San Diego- There is nothing nobler than to give your life to save the lives of your fellow soldiers. One such example will be noted in a special White House Medal of Honor ceremony for a brave Navy SEAL Team member.

The courage of the SEAL tradition was illustrated by the action of this SEAL team member, who covered a live grenade with his body last September, saving the lives of his teammates.

The White House has announced that the highest military honor, the Medal of Honor will be awarded to Former Navy SEAL Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor. He will be awarded the medal posthumously April 8th, 2008.

His family at a ceremony at the White House will accept the award. “Because of his extraordinary act of heroism September 29th, 2006, Petty Officer Monsoor will receive the award for his bravery,” said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino. Secretary Perino addressed members of the media during the briefing for the press on Air Force One.

“Petty Officer Monsoor distinguished himself with his courage and heroic actions,” said Secretary Perino. Air Force One was enroute to Europe for the NATO Summit with various White House Officials aboard including President George Bush.

Monsoor was also recently awarded posthumously the Bronze Star for sacrificing his life during the Ramadi grenade incident.

Petty Officer Monsoor has received military honors before. He was awarded the Silver Star because of his brave actions May 9th, 2006. He performed with valor in combat when he pulled a fellow SEAL to safety after they were shot and wounded in a Ramadi firefight.

In the event that claimed his life, Navy Petty Officer Monsoor was assigned as part of an elite Navy security sniper team in Ramadi, along with three SEAL teammates and eight soldiers from Iraqi Security Forces. While on patrol, a live grenade was thrown toward the team by a suspected insurgent.

The grenade flew through the air, and hit Petty Officer Monsoor in the chest, and then it bounced around on the ground nearby. With no thought of his own personal safety, Monsoor dived on the grenade, covering it completely with his body just before it exploded, muffling the blast.

Sources close to SEAL operations spoke on conditions of anonymity due to the classified nature of operations, related how the actions of Petty Officer Monsoor saved the lives of his fellow SEAL team members.

“Monsoor didn’t hesitate, he never lost sight of it, he just dived on the grenade,” said a Navy lieutenant who served with Petty Officer Monsoor. The 28-year-old lieutenant reportedly suffered shrapnel wounds to both legs from the incident.

“Monsoor saved our lives, and the lives of other SEAL’s there that day. We owe him our lives,” said the unidentified Navy Lieutenant. Two members of the Navy SEAL team next to Monsoor suffered wounds from the blast, but survived, and another SEAL about 15 feet away came through the event with no injuries.

SEAL operations in Afghanistan have resulted in sixteen deaths in the last several years. In 2005 eleven SEAL members died when the helicopter they were riding in crashed after taking gunfire in Pakistan. The helicopter was carrying troop reinforcements in the search for militant Al Qaeda members.

Serving in the SEAL Special Operations Unit in the Navy is not something that just anyone can do. It is reserved for the elite of the elite. Members volunteer, and undergo severe and harsh training designed to weed out anything less than the top-level fighting Navy specialist.

Training is intense; nearly 75 percent of those who attempt to become Navy SEAL’s fail. The United States Navy is currently attempting to recruit an additional 500 Navy SEALS, which is a distinct challenge due to the heavy training attrition.

Navy SEAL training is characterized by Hell Week- a five day period of initial training featuring continual drills, with only about four hours of sleep in a four day period. It is during this first period of training that most people drop out.

Serving in the Navy on active duty there are currently about 2,300 elite SEAL members, stationed in Little Creek Virginia, and Coronado, California.

Some candidates to be members of the elite SEAL brotherhood don’t give up, and will attempt the harsh seal training a second time. Petty Officer Monsoor was one of these determined souls; he was admitted as a SEAL on his second attempt at SEAL Training.

United States Special Operations Command, (SOCOM) has approved the initiation of training with a new assault rifles by Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, and other special operations troops and teams in the United States military. The new Mark 16 and Mark 17 rifles provide elite troops with a refined version of combat assault rifle that is incredibly versatile for a wide range of combat scenarios.

