I have questions about the seals

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Permalink Reply by navymom17 on November 4, 2009 at 11:22am

I don't want to sign any papers right now. I just want him to have all the information that he can to make the best decision for himself. Maybe they will just talk with him.

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Permalink Reply by Ruth VH on November 4, 2009 at 1:39pm

navymom17, be sure that your son thinks of "what if I don't make it during the pre-seals tests?". He will not be able to try again for I think it is a year. What will he do if he ends up in something he doesn't want to do in the Navy as he will be given several jobs to choose from before he could try again. He doesn't just say I want to do this instead. He will still have to serve the amount of time he signed up for doing something. He needs to have a plan just in case. It is something also to talk to an ex-seal or recruiter on.

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Permalink Reply by navymom17 on November 4, 2009 at 2:06pm

That's what I keep telling him. He needs to have a back up plan. He still has a while before he can do anything so hopefully he will find something he wants to do.

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Permalink Reply by NavyMomXXXY on November 4, 2009 at 4:43pm

I will ask my son and get back to you.

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Permalink Reply by navymom17 on November 4, 2009 at 4:47pm

Thank you so much!!

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Permalink Reply by NavyMomXXXY on November 4, 2009 at 4:54pm

The official website is seal.navy.mil - there is a message board that is monitored by the staff. Additionally, there is a phone number on the website to use for contacting. That would be the best way to go.

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Permalink Reply by SEALMOM265 on November 11, 2009 at 5:03pm

My Son is a SEAL, signed his contract when he was 17, went to boot camp after HS graduation and today he got his "bird", as they call it, last May. Being a SEAL is a way of life. My Son loves being a SEAL. Yes, he was always a very determined and strong willed child. I feel that I had always nurtured that will being careful not to break it. Yes, it is a very challenging life style and as a parent, you will ride the background rollercoaster ride with the most extreme pride and admiration. My Son loves his SEAL work but he also is very much an intellectual. He reads more books than any of my children and has interests that go beyond what most 21 years olds could even comprehend. Yes, it is very difficult but nothing worth having comes easy and their motto is "The only easy day, was yesterday" You encourage, love and support him no matter what decision he makes. Yes, I was worried that my son at 17 was making a commitment that he may regret but there has never ever made a statement of regret and I have never felt that he had made the wrong decision. There probably are too many parents that can say that their child hasn't made bad choices between the ages of 17 and 21, for that I am proud.

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Permalink Reply by hak111056 on November 4, 2009 at 11:10pm

Alot of guys go into the Navy with the dream of being a seal. However only 1 in 10 make it. The bonus money & such make it look very appealing...HOWEVER make sure your son has a back up plan. My son like so many others went in on a SEAL contract, didn't make his PST run in time with a bum knee & there goes the SEALS contract. They were fair & gave him a second try to qualify, but it just gets increasingly more difficult. What happens next is they give you three choices for "jobs." These are not the dream jobs either. Have him research carefully his second choice, if he can even have a say in it. Make sure he gets whatever his second choice is in writing. Good Luck.

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Permalink Reply by Kimandtheboys on November 5, 2009 at 12:02am

Well, it's not like they join the Navy with a SEAL contract and also a signed "Plan B". (FWIW, I am against SEAL candidates having a "Plan B". I realize it seems to make sense that they have one. I don't see how they can make it through BUD/S if they have Plan B floating around in their head to lure them like a juicy steak when they are cold and miserable. They may as well save themselves the pain and go for Plan B from the beginning.) If a student DOR's or is dropped for some other reason, they are given a choice from whatever jobs are available at the time, then they serve at the job they choose for about two years before they can put in another BUD/S package. The Navy is quite full right now, so who knows what the needs of the Navy would be at the time. So they could have in the back of their mind, "Oh, if I don't make it I'll just be a _________ for two years then try again," but _________ might not even be available six months from now.

My son was given a potato peeler as a going away present when he shipped to boot camp...a friendly reminder that if he didn't make it he could end up peeling potatoes for 5,000 sailors on a sub. Thankfully, he didn't need the potato peeler. ;)

Kim
(who is very thankful for Navy cooks!)

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Permalink Reply by SEALMOM265 on November 11, 2009 at 6:05pm

Thank you for sharing, the potato peeler was an awesome gift!!!! My Son did not have a "Plan B", this must be a new approach. He went enlisted in the Navy to be a SEAL, that is it, no alternatives. I think a "Plan B" would have been detrimental to keeping his eye on the prize!!!!

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Permalink Reply by beachmomma on November 13, 2009 at 6:47am

I have to agree with Kim. Seems like most of the guys that make it thru the SEAL program are those that have the mind set that it is SEALs or nothing else. It does make it hard if they don't make it but they move on. I was concerned about my son but as I told my mom (who was a big worrier) that they have to go thru a lot to get to graduation and if it is not meant to be, it won't happen. The SEAL moms here are great for support and answering questions so don't hesitate to ask. Good-luck to you and your son.

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on November 6, 2009 at 4:23pm

Hello!
There is an awesome tv show on tv all about the SEALs and their trainning that they go through. It's a reality show basically and it shows exactly the process of becoming a SEAL. I love watching it! I think it is on the Military channel (but I could be wrong). If you try researching it, you can probably find it. Hope you can find it! And good luck with your son. Anything that your son will do in the Navy is honorable :)

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