Any Danger in Hellweek?

[diesel828]

I don't know much about BUD/S but has anyone ever died or been hospitalized for going through hellweek? I would assume that if you're averaging 2-3 hours of sleep a night that your body really wouldn't be able to do much after 3-4 days. But then again, I'm not entirely sure.

[Doug]

I'm pretty sure nobody died due to hell week, although it does pretty much feel like you died. To my knowledge there was only ever 2 deaths during BUD/S history. Although I could be wrong. Could have just been training rumors too. One I heard a guy fell off the cargo net (any truth to this?) Im not sure about the other.

As for not going far off no sleep, I didn't think that was really the bad part, because when the instructors are keeping you active, its kinda hard to just fall asleep unless your just standing there or sitting down wherever. One of the worst parts about hell week was that damn boat bouncing up and down on your head. *lol* Never forget that :-) Later...

[Gokusfusion]

I would assume that if you're averaging 2-3 hours of sleep a night that your body really wouldn't be able to do much after 3-4 days. But then again, I'm not entirely sure.


I thought that you only got 2-4 hours of sleep tops during hell week,not 2-3 a night? Someone correct me if I'm wrong please,thanks.

lol I know what you are saying about going to sleep standing up doug(not personnally) I saw on the discovery channel how students earned a short nap standing up. (LOL) That was horrid,but at that point I'd imagne your so tired you'd sleep on a bed of nails. that's what buds is all about not a pretty sight..

[Doug]

Oh, yes it is possible to sleep standing up. Especially when your standing guard at the class IBS's during lunch *lol* And it is 2 hours of sleep for the WEEK not per night. But there are times you can sneak in VERY, very quick naps. *lol*. It was all fun though!...

[Romulus]

Oh, yes it is possible to sleep standing up.

I concur with that, in fact it´s possible to sleep while marching..
Till you hit the deck that is, surprisingly many seconds though.
Own experience..
Romulus out.

[childofgod]

To my knowledge there was only ever 2 deaths during BUD/S history. Although I could be wrong. Could have just been training rumors too. One I heard a guy fell off the cargo net (any truth to this?) Im not sure about the other.


I know in '87 one guy died of hypothermia on a long open ocean swim (this is why in those BUD/S shows, now you always see the instructors sticking by them in boats).

[elpaninaro]

Someone died not too long ago doing a free ascent in the pool. It was in "The Warrior Elite" as an explanation for increased instructor supervision of some of the pool exercises. Here in Houston there was some press a couple of years ago about a trainee who died, and that may be the same incident- I am not sure.

From everything I have read, the deaths- including the above- were related to unusual circumstances. Death is certainly possible in a 15 foot free ascent without proper exhaling, but pretty rare. I got away with doing a 40 footer once when I panicked and I am still here. But lesson learned- I got a mild case of decompression sickness which is an experience one learns from the first time quite convincingly.

Doug, on the subject of no sleep I would be curious for more info on how you felt doing that. During my "hell week" for my fraternity we had similar sleep deprivation. I think we got about 10-12 hours over the course of 5 days. Now I am in NO way trying to compare that to BUDs Hell Week, but I was surprised looking back to see it was possible. The first 48 hours were the worst. After that we were just walking zombies and while it sucked, we did not really dwell on it. Same for you guys? The big difference I noticed was a phenomenal urge to eat. I ate huge amounts of food that week- probably twice what I normally eat.

I am sure the vastly greater physical stress in BUDs makes a huge difference, but the act of staying awake for prolonged periods on its own face was not as tough as I had anticipated.

I only mention it since that seems to be a favorite "Wow, I DON'T believe it" aspect of BUDs in the eyes of the general public. Seems to me the physical and mental stress that goes along with it is the tougher part of the package.

[Wazz]

A new UDT member drown on 29 Nov 52 while SCUBA training in the usual calm but high surf at the Strand in Coronado. He caught his leg in a 1/4" buoy line and paniced and tore one of his SCUBA breathing tubes. His swim partner lost sight of him just long enough for him to drown. After being pulled from the surf he was given immediate life saving attention and an ambulance was called. But he was DOA upon being retrieved from the water.

---------------------------------------------------------------

I fell asleep during a 0400-0800 watch as Port Bridge Lookout on the USS Bremerton. To help keep myself from sleeping, which would have been a quick trip to the Brig, I began to whistle. My mind and body were asleep but I kept whistling until the Officer of the Deck approached me. I did not know anyone was beside me until the OD told me to be quiet.

Many a times to stay awake while standing the 2400-0400, or 0400-0800 watch I would count the illuminous sea urchins that the ships bow wake would churn to the surface. Or, I would grasp the edge of the watch tub and do short calisthenics. On the old Capitol Ship Navy the Deck Force, of which I was a grunting member, worked seven days a week, with the evenings spent standing in line, shining shores and preparing for next days reflection of a Capitol Ship sailor. If you remained on board you received approx 3 hours on Sunday afternoon to relax. This was General Duty in the Fleet. Not even close to BUDS.

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Truthfully. How many of you have seen a flying fish? Not a fish jumping out of water. But a flying fish with wings?

[Doug]

Truthfully. How many of you have seen a flying fish? Not a fish jumping out of water. But a flying fish with wings?


I dont know about that, but during Hell Week, I saw a few sea monsters and I also saw lion run out of the galley on NAB. *LOL* I think it was Wednesday then. *lol* Never forget it...

[Wazz]

Doug
The flying fish thing was a bit of personal humor by me wanting to see what response I would receive.

