The Navy SEALs are one of the most elite fighting forces in the world. Notorious for their exploits around the world, this select few go through pain before ever leaving training. But when they do, they are capable of feats no normal soldier could. Training under the worst conditions imaginable, and wielding some of the military’s greatest innovations, Navy SEALs represent the best of the best the US Military can offer. From Osama Bin Laden, to missions we have and never will hear about, the Navy SEALs are one of the main spearheads of the US Special Forces.
22. They Got Their Start From an Interesting Place
JFK made a speech on May 15th, 1961 gave an historic speech, in which he discussed funding a number of different operations of the military. Though most had no idea what he was talking about at the time, around a year later the first two SEAL teams were unveiled by the Navy, and special warfare would never be the same.
They Got Their Start From an Interesting Place
21. Their Training Standards are Brutal
The minimum standards for joining the SEALs training is daunting enough. Swim 500 yards in 12.5 minutes, 42 pushups, 50 situps, 6 pull ups, and a 1.5 mile run in under 11 minutes. But this is just the bare minimum. Those seeking the top need to do the swim in 8 minutes, 80-100 pushups and situps, 20 pull ups, and run 1.5 miles in under 9 minutes.
Their Training Standards are Brutal But unfortunately, this only prepares you for the fitness test, before you even start training or ‘Suffer Week’. That is a whole different animal.
20. There Are Many Weakest Links In Training
There is a reason Navy SEALs are considered one of the most elite units in the world. They are trained to withstand some of the worst environments and situations on earth, so they will be prepared when they end up in those worst case scenarios. But it also explains why there is an 80% washout rate of new recruits.
There Are Many Weakest Links In Training They face 132 hours of ‘Suffer Week’, after which the remaining 20% is whittled down until the few soldiers that are the best of the best. This is also one of the reasons there aren’t many SEAL teams in action.
19. No More Waterboarding
Though they used to use this as a tool to break and train recruits, the method was too effective. No recruits were able to survive the water torture without breaking, which caused a huge blow to morale.
No More Waterboarding As a comparison, the CIA does still use this training method on occasion, and the record is something around 14 seconds.
18. Famous Beer Or Badge of Honor?
Any SEAL who has completed training receives a pin on his uniform that is more often referred to as a “Budweiser.” While the pin does resemble the Anheuser-Busch logo, it actually has to do with the acronym for the training they go through, BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL school).
Famous Beer Or Badge of Honor?
17. SEALs Don’t Only Get Wet
Though they are absolutely a naval outfit, SEALs isn’t just a cute nickname. It’s also an acronym which stands for Sea Air and Land, which signifies the fact that SEALs are ready to operate in any environment at any time.
SEALs Don’t Only Get Wet One of the specialties are High Altitude Low Opening jumps, where SEALs jump from 25,000 feet up, and open their shutes at only 500 feet above the ground. They can travel for over 20 miles in the air before settling on the ground.
16. 9/11 Was a Catalyst For More Than Just the War on Terror
As previously mentioned, the number of SEALs are exceptionally small, a testament to the training and level of expectations for every soldier wearing a Budweiser. After 9/11, SEAL Team 6, the elite of the elite SEALs, were expanded from 90 to almost 300 members.
9/11 Was a Catalyst For More Than Just the War on Terror Due to a large expansion of their mission and necessity to be in even more hotspots, they needed to expand their numbers. Today there are about 2,500 active SEALs. That makes up less than 1% of the entire Navy roster.
15. There are 8 SEAL Teams, Only 6 Exist
The SEAL teams are split into Group One and Group Two, split up by evens and odds. But according to the public, teams Six and Nine don’t exist. Now we know that SEAL Team 6 took out Bin Laden, but there is nothing known about the 9th SEAL team, or in general about 6 itself, besides that accolade.
There are 8 SEAL Teams, Only 6 Exist
14. SEAL Team 6 Started With Fraud
Commander (ret.) Richard Marcinko was the founder of SEAL Team 6. He named it so in order to confuse the Russians into thinking there were six teams, because at the time there was only Team One, Two and Six.
SEAL Team 6 Started With Fraud But in order to fund the construction of the unit, some “unorthodox” methods were used that ended up getting Marcinko deep-sixed to military prison. Still he did it for the greater good, and that can be seen in the missions that Six has undertaken, most without the American public ever knowing a thing.
13. SEALs Have a Favorite War Puppy
Belgian Malinois are Navy SEALs dog of choice. Trained for special operations, these dogs accompany SEALs on missions and are able to operate parachutes, jumping either with their soldier, or just on their own.
SEALs Have a Favorite War Puppy They are extremely fast, running double the rate of humans, and trained to enter danger zones prior to troops, to discern any potential threats.
