U.S Navy SEALs are a special breed of warrior who conduct special operations in any environment but who are uniquely trained and equipped to operate from, around and in maritime areas. SEALs take their name from the environments in which they are trained to operate: Sea – Air & Land.Their Small highly trained teams usually work quietly at night conducting some of the US most important missions. SEALs are constantly deployed throughout the word to protect US interests.
Naval Special Warfare Command is organized into the following configuration:
- Naval Special Warfare Group 1: SEAL Teams 1, 3, 5, 7
- Naval Special Warfare Group 2: SEAL Teams 2, 4, 8, 10
- Naval Special Warfare Group 3: SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams 1
- Naval Special Warfare Group 4: Special Boat Teams 12, 20, 22
- Naval Special Warfare Group 11: SEAL Teams 17, 18 (formerly Operational Support Teams 1, 2)
The total amount of Navy SEALs assigned to Naval Special Warfare Command is approximately 2,000 out of a total staffing of 6,500. About half of the SEAL contingents are based atLittle Creek Naval Amphibious BaseandDam Neck AnnexinVirginia Beach,Virginia. Most of the remainder are headquartered atNaval Amphibious Base Coronado,Californiaor with SDVT-1 inPearl Harbor,Hawaii.[3]
SEAL Teams
SEAL Teams are organized into two groups: Naval Special Warfare Group One (West Coast), and Naval Special Warfare Group Two (East Coast), which come under the command ofNaval Special Warfare Command,stationed at NAB Coronado, California. As of 2006, there are eight confirmed Navy SEAL Teams. The original SEAL Teams in the Vietnam War were separated between West Coast (Team ONE) and East Coast (Team TWO) SEALs. The current SEAL Team deployments include Teams 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10.
The Teams deploy as Naval Special Warfare Squadrons or Special Operations Task Forces and can deploy anywhere in the world. Squadrons will normally be deployed and fall under a Joint Task Force (JTF) or a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) as a Special Operations Task Force (SOTF)
A SEAL Team has a Staff Headquarters element and three 40-man Troops. Each Troop consist of a Headquarters element consisting of a Troop Commander (O-4), a Troop Senior Enlisted (E-8), a Targeting/Operations Officer (O-2/3) and a Targeting/Operations Leading/Chief Petty Officer (E-6/7). Under the HQ element are two SEAL platoons of 16 men (2 officers, 14 enlisted SEALs and sometimes 2 enlisted EOD Operators making a platoon of 18); a company-sized Combat Service Support (CSS) and/or Combat Support (CS) consisting of staff N-codes (the Army and Marine Corps use S-codes); N1 Administrative support, N2 Intelligence, N3 Operations, N4 Logistics, N5 Plans and Targeting, N6 Communications, N7 Training, and N8 Air/Medical. Each Troop can be easily task organized into 4 squads or eight 4-man fire teams for operational purposes. The size of each SEAL “Team” with Troops and support staff is approx. 300 personnel. The typical SEAL platoon has an OIC (Officer in Charge, usually an O-3), an AOIC (Assistant Officer in Charge, usually an O-2), a platoon chief (E-7), an LPO (Leading Petty Officer, E-6) and others ranging from E-6 to E-4 (most are E-5). Occasionally there is a "third O". Usually the third O is an O-1 on his first operational deployment. This makes the platoon consist of 3 officers and 13 enlisted personnel. The core leadership in the Troop and Platoon are the Commander/OIC and the Senior Enlisted NCO (Senior Chief/Chief).
Troop core skills consist of: Sniper, Breacher, Communicator, Maritime/Engineering, Close Air Support, Corpsman, Point-man/Navigator, Primary Driver/Navigator (Rural/Urban/Protective Security), Heavy Weapons Operator, Sensitive Site Exploitation, Air Operations Master, Lead Climber, Lead Diver/Navigator, Interrogator, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Technical Surveillance, and Advanced Special Operations.
Each SEAL Team is commanded by a NavyCommander(O-5), and has a number of operational SEAL platoons and a headquarters element. In 1987, SEAL Team 6 was renamed to theUnited States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, although members are still frequently referred to informally as "SEAL Team 6".Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, anaval baseinVirginia Beach, Virginia, is home to SEAL Teams 2, 4, 8, and 10.Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, a naval base inCoronado, CA, is home to SEAL Teams 1, 3, 5, and 7. There are also anSDVunit, SDVT-1 located in Pearl Harbor, HI. SDVT-2, formerly based in Virginia was disestablished and merged into SDVT-1 which is now headquartered in San Diego and operates detachments in Pearl Harbor and Little Creek. SDV Teams are SEAL teams with an added underwater delivery capability. An SDV platoon consists of 12-15 SEALs.
