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The United States Navy SEALs are the U.S. Navy's premier special operations force. It specializes in Basic Underwater Demolition (BUD) and Sea, Air, or Land (SEAL) operations. Prospective recruits must overcome the most demanding military training course in the U.S. Navy before being assigned to a SEAL or Swimmer Delivery Vehicle Team for 12 months of on-the-job training.

1 Force fact file

The U.S. Navy's premier Special Operations Force are the SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) teams that trace their history to the first group of volunteers selected from the Naval Construction Battalions ( SeabeeThe official motto of the Seabees, the United States Navy Construction Battalions, is "Construimus, Batuimus" "We Build, We Fight. Unofficially, their motto is even simpler: "Can Do!" From the island-hopping of World War II and the cold of Korea, to the js) in the spring of 1943. These volunteers were organized into special teams called ‘Navy Combat Demolition Units’ (NCDUs). The units were tasked with reconnoiterReconnaissance is the military term for methods of gathering information about an enemy. It is often referred to as recce (British) or recon (American). The associated verb is reconnoiter reconnoitre in British English). Examples of reconnaissance includeing and clearing beach obstacles for troops going ashore during amphibiousThe word amphibious or amphibian when used alone, has several possible meanings in the English language. When used by itself it can refer to: A vertebrate animal of the Class Amphibia. An amphibian vehicle, i. a vehicle capable of being driven on both lan landings, and evolved into Combat Swimmer Reconnaissance Units.

The NCDUs distinguished themselves during World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. In 1947Events January January 1 British mines nationalized January 1 Nigeria gains limited autonomy January 1 The Canadian Citizenship Act went into effect January 3 Proceedings of the United States Congress are televised for the first time. January 10 United Na, the Navy organized its first underwater offensive strike units. During the Korean Conflict, these Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) took part in the landing at Inchon as well as other missions including demolition raids on bridges and tunnels accessible from the water. They also conducted limited minesweeping operations in harbors and rivers.

During the 1960s, each branch of the armed forces formed its own counterinsurgency force. The Navy utilized UDT personnel to form separate units called SEAL teams. January of 1962 marked the commissioning of SEAL Team ONE in the Pacific Fleet and SEAL Team TWO in the Atlantic Fleet. These teams were developed to conduct unconventional warfare, counter-guerrilla warfare and clandestine operations in both blue water and brown water environments.

Those qualifying to become Navy SEALS are authorized to wear and display the Special Warfare Badge, also known as the SEAL Trident. This badge, commonly called the "trident" or "Budwiser" (for its resemblence to the Budwiser Eagle), serves as the insignia for the SEALs as a whole and is the largest and most recognizable warfare pin in the United States Navy.

Concurrently, Naval Operations Support Groups were formed to aid UDTs, SEALs, and two other unique units —Boat Support and Beach Jumpers— in administration, planning, research, and development. During the Vietnam War, UDTs performed reconnaissance missions and SEALs carried out numerous offensive operations.

In 1967, the Naval Operations Support Groups were renamed ‘Naval Special Warfare Groups’ (NSWGs) as involvement increased in special operations.

In 1983, existing UDTs were re-designated as ‘SEAL teams’ or ‘SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams’ and the requirement for hydrographic reconnaissance and underwater demolition became ‘SEAL missions’.

The Naval Special Warfare Command was commissioned April 16, 1987, at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego, California. Its mission is to prepare Naval Special Warfare forces to carry out their assigned missions and to develop special operations strategy, doctrine, and tactics.

SEALs (Sea, Air, Land) teams go through what is considered by some to be the toughest military training in the world. Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training is conducted at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado lasting 26 weeks. Students encounter obstacles that develop and test their stamina, leadership and ability to work as a team. On average, a BUD/S class can expect to lose about 70-80% of their initial muster from the beginning to the end of the course. BUD/S, and the SEALs as a whole, are voluntary services, and many BUD/S students find that they do not have the desire to continue to endure the physical and mental abuse, and subsiquently Drop On Request, or DOR, from the course. After BUD/S, the students must then attend Army Jump School at Ft. Benning, GA, a relative breeze compaired to BUD/S, in order to become airborne qualified. Finally, these apprentice warriors must go through SEAL Qulaification Training, or SQT, which is a 15 week course, again conducted in and arround the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado . Here, the relativly basic skills they were taught in BUD/S are expanded upon. At the end of the course, the students are awarded their much coveted Tridents, and make the transition from student SEALs to qualified, albeit junior, SEALs.