Navy SEALs Gifts for Up to $15

Coins – Navy SEAL challenge coins are given to Navy SEALs upon acceptance into the team. They serve as an award for successfully completing the screening process. Navy SEAL fans like to display these coins at their homes to show their support for Navy SEALs. For some fans they even serve as motivation to join the SEALs in the future. In addition, coins are easy to ship, so if you know some US Navy SEALs fans overseas, don’t look any further.

Insignia– Navy SEAL pins and patches let the SEALs fans show their support wherever they go. Navy SEAL insignia usually displays specific SEAL Team. However, if you are not sure about the team, you can’t go wrong with a pin or a patch with the Navy SEAL logo.

Novelties – if the Navy SEAL fans have a sense of humor, you can always get them something extraordinary, for example, Navy Sailor Wipes or Navy SEAL BBQ sauce. Trust us, the gift will stand out!

Navy SEALs Gifts for Up to $30

T-Shirts – Navy SEALs fans cannot have too many t-shirts with their favorite military force! Therefore, if you have $30 in your pocket, you have more than enough Navy SEAL T-Shirts to choose from. Make sure the t-shirts are 100% cotton, which makes them more comfortable, and also age appropriate – young SEALs fans will appreciate colorful and large designs, while others will be happy with simple T’s.

DVDs – Navy SEAL DVD themes vary from historical to manuals to fitness. If Navy SEAL fans admire or work on specific skills, such as hand to hand or pistol combat, you can find a variety of DVDs on the topic. If they like to work out in the gym, there is a Navy SEAL Workout DVD, which they will surely admire.

Luminox Watch Straps – If you know US Navy SEAL fans who own Luminox watches, you can buy straps for them. The only thing you need to know is the series of the watch they have. Luminox watch straps are made from nylon, rubber, or steel. You can purchase the same strap to use as the replacement, or another kind so they can try a different style. Either way, the gift will be highly appreciated!

Navy SEALs Gifts for Up to $100

Rings – A ring has always been a sign of loyalty and devotion. Navy SEAL rings come in wide variety of sizes and color combinations. You can select either one, but if you give a golden ring to someone, you can be sure it will be a gift that lasts a lifetime!

Navy SEALs Gifts starting from $100

Luminox Watches - With dozens of different series, shapes and colors, there is definitely something for everyone in the Luminox watch collection. Each watch has the manufacturer’s warranty and an illumination system, which contains self-powered micro gas lights. There are series devoted specifically to Navy SEALs, such as Original Navy SEAL Dive Watch Series, EVO Steel SEAL Series etc. If you can afford to buy Luminox watch, you can be sure it’s one of the best presents you can get for US Navy SEAL fans!

Golden Pendants – a fine jewelry with Navy SEALs logo is definitely a decent way to show the appreciation for numerous sacrifices made by Navy SEALs. Golden pendants come in shapes of Navy SEALs logos and are appropriate for any age or gender.

Navy SEALs Gifts for Family Members

If you know a family of a Navy SEAL, don’t miss you chance to get them something to show their pride. You have many options available, from cups to t-shirts that say, for example, Navy SEAL Mom and Proud of It. Regardless what you get for them, you can be sure the gift will be displayed with honor!

There are currently three special warboats that the Navy SWCC uses to support Navy SEAL missions. You can read a short description of each of these special warboats below.

Mark V Special Operations Craft

The Mark V Special Operations Craft or Mk V SOC is a warboat designed to transport SEALs to and from the locations of their assignments, ideally without being detected by the enemy. It is also sometimes used for coastal patrols.

With a height of 17.5 feet and a length of 82 feet, the Mk V SOC can carry up to 16 fully equipped Navy SEALs to their assignments from 500 miles away from their base. The warboat also has space for carrying four combat rubber raiding craft or CRRC, as well as six outboard motors and fuel. The Mk V SOC has an aluminum hull and is fitted with five gun mounts for defense against incoming shots from land and from air.

NSW Rigid Inflatable Boat

The NSW Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) is a 36-foot warboat made from glass-reinforced plastic and is specially built for high speed and high buoyancy, especially in cases of extreme weather. The purpose of the RIB is to transport Navy SEAL teams to and from the locations of their missions where enemy threat is high.

