Advanced Training

Since this training is highly technical and very dangerous, it is considerably more relaxed and is a refreshing transition for the BUD/S graduate from the harassment of BUD/S training to the professional attitude at the SEAL Teams. Still, SEALs are expected to perform at a high level; it is not unheard of to be expelled from this training.

Also the new SEALs reputation starts while he is at BUD/S, and reputation is the cornerstone of the professional SEAL's career. To be known as a good "operator" is as highly coveted in the Teams as a six-figure paycheck is on Wall Street! Many aspects of the SEAL Delivery Vehicle program are classified and beyond what we can discuss here - so you will have to join the Navy to find out.

Airborne

Picture yourself standing in the side door of a C-141 cargo aircraft traveling at 120 knots. The windblast is deafening. Your stomach is churning, as you contemplate leaping out the door into the sky 1500 feet above the ground. Many things could go wrong - you could trip and hit your head on the door, your static line could break, or, heaven forbid, your parachute could malfunction. Jump, two, three, four, five - check canpoy, look for other jumpers, uh oh, got a tear the size of the grand canyon and you are coming down fast. Through 1,000 feet, seconds tick away as the terror of the moment grips you.

Finally, the three weeks of airborne training kick in and you remember instinctively your points of performance in this situation. Reserve deployment. Look, reach, grab and pull the reserve handles. Watch as it cuts away your main chute and deploys your reserve -1B parachute. 500 feet, not much room to spare as you drift to the ground preparing to do a PLF (Parachute Landing Fall) or land on your fifth point of performance (your butt). Grab your chute and report into the Army instructor - Congratulations! You have completed your first Airborne jump at Basic Airborne training in Fort Benning, Ga. Four more to go and you can pin on the lead wings and report in to your SEAL Team for SQT.