Navy SEAL Recruiting (updated)

[RetiredSOCS]

I'm posting this thread for two reasons; 1) to inform all interested candidates on the current SEAL recruiting policies, and 2) to inform all former and retired SEALs so we don’t spread a bunch of outdated information to young men in our communities.

There are 26 Navy Recruiting Districts in the country and every one of them has a NSW/NSO Mentor. I just happen to be the Mentor in Nashville. Most of us are former/retired SEALs but there are a couple of Divers and a couple of SWCCs too. I know all of these guys, and SEAL or not they are all good mugs and are doing great work.

Basic Requirements- not all inclusive but the major items are covered:

1. Only Males Accepted

2. 17-28 years of age at time of enlistment with potential 2 year waiver based primarily on what you have been doing with your life and your Physical Screening Test (PST) score.

It looks a lot better if you are 29 and are a practicing Lawyer (an actual recruit of mine) than if you are 29 still living with mom and dad and are the assistant to the assistant manager at McDonald's. Don’t expect to get approved for an age waiver if you can barely pass the PST.

3. ASVAB minimums-
GS+EI+MC=165 or VE+MK+MC+CS=220
If AFQT is 49 or less you can get a 1 point waiver per line score.
If AFQT is 50-59 you can get a 2 point waiver per line score.
If AFQT is 60 or more you can get a 3 point waiver per line score.

In plain English, if you took the ASVAB with Coding Speed (CS) in it, you can qualify using both line score combinations. If not, you only get the first combination. The first combination of 3 line scores has a waiver possibility of 3-9 points based on AFQT. The second combination of 4 line scores has a 4-12 point waiver range.

4. Vision in the weaker eye can be NO WORSE than 20/70 in the weaker eye and NO WORSE than 20/40 in the stronger eye. Both MUST be correctable to 20/25. Note: These vision requirements were just updated in Feb-09 and a lot of guys who were qualified are now unqualified. Those individuals should take a good look at EOD, Diver, or SWCC as alternatives to SEAL. Any current SEAL contracted Deppers who do not meet the new vision requirements are grandfathered in and do NOT have to worry about losing their contract.

So what can you do if you think your MEPS eye exam is wrong? Easy, you can pay for your own eye exam. If that exam says you are within acceptable limits, it will usually outweigh the MEPS exam. Do not, however, try to influence a private optometrist to write you a favorable exam report just so you can get a contract. The truth always comes out eventually. It would be a shame to lose your SEAL contract after you ship off to Boot Camp.

5. Normal Color Perception- This is not waiverable.

6. If you have been in trouble with the law, just fess up to everything and the recruiting district will do its best to get you in. If you lie, you will get caught especially when you apply for a higher security clearance (as a SEAL you will).

If you meet all the above requirements, you will be required to pick another job besides SO (the new rating for SEAL as of October 2006) and go into the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). Then you had better bug your recruiter to get you in touch with your SEAL Mentor. For example, I get a daily list of all interested/qualified recruits from the classifiers at MEPS. I never call any of them because I am testing their motivation right from the start. If a guy is serious about being a SEAL, he will bear crawl to the ends of the earth to meet with me. (No, I do not make candidates bear crawl to meet with me)

Every mentor has his own way of doing business. I prefer that my first face-to-face meeting with a qualified DEP recruit be a swim lesson and an introduction to a training program. Then I test them every couple of weeks until they pass. Once they pass, they are reclassified to SO with a new ship date. Then I alternate workouts and tests every time I meet with them. A new requirement as of October 2008 is that every SEAL Depper must pass the PST every 45 days while in DEP. When they are 14 days from shipping to Boot Camp they must pass the final quality assurance PST. If they fail they will not be allowed to ship with a SEAL contract, period!

Passing for SEAL

500-yard swim in 12:30 or less (using side or breast stroke only)

10 minute break

42 pushups in 2 minutes

2 minute break

50 situps in 2 minutes

2 minute break

6 pullups (no time limit)

10 minute break

1.5-mile run in 11:00 or less

Elevated for SEAL

11:00 on swim

62 pushups

70 situps

8 pullups

11:00 on run

If you pass at the elevated level on your first try at RTC you will get a $2,000 advance on your $40,000 enlistment bonus. It must be your first test or you get nothing up front. If you get dropped from training after receiving the $2,000 you DO NOT have to pay it back.

More to follow.

[Frog]

Adding from SOCS old post:

As of this 09 Feb 09, there are new vision requirements to qualify for a SEAL contract:

Distant vision in the bad eye can be no worse that 20/70

Distant vision in the better eye can be no worse the 20/40

Both eyes must be correctable to 20/25 (vice 20/20)

Anyone with an existing SEAL contract is grandfathered in while anyone that has been trying to pass the PST but passes after the Feb date is no longer eligible.

[dagger0824]

Originally Posted by Frog

Distant vision in the bad eye can be no worse that 20/70

Distant vision in the better eye can be no worse the 20/40

Both eyes must be correctable to 20/25 (vice 20/20)

Sir,

My eyesight is worse than that. If I pay a civilian to fix my eyes before I join the Navy, will that be acceptable? I am aware of the six month post surgery you must wait before being cleared by MEPS.

Thank you,

dagger0824

[RetiredSOCS]

Originally Posted by dagger0824

Sir,

My eyesight is worse than that. If I pay a civilian to fix my eyes before I join the Navy, will that be acceptable? I am aware of the six month post surgery you must wait before being cleared by MEPS.

Thank you,

dagger0824

Only if you get the surgery BEFORE you join the Navy. It is expressly forbidden in DEP.