[Sailor6468]

Tallguy asks "What is the drop-out rate of USMC recruit training versus BUDS. Prejudice aside, the drop-out rate is how you determine who is tougher."

I can't speak for the former Marine, but as a former Sailor I can tell you that the BUDS dropout rate is much higher. But here again you are comparing apples to oranges not only in the individual branches of service but the way the training for both is set up.
Marine boot camp is set where you it almost requires an act of Congress for you to dropout. The instructors can wash you out, but if you try to quit they do everything they can to keeping you from quitting.
In BUDS its different. Ring the bell and you are OUT.
You don't want to be there. They don't want you.
The Marine Corps wants to build men and "basically" train them for war at the same time.
The SEALs on the other hand, are training picked men for special operations who have already been "basically" trained.
So, you are WRONG on using that as a determination for whose tougher.

[Tallguy]

You make a valid point. In my defense, I would only add that I'm well aware that this is an "Apples & Oranges" comparison. You really can't compare an outfit designed to assault the enemy (USMC) with a SpecOps unit primarily designed to skulk around in the shadows and gather Intel(SEALS).

There is a lot of demand for all SpecOps units at the present time. One of the fears is that the increased demand will necessitate an acceleration in training (to create more operators) and that will in turn de-grade the quality of the force.

[Little Ray]

Wouldn't it be more correct to compare SEALs to Marine Force Recon?

In any case, I'm glad they're all on our side...