Questions on SEAL life..

[LuckyXxXLoki]

Well to start off, I'm 17 and am a senior at a Dallas TX high school and become more and more convinced everyday that the SEALs is what I have been called to do. I'm however scared to death of the unknown I guess you could say. I'm in very good physical condition having been a state champion swimmer two years in a row and I really like workin out. I did an ocean swim about 2.2 miles in the cove near La Jolla and really enjoyed it. However I have heard some things. Like while your in BUD/S you have NO life. You eat, breath, and sleep SEALs and there is nothing else to it. That doesn't bother me really, I just wonder what BUD/S life is like from someone who has gone through it. Also when do you get to go home and visit family? Is it hard to have a family life as a SEAL? Another thing is NOTHING about the training bothers or scares me. However, I hate rock climbing, with a passion, I would rather run 15 miles than climb up something 50 feet tall. What things like that will I have to deal with as a SEAL? Thanks for yall's dedication to this site and responding.

- Glenn -

[Liberty]

Glenn,

I was not in the teams however did serve in the United States Navy. I too had aspirations of becoming a Navy SEAL until one day on the USS Nimitz I sat down with a Team member from SEAL Team 5. Let me say that after that 4 hour conversation I knew that physically and mentally I had what it would take to persevere through BUD/S but I found out that I was not willing or able to make the kind of committment to the Teams that was required. I noticed that in your message you stated that you were wondering about having a life while you were in BUD/S. The thing that you have to remember is that being a SEAL is a career. No matter if you're there for 4 or 30 years it's a career and just like in the civilian sector your career demands everything you have in you to be the very best you can be. I can promise you that being in that community demands more of you than most any career in the world. It's just my opinion and I realize that I'm not a SEAL however I have built a successful career in the IT field, and in my opinion if you're not ready to give absolutely everything inside of you and to make the sacrifices that will be asked of you then you're looking in the wrong direction for a military career.

[LuckyXxXLoki]

Well the thing is, I don't mind sacrificing my time and not having a life while I'm in BUD/S, however I'm just wondering it like after you become a SEAL, will you be away from say.. your wife year round? I have a very serious g/f and I plan on marrying her, she said she is willing to wait and cope with it, and to which I love her very much for but I just wonder how much I would get to see her. I understand a sacrifice would need to be made and thats ok, I'd be willing to pay that price to be amoung the elite of the world. Like how much I would be gone during the year? Things like that. Thanks for responding.