Operational Training

BUD/S and Beyond
Congratulations:  You’ve passed the SEAL PST and have graduated Boot Camp. You now proudly wear the uniform of the U.S. Navy and are on your way to BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training. The Navy core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment are a minimum expectation of every SEAL and trainee. Now is the time to adopt the SEAL ethos – the mindset to never ever quit, and do whatever it takes to pull your teammates through.

The BUD/S Instructors will be putting you through the very same training that they have gone through themselves. They will be testing and observing you to determine if they can trust you with their lives and your classmates. There is a good chance, given the small size of the SEAL community, that you will serve in future combat operations with some of your instructors. These veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq know firsthand that, “the more you sweat in peacetime, the less you bleed in war. ”

Do you have what it takes? Do you want it badly enough? To make it through BUD/S and “Hell Week” you will need great physical fitness and endurance, mental discipline, teamwork, character, mature judgment, and a fiery desire to be a SEAL. Young men of all physical builds, ethnicities, educational backgrounds, sports specialties and various ages have succeeded before you. With determination, you can too.

Ten Steps to Be A SEAL Operator

  1. Sign up for the SEAL Challenge and make SEAL passing scores on the ASVAB test.
  2. Train hard consistently, and pass the Physical Screening Test (PST) for SEALs.
  3. Attend Navy Recruit Training Command (12 weeks) and pass the SEAL PST again.
  4. Take SEAL Indoctrination and Pre-Training (3-5 weeks) in Coronado, CA.
  5. Enter BUD/S (6 months total)
    1. Phase 1 (8 weeks)
    2. Phase 2 (8 weeks)
    3. Phase 3 (9 weeks)
  6. Complete U.S. Army Jump School (Ft. Benning, GA) or Naval Special Warfare Parachute Course (San Diego, CA)
  7. Complete SEAL Qualification Training (Coronado, CA)
  8. Graduate w/your SEAL class and receive your Trident, the Navy’s SEAL Insignia.
  9. Start assignment to one of eight SEAL Teams or two SDV Teams in Coronado, CA, Virginia Beach, VA, or Pearl Harbor, HI.
  10. Sharpen your war fighting skills in your SEAL Platoon or SDV Platoon. After a six-month “work-up,” deploy overseas to conduct Maritime Special Operations as directed by senior military commanders in specified geographic regions overseas.