I knew him. He entered ROTC the same year I got there. He was a great guy and fairly quiet for the most part. I did not know this happened to him until today.
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Paths to Naval Special Warfare (SEAL)
- Thread starter AllAmerican75
- Start date
Yeah, it was a little bit of a shock when I heard about it back when it happened. We were pretty busy with our support when he was in the back of the helo and he had his helmet off most of the flight, so I never had a chance to ask if it was who I thought he was, then 12-some months later I find out it was. No real words for it other than I hope he was doing something he loved. That's all I ask for myself when/if it's time.
thanksforthecas
Member
Well there's evidence that he loved his life and his friends.
He fought like hell for both.
Erik Suh did not go quietly.
Steve,
Im sorry the news found you in such an undignified manner.
You might find some comfort at the many websites memorializing that Team's loss. Most of the situation is on the net, anything else isn't discussed.
As we say, "Teams and shit"
This has nothing to do with aviation, but this is the best forum i've seen about becoming a naval officer.
My goal is to become a navy seal officer. I'm a senior in college and I'm trying to lay out my options. I was told by a recruiter that BDCP does not cover special warfare applicants. I was also told i needed a calc based degree such as engineering or physics. I was told that 1 in 5 people applying for BDCP were accepted but only 1 in 30 college grads applying for OCS are accepted.
So far I have some up with some possible solutions.
1. Go into something like surface warfare and apply for seals.
2. Go into navy reserve and apply/switch to active duty.
Unfortunately that's all i've got right now. When I talked to the recruiter he breezed over something that sounded complicated and I don't really remember. Something along the lines of the only way to become a seal officer is to apply directly to ocs (no bdcp) and apply for seals once at ocs. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
My goal is to become a navy seal officer. I'm a senior in college and I'm trying to lay out my options. I was told by a recruiter that BDCP does not cover special warfare applicants. I was also told i needed a calc based degree such as engineering or physics. I was told that 1 in 5 people applying for BDCP were accepted but only 1 in 30 college grads applying for OCS are accepted.
So far I have some up with some possible solutions.
1. Go into something like surface warfare and apply for seals.
2. Go into navy reserve and apply/switch to active duty.
Unfortunately that's all i've got right now. When I talked to the recruiter he breezed over something that sounded complicated and I don't really remember. Something along the lines of the only way to become a seal officer is to apply directly to ocs (no bdcp) and apply for seals once at ocs. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Don't know too much about it except that it's extraordinarily competitive. Many guys will recommend that you enlist and go to BUD/S, then try for an officer program once you've got a deployment under your belt. It probably comes down to if you had to choose, would you rather be a SEAL or an officer? For most SEALs, that's an easy choice.
The odds of getting selected to go to BUD/S as an officer are close to astronomical compared to what you quoted for BDCP and OCS. First off, to become a SEAL, you have better be working out like a demon and seeking a NSW Motivator to get you ready for their Physcial Fitness test and to have a prayer to making it through the rigor of BUD/S. Desire and motivation are important, but physical preparedness is paramount (There are forums dedicated to NSW that can get you hooked up much better than AW). Secondly, if you aren't at Annapolis or in NROTC, you will have to be a stellar athlete to get picked up by the NSW Board. Many aspirants to becoming a SEAL Officer elect to enlist and get a guaranteed shot at BUD/S (you also get more than one chance).
SEAL officer is EXTREMELY competitive. The only guys at my ROTC unit who are competitive both speak a foreign language and are in peak physical shape. By peak I mean they ran the Army 10-miler in DC in ~1hr...it's a lifestyle that they have committed themselves to for their entire college careers and they have extensive support from the team guys stationed nearby. As an officer, you only get one shot at BUD/s and they say they it's harder for you. You are expected to lead the rest of the guys through the program.
Some think that an easier route to being a SEAL is enlisting first. There are very subtle differences between a SEAL officer and an enlisted SEAL. Rank has different meanings inside the teams, and is hard to figure out if you aren't one of them. Basicially, most of those guys operate on a first name basis. None of this is meant to discourage you, but to let you know that it's tough, and I don't mean tough like making the varsity football team. Contact the ROTC unit at your school and see what information they can help you with. Usually a degree in International Studies, Poli Sci, etc. is more useful than an engineering degree, but they expect you have good grades no matter what.
Good luck...
