Becoming a SEAL

Off Topic
21

[quote]curfissd wrote:
Let me make you choice easier. I work with SEALs and SWCC.I am currently deployed overseas in support of OEF and OIF. If you are dead set on being a SEAl, just join the navy and go to BUDs. If you enlist, you can have BUDs worked into your contract. YOu will still have to go to an “A” school first. An “A” school gets you a job within the Navy and designates you. For example: GM(Gunners Mate), SK(Supply Clerk). If you pass the BUDs qual in Boot Camp, you will pt with the SEALs in the morning at around 4am and then when you go to “A” school you will pt with the SEALs in the morning before school and after school. If you fail the pt in Boot Camp you can try agian two more times. What ever you do don’t go to another branch of service. You may not like what you see. Each service has different outlooks of other branches. Use this website for some extra help. Hope this was of some help. Good luck. O…I hope you can run and swim because you do alot of it.

www.thesealteams.com/BUDs/BUDS.html[/quote]

Curf here has a lot of good points and a quality breakdown of what you’ll have to do, or the wickets as they like to call it.

Do not join another branch and then try to go Navy after your first stint in said branch. It’s a waste of time. Start talking to recruiters NOW, express what you want to be, what your goals are, take the ASFAB test, and start getting in shape. There will be a ton of little bumps in the road such as bootcamp, A school, etc. Don’t take these said “bumps” lightly, you need to attack each phase of your career with the utmost vigor and enthusiasm. Do yourself a favor, don’t get in the mindset that whatever activity yoou’re doing isn’t a big deal “because I’m going to BUDS to be a SEAL anyway”

I’ve seen that happen to Corpsmen that I’ve went to school with as well as worked with. They were fucking lazy peices of shit because they thought they were going on to SEAL training so the regular stuff didn’t matter. Well, that additude translates into a huge fucking wake-up call once they get to phase 1 and get the shit beat out of them. They weren’t able to cope with the physical as well as the mental strain and ended up ringing the bell.

Long story short, prepare yourself to be a professional in every aspect of who you are and what you do because the Frogs won’t settle for anything less. For real.

Become a water baby too, spend more time in the water than you do on land, and when you’re on land you should be doing pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and running. If you’re sitting on the couch, get up off of that motherfucker and train. Make PT your lifestyle, not just a hobby. You won’t really get a break from now until you’ve finished all phases of SEAL training. If that gives you a hard-on then cool, if it doesn’t then do the community a favor and ride the pine.

And for Gods sake take a fucking shower Mr. “I smell like ass and I’m proud of it…”

Get focused motherfucker, and good luck.

GAINER

Oh, a good book to pick up and get into is “The Finishing School” by Dick Couch.

22

Thanks for all the great responses.

I think finishing my degree first is my best bet. Maybe that would help in proving that I’ve made a lot of improvements since getting into trouble.

I’ve looked at the 18X option in the Army and it seems like something I’d want to do. I’m going to do some more research and see what I think I’d enjoy most.

Again, thanks for the responses and if anyone has anything else to add, please do.

23

The Navy used to have a program that allowed you to go to BUDS right after basic. Speak with your local recruiter about that. Also work on your situps, pullups, pushups, running and swimming. That is the first hurdle you have to pass to start training. Check your bookstore or library for books on SEAL training to give you the requirements. OF course there is the internet.

24

[quote]elevationgain wrote:
And for Gods sake take a fucking shower Mr. “I smell like ass and I’m proud of it…”

Get focused motherfucker, and good luck.

GAINER

Oh, a good book to pick up and get into is “The Finishing School” by Dick Couch.[/quote]

haha thanks bro. I’m jumpin in the shower right now.

Thnx for the book recc. too. I’ve read and still have a copy of “The Warrior Elite”, didn’t know about the other one.

25

Another good site is SOCNET, www.socnetcentral.com/vb/ I used to lurk there before I realized the military wasn’t for me. They’ve got a lot of information and several active duty and retired operators from all service branches. If you do go there, read as much as you can before posting because they’ll ream newbies.

26

Couch’s “Making of a Warrior Elite” is a must-read for you or anyone else serious about attempting to become a SEAL.

If you are more interested in the special warfare operations in general as opposed to becoming specifically a SEAL, you should read Sean Naylor’s outstanding book, “Not a Good Day to Die” on operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. It is a compelling and well-researched book, and a brisk read too.

Among its themes, or I should say among the themes I pulled from the book, is the “relatively” (and I do mean relatively) poor performance of the SEALs. Granted, Naylor only discusses a handful of SEALs, not the SEALs in general, and some of the SEALs he depicts as performed extremely well. But several are not so impressive.

The deficincies Naylor identifies track with what some others have told me about SEALs, which boils down to this: while phenomenally talented, conditioned, and tough guys, they are not as seasoned as some other special warfare communities, but falsely believe they are invincible.

This is a function of their being relatively young. As you know, it is possible to go through BUDS and then become a SEAL at the beginning of one’s military career (after basic training and schools of various kinds, of course, but the path can be a very direct one).

