“Welcome to hell, gentlemen!”

For those who have been there, Hell Week is a sleepless, bitter cold, gritty, soaking wet, hell on earth where exhausted candidates – pumped full of antibiotics to ward off a variety of infections – survive on sheer heart, tenacity, seemingly incomprehensible physical courage, and about 5,000-7,000 calories per day (given they can muster enough strength to consume them). Hell Week is a short span of eternity at Coronado, California where the SEAL hopeful comes to a reckoning of the soul. Here, he “realizes,” according to Commander Richard Marcinko (USN, ret.), “the body is only tissue and the mind/brain can overpower and drive it on.”

My friend's son was in SEAL training and washed out during this period. He told me it was more than he could stand and this is one tough young man. These special ops troops are in a class by themselves. My hat is off to all of our troops, but these people get double salutes.

During the Presidential debates Senator Kerry proposed to "double the size of our Special Forces". This absurd statement simply points out the fact that Demorats will say and do anything to get elected. What distinguishes Spec Ops Operators from other Soldiers? Navy Special Warfare operators like the NightStalkers 160th Special Airborne, Delta Force, Marine Force Recon, and AF Special Forces all share one thing in common. The ability to handle extreme stress, in the most extreme environments possible. And to overcome adversaries in the most hostile of environments. What distinguishes the Seals is the have to do it while Cold and Wet.

The ability to think while Wet, Cold, Tired, hungry and overcome an adversary is what make the Seal Operators unique. BUDS training is done to sort out those who can qualify to wear the Trident from those who cannot. Most Men cannot meet the physical and mental rigors to become a Seal.
The Mental Stress is the worst part of it. Also Seals like the other Spec Ops operators constantly prepare for War and the opportunity to utilize the skills they develop over time. www.froggyruminations.com

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