The new Special Forces combat assault rifles are known as the FN SCAR-L/MK 16 and the FN SCAR-H/MK17. The Mark 16 will fire the same size round as has been used for decades with M-16s. This 5.56 mm round is slightly smaller than the larger 7.62 mm round that is designed to use in the Mark 17 version of this assault rifle. However, by changing a few parts, including the barrel and bolts, Special Ops combat troops will be able to interchange both rifles and ammunition when necessary.

Another advantage to the new assault rifles is that they come with three interchangeable barrels. Barrels can be detached and reassembled very quickly, a very important feature for Special Ops teams. The short barrel ensures incredible accuracy in close quarter combat situations. Another version of the assault rifle will accept an FN EGLM 40 mm grenade launcher. The third adaptation is a longer barrel that will allow decent accuracy at up to 600 or 700 meters. Both the Mark 16 and Mark 17 can fire up to 600 rounds per minute.

It is hoped that the Mark 16 and 17 assault rifles will eventually replace the rifle systems currently used by SOCOM forces, and that includes MK 25 sniper rifles, the M 14 an M-16 rifles as well as the M4 carbine.

So far, the rifles have met with favorable reviews by Special Ops forces. An Army Rangers Staff Sergeant, interviewed regarding the rifles versatility, states “If you are going to clear an urban environment, buildings, rooms, you’d probably want a short barrel on there. If you’re in Afghanistan, and you’re walking in the mountains and the hills and all that, and your distance is going to be a lot greater to the enemy, you’re probably going to want to throw the longer barrel on there so you get that extra reach.”

The mechanisms of the new Mark 16 and 17 rifles are gas operated and employ short stroke piston action. A major advantage to the new design is that mechanisms are less sensitive to dust and fine particles of sand. Primarily designed for use in Afghanistan, Iraq, and desert environments, barrels are quickly detachable and require a minimum of tools to switch over, and barrel changeovers can be completed within a couple of minutes. Both rifles versions are fitted with adjustable or removable sites and are capable of accepting night and telescopic sights using compatible mounts.

In addition, the new rifles designed for special operations teams have been designed for greater durability and to decrease the chances of jamming. Special Ops forces, and indeed all armed forces, need to be able to rely on the effectiveness, accuracy, and durability of the most important weapon at their disposal — the assault rifle. The Special Operations Command is hoping that these new combat assault rifles will help to relieve previous issues regarding reliability and effectiveness of current equipment. The new rifles are designed to help to increase the ability of Special Ops troops around the globe to complete their missions as quickly, effectively and as efficiently as possible.

Think you have what it takes to be a Navy Seal. Here is some of the training the seals go through to become one of America’s elite soldiers.

Many military veterans and civilians are familiar with Hollywood movies about submarine warfare. Movies like “Run Silent, Run Deep”, “The Enemy Below”, and “Das Boot” have been indelibly carved into the minds and spirits of submariners as well as civilian movie audiences for decades. However, while they are not typically discussed much anymore, submarines and submariners are alive and well.

One of the most famous submarines in history, the Trident-class nuclear powered submarine called the USS Ohio, has been converted from a nuclear to a conventional cruise missile submarine. The Ohio has traded her nuclear tipped missiles for more conventional missiles as well as some very special, though dangerous cargo.

The SS Ohio’s gigantic proportions are an intimidating sight. At 560 feet long, the 42-foot beam structure dwarfs a human being. To put it into perspective, picture a huge “tube” just over one and a half football fields in length. The submarine can hold over 150 personnel, including “temporary” passengers.

Who are these “temporary” passengers? Highly skilled and trained commandoes able to breech all types of defenses. Stealth is the name of the game in submarine warfare, and the basic rules of engagement haven’t changed much since the first submarine, The USS Hunley, was designed in the Civil War. That basic rule: Sneak up on an enemy without them even knowing you’re there. The specialty of such skill and training is personified in Navy SEALs, and they have become part of the USS Ohio’s special crew, for very special reasons.

Captain Andy Hale commands the USS Ohio, and while the route and mission of the submarine is secret, the world watches with bated breath to even catch a glimpse of her. She rises in unexpected places; as do the Navy SEALs she carries.

