Becoming a Navy SEAL Takes Unswerving Heart

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. BUD/S 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 BUD/S 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 BUD/S training, and many experience for the first time the many elements that vacationers have no idea exist in the oasis.

Must Have Unswerving Passion 

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 BUD/S training needs to score high on the written tests and pass physical training with high scores.

The first phase of BUD/S 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 Is Just That

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 BUD/S 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 BUD/S 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.

Do You Have Heart To Endure Pain

All phases of the BUD/S 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 BUD/S 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:  Not Just About You

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 BUD/S 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!