FAQs
Hell Week consists of 5 1/2 days of cold, wet, brutally difficult operational training on fewer than four hours of sleep. Hell Week tests physical endurance, mental toughness, pain and cold tolerance, teamwork, attitude, and your ability to perform work under high physical and mental stress, and sleep deprivation.
What is the pass rate of Navy SEALs? ›
Screening
| Pipeline phase | Success percent | Overall percent |
|---|
| Graduated recruit training | 58% | 45% |
| Completed SEAL pre-indoctrination | 90% | 41% |
| Completed SEAL indoctrination | 85% | 35% |
| Completed BUD/S phase 1 | 33% | 11% |
5 more rowsBUD/S Training, the Toughest Military Training in the World, has a 75-80% attrition rate. The seven or eight out of ten men who fail or quit SEAL Training in the Navy are not just average guys walking the streets today, they're the best the Navy has. These are guys who have worked their asses off to get to BUD/S.
Are Navy SEALs allowed to say they are Navy SEALs? ›
Navy SEALs are free to tell family and friends their occupation. The Navy even offers "engagements" in which SEALs talk to high school athletic teams about physical fitness and mental toughness. Nate Lee was senior editor of Chicago's "NewCity" newspaper and creative director in a global advertising agency.
Is it harder to be a SEAL or green beret? ›
Army Green Berets — "Special Forces"
They have about as much street-cred as numbered SEALs and Force Recon, depending on who's doing the talking. Notably, Green Berets have some of the toughest initial training in the entire military (at the risk of drawing the ire of SEALs and Marine Recon).
Is it harder to be a Navy SEAL or Delta Force? ›
Delta is a tier 1 unit. The Seals aren't. Delta recruits from elite infantry units like the 75th Rangers and the SF groups, whereas the Seals recruit from regular Navy fleet personnel. So BUD/Seal training will be harder for these troops than Delta will be for a ranger.
Do Navy SEALs make 6 figures? ›
The average Navy Seal in the US makes $106,000. The average bonus for a Navy Seal is $8,000 which represents 8.16% of their salary, with 16% of people reporting that they receive a bonus each year. Navy Seals make the most in San Jose, CA at $209,285 averaging total compensation 97% greater than US average.
How many Navy SEALs quit? ›
One of things I have discovered really resonated with me. I have always known that “Hell Week” is one of the times that cause many in the training program to quit. The attrition rate for Navy Seal training is about 80%. The training is designed to make you quit…to sort those people out and to sort them out early.
What age is too late to join Navy SEALs? ›
The Navy SEAL requirements state that all Navy SEAL candidates are between the ages of 18 and 28, though candidates who are 17 can attend the training with signed parental permission. Navy SEAL candidates are also required to be United States citizens.
What is the age limit for Navy SEALs? ›
Applicants for SEALs must be from 17 to 28 years old. Waivers for men ages 29 and 30 are available for highly qualified candidates. Men with prior enlisted service as SEALs who are seeking to become SEAL Officers can request waivers to age 33.
The training program for Navy SEALs is plagued by widespread failures in medical care, poor oversight and the use of performance-enhancing drugs that have increased the risk of injury and death to those seeking to become elite commandos, according to an investigation triggered by the death of a sailor last year.
Can I become a Navy SEAL at age 34? ›
Applicants must be from 17 to 28 years old. Waivers for men ages 29 and 30 are available for highly qualified candidates. Men with prior enlisted service as SEALs who are seeking to become SEAL Officers can request waivers to age 33. Vision must be correctable to 20/25.
What does the E in Navy SEAL stand for? ›
, former Weapon System Technician at United States Navy (1974-1999) · 4y. Originally Answered: What does the 'E' in the Navy SEAL stand for? Navy (SEAL) is an acronym for SEa, Air, and Land which are the environments they are trained to operate in. So in the case of the E its simply incorporated into the word sea.
How long do Navy SEALs serve? ›
Navy SEALs are eligible for retirement after 20 years of service, but many SEAL members continue service for at least 30 years to maximize their retirement benefits.
What is the hardest military test to pass? ›
In the US the Marine Corps has the hardest PT test. They also have a combat fitness test which is also an annual requirement.
Who is the toughest SEAL ever? ›
David Goggins, a triathlete, ultramarathoner and retired Navy SEAL, is often nicknamed "the toughest man alive" or "the world's toughest man" for his extreme athletic feats.
What is the toughest SEAL team? ›
SEAL Team 6, officially known as United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), and Delta Force, officially known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), are the most highly trained elite forces in the U.S. military.
What is the hardest part of being a Navy SEAL? ›
Throughout my journey, I've often been asked, "What was the hardest part of becoming a SEAL?" Was it enduring the biting cold, the endless nights, or the relentless physical training? In retrospect, I believe it wasn't any of those. The true challenge was the anticipation and the anxiety it brewed within me.