One way of rigging RIBs is through the use of the Maritime Craft Aerial Deployment System or MCADS. Under this system, a RIB is deployed to sea from an aircraft flying 3,500 feet. A team of four Navy SWCCs parachute to where the RIB approximately is, and they have the RIB unpacked and rigged within approximately 20 minutes.

Special Operations Craft-Riverine

The Special Operations Craft-Riverine warboats or SOC-R are special warboats that are used for transporting Navy SEAL teams, along with SEALs weapons and equipment, to their assignments on waterways located well inland. The SOC-R is fully designed to operate in riverine environments. They are fast and highly maneuverable in shallow waters away from the sea.

Just like the Mk V SOC, the SOC-R has an aluminum hull. It is also similar to the RIB in that the SOC-R can be air-dropped. With a length of 32 feet, the SOC-R is fitted with electronic equipment, as well as mini-guns and grenade launchers for defensive tactics.

These three special warboats that the Navy SWCC operates in support of the Navy SEALs can be deployed anywhere in the world. Due to the nature of the missions that the SEALs get assigned to, it is part of SWCC training to keep these warboats in tiptop shape so that they can help the SEALs fulfill their missions no matter how tricky or dangerous they are.

What kinds of missions do Navy SEALs usually get assigned to do? Navy SEALs are primarily tasked to do direct action missions and special reconnaissance missions, but they can also be assigned to perform other assignments.

Direct Action and Special Reconnaissance Missions

As mentioned above, Navy SEAL missions usually involve direct action or special reconnaissance. Below is a short description of these two mission profiles.

1. Direct action missions. Direct action missions are assignments where a SEAL team is expected to complete the objectives of the mission within a short time frame. These missions are fast-paced and do not require stealth in infiltrating and exfiltrating a target. The objective of the mission can be anything, from retrieving valuable information to taking a high-profile target captive.

2. Special reconnaissance missions. Special reconnaissance missions are a direct contrast to direct action missions, where stealth is of the utmost priority and it is a must to avoid detection by the enemy. In these missions, Navy SEAL teams often watch a target area and gather intelligence about the enemy that will be useful to the operations.

Other Navy SEAL Mission Profiles

Aside from direct action missions and special reconnaissance missions, the Navy SEALs can also be assigned to perform missions related to the following:

1. Combat search and rescue missions. When allies are captured, isolated or reported missing, the Navy SEALs are sometimes assigned to go on a rescue mission to recover these allies.

2. Counter-drug operations. The Navy SEALs can provide assistance in stopping the production or transport of illegal narcotic substances into the United States as well as their distribution within the country.

3. Counter-terrorist missions. As the name suggests, counter-terrorist missions are direct action missions where the goal is to prevent terrorist threats as well as stop terrorist attacks.

4. Foreign and domestic security. The Navy SEALs can also be called upon to provide assistance in keeping important assets or persons safe. These missions can either be convoy security or static security.

5. Unconventional warfare. The goal of these missions is to weaken the enemy through the use of covert tactics. These covert tactics can involve infiltrating the territory of the enemy, sabotaging the enemy’s equipment and weaponry, destroying enemy infrastructure, and training the local troops.

When the military needs something done with high levels of efficiency and decisiveness, among the units they usually call are the Navy SEALs. The Navy SEALs are trained and expected to perform such missions regardless of their mission profiles.

There are several questions that you would probably want answers for and this is the right place to find these answers.

NAVY SEAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING

Q1: Is there a maximum and minimum age for joining Navy SEAL program?
The maximum age is 28 years and the minimum age is 17 with parental permission.

Q2: What type of tests do I need to take to qualify for the SEAL program?
There are basically 2 types of tests that need to be cleared to be qualified for the SEAL program.
a) AVSAB: The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. The minimum AVSAB score for qualification is: 165 in General Science (GS), Electronics Information (EI), and Mechanical Comprehension (MC) combined; 220 in Mechanical Knowledge (MK), Verbal Expression (VE), Coding Speed (CS), and Mechanical Comprehension (MC) combined.
b) SEAL PST: Physical Screening Test. The standards of SEAL PST are:

Q3: Can women enlist for Navy SEAL Programs?
Women, by law, are not authorized for SEAL training or programs although they can enlist with the US Navy Special Warfare Command, which oversees the operations of SEAL Teams.

