United States Navy SEALs

U.S. Navy SEALs
U.S. Navy SEALs
	The Special Warfare insignia, or "SEAL Trident."
Active	January 1, 1962 – present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Maritime Special Operations Force; SEa, Air, Land
Role	Primary tasks: Special reconnaissance; Direct action; Foreign internal defense; Counter-terrorism; Unconventional warfare; Other roles: Counter-drug operations; Personnel recovery; Hydrographic reconnaissance;
Size	~2,400
Part of	United States Naval Special Warfare Command; United States Special Operations Command
Garrison/HQ	Coronado, California; Little Creek, Virginia
Nickname(s)	Frogmen, The Teams
Motto(s)	"The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday"; "It Pays to be a Winner"; "There is no 'I' in TEAM"
Engagements	Vietnam War; Multinational Force in Lebanon; Operation Urgent Fury; Achille Lauro hijacking; Operation Just Cause; Operation Desert Storm; Operation Restore Hope; Battle of Mogadishu; Operation United Shield; Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Red Wing; Operation Iraqi Freedom; Maersk Alabama hijacking

The United States Navy SEa, Air and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and is a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). They got their name from the environments in and from which they operate in: sea, air and land. Navy SEALs are trained and have been deployed in a wide variety of missions, including direct action and special reconnaissance operations, unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, and other missions.

Without exception, all SEALs are male members of either the Navy or the Coast Guard.^[2]^[3]

History

Origins

The origins of the Navy SEALs go back to World War II when the United States Navy saw that in order for its troops to successfully land on beaches it needed soldiers to reconnoitre the landing beaches, take note of obstacles and defenses, and ultimately guide the landing forces in. As a result the Amphibious Scout and Raider School was established in 1942 by joint- Army and Navy at Fort Pierce, Florida. It was intended to train explosive ordnance disposal personnel and experienced combat swimmers from the Army and Marine Corps, becoming the Naval Combat Demolition Unit, or NCDU.

The NCDU was first employed in Operation Torch during the invasion of North Africa in 1942. This unit became the 'first group' specialized in amphibious raids and tactics in the United States Navy.

By 1943 had expanded the Amphibious Scout and Raider School syllabus to include underwater demolition. Following the near-disaster of the landing force on Tarawa in November 1943, when offshore coral reefs and other obstacles in the surf resulted in many of the Marines drowning, Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner directed the formation of nine Underwater Demolition Teams mostly composed of navy personnel from the Naval Construction Battalions (Seabees). These volunteers were organized into special teams and were tasked with reconnoitering and clearing beach obstacles for troops going ashore during amphibious landings, and evolved into Combat Swimmer Reconnaissance Units, becoming the Navy UDTs. ^{[citation needed]}

President John F. Kennedy (a World War II Navy veteran), aware of the situations in Southeast Asia, recognized the need for unconventional warfare and special operations as a measure against guerrilla warfare. In a speech to Congress on May 25, 1961, Kennedy spoke of his deep respect for the United States Army Special Forces. He announced the government's plan to put a man on the moon, however the same speech, allocated over $100 million toward the strengthening of the special operations forces in order to expand American capabilities in unconventional warfare.

The Navy needed to determine its role within the special operations arena. In March 1961, Arleigh Burke, Chief of Naval Operations, recommended the establishment of guerrilla and counter-guerrilla units. These units would be able to operate from sea, air or land. This was the beginning of the Navy SEALs. Many SEAL members came from the Navy's UDT units, who had already gained experience in commando warfare in Korea; however, the UDTs were still necessary to the Navy's amphibious force.

The first two teams were on both US coasts: Team One at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, in San Diego, California and Team Two at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Men of the newly formed SEAL Teams were trained in such unconventional areas as hand-to-hand combat, high-altitude parachuting, demolitions, and foreign languages. The SEALs attended UDT replacement training and they spent some time training in UDTs. Upon making it to a SEAL team, they would undergo a SEAL Basic Indoctrination (SBI) training class at Camp Kerry in the Cuyamaca Mountains. After SBI training class, they would enter a platoon and conduct platoon training.

The CIA's highly secretive Special Activities Division (SAD) and more specifically its elite Special Operations Group (SOG) recruits operators from the SEAL Teams.^[4] Joint Navy SEALs and CIA operations go back to the famed MACV-SOG group during the Vietnam War.^[5] This cooperation still exists today and is seen in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.^[6]^[7]

Operations

Vietnam

The Pacific Command recognized Vietnam as a potential hot spot for unconventional forces. At the beginning of 1962, the UDTs started hydrographic surveys and along with other branches of the US Military, the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) was formed. In March 1962, SEALs were deployed to South Vietnam as advisers for the purpose of training Army of the Republic of Vietnam commandos in the same methods they were trained themselves.

