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The United States Navy SEAL platoons project
power far beyond their small 16 man size. The
success of their mission doesn't just rely on
weapons or technology, but on the specialized
training of the individual SEAL operator.
[ gunfire ]
They come from all walks of life, from all
across the American landscape. Most have some
nature of athletic ability, over a third have
college degrees. They all share a common goal,
to become a member of the most elite team in
the world, the United States Navy SEALs.
Each year 600 to 800 young men attempt the
basic underwater demolition SEAL training, or
BUDs, at the Naval Special Warfare Center in
Coronado, California. But only 1/3 complete
the rigorous 25 week transition from sailor to
SEAL. This is the story of one such group,
Class 224.
ENS McDonald: You get treated like the absolute
lowest form on earth, and you really gotta find
it within yourself to say you know, I know I
can do it, I know I can finish it, I know I can
do anything they throw at me. Uh that's where
it builds character. You find out if you got it
in yourself, uh if you can just block
everything out and just focus on that brass
ring you know of getting through this 6 months
of hell.
BM1 Gotka: First phase is really the phase
that's gonna separate the men from the boys.
These guys come here, they really don't know
what to expect. So, uh, we're gonna push 'em.
We're gonna push 'em hard. We're gonna see
what they have. And the guys that wanna be
here, no matter what we do or say, they wanna
be a SEAL they're gonna be a SEAL. That's,
that's, that's all there is to it.
LTJG Munz: Physically, BUDs is a real butt
kicker. Just having the mental fortitude of
not only trying to get through the PT sessions
but also getting through the lack of sleep,
having instructors on your back, being hurt all
the time, all those things start, start taking
the play in it during the day and it's uh,
just having the idea of there is nothing that's
gonna stop me from finishing this training or
finishing this evolution, let's get through it.
I believe that uh, BUDs builds teamwork and
character by uh, weeding out the weak, bringing
the strong together to survive the training.
I don't think any one man can make it alone
through BUDs.
Instructor: You're gonna stay in this position
till you guys [inaudible]. Stay there all day.
ENS Donaldson: I'd say the obstacle course is
never below my expectations. It's some of the
best training you can get because you gotta
think on your feet, you gotta act, you gotta
move, and you gotta be fast, and you gotta be
safe. You could really hurt yourself.
First unit first phase is pretty high, players
say it's a really fast paced phase and these
guys are constantly movin' and groovin' every
second of every day except for when they're
eating. So, uh, the guys when they hear about
SEAL training they're like well all you have to
do is run, all you have to do is an O course,
things like that, not really that big a deal,
but once you start putting everything together
and the days are endless, that's when uh guys
decide that this really isn't for me, I'm not, I
don't wanna be wet I don't wanna be cold, this
pace right here is not for me. Cause that's
what's gonna happen when they leave here they go
to SEAL team, there the pace is just like that
it never ends.
Just about everything at BUDs is, is a timed
evolution or its, its a race. Uh, it builds
camaraderie with the guys. They, they take their
boats and they'll race out to the surf zone.
Sometimes the boats will flip over on 'em
because the surf gets so big.
It's quite an experience to be paddling in a
rubber boat and facing an 8 foot wall of water
comin' at you that's just gonna destroy you and,
you know, send you tumbling around. And there's
almost like a washing machine effect in the water.
ENS Burns: What we're looking for from a recruit,
number one he has to have the physical skills to
complete the training. Two, he has to have the
mental aptitude cause we're not just a bunch of
knuckle draggers, you have to have some mental
skills as well. We don't look for any kind of
personality, there's all sorts of different
kind of personalities in, in the teams. But,
we're lookin' for a guy that, that's willing to
sacrifice and can work well with others in, in a
teamwork environment.
Think the evolutions that cause the most problems
are the water evolutions. Some of these kids are
from Wyoming and places where they haven't even
seen the water, or at least the surf zone and
they're not really too comfortable in the water
and they're doin' drown proofing where your hands
are tied behind your back, your feet are tied up,
they don't like that.
Down proofing, I think it's more of a mental
thing then a physical evolution. It's all about
trying to stay calm and being comfortable in the
water. Half of our class uh failed it the first
time they went through, and I think it's cause
they have the mental block of, of the idea of
not having control. You just gotta, you know,
have confidence in yourself and, in sayin' you
know, I've done this before I can float on the
water. 3,000 guys have done it before I have, ya
know, why can't I do it. It's, it's a mental
thing.