Q4: Can someone using contact lenses or spectacles join Navy SEALs?
No. Navy SEALs need to have exceptional sight. Navy SEALs need to have a 20/20 vision with no correction.

Q5: What is BUD/s?
BUD/S stands for Basic Underwater Demolition / SEALs. This is the toughest training for SEALs. It is a 7-week course that starts off with an indoctrination course, followed by a basic conditioning phase, diving phase, and the land warfare phase. Somewhere in between is the most feared “Hell Week”. Maximum number of SEAL recruits quit during the BUD/S training itself.

Q6: Hell Week? What is that?
Hell Week is 132 hours of continuous physical training program with provision for just 4 hours of sleep. 75% of SEAL recruits quit during this week and those who stay their course eventually become Navy SEALs. The training takes place at the Coronado NAB (Naval Amphibious Base), San Diego, California.

Q7: What are the other training phases for becoming Navy SEAL?
Once you clear BUD/S training, you have to go for SQT or SEAL Qualification training. SQT comprises of training in several areas like parachute jumps, free fall courses, advanced diving techniques, martial arts, SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training, cold weather training, tactical combat medicine courses, combat swimmer training, advanced weapons and demolition training among others.

Q8: When do I receive the SEAL Trident?
On successful completion of SQT (SEAL Qualification training) training.

Q9: What happens after SQT?
Once you have completed SQT, you are assigned a SEAL Team and have to attend SPT (SEAL Platoon Training).

The Vietnam War
1959-1975
April 1972 – The US Air Force stopped their air rescue operations because within a week they had lost 5 aircrafts and 9 airmen. Two airmen had also been captured and the Air Force decided that the only way to extract their airmen was by deploying ground forces. A Navy SEAL Team was called in for the operation. Led by Lieutenant Junior Grade Thomas Norris, their mission was to rescue Lt. Mark Clark and Lt. Col Hamilton. Clark was hiding near the Cam Lo River while Hamilton was hiding 1mile off the river. Hamilton using his golfing skills and remembering details traversed through the villages and fields playing his indigenous “nine holes” and successfully avoided enemy patrols to reach the river. The SEAL Team led by Norris made their way up from the Cam Lo River moving on the side of the river as the current was swift and rescued Clark. While attempting the rescue of Hamilton, 2 SEALs were wounded. Norris and another SEAL dressed as fishermen paddled upstream using a sampan. They found Hamilton and put him in the sampan. At the outbreak of dawn they were noticed by the enemy who fired on them. They were finally given backup fire from an ARVN outpost. Lt Tom Norris received the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

The Persian Gulf War
January – February 1991
The US Air Force had bombed all military bases and cities in Iraq and then it was time for ground war. US Navy ships were waiting off the coast of Kuwait with thousands of Marines ready for landing. But the mission was to trick the Iraqi into believing that they needed to prepare for a sea-borne invasion as this would catch them unawares when the US launched a land attack. A Navy SEAL Team was deployed on February 23, 1991. The team consisted of 6 SEALs led by Lieutenant Junior Grade Tom Dietz. The SEAL Team raced in 2 Fountain 33 speedboats towards the Kuwaiti shore. They swam the final 500 yards packed with heavy explosives. Once on the beach they set charges for the explosive in their backpacks for 0100 hrs (01:00am). After placing their charges the SEAL Team headed back to their boats and opened fire using machine guns. Once the charges went off, two large units of Republican Guards were spotted by US Recon Satellites and they were moving away from the landing area of the Allied ground forces. The SEAL Team received a message after 2 days from General Norman Schwarzkopf, Operation Commander and it read, “Enemy forces are moving towards beach. The Allied forces are going behind them. You have saved the lives of many fellow soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines. Bravo Zulu!”