The Central Intelligence Agency began using SEALs in covert operations in early 1963. The SEALs were involved in the CIA sponsored Phoenix Program where it targeted key North Vietnamese Army personnel and Vietcong sympathizers for capture and assassination.

The SEALs were initially deployed in and around Da Nang, training the South Vietnamese in combat diving, demolitions, and guerrilla/anti-guerrilla tactics. As the war continued, the SEALs found themselves positioned in the Rung Sat Special Zone where they were to disrupt the enemy supply and troop movements and in the Mekong Delta to fulfill riverine operations, fighting on the inland waterways.

SEALs on patrol on the River Mekong Delta.

Combat with the Viet Cong was direct. Unlike the conventional warfare methods of firing artillery into a coordinate location, the SEALs operated within inches of their targets. Into the late 1960s, the SEALs were successful in a new style of warfare, effective in anti-guerrilla and guerrilla actions. SEALs brought a personal war to the enemy in a previously safe area. In Vietnam, Navy SEAL kill ratio was extraordinary, with over 200 enemy dead for every SEAL casualty. ^{[citation needed]}The Viet Cong referred to them as "the men with green faces," due to the camouflage face paint the SEALs wore during combat missions.^[8]

SEALs continued to make forays into North Vietnam and Laos, and covertly into Cambodia, controlled by the Studies and Observations Group. The SEALs from Team Two started a unique deployment of SEAL team members working alone with South Vietnamese Commandos (ARVN). In 1967, a SEAL unit named Detachment Bravo (Det Bravo) was formed to operate these mixed US and ARVN units, which were called South Vietnamese Provincial Reconnaissance Units (PRUs).

At the beginning of 1968, the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong orchestrated a major offensive against South Vietnam: the "Tet Offensive". The North hoped it would prove to be America's Dien Bien Phu, attempting to break the American public's desire to continue the war. As propaganda, the Tet Offensive was successful in adding to the American protest of the Vietnam war. However, North Vietnam suffered tremendous casualties, and from a purely military standpoint, the Tet Offensive was a major disaster for the Communists.^[9]

By 1970, President Richard Nixon initiated a Plan of Vietnamization, which would remove the US from the Vietnam conflict and return the responsibility of defense back to the South Vietnamese. Conventional forces were being withdrawn; the last SEAL adviser left Vietnam in March 1973 and Vietnam fell to the communists in 1975. The SEALs were among the highest decorated units for their size in the war. SEALs were awarded two Navy Crosses, 42 Silver stars, 402 Bronze Stars, 2 Legions of Merit, 352 Commendation Medals, 3 Presidential Unit Citations and 3 Medals of Honor.^{[citation needed]}

Grenada

SEAL Team 6, the predecessor to DEVGRU participated in the US invasion of Grenada. The SEALs two primary missions were the extraction of Grenada's Governor-General and the capture of Grenada's only radio tower. Neither mission was well briefed or sufficiently supported with timely intelligence and the SEALs ran into trouble from the very beginning. One of their two transport planes missed its drop zone and while making an airborne insertion with their boats off the coast four SEALs drowned in a rain squall. Their bodies were never recovered.

After regrouping from their initial insertion the SEALs split into two teams and proceeded to their objectives. The SEALs at the Governors mansion realized after digging in that they had forgotten their SATCOM gear on the helicopter. After being surrounded by BTR-60s and a substantial number of Grenadian and Cuban troops the SEALs only radios ran out of battery power. Using the land line telephone in the mansion the SEALs called in AC-130 fire support. The SEALs were pinned in the mansion overnight and were relieved and extracted by a group of Force Recon Marines the following morning.

The team sent to the radio station also ran into communication problems. As soon as the SEALs reached the radio facility they found themselves unable to raise their command post. After beating back several waves of Grenadian and Cuban troops supported by BTR-60s the SEALs decided that their position at the radio tower was untenable. They destroyed the station and fought their way to the water where they hid from patrolling enemy forces. After the enemy had given up their search the SEALs, some wounded, swam into the open sea where they were extracted several hours later after being spotted by a reconnaissance plane.