Many people don’t even think of submarines any more, not with long-range missiles and the land warfare that has gripped the country since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and even before. Yet, the submarine is a vital force in the arsenal of the United States. Countries around the world, especially in Asia, covet them.

The USS Ohio, like the special contingent of Navy SEALs she carries, vanishes without a trace, leaving only a bubbling wake behind, gone in moments. “Submarines are the original stealth platform,” explains Captain Hale. He takes pride in his vessel, which can deploy at a moment’s notice, and, as the movie title goes, she can run silent and run deep for as long as necessary.

Her special crewmembers are likewise deployed at a moment’s notice. One may wonder how Navy SEALs get from the submarine to their target. The USS Ohio is a former “Boomer” nuclear missile sub that is equipped with two dozen launch tubes. Those launch tubes are now fitted to deploy Navy SEALs in submersible boats. Cool, eh?

SEALs are known for their ability to strike fast and hard, and then disappear. The USS Ohio and others like her offer a new way for SEALs to be deployed wherever they are needed; Korea, Afghanistan, China.

SEALs are training hard everywhere around the world. They are there, and will continue to “be there” because that is what they do best. They’re perfectly happy that few know where they are at any given moment, or what they are doing. After all, the ultimate goal of a SEAL is to appear where he is least expected, do his job, quickly and effectively, and then disappear again.

In a way, SEALs are much like their submarine counterpart; secretive, mysterious and deadly. Like the “wolf pack” U-Boats during the Second World War, they run beneath the surface of the water, deep in the black ocean depths where they can avoid most forms of detection. The USS Ohio can dive to a depth of nearly 1,000 feet and reach speeds of over 20 knots, as compared to the 4 knots produced by her peers in the German navy during World War Two.

“The advanced capabilities that we have brought to this ship make it a premier front-line submarine. This has taken the submarine force to a while new level, “says Lieutenant Commander Al Ventura, the Ohio’s Executive Officer.

Nearly every Asian nation in the world has submarines, or desperately wants a few. That includes Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and India, as well as China and Japan. Very few have the capability or the force to pose a threat to the American fleet, but the United States is not taking chances. American presence in Pacific waters is going to be noticed, no doubt about it.

The biggest concern for the United States used to be Russia, but these days, China is a major factor when it comes to watchful wariness. China now has roughly five dozen submarines in their fleet, and while that appears to be a high number, their capabilities as well as the experience of their crews don’t match those of the United States.

Unlike American subs, Chinese subs are typically powered by diesel, much like the subs in World War Two. Also like their Second World War counterparts, they must frequently rise to the surface for air, as opposed to American subs, which are nuclear-powered and can remain at sea for months at a time.

In coming months, the USS Ohio is going to let her presence be felt in the Pacific, offering both the ship and her crew extensive training in joint exercises with her Asian allies. The USS Ohio has a right to be proud; she is able to elude detection and dive so fast and deep she can’t be found. She is an awesome example of power and stealth.

The same can be said of her Navy SEALs.

It’s a match made in heaven, really.

Mark V Craft Redesigned For Navy by Boothbay Vessel Company

Boothbay, Maine The job of Navy SEAL Personnel, or Sea, Air, and Land Sailors, is to charge hard into harms way performing their assigned, sometimes dangerous missions. Often times this necessitates delivery of people by small craft into small bays or coastal areas. The watercraft that is used to deliver SEAL personnel has to be strong, but because of the strength have often been heavy, and bulky.

The size and weight of their delivery vehicles have led to a rough ride, often beating up our warriors before they ever enter combat itself. Bruised and battered before arrival, with scrapes, bumps, sprained ankles and even a sore back and chipped tooth here and there. But there may be a better way, and a Boothbay Maine Company is leading the way in innovation.

Maine Marine Manufacturing LLC. has unveiled a lighter, faster version of an old military small craft favorite. They have taken a standard aluminum Mark V military patrol boat, and reworked it, using design and material changes resulting in a stronger, lighter, faster delivery vehicle. This company is a spin-off of Parent company, Hodgdon Yachts, well known in the region for their quality and workmanship in making luxury Yachts. This company is a military focused division that is already turning heads in the boat building community with their approach to construction and redesign.

