The journey to becoming a Navy SEAL is one of the most rigorous military training pipelines in the world, designed for extreme attrition rather than instruction. The process involves escalating physical, mental, and psychological challenges meant to identify candidates with an unshakable will. Historically, over 90% of those who enter the full training pipeline will not complete it. This extensive selection ensures that only individuals exhibiting extraordinary mental toughness and resilience are considered for service in the Naval Special Warfare community.
Meeting the Basic Eligibility Requirements
Selection begins with meeting basic eligibility requirements before attempting physical tests. Applicants must be United States citizens, with an age limit of 28, though waivers are possible up to age 30 for highly qualified individuals. Candidates must also be eligible to obtain a secret security clearance, which requires a background check.
A minimum score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is required, including a specific combination score (GS+MC+EI) of 170. Vision standards require uncorrected vision no worse than 20/40 in the best eye and 20/70 in the worst eye, both correctable to 20/25. These baseline requirements filter out many potential applicants.
Preparing for the Physical Screening Test
The Physical Screening Test (PST) is the initial physical barrier, mandatory for earning a SEAL challenge contract. The PST consists of five sequential events testing baseline strength and endurance, performed with mandated rest periods. The 500-yard swim, using sidestroke or breaststroke, must be completed in 12 minutes and 30 seconds or less, followed by a 10-minute rest.
The muscular endurance portion requires 42 push-ups and 50 sit-ups, each completed within a two-minute time limit. Candidates must perform six pull-ups with strict form, followed by a final 1.5-mile run in boots and long pants, completed in 11 minutes. While these are the required minimums, competitive candidates aim for significantly higher scores.
The Brutal Attrition of Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Training (BUD/S)
Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training is a roughly 24-week selection process characterized by a historical attrition rate between 65% and 85%. The training is divided into three distinct phases, with most voluntary departures occurring early. The philosophy of BUD/S is to create a high-stress, physically demanding environment to reveal which individuals possess the mental fortitude to remain committed.
Phase 1 Physical Conditioning and Hell Week
First Phase, the basic conditioning phase, lasts approximately seven weeks and increasingly pushes candidates through timed physical tests. Training involves weekly four-mile timed runs in boots, timed obstacle courses, and two-mile ocean swims conducted with fins. Cold water exposure and constant calisthenics are used to induce physical and mental stress.
The highest attrition occurs during Hell Week, which takes place in the fourth week. This involves 5.5 days of continuous training with a maximum of four hours of total sleep. This sustained test of teamwork and mental toughness requires functioning while cold, wet, and exhausted. Physical demands, including long boat carries, are designed to force voluntary quits, accounting for a large percentage of all attrition.
Phase 2 Combat Diving
The seven-week Second Phase focuses on developing combat swimmers, centered on water competency and dive skills. Physical training remains intense, but this phase also introduces the academic challenge of dive physics and medicine, which can be a point of failure for some candidates. Trainees learn two types of SCUBA: open-circuit (compressed air) and closed-circuit (100% oxygen).
Emphasis is placed on long-distance underwater navigation and utilizing diving as a clandestine means of transportation to a target. The pool competence test, or “Pool Comp,” is a key event where instructors simulate emergency scenarios underwater. Candidates must maintain composure and solve problems while dealing with a compromised breathing apparatus. Successful completion requires comfort in the water and the ability to control panic.
Phase 3 Land Warfare
Third Phase lasts approximately seven weeks, transitioning training to land-based operations. The focus is on core skills required for reconnaissance and direct action missions. Candidates receive instruction in basic weapons handling, military demolitions, and land navigation using map and compass. Training evolves from classroom instruction to the practical application of small-unit tactics and patrolling techniques.
The second half of this phase is typically conducted on San Clemente Island, where the class applies skills in a field environment simulating real-world missions. This period involves live-fire immediate action drills, marksmanship, and rappelling, culminating in a series of field training exercises. The focus shifts from physical selection to competency in foundational combat skill sets.
Advanced Specialization in SEAL Qualification Training (SQT)
Following BUD/S and three weeks of Basic Parachute School, successful candidates move into the 26-week SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) program. SQT shifts from high-attrition selection to mission-focused education, building the foundational skills of an operator. The course refines a graduate’s ability to operate in air, land, and maritime environments.
Training covers weapons, marksmanship, close quarters combat (CQC), and mission planning strategies. Candidates also undergo Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training, preparing them for capture scenarios and psychological resilience. The final weeks of SQT include qualification in static-line and military free-fall parachuting, completing the pipeline with required mobility skills.
Earning the Trident and the Commitment of Active Duty
Upon successful graduation from SQT, candidates are awarded the Special Warfare insignia, known as the Trident, officially designating them as Navy SEALs. This marks the end of the initial training pipeline and the start of a career in the Naval Special Warfare community. Newly qualified operators are assigned to a SEAL Team or a SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Team.
New SEALs immediately enter an 18-month cycle of pre-deployment training with their assigned operational platoon. This period involves intensive individual, platoon, and squadron-level training, focusing on specialized skills and mission readiness before their first deployment. Becoming a SEAL is a long-term commitment, demanding a sustained high operational tempo and continuous skill training.