Persian Gulf

During the closing stages of the Iran-Iraq War the United States Navy began conducting operations in the Persian Gulf to protect US flagged ships from attack by Iranian naval forces. A secret plan was put in place and dubbed Operation Prime Chance. Navy SEAL Teams 1 and 2 along with several Special Boat Units and Navy EOD teams were employed on mobile command barges and transported by helicopters from the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Over the course of the operation SEALs conducted VBSS missions to counter Iranian mine laying boats. The only loss of life occurred during the take down of the Iran Ajr. Evidence gathered on the Iran Ajr by SEALs and EOD techs later allowed the US Navy to trace the mines that struck the USS Samuel B. Roberts. This chain of events lead to Operation Praying Mantis, the largest US Naval surface engagement since the Second World War.

Panama

The United States Navy contributed extensive special operations assets to the invasion of Panama, code named Operation Just Cause. This included SEAL Teams 2 and 4, Naval Special Warfare Unit 8, Special Boat Unit 26 all falling under Naval Special Warfare Group 2 and the separate Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DevGru). DevGru fell under Task Force Blue while Naval Special Warfare Group 2 composed the entirety of Task Force White. Task Force White was tasked with three principal objectives: the destruction of Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) naval assets in Balboa Harbor and the destruction of Manuel Noriega's private jet at Paitilla Airport collectively knows as Operation Nifty Package as well as isolating PDF forces on Flamenco Island.

The strike on Balboa Harbor by Task Unit Whiskey is notably marked in SEAL history as the first publicly acknowledged combat swimmer mission since the Second World War. Prior to the commencement of the invasion five Navy SEALs, Lt Edward S. Coughlin, EN-3 Timothy K. Eppley, ET-1 Randy L. Beausoleil, and PH-2 Chris Dye, swam underwater into the harbor on Draeger LAR-V rebreathers and attached C4 explosives to and destroyed Noriega's personal ship the Presidente Porras.

Task Unit Papa was tasked with the seizure of Paitilla airfield and the destruction of Noriega's plane there. Several SEALs were concerned about the nature of the mission assigned to them being that airfield seizure was usually the domain of the US Army's 75th Ranger Regiment. Despite these misgivings and a loss of operational surprise the SEALs of TU Papa proceeded with their mission. Almost immediately upon landing the 48 SEALs came under withering fire from the PDF stationed at the airfield. Although the Noriega's plane was eventually destroyed the SEALs suffered four dead and thirteen wounded. Killed were Lt. John Connors, Chief Petty Officer Donald McFaul, Torpedoman's Mate 2nd Class Issac Rodriguez, and Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Chris Tilghman.

Afghanistan

Invasion

In the immediate aftermath of September 11 attacks Navy SEALs quickly dispatched to Camp Doha and those already aboard US Naval vessels in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters began conducting VBSS operations against ships suspected of having ties to or even carrying al Qaeda operatives. SEAL Teams 3 and 8 also began rotating into Oman from the United States and staging on the island of Masirah for operations in Afghanistan. One of the SEALs' immediate concerns was a lack of adequate organic land mobility platforms to conduct Special reconnaissance (SR) missions in the rough, landlocked terrain of Afghanistan. After borrowing and retrofitting Humvees from the Army Rangers also staging on Masirah, the SEALs inserted into Afghanistan to conduct the SR of what would become Camp Rhino as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). These early stages of OEF were commanded by a fellow SEAL, Rear Admiral Albert Calland.

The SR mission in the region of Camp Rhino lasted for four days, after which two United States Air Force Combat Control Teams made a nighttime HALO jump to assist the SEALs in guiding in Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit who seized control of the area and established a Forward operating base. While at Camp Rhino the CIA passed on intelligence from a Predator drone operating in the Paktia province that Taliban Mullah Khirullah Said Wali Khairkhwa was spotted leaving a building by vehicle convoy. SEALs and Danish Jægerkorpset commandos boarded Air Force Pave Low helicopters and seized Khairkha on the road less than two hours later. The SEALs continued to perform reconnaissance operations for the Marines until leaving after having spent 45 days on the ground.

Subsequent SEAL operations during the invasion of Afghanistan were conducted within Task Force K-Bar, a joint special operations unit of Army Special Forces, United States Air Force Special Tactics Teams, and special operations forces from Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Turkey, under the command of Navy SEAL Captain Robert Harward. Task Force K-Bar conducted combat operations in the massive cave complexes at Zhawar Kili, the city of Kandahar and surrounding territory, the town of Prata Ghar and hundreds of miles of rough terrain in southern and eastern Afghanistan. Over the course of six months Task Force K-Bar killed or captured over 200 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, and destroyed tens of thousands of pounds of weapons and ordnance.