The new vessel is specifically engineered to work toward absorbing some of the g forces and impact stress that a craft encounters as it plows through the water at high speed. This vessel, like its predecessor the Mark V, will have speeds in excess of fifty knots during use. Able to carry sixteen Navy SEALS, this craft is aiming to deliver our combat ready soldiers on site on time. The difference is there will be less impact forces on the passengers and SEALS while en-route to their missions.

The new craft already has a nickname, called “MAKO” after the shark that is often seen off the Gulf of Maine. The vessel is slated for extensive and rigorous shipbuilder testing in coastal waters off Maine, and then will travel south to Norfolk Virginia for further examination and testing. “We are building our boats from carbon-Kevlar, the best carbon composite available,” said David Packhem Jr. Packhem is CEO and President of Maine Marine Manufacturing. “We are focused on reducing the high impact and slamming forces,” stated Mr. Packhem. The first of its kind, the prototype eighty-two foot research and development craft bears a striking resemblance to the patrol boats used currently.

However, the new Mark V.1 vessel has vital and crucial differences. The new craft is made up of composite-Kevlar, and advanced composite materials. It is fifty percent stronger, and a little lighter than the aluminum standard Mark V version of the craft. Using the composite construction approach, the vessel slamming forces will be reduced significantly. Still undergoing design adjustment and refinement, CEO Packhem believes that even more weight can be eliminated in the future.

“We made the boat from this composite material, and then infused special resin to seal it” said Mr. Packhem. “We placed a foam core, sandwiched between layers of composite, and then sealed it with a full hull resin infusion. We are the only ones up to this point that has done this type of construction,” said David Packhem. “Using this method we have reduced the vertical acceleration forces by a large factor,” said Packhem.

“This is a very extraordinary vessel,” said Maine U.S. Senator Susan Collins. “We believe it is will be of extraordinary value to our SEALS, and to the Navy itself,” remarked Senator Collins. Senator Collins was on hand to christen the new vessel last Friday at the unveiling with a bottle of champagne. Originally known as the MK Five, or MK V, this was well known as a Special Ops watercraft, and has been around since the 1990s. It was created for Navy SEAL use, to ferry men, supplies and equipment, as well as Combat SEAL swimmers, swiftly in and out of dangerous missions.

The original Mark V Special Ops craft features two powerful twin diesel engines, and has been known to attain speeds up to sixty miles an hour with its twin jets of water propulsion system. The boat is very effective, but because it has a stiff aluminum hull, the force of the boat slamming into the water is carried directly upward in often jarring and bone numbing fashion. Reports of high G forces have been reported. “The Mark V Special Ops vessel has produced slamming forces up to 20 G’s, twenty times gravity,” stated Lieutenant Damon Shearer. Lieutenant Shearer is the senior Medical officer attached to the Navy’s Group 4 Special Warfare Unit.

Not long after the original Mark V went into use service-wide, the reports of injuries began to flood into Navy headquarters. The Navy tried to fix the problem with special shock absorbing seats, but there have continued to be problems, and injuries that occur with every use of the vessel. “There are times that our men arrive at their mission literally worn out and beaten up,” said Lieutenant Shearer. Captain Evin H. Thompson stated: “We have learned a great deal about the forces and power of the sea. The sea itself can be extremely cruel.” Captain Thompson is Commander of Group 4, Navy Special Warfare Group, based in Norfolk, Virginia.

The new vessel is officially the Mark V.1, and was enabled by hard work from Maine’s delegation to Congress. They secured fourteen million in funding over the last several years. The project has involved cooperation between the University of Maine’s Engineered and Advanced Wood Composites Center, and Maine Marine Manufacturing. “We have high hopes, and if it does as well as we expect it to, it could be in wide production and full deployment inside of 2 or 3 years,” said Captain Thompson.

According to a press release from Senator Collins office, the future construction and building of this new vessel could mean twenty million dollars or more in revenue to the Boothbay region.

There are many people who want to try and become a Navy SEAL, but it may surprise them when it comes to learning what it takes. Worried your size and weight may be against you? How about wondering if you can even make it through the indoctrination course? From whatever walk of life you are from, there is one thing that brings all Navy SEALS together: Heart. The concept has been around since the beginning of time, and it continues to move on through the generations.