In fact there are flying fish off the Southern Calif. coast. They are aprox 4-6" long, shaped like a trout, except they do have little wings. They emerge from the water flying in an arc for approx 30-40 feet before returning to the water. Close viewing of these fish came on morning sweepers when a few of the fish would be found upon the decks of the Cruisers I was sailing upon. Since I was a Frog while on an APD I never had morning sweepers off the So. Calif. coast so I do not know what the Deck Force found.

[Nissan]

Deaths in training are rare but it's a harazdous job and **** happens...The most rescent and only one ever in hellweek just occured last year in class 235 during a pool evolution. The Instructors tried to revive him but to no avail. You can be assured though they have been sucessful in bringing back folks from the flat line they do know their **** .

[soulburst]

I don't know about BUD/S but they have in training.

[Doug]

in hellweek just occured last year in class 235 during a pool evolution. The Instructors tried to revive him but to no avail.


Damn. Didnt hear about that one. What evolution was it during?...

[tfwmissions]

Damn. Didnt hear about that one. What evolution was it during?...


Hey Doug, If a man were to die during BUD/s would the class have a moment of reflection as respect for there fallen comrad?

[NavySEAL1313]

I don't know much about BUD/S but has anyone ever died or been hospitalized for going through hellweek?


Well along with the other replies that I read, I believe (unless it was just scuttlebut) that a man died (not sure when) during a HALO jump.. I believe the problem was either ice in his oxygen tube at the high altitude and by the time he got low enough to breath on his own he was dead of efixiation (not sure of the spelling) but it could also have been because his air was bad or not turned on properly.. Once again, I'm not sure if this had actually happened of if it was just a rumor to scare/frighten people...


I would assume that if you're averaging 2-3 hours of sleep a night that your body really wouldn't be able to do much after 3-4 days. But then again, I'm not entirely sure.


Well people have been injured on Hell Week... however death is a rareity... but the injuries can be anything from pulled/strained muscles to broken bones (most likely on the legs.) Stress fractures are common during the first few weeks of BUD/S and it can also be later. Some Trainees can have a certain medical condition that is, alot of times, overlooked during physicals, however I'm not sure of the exact medical condition and term, but I know it has something to do with the lungs and being underwater. If anyone knows what this might be or know what I might be talking at here please respond.

Craig T. Johnson

[elpaninaro]

Trainees can have a certain medical condition that is, alot of times, overlooked during physicals, however I'm not sure of the exact medical condition and term, but I know it has something to do with the lungs and being underwater. If anyone knows what this might be or know what I might be talking at here please respond.

Craig T. Johnson


Hmm. I could be wrong, but I am guessing maybe you refer to one of three things. I am not a SEAL, but in my reading I have noted these are three possible problems that can arise during Dive Phase and prevent a student from advancing, but there may be more. I also know of these as a diver and can attest to the fact that you kind of have to go and actually do it to find out if it is a problem- testing in advance for these issues is not foolproof.

1. For a very few people, breathing pure oxygen is toxic and cannot be overcome. Thus during Draeger training, and sometimes to a lesser extent in standard rebreather training (not used in BUDs to my knowledge), one may simply be unable to do the work since breathing pure oxygen is impossible. Pure oxygen is always dangerous and potentially fatal- especially if the seals on the Draeger (or if you let water in via the mouthpiece) are comprised allowing the system to flood, but some people- for some physiological reason- cannot tolerate pure oxygen under any circumstances.

2. Some people just cannot equalize pressure in their ears no matter how hard they try. I was diving a while back with my old coach helping out with some first timers and one of them could not equalize at all. He ignored it and by the time we got about 25 feet down his face mask was about half full of blood from the nosebleed he got as a result. Thankfully there were no Great Whites around in the lake that weekend :)

3. A few people are unable to prevent water from entering their nose. I am not sure what causes this, but there are people who are not able to breathe through a regulator underwater with a flooded mask or with no mask on at all. Thus, they would not be able to perform any emergency mask clearing procedures.

When you refer to the lungs all I can think of off the top of my head is the lung damage that comes from an improper FSA- specifically when you come to the surface from depth, with compressed air in your lungs, and fail to exhale during the entire ascent and make the ascent at a slow speed. Screwing this up is guaranteed lung damage and can also mean death. Not sure about BUDs, but in civilian dive training FSA is THE most important thing to get right.

[Nissan]

It was during a catapillar swim on Wed of Hellweek. And it was the class OIC, The class was to dazed to have a moment of silence for the fallen man but I can tell you that at the time everyone at that command felt the hit. As a matter of fact teh 235 hellweek shirts are actually dedicated to him.

[tlhornsfan]

One I heard a guy fell off the cargo net (any truth to this?)


I'm currently reading a book called Combat Swimmer, Memiors of a Navy SEAL. This is a true story on accounts of a SEAL Officer. When he was going through UDT before the Vietnam War, one of his instructors when he was going through UDT, fell from the top of the cargo net but broke his fall using a judo chop with both arms when he landed on his back. He still broke his back, but survived without being paralyzed and became an instructor. So to answer your question, there is some truth to it, but he didn't die.

[angry-yak]

Nissan is correct. The OIC of one of the recent classes did during Hellweek. I think they secured hellweek after that incident.

Hospitalisation has to be pretty common. Guys get stress fractures, break ankles (dont get between your boat and the rocks during rock portage), break wrists, crack ribs on the ocoarse and a whole host of other things. Fun aye?

[Wetwash]

In my class we were doing Sub Lockouts with open circut..had rubber boats
lashed to the deck.. a guy lost his grip on a saftey line and went the the Subs Screws. Not in hell Week .. but in Training..
.