It takes a lot of heart to be a Navy SEAL!

Courage is an important aspect of being a soldier, but for a Navy SEAL it is much more than courage; it is about physical and mental fitness in the worst conditions and environment. It is also about the will and ability to stay alive. Fortunately, the Navy SEAL recruit training prepares them for this and more.

Recruit Training – Discipline and Rigor
Navy SEAL training has a 75% dropout rate. Once through, the BUD/S, the rest of the training is considerably easy.

The recruit training for SEAL start after the Boot camp period is over. Immediately after Boot Camp, recruits have to attend 2-week training at the Apprenticeship Training Division School and soon after they are assigned to the BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL) training. The SEAL recruit training consists of 4 types of training schedules. These training schedules have been created in such a way that the recruits are prepared, mentally and physically, for their future missions in sea, air or land, whatever the environments. The four different types of SEAL recruit training include:

1. BUD/S: or Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training, it is a rigorous and grueling 7-month training that is aimed to get the best out of every recruit. The training challenges the limits of endurance, physical stamina, mental strength, and leadership skills. There are different phases within BUD/S training and with the passing of each week the requirements keep becoming more and more demanding. The different phases in the BUD/S training include:
• Indoctrination: This is the initial phase where recruits are given an introduction to the different BUD/S techniques.
• The First Phase: This is also known as the Basic Conditioning phase and it includes on-going physical endurance test with minimal sleep and maximum work. As a part of this phase training, the recruits have to study small boat seamanship as well as hydrographic surveys and charts. In the second week of this training is the Hell Week, which is a decisive part of the training because this is the time when only the fittest survive.
• The Second Phase: Also known as the Diving phase, the recruits work on their SCUBA skills. Recruits focus on open and closed circuit combat diving and work on long-distance underwater transit dives.
• The Third Phase: This phase focuses mainly on Land Warfare and includes training in small-unit tactics, land navigation, rappelling, weapons training, and military land and underwater explosive training.

2. Basic Parachute Training: is for SEALs and medical personnel. On completion of this training, recruits are assigned to a SEAL Team or a Special Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Team for active duty.

3. Advanced Training: is only for those who have successfully completed the SEAL training. The training includes SEAL tactical communications training, Explosive Breacher, foreign language training, Sniper, Jump Master, Military Free-fall Parachuting, and more.

Some of the insignia badges received by Navy SEALs after the end of their training include:

• Special Warfare Operator Insignia (SO)
• The Navy SEAL trident is given after the successful completion of the SQT or SEAL Qualification Training
• Given to those who have completed the SEAL parachute training
• These insignia’s are for SEAL’s with distinction in a specific diving field. The insignia is different for enlisted and officers.

This Article is written by James Kara Murat