In a Youtube video by Retired US Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer (and Navy SEAL) Don Shipley, Shipley explains that Ventura was UDT and not a “SEAL”, but that at the time Ventura went through training, SEALS and UDT attended the same training and then were assigned to either UDT or a SEAL Team.
Although Ventura was not on a SEAL Team, he completed the same training and just happened to be assigned to a UDT Team rather than a SEAL Team.
Jesse Ventura completed the *common BUD/S* training, and then he was sent to UDT.
Those BUD/S graduates who went to UDT, continued with UDT training.
Those BUD/S graduates who went to SEAL, continue with SEAL training.
In other words, the training diverges after BUD/S. Jesse Ventura completed *only* the common training to the point of graduation from BUD/S.
Jesse has an older brother, Jan Janos, who was BUD/S 49, who became a SEAL; Jesse was BUD/S 58 ... somewhat spurred on because of his older brother’s experience, IIRC.
Eight years after Jesse left service in UDT (he left in 1975), UDT members underwent training to become members of SEAL operations and teams.
Not entirely true. He completed UDT training the SEAL teams did additional training.
“The first two teams were formed in January 1962[22] and stationed on both US coasts: Team One at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, in San Diego, California and Team Two at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed entirely with personnel from UDTs, the SEALs mission was to conduct counter guerilla warfare and clandestine operations in maritime and riverine environments.[7] Men of the newly formed SEAL Teams were trained in such unconventional areas as hand-to-hand combat, high-altitude parachuting, demolitions, and foreign languages. The SEALs attended Underwater Demolition Team replacement training and they spent some time training in UDTs. Upon making it to a SEAL team, they would undergo a SEAL Basic Indoctrination (SBI) training class at Camp Kerry in the Cuyamaca Mountains. After SBI training class, they would enter a platoon and conduct platoon training.”
Since the SEAL approach was started at a time that old conspirator in chief was just 11 or 12 years old, he can’t claim to be in the first batch. While the is a citation for what BUD/s class he went through there is no indication of him actually completing a SEAL class which had numbers. Parachute, leadership, special ops....all SEAL directed are never mentioned in his CV