Almost everybody in America is familiar with the Navy’s covert specialized operations force, the SEALs. It’s hard not to have heard of them, they are responsible for some of the most daring and famous military missions ever. But there are many surprising and lesser-known facts about the SEALs.
This list takes a look at 15 of the secrets of the Navy SEALs. If you’re thinking of joining up, some of these facts about what really goes on during their training regimens and missions may deter you. If you get through the whole list and still feel like you could hack it, you might just have the stuff.
1
SEAL Team Six’s name was a trick
At the time of SEAL Team Six’s creation, it was only the third SEAL team, following SEAL Team One and SEAL Team Two. The number six was chosen to mislead Soviet intelligence into thinking there were way more Navy SEALs than there actually were.
2
They have incredibly stringent standards
The SEALs’ physical screening test involves a 500-yard swim, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and a 1.5-mile run. And that’s not even mentioning the 56-week training course that covers underwater demolition and parachute jumping.
3
Not everybody makes it
With those requirements in mind, it’s not so surprising that about 80% of new Navy SEAL recruits end up leaving. There aren’t too many Navy SEALs in the world, and that’s because most people just can’t hack it.
4
Their badge of honor shares a name with a beer
The badge that a SEAL who completes their training receives is called a “Budweiser”. Not because of the beer, but because one of their training schools is called ‘Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School’, or ‘BUDS’ for short.
5
Top ten
There are only ten active-duty Navy SEAL teams, with two on reserve. Each team is made up of around 200 people, so there are only about 2,000 Navy SEALs in the world.
6
No women SEALs
Women are allowed to become Navy SEALs and are encouraged to undergo the training, but as of 2023 no woman has yet passed the training to become a Navy SEAL. In an increasingly gender-equal world this is surprising to say the least.
7
They exist thanks to JFK
The Navy SEALS were first established and recognized by John F Kennedy in 1962. Just another impressive milestone in JFK’s legacy.
8
Deadly training
In recent years, more Navy SEALs have died in training exercises than in actual combat missions. Just a testament to how grueling their training process really is.
9
The SEALs rebuilt Bin Laden’s compound
While practicing for the mission to neutralize Osama Bin Laden, SEAL Team Six found 3D simulations to be lacking. So the SEALs built a full-scale model of Bin Laden’s compound to practice the mission.
10
SEAL’s best friend
Navy SEALs are often accompanied on missions by Belgian Malinois dogs, which are trained for special operations. These dogs are trained to discern threats, enter danger zones, and even operate parachutes.
11
Vietnam kill ratio
During the Vietnam war, the Navy SEALs had an unbelievable kill ratio of 200 to 1. That means for every 1 SEAL that died, they killed 200 combatants.
12
The Grinch was SEAL-trained
During the filming of The Grinch, Jim Carrey had to wear immense amounts of makeup and prosthetics. He almost quit the movie, saying he couldn’t handle it. The production brought in a Navy SEAL to help train him to endure the torture of the makeup.
13
SEAL to astronaut
Bill Shepherd, first commander of the ISS, used to be a Navy SEAL. When asked what he did best in his NASA astronaut candidate interview, he replied “Kill people with a knife.”
14
Waterboarding
One aspect of SEAL training used to be undergoing waterboarding. However, this was removed from the training regimen because not even the most seasoned recruits could complete the test.
15
Their training sometimes has an audience
While most Navy SEAL missions are conducted with the utmost secrecy, some training exercises are actually done in public in broad daylight. It’s somewhat common for members of the public to spot Navy SEALs engaged in training along the beaches of San Diego.
