ankle BAD. The mind set is very important, meaning I WILL NEVER QUIT! They don't care how good a shape you are in, you will be broke down and thats when mind set comes in. World class atheletes have nothing on these men. Do not go into BUDS with low body fat ( I don't mean go as a tub of lard 10 to 15% will do well) you will need some to survive the first few weeks. Get as comphy with the cold as possible. No sleep is the norm for a few weeks. They will train you to shoot don't say "My pops taught me this way" they want you to do it their way, and it will cause you DO pain and suffering. Diving is fun, in warm water. The first place the COLD water comes in the wet suit is the groin. OH HELL!!!! Sky Diving. If you are scared of heights don't worry. If both your main and reserve don't open. Your not hurt just dead. KEEP THY COOLEST, LEST THE GROUND COME UP AND SMITE THEE. I do have over 100 jumps and loved all of them. ENJOY HELL WEEK! after that in your head all will be posible. But you have to make it first. 7 P's. PROPER PEVIOUS PLANING PREVENTS **** POOR PEFORMANCE, Learn them, know them, live them. HONOR. Need I explain. Enjoy BUDS you will never forget your fun there.gun)

 

[sp6x6]

I was not in the military, but one of my classmates was a Seal and later a instructor.He is now a volunteer football coach for son at local school. He also played colledge ball. The training as you know is extreme and I will ask him if he has any numbers, but a very few percent actually make it. My 16 year old son has some of the same ideas, also are only child. He hangs with this mans son, so has heard many a story, like jumping out of a plane so high, they where on o2 and could see the curvature of the earth, at night. Land in the ocean, climb up on a built for speed , drug boat. When he jacked a round in his shotgun, he said ''Thats your warning shot" My son is under a bad influence?

 

[FEENIX]

SBruce,

I know exactly what you mean and fully understand your situation. Having two sons, I made it known to them that they are in no means to serve despite 3 generations of military service in my family. In addition, told them that there are other means to serve this great nation.

Less than 2 weeks after I retired from the USAF, my son reported to the USAFA (graduating this May) and my youngest son is currently a freshman at University of Arizona under full NROTC scholarship.

I am very thankful for people like your son that shows military interest, esp. with the SEAL and for that matter for all the other services.

Here's a nice website with excellent information ...

Training | Navy SEALs Information & Resources

Good luck to you and your son. God bless all our troops.

Ed

 

[SBruce]

Thanks guys,

I wasn't in either, wanted to but a shoulder surgery and screw in my shoulder kept me out...........the recruiters told me that "if you have any metal parts in your body, you're not eligable, they won't take you".?

BUDS............is that Basic Underwater Demolition School? Think I saw that in a movie once.

My son is pretty skinny. He doesn't have the stocky build that I got. Guess he'd better start eating more ice cream. He's got a shoulder injury that bothers him alot too, but he's never had surgery. Don't know how that will affect him?

 

[mo]

My little brother did the Navy Seal training. He didn't make it!!! I wouldn't say underwater welding is safe. It is a very dangerous profession. A dear friend of mine died doing a underwater welding job.

 

[SBruce]

My little brother did the Navy Seal training. He didn't make it!!! I wouldn't say underwater welding is safe. It is a very dangerous profession. A dear friend of mine died doing a underwater welding job.

MO,

I am really sorry to hear about your friend.

Yes, I know it's not really the safest place to be either. I was being a little sarcastic. Just that I already lost one son, hate to see my only other one in harms way too. I know there's probably very few places in the service that are "safe", and in all honestly, I wouldn't want him to do it at all if he was just taking the easy way through it.?

I guess, none of us really get to decide how or when we go. We only get to decide how we live.

 

[BountyHunter]

It takes a different mind set to make it through any of the SOF selection courses.

I am retired SF and ran our Qualification course also, so got to see plenty of what it takes to make it and what will not make it.

You do not have to be the fastest, or strongest but you cannot know the meaning of the word quit! That means no matter how tired, how hurt, how sleepy or whatever, you have to keep going.

Most are trying to recruit wrestlers because they tend to have the proven gut check and tenacity it takes to make it through.

BH

 

[SBruce]

Well, he's never been a wrestler. Hopefully some of my 8 years of it rubbed off onto him a little.?

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Tell him join the ARMY here's why. If he trys BUDS and fails his life for the next 4 years will suck as he is stuck haze gray and underway on a ship cleaning the floor.

If he joins lets say the Nation guard in one of its special forces units with a willingness to learn he will be better off. They dont have all the money in the world so they prep the hell out of him before he is sent to various schools.

Just my opnion

 

[cowboy]

My oldest son graduated from the US Naval Academy. In the four years he was there we got to know quite a few of the young men/women. Although our son chose to be commisioned Marines when he graduated we do know one of his friends that went seals.

I am curious, if you have been, what is the training/selection process like?

It has become my impression that one does not get to choose to be a seal as much in the fact that the SEAL program chooses you - it is beyond very competitive. The entrance requirements are very very difficult to qualify - the physical requirements are beyond what the average person could even visualize and they use these physical exercises to evaluate mental/leadership qualities under extreme duress.

If the water is the main attraction for your son you would being doing him a favor in encouraging him to look at the Coast Guard as well as just the Navy. Trust me - these boys are no slouches. We have a young man from our home town that was friends with my son that chose to go to the Coast Guard Academy and he has literally seen the world via the waterways - One heck of a career and one heck of a young man.

I can relate to your concerns regarding the safety for your son like it was just yesterday that we put him on a plane to attend the academy - or the day he said goodbye on his way to Iraq. Once they deploy your concern escalates. Every time the phone rings you jump.

BUT - From my personal experience he will make friends for life and they will be in every corner of the globe. I mean they are CLOSE FRIENDS. My son chose to get out a couple of years ago and recently got married. We had Marines fly in from everywhere - One pilot came from Iraq. There is a bunch of them that get together once a year and ski into a yut for a long weekend - or they will go to some far off place to mountain climb - or they may plan a hunting trip in who knows where. When you go through what they do and depend on one another you make friends for life.

I think the best thing you can do as a father right now is be encouraging and try to get him to try and get as much info on anything and everything he can lay his hands on.

Good Luck to your son in whatever direction he may decide.

PS: You have a right to be proud of your son RIGHT NOW - he is in the minority.

 

[pgothro]

My little brother is (just retired but works for the Admral in Coranado) as well as my brother-in-law (retiered now works at another agency) if you send me a PM i'll get you in touch with them.

 

[nfhjr62]

I haven't served in the military, Enlisted didn't pass physical long story but from watching the Military Channel there are shows on the Seals from early training to deployment and when they talk about Seal HELL WEEK they mean it.