Some think that an easier route to being a SEAL is enlisting first. There are very subtle differences between a SEAL officer and an enlisted SEAL. Rank has different meanings inside the teams, and is hard to figure out if you aren't one of them. Basicially, most of those guys operate on a first name basis. None of this is meant to discourage you, but to let you know that it's tough, and I don't mean tough like making the varsity football team. Contact the ROTC unit at your school and see what information they can help you with. Usually a degree in International Studies, Poli Sci, etc. is more useful than an engineering degree, but they expect you have good grades no matter what.
Good luck...
mountainman
Member
I went to BUD/S as an officer via OCS. Much of the above is true to a certain extent. It is very competitive and you'll need a high GPA and high scores on the physical screening test. However, don't think that it's beyond your reach if you are not a division 1 athlete. I was told like pretty much everyone else who applied that I had no chance but I worked really hard in school and crushed myself in the gym and was picked up by the board.
I will say this though as a word of caution. You'll only get one shot at it as an officer and frankly there is a certain element of luck involved in getting through BUD/S. I spent eleven months as a student in training through 3 classes and three separate attempts and ultimately I didn't make it. If I was still enlisted I'd be able to go back and give it another shot but as an officer that's not an option. That's not meant to discourage you but just know the facts. Plenty of great officers have found themselves in the position of having to redesignate or simply go back to civilian life after a shot at BUD/S. Fortunately, the Navy's given me another chance as an SNA.
I will say this though as a word of caution. You'll only get one shot at it as an officer and frankly there is a certain element of luck involved in getting through BUD/S. I spent eleven months as a student in training through 3 classes and three separate attempts and ultimately I didn't make it. If I was still enlisted I'd be able to go back and give it another shot but as an officer that's not an option. That's not meant to discourage you but just know the facts. Plenty of great officers have found themselves in the position of having to redesignate or simply go back to civilian life after a shot at BUD/S. Fortunately, the Navy's given me another chance as an SNA.
First off, if you want to be a SEAL (caps) officer, you will be applying just like any other community if you decide to go through OCS. Unfortunately, the boards only meet twice a year, January and July. The average number of applicants was about 50 and about 10 or so get selected (this was 2 years ago, not sure now). Second, while it does help, you certainly don't have to have a engineering degree, I applied with an Agriculture degree.
As far as transferring communities, I would strongly discourage trying to lat transfer to specwar from any other community as an officer. I haven't heard of anyone actually accomplishing it, someone else may have. If you don't get in through OCS, just enlist, complete BUDs, and apply for commission when you get some time under your belt. Quite a few people do this. About 35% of the enlisted guys in the teams have their college degrees, so don't think you're alone with this idea.
If you decide to apply to OCS, you better be a complete stud. Thats all I have to say.
Good luck man
As far as transferring communities, I would strongly discourage trying to lat transfer to specwar from any other community as an officer. I haven't heard of anyone actually accomplishing it, someone else may have. If you don't get in through OCS, just enlist, complete BUDs, and apply for commission when you get some time under your belt. Quite a few people do this. About 35% of the enlisted guys in the teams have their college degrees, so don't think you're alone with this idea.
If you decide to apply to OCS, you better be a complete stud. Thats all I have to say.
Good luck man
+1
This is almost exactly what I was told when I was researching becoming a SEAL myself. From what I've heard/read the majority of SEAL officers came either from the USNA or a commissioning program after they became a SEAL as an enlisted man. You get three attempts to graduate from BUD/S as enlisted, but only one as an officer. If you want to be a SEAL, enlist. If you want to be an officer, don't cry if you don't make it as a SEAL.
^This.
Thisguy
Pain-in-the-dick
To the OP:
If you want a good read, check out "Warrior Elite" by Dick Couch.
http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Elite...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264269242&sr=8-1
If you want a good read, check out "Warrior Elite" by Dick Couch.
http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Elite...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264269242&sr=8-1
I know one guy who did....and later got to be a Fleet Commander. Check out his warfare devices and read his bio. Pretty righteous guy on duty and off.
Vice Admiral Joseph D. Kernan is the senior military assistant to the secretary of Defense.
Kernan, the son of a career Air Force pilot and Air Force nurse, was born at Travis Air Force Base (AFB), Calif., Feb. 4, 1955. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1977, attended Surface Warfare Officer School, and reported to USS Horne (CG 30) based in San Diego. During this tour, he served as an engineering officer, completed deployments to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions and was designated a surface warfare officer.