Games and movies are purely for entertainment and so are books. If you are looking for hard-core Navy SEALs information then you can find quite a few of them. But if you are looking for spine chilling stories revolving around Navy SEAL characters then you can choose from over 50 odd books written by various authors. Some of the books have even been written by ex-Navy SEALs. Let’s check out some books that might interest you:

Book: Without Remorse
Author: Tom Clancy
Type: Fiction
Publisher: Putnam
Excerpts
This is a thriller novel and is a part of Tom Clancy’s Ryanverse Series. The plot revolves around John Clark or John Kelly, one of the recurring characters in Tom Clancy’s novels. The story unfolds with John Kelly performing maritime demolition along with 2 other UDT men. The novel builds a single story based on multiple stories that include Kelly’s story of life and how he became John Clark, Kelly’s personal crusade against a drug lord who masterminded the murder of his girlfriend Pam, his connection with the mafia honcho Tony Piaggi, and rescue of Colonel Robin Zacharias of the USAF from a POW camp in North Vietnam.

Book: In The Dark
Author: Marliss Melton
Type: Fiction
Publisher: Hachette Book Group, USA
Excerpts
The plot revolves around Hannah Geary who is a part of US Defense Intelligence and seeks revenge for her partner who is killed by a rogue SEAL. In order to catch the rogue SEAL, she ropes in a good SEAL: Lt Luther.

Book: My Spy
Author: Christina Skye
Type: Fiction
Publisher: Dell
Excerpts
The plot revolves around Sam McKade and Annie O’Toole. The story starts with an assignment for Annie – get the 6”4’ Sam McKade into fighting form. Sam McKade is a Navy SEAL but his identity has to be kept secret by the sexy therapist Annie. As the story unfolds, Sam McKade realizes that the most important mission in his life is to protect Annie against a ruthless enemy from his past!

Book: Dangerous Games
Author: Lora Leigh
Type: Fiction
Publisher: St. Martins
Excerpts
The plot revolves around Navy SEAL Clint “Iceman” McIntire who is known to be a real fighter. He has crushed an infamous Colombian drug cartel and is an American hero. But his much sought after vacation ends with trouble pouring in from all quarters. He is in love with his best friend’s sister Morganna Chavez who is working undercover with DEA. Morganna is trying to uncover the story of the Date-Rape drug and it becomes McIntire’s job to keep her from harm’s way.

But the truth is that SEAL missions and assignments are a national secret and the government can’t talk about them in the public. In January 2002, Torie Clark, a Pentagon spokeswoman said, “We don’t talk about …. details for the most obvious reason: it will put people’s life at risk and it will definitely give the bad guys information of what we are doing”. The fact of the matter is that the less the enemy knows about SEALs, the easier it will be for this special ops unit to do their job. Of course, even then there are certain Navy SEAL assignments that have come to the forefront long after the missions were completed. Here is an insight into some of those missions:

January 2002: SEAL Teams were sent to search and seek out terrorists from the underground tunnels in an Al Qaeda camp in Eastern Afghanistan. Al Qaeda is a terrorist outfit responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. The SEAL teams were flown into enemy territory by helicopters and they were briefed for a 12-hour operation. Once the SEALs were in the caves they found that each tunnel led to deeper caves. So the 12-hour operation became an 8-day operation and the SEALs had to kill goats, cows, and chicken to survive. They built camps within the tunnels to provide protection from the enemy as well as freezing cold outside. They fought through enemy fire and were able to accomplish the mission objectives by destroying all weapon caches within the tunnels. They also destroyed the tunnels so that they can’t be used again by Al Qaeda and recovered all important terrorist documents from there.

March 2003: Navy SEAL Teams were deployed on March 20 to 2 offshore platforms and their primary target was the Mina Al Bakr Oil Terminal (MABOT). SEAL Teams 8 and 10 carried out this operation with GROM (Polish Commandoes). The target for GROM’s was Khor Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT). Both SEAL teams carried out the covert reconnaissance operation with the help of SDV support teams and MK-8 mini submersibles. A total of 31 SEALs participated in this operation apart from 2 US Navy EOD specialists. MABOT was successfully captured by the SEAL Teams.

March 2003: SEAL teams along with GROM successfully captured Mukarayin Dam, which is approximately 92km north east of Baghdad. The mission included 20 SEALs, 2 EOD operators, 6 SEAL snipers, 35 GROM, and 2 DPV each with a SEAL element. The SEAL and GROM teams secured the Dam and held it for almost 5 days after which they were relieved by I MEF (1st Marine Amphibious Force).

