How Hard Is Navy SEAL Training?

Navy SEAL BUD/S training location is at the Navy Amphibious Base in Coronado, California. 

This is where every aspiring Navy SEAL begins their journey towards earning the prestigious Navy SEAL trident. BUD/S training is divided into three phases and typically lasts around six months. However, it's worth noting that many trainees get injured during the process and are rolled back to join the next class. 

BUD/S is not solely focused on physical toughness; it also emphasizes surpassing personal expectations, fostering teamwork, developing survival skills, demonstrating perseverance, and discovering an inner strength one may have never realized existed. 

Perhaps this explains why only 20 out of 200 candidates graduate from BUD/S. At any given moment during training, a trainee can choose to quit by ringing a brass bell and symbolically discarding their BUD/S class helmet under it. Once they make this decision, there's no turning back. 

However, those who complete BUD/S will carry a confidence that will endure for a lifetime.

There Are Three Phases To BUD/S Training

BUD/S Phase 1: Do You Have What It Takes To Become a Navy SEAL? 

Navy SEAL instructors introduce candidates to unique training aspects. They take pride in separating the qualified and fit individuals from those who aspire to be SEALs. These instructors act as gatekeepers to the elite SEAL community, ensuring that only a select few make it through. The candidates undergo physically demanding training that pushes their endurance limits and prepares them for combat situations. This includes running long distances in boots on sandy terrain and swimming extended distances in open water while carrying heavy equipment. These exercises guarantee that only those with exceptional fitness levels will progress further in the program. Hell Week: The Ultimate Test that Summarizes Phase One This grueling five-and-a-half-day stretch is where many potential SEALs reach their breaking point. Sleep deprivation totaling about 3-4 hours of sleep over 5 1/2 days and continuous physical tasks push every candidate's body and mind beyond its perceived limit. Hell week represents one ultimate test occurring during the fourth week of the SEAL training curriculum; considered by many to be among the toughest parts of the entire process due to its grueling five-and-a-half-day stretch of non-stop physical activity coupled with minimal sleep opportunities available to participants throughout the entirety of the event itself.

BUD/S Phase 2: Delving Deep into the Combat Diving Stage.

The combat diving stage is a crucial part of BUD/S training that spans seven weeks. During this phase, candidates are introduced to unique underwater skills specific to Navy SEALs and begin their journey towards becoming basic combat swimmers. In this second phase of SEAL teams' preparation, trainees learn vital techniques like "drown-proofing." This involves remaining calm and surviving even when bound by hands and feet - an intense test designed specifically for special warfare operators in the Naval Special Warfare Center. Successfully completing the challenge of performing well under pressure is a significant milestone in Navy SEALs Stage 1 training. Mastering these aspects signifies substantial progress within Navy SEALs Stage 1. Navigating Below the Surface Candidates must become proficient in compass reading while submerged - a skill set beyond traditional land-based navigation methods used by other military units. This form of navigation can be disorienting due to limited visibility conditions often encountered beneath the surface - another obstacle meant to push mental resilience alongside physical fitness. Serving dual purposes: enhancing navigational abilities while reinforcing the psychological toughness required for successfully completing the BUD/S program. An Ultimate Test - Pool Competency Test (PCT) Potential future SEALs face strict measures determining if they possess the necessary aptitude to advance to subsequent stages within the Naval Special Warfare Center's rigorous curriculum once prep school ends.

Phase 3 of BUD/S Land Warfare Training

The final phase in BUD/S training is focused on land warfare, where future Navy SEALs are trained in small-unit tactics and weapons handling. This physically demanding seven-week phase aims to prepare candidates for ground operations. The foundation of land operations lies in weapons training. Candidates learn the ins and outs of managing and safely using various Navy SEAL-utilized weapons, including pistols, rifles, machine guns, and grenade launchers. Marksmanship plays a crucial role during this phase as trainees work on improving their shooting accuracy under different conditions. Live-fire exercises simulate real combat scenarios, testing their ability to make quick decisions while maintaining control over accurate fire. Demolition training is another important aspect of land warfare. Candidates gain hands-on experience in setting up demolition charges and safely detonating them. These skills are essential for special warfare operators who may need to breach obstacles or destroy enemy infrastructure during missions. Navigation skills are also honed during this phase. Trainees learn traditional map-and-compass techniques and modern GPS-based strategies to navigate unfamiliar terrain. Night navigation exercises challenge even the most experienced participants as they rely solely on compasses or stars for guidance.

What are the requirements to become a Navy SEAL (go to BUD/S)? All exercises must be done one after the other.

Renowned Navy SEALs Who Passed the Ultimate Test:

Michael Murphy: Renowned for his heroic actions during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan.
Marcus Luttrell: The sole survivor of Operation Red Wings who later recounted his experiences in a best-selling book.
Rudy Boesch: One of the original members selected for SEAL Team TWO and a participant in the Survivor series.
Jesse Ventura: Served during the Vietnam War before becoming the Governor of Minnesota and a popular media personality.
Lt. Michael P. Murphy: He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Afghan conflict.