Recon Marines, by contrast, are on average older because they must serve in the infantry first before joining Recon. This gives them experience which young SEALs sometimes lack.

Similarly, members of Delta Force are also significantly older. They have to be, of course, since only those with special warfare experience can join Delta, but this also gives them experience and perspective that is often critical in combat operations.

Another theme of Naylor’s book, as well as of the book “Black Hawk Down,” is that the personnel of Delta are unbelievably good. They really are the very best of the best.

Comparing Delta to the SEALs is not entirely fair, since Delta recruits from the best of the special warfare communities, including the best of the SEALs, but it is useful to keep in mind the difference.

None of this should be taken to discourage you from becoming a SEAL. Far from it. But it is a reminder that there are other special warriors besides the SEALs who are just as good and maybe even better. Read Naylor and as much (good) stuff as you can, like Couch’s books.

And swim as much as possible.

27

I second what he says about “Not a Good Day to Die.”

Good book and the SEALS do come off poorly when compared to Army Special Forces.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

28

[quote]STR500 wrote:
I have switched services from Marines to Army for SF. Army SF is the way to go. For too many reasons to list here. Research it for yourself. Army SF is way more technical especially if you go medical like I did. You will have to make your own decisions though.[/quote]

I agree. Definitely the best job in the Army.

29

You will most likely like 95.9% not make it into the SEAL’s as a Marine. Another thing is since your already debating parts of quiting by going the marine route instead of just focusing on I just want to be a SEAL you will fail. If youre still up for the challenge, head to www.stewsmith.com train for a year see how your heart is, if you hesitate or doubt don’t bother wasting your time and just enjoy the year of workouts you dedicated to yourself.

30

The SOF from each branch are different and if you wanna be the best, be a SEAL. No offense to the other units. I also am a wannabe SEAL and have read a lot on all the different units. Army SF primarily train indigenous forces. U.S.M.C. Recon does Reconnaissance. SEALs are much more direct action oriented. In fact Force Recon recently had their missions downsized, leaving hostage rescue and the like to the SEALs. In regard to not being a part of SOCOM, the Marines have actually agreed to lend some Marines (100 I think) to SOCOM to see what happens. Not being part of SOCOM is a two edged sword. Yes you get more autonomy but you lose out on funding and missions. Really it comes down to what you wanna do. Because in the end arguing about whose the best is really splitting hairs, they’re all damn good at what they do. In regard to the SEALs in “Not a Good Day to Die,” there are turds in every unit, even Delta.

Oh, another thing you could try if you don’t think your ready for SEALs or SF. You can get Ranger in your enlistment contract. Also, you can go to Recon straight out of SOI.

http://www.thesealquest.com/
http://navyseals.com/community/main.cfm
http://specialoperations.com/default2.html

31

[quote]KingsRevenge wrote:
You will most likely like 95.9% not make it into the SEAL’s as a Marine. Another thing is since your already debating parts of quiting by going the marine route instead of just focusing on I just want to be a SEAL you will fail. If youre still up for the challenge, head to www.stewsmith.com train for a year see how your heart is, if you hesitate or doubt don’t bother wasting your time and just enjoy the year of workouts you dedicated to yourself.[/quote]

95.9%? How’d you come up with that number? LOL.

I’m not “debating parts of quitting”, I just wasn’t sure what the deal with going in the Marines first was. I’d read that a lot of Marines join the SEALS and thought it might be a good route. The reason I didn’t want to go Navy first was the possibility of being on a ship for God knows how long until they sent me to BUD/S. Now that I know I could go to BUD/s straight from boot camp, it’s a different story.

That is, if I don’t think Army SF would be a better option.

I’ve got plenty of time so until then, I’m gonna be doing a lot of research.

Thanks for the link.

32

Just to let you know their is Seal Contract Challenge which guarantees that you’ll go to indoc for buds if you pass the initial testing during boot camp in the navy. This is only open to you if you go enlisted but, the SEAL’s want you to continue your education and after that you can become an Officer if you choose. Talk to a Navy recruiter about the SEAL contract. It’s the only sure thing. Otherwise, I’d tell you to man up and join the Marines.

33

[quote]Ajax wrote:
Couch’s “Making of a Warrior Elite” is a must-read for you or anyone else serious about attempting to become a SEAL.

If you are more interested in the special warfare operations in general as opposed to becoming specifically a SEAL, you should read Sean Naylor’s outstanding book, “Not a Good Day to Die” on operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. It is a compelling and well-researched book, and a brisk read too.

Among its themes, or I should say among the themes I pulled from the book, is the “relatively” (and I do mean relatively) poor performance of the SEALs. Granted, Naylor only discusses a handful of SEALs, not the SEALs in general, and some of the SEALs he depicts as performed extremely well. But several are not so impressive.

The deficincies Naylor identifies track with what some others have told me about SEALs, which boils down to this: while phenomenally talented, conditioned, and tough guys, they are not as seasoned as some other special warfare communities, but falsely believe they are invincible.