Navy SEALs participated extensively in Operation Anaconda. During insertion AB1 Neil Roberts was thrown from his helicopter when it took fire from entrenched al Qaeda fighters. Roberts was eventually killed after engaging and fighting dozens of enemies for almost an hour. Several SEALs were wounded in a rescue attempt and their Air Force Combat Controller, Technical Sergeant John Chapman was killed. Attempts to rescue the stranded SEAL also led to the deaths of several US Army Rangers and an Air Force Pararescueman acting as a Quick Reaction Force.

SEALs were present at the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi alongside their counterparts from the British Special Boat Service. Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the battle.

Iraq War

Al Faw and Iraqi oil infrastructure

US military security personnel on the Al Basrah Oil Terminal after its capture

Several days before the beginning of the invasion of Iraq two SDV teams were launched from Mark V Special Operations Craft in the Persian Gulf. Their objectives were the hydrographic reconnaissance of the Al Basrah (MABOT) and Khawr Al Amaya (KAAOT) Oil Terminals. After swimming under the terminals and securing their Mark 8 mod 1's the SDV SEALs spent several hours taking pictures and surveying Iraqi activity on both platforms before returning to their boats.

On March 20, 2003 the Navy SEALs launched what is the largest single SEAL operation in history from US Naval vessels, Ras al-Qulayah Naval Base and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait as part of a mixed force of US Navy SEALs, Polish GROM and British Royal Marines. Their targets were not only the MABOT and KAAOT platforms but their respective onshore petroleum pumping locks and the Al Faw port and refinery. Each force was to be inserted via helicopter or boat on the perimeter of the targets and then assault the main facilities. The first attacks occurred at the pumping locks for each offshore terminal. At MABOT's pumping lock the team's landing zone was covered in concertina wire that was unreported by their intelligence and so the SEALs and Royal Marines were forced to hover several feet off the ground. The Royal Marines, lead by a Provost Sergeant, were the first off the helicopter followed by the SEALs and all immediately became entangled in the obstacles. In this exposed position the SEALs and Marines began taking fire from the platform's garrison. The landing at the KAAOT pumping lock ran into similar problems with their landing zone but, both teams at both locations regrouped and successfully assaulted the pumping locks taking the main buildings and several occupied bunkers. After securing the facility an Iraqi armored vehicle approached the SEAL's position. Their embedded Air Force Combat Controller coordinated with an Air Force A-10 and destroyed the vehicle. In total five Iraqis were killed and sixteen captured.

The assault on the offshore platforms were carried out by SWCC manned rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) carrying the SEALs and SWCC manned Mk Vs carrying the GROM. The SEALs were assigned MABOT and GROM the KAAOT. Two days before the launch of the operation the Iraqis replaced the MABOT garrison with elite Republican Guard troops. With this last minute change in opposition in mind, and the added fear of the Republican Guard blowing up the platforms upon attack, the SEALs decided to change their plan to quickly take out all opposition before physically securing MABOT. Once the SEALs assaulted MABOT via RHIB the Republican Guard forces immediately began to surrender. The GROM on KAAOT encountered the same unwillingness by the Iraqis to fight allowing both platforms to be taken with no deaths. Subsequent inspection on MABOT showed that the Iraqi forces had not primed their explosives having been unwilling to destroy the facility.

The assault on the Iraqi positions on the Al Faw peninsula consisted of a DPV mounted SEAL force at the refinery and port with a larger force of US Marines from the 5th Regimental Combat Team of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force attacking Iraqi positions farther north in the Rumaila oil fields. Before the operation the SEALs raised objections that the ground looked unsuitable for DPV use but the faulty intelligence was assured by their attached intelligence liaison that the land on Al Faw would be hardpack. The teams went ahead and landed with their DPVs straight off the helicopters but their fears were confirmed when the oil soaked and muddy ground on the peninsula rendered their underpowered, rear wheel drive vehicles useless. Now on foot and surrounded by approximately 300 entrenched Iraqi soldiers and armored vehicles the SEALs relied on their Combat Controller to call in air strikes. In coordination with close air support the SEALs swept the entire facility on foot fighting through enemy positions until day break when they were relieved by the 42 Commando of the British Royal Marines. In total several hundred Iraqis were killed, 100 captured and all the armored vehicles destroyed.

