Naval Academy

[bobman]

If you were in the naval academy and looking to become a SEAL after graduation, how would you go about this?

Thanks

[JSOCMarine]

Assuming that you get into USNA, and if you qualify physically, etc., you may be able to compete for a small number of SpecWar slots that are alloted per graduating class.

Usually there is a SEAL Chief Petty Officer stationed at the Academy, and there are sometimes SEAL officers serving in some capacity. The USNA route to the SEALS has been working for a good while now. I am sure that you can find out more by speaking to a SEAL who went there, as well as an Academy spokesman. Good luck, Semper Fi.

[Mike]

Or you can take the summer SEAL class option - sort of like a 6 week class or so dyrung summer cruises
In addition to keep physically fit, try joining the Semper Fidelis Society, a group for Marine-option midshipmen, even if you're not becoming a Marine officer. Marine and SEALs training are paralel, in a way, since you are not going to learn jungle warfare in a class about surface warfare or submarine wars of WWII or something else
The former Navy quarterback was a Navy SEAL who was killed by a jealous ex-financee of his girlfriend in CA a few years ago

[bobman]

So would you go to BUD/S after graduation, or while going to Annapolis, or during the summer, or not go period?

Thanks

[Captain Ron]

I have the book that they send to HS Career Center's and the only mentioning of it is after you graduate, you are ranked, blah blah
blah, just like in a ROTC and thats how they weed out who can go where. I believe that they mainly do this for the pilots in the academy, but it is has potential to weed you out as a Seal officer or something. Thats what some guy that went through ROTC said when he came to our school. Of course, he was a marine, but went through the ROTC at Penn State. That was like 3 years ago, but thats what I remember.

[Fred]

BUD/S is not a summer course offered to middies during summer break. You can only attend after graduation - if you make the cut that is.

[bobman]

Thanks Fred. What happens if you make the cut to go to BUD/S (Upon graduation), but don't make it throught BUD/S? Where would you go then?

[Fred]

I'm pretty sure that most BUD/S washouts (Officers)who still have obligated service, but no warfare specialty yet are sent to Surface Warfare school (shipdriver). There may be other opportunities, but that would depend on your education and contacts methinks.

[Mike]

To Fred, I looked at an old USNA catalog from a few years ago (the new one should be online at http://www.usna.navy.mil) and there is a short description of a 4 week special warfare course. Maybe it is not a mini-SEAL class, but an overall one.

[Mike]

http://prodevweb.prodev.usna.edu/IMIS/COMMUN/SPECWAR.htm
http://www.usna.edu/MISLO04/16enl.html
http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/servesel.htm

also about 15 midshipmen go to BUD/S annually after graudation

[Fred]

Mini BUD/S is by no means something necessary to become a SEAL. It probably won't help your chances of completing training, and nobody on a Team will give a damn if you went or not. You still have to go through the actual training. I suppose it beats spending your summer cruise on a ship or a sub, though.

[bobman]

Thank you, Fred and Mike. Currently I am in high school, and my counselor/USN recruiter got me interested in the naval academy. I have yet to take the SATs, but I got a 98% Academic Average on my ASVAB (I realize that the ASVAB is meaningless while applying to the academy, but I wanted to take it for comparison reasons), and have a 3.8 GPA. If I decided to apply to Annapolis and made it, I would probably want to go into Intel after graduation. (I have the utmost respect for the SEALs (as much as I can say I have without have ever meeting one), but being a commando just wouldn't be me.)

Once again, thank you for your info.
- Bob

[This message has been edited by bobman (edited 03-29-2000).]

[KevinQ]

Mini-BUD/S IS necessary if you want to become a SEAL officer out of the Naval Academy. It is a 3 week course offered twice each summer. If you do not attend Mini-BUD/S you will not be competitive for one of the limited billets when it comes to service selection. Any other questions about going SEALs out of the Academy, shoot me an e-mail - I'm a mid at USNA. m035646@nadn.navy.mil

-Kevin

[srff]

STUDY ,RUN, SWIM ,STUDY,STUDY AND STUDY

[DCH]

kind of OT,

I too remember the tragic homicide 'Mike' mentioned in the above post. Alton Grizzard was his name if memory serves correct. Godspeed

-DCH

[CaptainKB]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by KevinQ:
[B]Mini-BUD/S IS necessary if you want to become a SEAL officer out of the Naval Academy.

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. I'm a Mid too, and I know people who have service selected SEALs without going to mini-BUD/S. The SEALs take a lot into account when they pick the 14 (I think it's 14 now, but it may be 16) who will get the billet. Mini-BUD/S, PFT scores, grades, Academy leadership positions and personal interview are all taken into account.

[KevinQ]

yeah, you're right. I stand corrected. I was under the impression that Mini-BUD/S was required, but I guess not. Can't understand why not though? any ideas on why its not mandatory except in special cases like being injured or whatnot? Thanks