Expectations

Young men who wish to enroll in the SEAL program may have some ideas as to the reputation and tradition that is behind the respected word “SEAL”. Highly trained with basic warrior skills, SEALs are also well trained in the most modern technology and weaponry. The reputation of Navy SEALs is regarded as one of the most elite Special Forces groups in the history of American military forces.

Succeeding as a Navy SEAL means learning to rely on both mental discipline and basic intelligence, along with common sense, in order to survive. Buds’ training requires more than physical strength to get through one of the worlds most intense and unforgiving military training programs. It takes something as powerful as heart.

Southern California is an inviting location for the BUDs training of Navy SEALs. Located on Coronado Bay, the city of San Diego is known as a relaxing getaway for people around the world with its soft, sandy beaches and breathtaking sunsets. The city is also home to many young men coming to Coronado Bay to receive their BUDs training, and many experience for the first time the many elements that vacationers have no idea exist in the oasis.

Endurance

Before even reaching the training facility located at Coronado Bay, Navy recruits must pass regular physical examinations, as well as mental testing. A recruit applying for the BUDs training needs to score high on the written tests and pass physical training with high scores.

The first phase of BUDs training is comprised of intense and demanding daily physical activity. This phase keeps recruits busy from dawn to dusk, and beyond. Physical conditioning includes running, daily exercise, and swimming. During this phase of training, recruits also need to excel in “drown proofing” exercises as well as complete timed obstacle course runs.

Hell Week

Hell Week is the infamous period during the third week of Phase One that is responsible for prompting a large numbers of recruits to drop out of the program. Lasting for five days, Hell Week exposes recruits to nonstop intense physical training with little sleep, if any. At this point in the training, it becomes evident that training to become a Navy SEAL does not depend on physical ability alone, but rather requires a recruit to have, and find, the heart to find strength to continue.

Struggling with Log PT or the Mud Flats and other creative exercises to harden bodies and sharpen young minds, a BUDs recruit finds himself looking within to gain the strength to endure training. “The Only Easy Day was Yesterday” is an old saying by veteran Navy SEALs that still rings as true today as it did several decades ago. (And BUDs recruits can thank their lucky stars they were not enrolled in the program then, because training was even more severe than it is today.)

Determination and stamina begins to come from the heart, and is a characterization of what makes up a Navy SEAL. “Failure is not an option,” says one Navy SEAL veteran.

Heart

All phases of the BUD training regimen are difficult and challenging, and no matter what size a recruit is, they soon find out it is not size that actually matters, but the heart and spirit to become a Navy SEAL. It’s heart that gives them strength to pass another grueling physical obstacle course, and it’s heart that keeps them on a path that leads to the role as a US Navy SEAL.

Many Navy SEALs feel that training in the SEAL BUDs training program is one of the most challenging experiences they have ever gone through in life. It’s symbolic for many as a “before and after” point in their lives, and signifies a change in life’s experiences and perspectives once they have graduated.

A Navy SEAL can be anyone, no matter what the shapes or size, and each one is from different backgrounds, cultures and religious denominations. The one thing they have in common is the spirit it takes to be a SEAL. Arrogance or a superior attitude does not dwell within the Navy SEAL. Rather, a combination of physical and mental strength, along with honest to goodness heart in striving for seemingly impossible goals.

Teamwork

Teamwork and camaraderie is important in any military branch, and in order to become an honored Navy SEAL, becoming a willing member of a team is part of the job. During and after training, becoming a SEAL requires teamwork. Teamwork - successfully overcoming challenges make friendships that last a lifetime. From the minute a BUDs recruit begins the training process, his heart starts to think about the ones around him, the men who have become his teammates and brothers.

Do you have what it takes to become a US Navy SEAL? Even if you don’t have the strength right now, you start with one simple thing: heart. The rest can be conditioned and finessed, but it’s the heart that gets the job done. Having determination and a sense of camaraderie are the fundamentals of becoming a Navy SEAL; along with giving it you’re all. Hoo-Yah!