Kernan completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training with Class 117 in 1981. He commanded platoons at Underwater Demolition Team 12, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 and SEAL Team 5. Additionally while assigned to SEAL Team 5, he served as detachment officer in charge of four deployed SEAL platoons and deputy commander, Naval Special Warfare Task Force, Middle East Force. He served his executive officer tour at Naval Special Warfare Unit 1 in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. Kernan has served as the Naval Special Warfare Officer detailer, community manager, deputy/chief staff officer, Naval Special Warfare Development Group, chief of staff and deputy, Naval Special Warfare Command and director, Naval Special Warfare Branch on the Navy Staff.
He commanded SEAL Team 2, the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, the Naval Special Warfare Command, and most recently, he was the commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/commander, U.S. 4th Fleet. His joint assignments include deputy director and director of operations, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., and director of operations, Center for Special Operations, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Tampa, Fla.
He assumed duties as the senior military assistant to the secretary of Defense in June 2009.
He and his wife have two children, and both his brother and father-in-law were career naval aviators.
Another one of my occasional drinking buds (no pun intended) also went SWO and applied for BUD/S. He's done pretty well for himself and the community. This one went from one directly to three star in rank.
Vice Adm. Harward assumes command, control, oversight, and responsibility for U.S. detention and correction operations in Afghanistan and - with policy guidance from U.S. Embassy and in cooperation with Afghan, interagency, coalition, and international counterparts - prepares to build capacity in and transition to the GIRoA for self-sustaining Afghan National Detention and Rule of Law institutions that are compliant with Afghan and international law.
Harward qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard the destroyer USS Scott (DDG 955) and then transferred to the Naval Special Warfare community, serving on both east and west coast SEAL teams and holding numerous command positions.
Harward?s tours include special warfare plans officer for commander, Amphibious Forces U.S. 7th Fleet; aide-de-camp to commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; deputy Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) commander in Bosnia; multiple JSOTF command tours in Southwest Asia; deputy commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific; and deputy commanding general, Joint Special Operations Command.
Starting in April 2005, he was assigned as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to the Senior Interagency Strategy Team of the National Counterterrorism Center in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for crafting the first National Implementation Plan and for integration of the Department of Defense with its interagency partners. Most recently Harward served as deputy commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command.
In addition to a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, Harward holds a master?s degree in International Relations and Strategic Security Affairs, attended the College of Naval Command and Staff, the Naval Staff College, and the Armed Forces Staff College. He served as both a federal executive fellow at RAND and as an executive fellow in the MIT Foreign Policy Program, Seminar XXI.
Harward has an extensive background in Afghanistan with years of experience in country from his youthful days in the early 1970?s to his command of Task Force K-BAR (2001-2002) and assistant commanding general of Task Force 714 (2006-2008).
Vice Adm. Harward assumes command, control, oversight, and responsibility for U.S. detention and correction operations in Afghanistan and - with policy guidance from U.S. Embassy and in cooperation with Afghan, interagency, coalition, and international counterparts - prepares to build capacity in and transition to the GIRoA for self-sustaining Afghan National Detention and Rule of Law institutions that are compliant with Afghan and international law.
Harward qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard the destroyer USS Scott (DDG 955) and then transferred to the Naval Special Warfare community, serving on both east and west coast SEAL teams and holding numerous command positions.
Harward?s tours include special warfare plans officer for commander, Amphibious Forces U.S. 7th Fleet; aide-de-camp to commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; deputy Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) commander in Bosnia; multiple JSOTF command tours in Southwest Asia; deputy commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific; and deputy commanding general, Joint Special Operations Command.
Starting in April 2005, he was assigned as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to the Senior Interagency Strategy Team of the National Counterterrorism Center in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for crafting the first National Implementation Plan and for integration of the Department of Defense with its interagency partners. Most recently Harward served as deputy commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command.
In addition to a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, Harward holds a master?s degree in International Relations and Strategic Security Affairs, attended the College of Naval Command and Staff, the Naval Staff College, and the Armed Forces Staff College. He served as both a federal executive fellow at RAND and as an executive fellow in the MIT Foreign Policy Program, Seminar XXI.
Harward has an extensive background in Afghanistan with years of experience in country from his youthful days in the early 1970?s to his command of Task Force K-BAR (2001-2002) and assistant commanding general of Task Force 714 (2006-2008).