This is a function of their being relatively young. As you know, it is possible to go through BUDS and then become a SEAL at the beginning of one’s military career (after basic training and schools of various kinds, of course, but the path can be a very direct one).

Recon Marines, by contrast, are on average older because they must serve in the infantry first before joining Recon. This gives them experience which young SEALs sometimes lack.

Similarly, members of Delta Force are also significantly older. They have to be, of course, since only those with special warfare experience can join Delta, but this also gives them experience and perspective that is often critical in combat operations.

Another theme of Naylor’s book, as well as of the book “Black Hawk Down,” is that the personnel of Delta are unbelievably good. They really are the very best of the best.

Comparing Delta to the SEALs is not entirely fair, since Delta recruits from the best of the special warfare communities, including the best of the SEALs, but it is useful to keep in mind the difference.

None of this should be taken to discourage you from becoming a SEAL. Far from it. But it is a reminder that there are other special warriors besides the SEALs who are just as good and maybe even better. Read Naylor and as much (good) stuff as you can, like Couch’s books.

And swim as much as possible. [/quote]

Carter12, i agree with a lot that Ajax said. also, i ahve tons of advice for you…here goes. do disrespect to any branch i mnetion, i’m just being as clear as possible out of personal experience

vist all the recruiters. talk to the Air Force about Combat Controller/ParaRescue, talk to the Navy about the SEALs, talk to the Marines about Recon, and talk to the Army about the Rangers, Delta Force and Special Forces. find out what their missions are, and see what each branch is all about. here’s some pro’s and con’s about all.

AF CC/PJ: the Air Force treats it’s soldiers the best of all the branches-no joke. as a CC/PJ you can be a SpecOps soldier withina year, and be well prepared as well (they go to SCUBA, HALO, SERE, Airborne, Ranger, etc) right after the inital training. also, from my experience these guys are top notch and professional. the big problem is, if you don’t make it through the selection and training process, you get stuck doing some hitty job and will hell a hard time getting bck in.

Navy SEALs:
wel, they had a cool movie…the SEALs are shit-hot shooters and in awesoe shape. however, operationaly i have NEVER heard anything good about them. their endurance in the field is almost legendary, as they’re good for about 3 days. also, if you don’t make it through BUD’s, again you can get stuck doing some bullshit job…

Marine Recon: the Marines have the best epirit de corps of all the branches. also, Recod is a really tough selection ocess, and they are coming from already experienced troops. however, i think in the Marines they tech you o yell when you don’t know what’s going on, becasue it seems like “when i doubt, spazz out.” they’re very intense…and sometiumes rest on their laurels, i.e. we’re the Marines! so what, bullets still hurt…

then there’s the Army. the Army is bar far the biggest branch, and has the most room for opportunity. there’s all the infantry units, plus the Ranger battalions, Delta Force and Special Forces. like the Marine Recon, Delta and SF recruit from already experience infantryman. in my opinion, Sepical Forces are the best soldiers our country has to offer…their selection is extremely strict, but even more so, they can do just about anything. in the last few years, they’ve been kicking in doors with the SEALs and Delta, running LRS operations across borders, and training armies in Afghanistan and Iraq (and outh America and Indonesia). however, theyre never home…Delta recruits, but it is very hard to just join them. the’ve only recently officially acknoledged that they exist…

the think the best route to go, is to join the Ranger battalion. that is the most highly trainined infantry unit in the Army, and if you can’t hack it there, you sure as hell won’t make it in SOF. plus, they’re part of SOCOM, so you’ll work with diffrent branches of Spec Ops soldeirs, so you will be able to form your opinon better.

obviously i’m biased towards the Army…i should be, since i spend 3 years on acitve duty, and 8 years in the National Guard(i’m an infantry squad leader). no matter what you chose, just make sure you research ALL the branches based off of training (this is what keeps you alive, not a cool looking trident), other jobs available (if you don’t make it), and the general attitude of the branch. good luck, man…

34

a couple more points…sorry for all the spelling errors-my keyboard’s all jacked up. i’m actually a much better speller than that last post would have you believe…

i’m kinda down on the SEAL’s, because one of my friends was down in Ranger bat and worked with them regularly, and they were never very impressive. i also had a friend in Iraq that had his unit burned by a squad of them really bad…kinda ruined all the intel they been getting for a while. if you’re dead-set on being a SEAL, look at being a corpsman (Navy medic). they need them in all SEAL tems, and Navy medics that are BUD’s qualified can go to Marine Recon units as well. i’ve heard most are happier there, as the overall professionalism is a bit higher…

also, do you want some job experience? with the excpetion of being a medic, there aren’t a lot of jobs for Spec Ops guys, except for DOD contractors or cops (which i am).

seriously, look at what all the branches have to offer you. if you get your degree, you should be able to enter at a high rank (in the Army, you can come in as an E-4), as well as open the door for you to become an officer.

35

[quote]zeropointzero wrote:
carter12 wrote:
That said, I want to join the Marine Corps and be a grunt.

I thought you’re a grunt if you’re in the Army and a jarhead if you’re in the Marines.[/quote]

Army gets called both but we mostly get called legs if your not airborne