What is a Navy SEAL?

The acronym "SEAL" is composed of the initial letters of the three environments within which the members of the unit are trained to operate - "SE" from "Sea", "A" from "Air", and "L" from "Land". The name is an acronym, and not an abbreviation, so there are no period marks after the letters. It is always fully capitalized. When members of the unit see the word in print as "Seal" they object to the inaccuracy, occasionally offering the comment that "A SEAL is a member of the US Navy's Special Operations Forces... and a 'Seal' is a marine pinniped mammal with no external ears."

 

In truth it is somewhat unlikely that you will  meet a member of the Naval Special Warfare community or that you would realize it if it happened. Their numbers are actually quite small in comparison to the many millions of souls who have served in all branches of the American armed forces since their founding in 1942. More men have made a living as professional football players than have served in the Naval Special Warfare community since its inception in the earliest days of World War II.

 

The men of the Naval Special Warfare community are known as "The Quiet Professionals"; they are not given to chest-thumping braggadocio or self-aggrandizement. From 1962 when the first SEAL teams were commissioned, to present day, Navy SEALs have distinguished themselves as an individually reliable, collectively disciplined and highly skilled maritime force. Because of the dangers inherent in NSW, prospective SEALs go through what is considered by many military experts to be the toughest training in the world. The intense physical and mental conditioning it takes to become a SEAL begins at Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training which is conducted at the Naval Special Warfare Center in San Diego, CA. Candidates must complete a mentally and physically demanding 6-month basic training course, 3 weeks of parachute training and a 15-week advanced training period prior to becoming a SEAL and earning the Trident--the warfare pin insignia of all SEAL operators.

Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) operate and maintain the inventory of state-of-the-art, high-performance boats and ships used to support SEALs and special operations missions. Individually, SEALs and SWCC go through separate, but similar, specialized training programs that emphasize special operations in the maritime environment. SWCC are trained extensively in craft and weapons tactics, techniques and procedures. Focusing on clandestine infiltration and exfiltration of SEALs and other special operations forces, SWCC provide dedicated, rapid mobility in shallow water areas where larger ships cannot operate. Like SEALs, SWCC must be physically fit, highly motivated, combat-focused and responsive in high stress situations.

NSW forces can operate independently or integrate with other U.S. special operations forces or within U.S. Navy carrier battle groups and amphibious ready groups. With half of the world¹s industry and population located within one mile of an ocean or navigable river, NSW forces have a proud history of mastering these vital littoral regions.