The Navy requires all candidates to undergo training programs depending on which Special Forces group in the military you want to join. Joining the Navy alone requires a person that has a strong mind and body. Training programs are designed to test the strength, endurance, and stamina of all candidates. Programs and facilities are planned to prepare candidates in worst possible conditions that they might encounter while serving the country.

The Navy SEAL Training program is designed to condition all candidates both physically and mentally. This is to guarantee that all candidates are ready to perform their duties without errors. Here are the following programs that SEAL candidates must undergo before being considered into the Special Forces team:

SEAL Screening Program – this program takes place at the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School and will test SEAL candidates for 4-12 weeks. All candidates who pass the screening phase will be placed in a class before proceeding to the next training program.

Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) – this program is made up of an indoctrination course (3 weeks) followed by 25 weeks of training divided into 3 phases:

• Physical Conditioning – this phase will train and test candidates’ physical limits for 7 weeks. The training will be physically hard, at the same time it will develop mental toughness.
• Diving – this phase will train and develop candidates’ endurance in the water. They are placed in conditions that simulate real life situations like swimming with their hands and legs tied and other situations that they might encounter while in the water. This training phase will last for 8 weeks.
• Land Warfare – this phase involves training for different land scenarios like doing patrol, detonating explosives, navigating, and dealing with fire.

SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) – all candidates who pass BUD/S training will proceed to this program. The program takes 26 weeks to complete and is designed for SEAL trainees to acquire the required skill sets. Trainees will attend different tactical courses and some of these are air operations, combat medicine, communications, SERE, and close combat weapons and assaults.

SEAL Troop Training (TRP) – After SQT training, SEALs are assigned to SEAL teams. This training program has three phases, also called workups.

• The Professional Development Phase or PRODEV is the first work-up.  This is where SEALs go into schools to learn different skills that are necessary in combat teams.
• Unit Level Training or ULT is the second work-up where SEALs train with their assigned groups. This is a chance to test acquired skills from previous training phases and apply them while working in a group.
• Squadron Integration Training or SIT is the third work-up where a team does advanced training with other SEAL squadrons. This is to test a team’s ability to work with other teams under the SEAL umbrella.

The Navy SEALs training program is hard and will take years to complete. Candidates will undergo physical and mental trainings that will prove rewarding in the end. Becoming a Navy SEAL is tough and requires a lot of sacrifices. In the end, the hard work maintains the country’s freedom.

Source:

http://www.navy.com/joining/getting-started.html

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/workouts/performing-for-special-forces

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_SEAL_selection_and_training

This Article is written by James Kara Murat