12. The Ranks Segregated No More
Up until now, SEALs were strictly men, as women candidates were not accepted. More than that, the SEALs and Navy’s Special Operations Combat Crewman (SWCC) by law were the only two units that women were not allowed in.
The Ranks Segregated No More However, Admiral Jon Greenert and Rear Admiral Brian Losey think differently. They believe women should be able to serve in the SEALs, provided they can pass the six-month BUD/S training.
11. They Wait a Long Time to Be Deployed
As one of the most elite units in the world, SEALs need to train a ridiculous amount to be ready for what is expected of them on every mission. But they have in particular one of the longest training programs in the US military.
They Wait a Long Time to Be Deployed Some reports say that SEALs need to train more than 2 and a half years!! Before they are deployed to some far off place.
10. Real Life Rambos in Vietnam
SEALs can’t make mistakes. One wrong move can mean detection and certain death or capture. And with that in mind, the SEALs were beasts during the Vietnam War. They had an insane 200:1 kill ratio, with only 46 losses over the course of the entire war.
Real Life Rambos in Vietnam There is a reason the world usually has no idea about SEAL missions. If they did, they failed.
9. Their Missions Aren’t What Get Them Killed
The training process for SEALs is extremely dangerous, and this point is brought home the best bu the fact that More of them have died in training accidents in the last 3 years, than in combat or from combat-related injuries.
Their Missions Aren’t What Get Them Killed Just goes to show how much these men (and soon women) sacrifice to be amongst the elite of the elite.
8. They Go On to Incredible Careers in Every Industry Imaginable
SEALs have a very unique set of skills from their training, but it doesn’t necessarily prepare them for the outside world. However, the exceptional people the SEALs seek out to join them often continue that level of success outside of their service.
They Go On to Incredible Careers in Every Industry Imaginable A number of SEALs have gone on to become astronauts, politicians, even Survivor contestants and pro-wrestlers.
7. The Mission To Kill Bin Laden was Practiced Low Tech
Unfortunately we still lack the technology to develop accurate 3D models of structures in a way that is effective for military training. The SEALs literally rebuilt the entire compound that Bin Laden was expected to be at, in North Carolina to practice the mission over and over until they were ready.
The Mission To Kill Bin Laden was Practiced Low Tech
6. They Get Recognized in Very Strange Ways for Their Achievements
SEALs aren’t in it for the glory, mostly because if they do their job right there is none to be had. But some organizations and companies do recognize their sacrifices, and pitch in to try to make their lives easier. After their successful assassination of Osama Bin Laden, Fleshlight sent the members of SEAL Team 6 Fleshlights from their ‘Stealth’ collection.
They Get Recognized in Very Strange Ways for Their Achievements There’s an odd perk for eliminating a terrorist mastermind.
5. Jim Carrey Channeled Navy SEAL Training During The Grinch
During the filming of the movie The Grinch, Carrey had to go through 8 and a half hours of makeup each day. After one day he put his foot through a wall and said he couldn’t do the movie.
Jim Carrey Channeled Navy SEAL Training During The Grinch So they brought in an expert to help him endure the “torture”, and it did exactly that.
4. A Navy SEAL Nearly Won an Ironman, If It Wasn’t For That Beer
Former Navy SEAL John Dunbar was famous for his 2nd place finishes in the 1978 and 1979 Ironman competitions, the first two events of its kind. The 1979 edition of the race ended up in a Sports Illustrated Article, titled “IRONMAN,” which is heralded as bringing triathlons into mainstream athletics.
A Navy SEAL Nearly Won an Ironman, If It Wasn’t For That Beer But in his first race his finish wasn’t necessarily his fault. He was way ahead in the race, but his support team ran out of water, and started to feed him beer instead.
3. They Might Be SEALs, But People Still Take Advantage
Sometimes the long hours and time away from home can really take its toll. For one aerospace engineer named Christopher Lee Tappen, who was working with the SEALs, it was just too much to bear. In order to visit his wife more conveniently on the West coast, he embezzled $74,000 from the military to fund a self-made plane.
They Might Be SEALs, But People Still Take Advantage Naturally he was caught, and in 2013 he was sentenced to 5 months in prison.
2. A Famous Face
Chris Kyle, R.I.P, is one of the most well-known Navy SEALs today. Besides a movie and books, he’s the most accomplished sniper in US military history. He had over 150 confirmed kills up to 2,100 yards, and many more unconfirmed, which lead to him being given the nickname “The Devil” amongst Iraqi militants.
1. This Guy Makes Chuck Norris Look Weak
Bill Shepherd, famous astronaut and first commander of the International Space Station, was also a Navy SEAL. When asked what he was best at in an astronaut candidate interview, he promptly answered “killing people with a knife.”
This Guy Makes Chuck Norris Look Weak