There are many more missions accomplished successfully by SEAL Teams as a part of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom but most of them will probably remain a secret.

One strike – one kill!

Nothing comes closer to saying this than the Navy SEAL’s insignia. The US Navy SEAL is one of the elite Special Forces units of the US Military and each Navy SEAL team has their own insignia that depicts their strengths and area of expertise.

History of the Navy SEAL Insignia

The transformation from being a naval recruit to becoming a SEAL is extraordinary. But a true SEAL is one who is given the SEAL warfare insignia to wear with pride. The insignia or the SEAL Trident is at the heart of this Special Forces unit. The Navy SEAL insignia was first created in the 1960’s and was given to all those members of the US Navy who had successfully completed the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training followed by the completion of the SEAL Qualification Training and have then been designated to one of the U.S. Navy SEAL units.

It was in 1970 that the Department of US Navy authorized the use of the SEAL warfare insignia on SEAL service uniforms. The SEAL Trident is worn on the left breast of the SEAL or Navy uniform just above decorations and service ribbons. The SEAL insignia is used in the form of a gold metal pin for formal dress uniforms and as an embroidered patch for BDU’s (Battle Dress Uniform) and other camouflage uniforms.

There are three parts of the SEAL insignia and these symbolize the areas that Navy SEALs excel in —sea, air and land. Here is the representation of the Navy SEAL insignia:

* The anchor and the trident: SEA
* The eagle: AIR
* The pistol: LAND

The pistol is cocked and this represents readiness for battle. The Eagle’s wings are spread wide and this represents for courage, and strength.

Navy SEAL Team Insignia’s

There are 9 Navy SEAL teams, each commanded by a Navy Commander and consist of multiple operational platoons. Each of the 9 Navy SEAL teams has their own insignia. Here is an insight into these insignias:

The Guns!
Different SEAL teams use different types of weapons in different conditions and to achieve different objectives. Let’s take a look at what weapons the Navy SEALs use!

M16A1

It is a 5.56mm caliber rifle and probably one of the most widely used rifles in the US Military. It is being manufactured by Colt.
The SEAL’s use this rifle in different terrains and some of the variants are fitted with an AN/PVS-2 night vision scope and M203 40 mm grenade launcher. These modifications have also been made on the M16A2 and the M16A3. Navy SEAL’s used the M16A1 in Vietnam.

M16A3

The M16A3 was introduced in 1994 and has been manufactured in small quantities only for use by SEALs. It has a Safe-Semi-Auto (S-1-A) trigger group with gas operated, rotating bolt action. It is a 5.56×45mm NATO caliber automatic rifle with a maximum effective range of 550m. The rifle has a magnesium alloy receiver and can handle high capacity magazine. It can fire at 330 feet per second

XM177E2

This is also known as the CAR-15 Commando Model 609. It is a 5.56mm submachine gun manufactured by Colt and uses 20 round magazines. In 1967, the barrel was extended from 10 inches to 11.5 inches and was also fitted with the XM148 Grenade launcher. The muzzle velocity is 2,611 feet/second.

M79 Grenade Launcher

This is a powerful and effective  SEAL weapon. The grenade launcher can be used as a standalone weapon or fitted to a M16. The M79 is known as a single shot break action launcher that can fire 40×46mm grenades. It is manufactured by Springfield Armory and can fire 6 rounds/min. The M79 was used heavily in Vietnam.

Heckler & Koch Gewehr 3

It is known as the HK G3 and is an assault Rifle. Manufactured by Heckler and Koch, this rifle has provisions for flash suppressor, grenade launcher, and even a bayonet. The G3 is capable of firing 20 round box magazines and uses 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It’s effective range is 400m and can be fitted with detachable telescopic sight.

M1911A1 Pistol

Used frequently by the Navy SEALs in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, this is a handy weapon. The M1911A1 is a .45 caliber automatic pistol that uses a short recoil principle. Designed by John Browning and manufactured by Colt, the muzzle velocity of this pistol is 830 feet/second. The Covert Ops units like SEAL’s use the M1911A1 with a silencer as well. It is used by Navy SEALs as a back-up or secondary weapon.