SEAL training prepares you for the extreme physical and mental challenges of SEAL missions. If you’re up to the task, you’ll emerge in incredible physical shape and possess the necessary confidence, determination and teamwork to succeed in a combat environment.

Basic Underwater Demolition

(BUD/S) is a seven-month training challenge that develops your mental and physical stamina and leadership skills. Each BUD/S phase includes timed physical condition tests, with the time requirements becoming more demanding each week. Talk with your Recruiter and discuss the entry physical requirements.

BUD/S — Basic Conditioning (8 weeks)

Think you’re in good condition? Think again. The first phase of BUD/S assesses SEAL candidates in physical conditioning, water competency, teamwork, and mental tenacity. Physical conditioning utilizes running, swimming and calisthenics and grows harder and harder as the weeks progress. You will participate in weekly four mile timed runs in boots, timed obstacle courses, swim distances up to two miles wearing fins in the ocean and learn small boat seamanship.

The first three weeks of Basic Conditioning prepares you for the fourth week, known by many as "Hell Week." During this week, you will participate in five and a half days of continuous training, with a maximum of four hours sleep total. This week is designed as the ultimate test of one's physical and mental motivation. It proves to those who make it that the human body can do ten times the amount of work the average man thinks possible. During Hell Week, you will learn the value of cool headedness, perseverance, and above all, TEAMWORK.

For those who make it through this grueling challenge, the remaining four weeks are devoted to teaching various methods of conducting hydrographic surveys and creating a hydrographic chart.

BUD/S Diving (8 weeks)

The Diving Phase of BUD/S trains, develops and qualifies SEAL candidates as competent basic combat swimmers. During this period, physical training continues and becomes even more intensive.

This second phase concentrates on combat SCUBA. You will learn two types of SCUBA: open circuit (compressed air) and closed circuit (100% oxygen). Emphasis is placed on long-distance underwater dives with the goal of training students to become basic combat divers, using swimming and diving techniques as a means of transportation from their launch point to their combat objective. This is what separates SEALs from all other Special Operations forces.

BUD/S Land Warfare (9 weeks)

Land Warfare trains, develops and qualifies SEAL candidates in basic weapons, demolition, and small-unit tactics. Physical training continues and become even more strenuous as the run distance increases and the minimum passing times are lowered for the runs, swims and obstacle course.

This third phase concentrates on teaching land navigation, small-unit tactics, patrolling techniques, rappelling, marksmanship and military explosives. The final three and a half weeks are spent on San Clemente Island, where students apply all the techniques they have acquired during training.

Advanced Training

BUD/S graduates attend several more courses before they are assigned to a team. This includes:

• Basic parachute training.
• Diving medicine and medical skills training in the Special Operations Medical Course (for medical personnel).

Once all courses are completed, graduates are assigned to a SEAL or Special Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Team for duty.

Training, physical conditioning and drills are part of the SEAL lifestyle. Once you’ve completed SEAL initial training, you can go even further with advanced training that could include foreign language study, SEAL tactical communications training, Sniper, Military Free-fall Parachuting, Jump Master (Static line and Military Free-fall), Explosive Breacher and much more.

Special Pay

SEALs receive normal military pay and allowances, plus incentive pay for special skills and assignments. All SEALS receive jump, dive and demo pay, plus special duty assignment pay. It makes SEALS the highest paid enlisted operators in the US military.