How to Become a Navy SEAL

A Navy SEAL is a Special Warfare Operator who is literally capable of handling anything and everything that could be thrown on them. They are trained for land, sea, and air — and are regularly deployed on historic missions that few would dare even attempt.

Most people understand that the SEALs are an impressive fighting force, but don't realize how impressive being a SEAL is. Once you learn how to become a Navy SEAL, it may be a way more likely to make you feel intimidated.

If you're dead set on it, here's what you would have to do.

How To Become A Navy SEAL: Pass the Signup Standards + Hell Week

Before you can become a Navy SEAL, you will have to pass the basic signup standards for Navy SEAL training. These standards are far above and beyond what normal people in the National Guard would have to conform to.

While the National Guard requirements allow you to be as old as 34 when you join, the Navy SEAL program cutoff age is 28. Why? Well, the work is that strenuous, and having older soldiers training like SEALs will usually cause them to get seriously injured.

In fact, many serious athletes would not be able to pass their standards either. For example, if you can't swim 500 yards in under 12 minutes, you will not even be able to go anywhere close to the Navy SEAL training program.

If you are good enough to pass the signup standards, you will be able to apply and pit against others like you. This will be done during SEAL Qualification Training.

Of those, only the top members are chosen to go to Special Forces Navy SEAL training, or BUDS. BUDS, more commonly written BUD/S, stands for Basic Underwater Demolition School/SEAL.

How To Become A Navy SEAL: BUD/S and Hell Week

BUD/S is where you learn how to do all the crazy water combat stuff people show in movies about Navy SEAL teams. This is a six-month program that's designed to break you and push you to your limits. Around 70 percent of all applicants to the SEAL program drop out within the first couple of weeks during this 25-week program.

Much of the program, particularly between days 15 through 22, is made to make you want to quit. Quitting is most commonly done during Hell Week, a week-long training that pushes you to the limit with 120 hours of physical training, with only four hours of sleep per day.

Hell Week involves doing backbreaking exercises, running miles on end, and even working to endure hypothermia... all as part of making sure your body is actually going to be strong enough to ensure that you can carry on in all terrains.

Many collapse during this training, and depending on how often it happens, it can actually lead to your dismissal. As a result, most people who make it to Hell Week never learn the full scope of how to become a Navy SEAL... because most of them drop out.

After Hell Week, Navy SEAL applicants get training on combat in both land and air terrains — as well as the classic underwater training they already received.

How To Become A Navy SEAL: Parachute Jump School

Once you have passed BUD/S and Hell Week, you get to enjoy further training in Parachute Jump School. In addition to Parachute Jump School, you also may end up getting even more advanced training — all depending on your testing scores, strong points, and more.

Overall, it takes about a year of training before you are able to be a member of the elite Navy SEAL group. Specialized warfare is never easy, but knowing that you can handle the hard times like a SEAL may actually make this worth the attempt for some.

If you have what it takes to be part of Navy SEAL history, then you know that you can handle anything. The question is, now that you know how to become a Navy SEAL, do you think you can do it?