Mukarayin Dam

Coalition military planners were concerned that retreating Iraqi forces would destroy the Mukatayin hydroelectric dam northeast of Baghdad in an attempt to slow advancing US troops. In addition to restricting the maneuver of Coalition forces the destruction of the dam would deny critical power needs to the surrounding area as well as cause massive flooding and loss of Iraqi civilian life. A mixed SEAL/GROM force was called in to seize the dam. This force was flown several hours by US Air Force MH-53 Pave Lows to the dam. The SEALs employed DPVs into blocking positions to defend against counter-attack and roving bands of Iranian bandits that had been crossing the border and raiding Iraqi towns. As in Al Faw the SEALs found their DPVs to be ineffective and this marked the last time they would employ them in Iraq.

The SEALs and GROM on foot fast roped out of their helicopters and immediately stormed the dam. The minimal Iraqi security forces on site surrendered, and with the exception of a GROM operator who broke an ankle during the insertion, the operation went off with no casualties. After several hours of searching the dam for remaining hostile forces or any explosives, the SEALs fully secured the dam and were later relieved by advancing elements of the US Army.

Training

SEAL training is very rigorous, one of the toughest training programs for special operations in the world. The drop out rate for SEAL classes is regularly 70 to 90 percent. The average Navy SEAL spends over a year in a series of formal training environments before being awarded the Special Warfare Operator Naval Rating and the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) 5326 Combatant Swimmer (SEAL) or, in the case of commissioned naval officers, the designation Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) Officer. All Navy SEALs must attend and graduate from their rating's 24-week "A" School or selection course known as Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) school and then the 28-week SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) program. SQT qualifies all BUD/S graduates in basic SEAL skillsets in MAROPS, Combat Swimmer, Communications, TCCC, Close Quarters Combat, Land Warfare, Staticline/Freefall Parachute Operations, SERE and Combatives. All sailors entering the SEAL training pipeline with the Navy Hospital Corpsman rating or those chosen by Naval Special Warfare Command must also attend the 26 week Special Operations Combat Medic course and subsequently earn the NEC SO-5392 Naval Special Warfare Medic before joining an operational Team. Once outside the formal schooling environment SEALs entering a new Team at the beginning of an operational rotation can expect 18 months of Professional Development/Schools (PRODEV) and Troop unit level training (ULT) before each 6-month deployment. In total, from the time a prospective SEAL enters military service to the time a SEAL finishes his first pre-deployment training cycle, it can take as much as 30 months to completely train a Navy SEAL for their first deployment.^[10]

Navy SEAL teams and structure

Naval Special Warfare Groups

Naval Special Warfare Command is organized into the following configuration:

Naval Special Warfare Group 1: SEAL Teams 1, 3, 5, 7
Naval Special Warfare Group 2: SEAL Teams 2, 4, 8, 10
Naval Special Warfare Group 3: SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams 1
Naval Special Warfare Group 4: Special Boat Teams 12, 20, 22
Naval Special Warfare Group 11: SEAL Teams 17, 18 (formerly Operational Support Teams 1, 2)^[11]

The total number of Navy SEALs assigned to Naval Special Warfare Command is approximately 2,000 out of a total staffing of 6,500. About half of the SEAL contingent are based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base and Dam Neck Annex in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Most of the remainder are headquartered at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California or with SDVT-1 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.^[12]

SEAL Teams

SEAL Teams are organized into two groups: Naval Special Warfare Group One (West Coast), and Naval Special Warfare Group Two (East Coast), which come under the command of Naval Special Warfare Command, stationed at NAB Coronado, California. As of 2006, there are eight confirmed Navy SEAL Teams. The original SEAL Teams in the Vietnam War were separated between West Coast (Team ONE) and East Coast (Team TWO) SEALs. The current SEAL Team deployments include Teams 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10.

The Teams deploy as Naval Special Warfare Squadrons or Special Operations Task Forces and can deploy anywhere in the world. Squadrons will normally be deployed and fall under a Joint Task Force (JTF) or a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) as a Special Operations Task Force (SOTF)

A SEAL Team has a Staff Headquarters element and three 40-man Troops. Each Troop consist of a Headquarters element consisting of a Troop Commander (O-4), a Troop Senior Enlisted (E-8), a Targeting/Operations Officer (O-2/3) and a Targeting/Operations Leading/Chief Petty Officer (E-6/7). Under the HQ element are two SEAL platoons of 16-20 men (2 officers, 14-16 enlisted SEALs and sometimes 2 enlisted EOD Operators making a platoon of 18-20); a company-sized Combat Service Support (CSS) and/or Combat Support (CS) consisting of staff N-codes (the Army and Marine Corps use S-codes); N1 Administrative support, N2 Intelligence, N3 Operations, N4 Logistics, N5 Plans and Targeting, N6 Communications, N7 Training, and N8 Air/Medical. Each Troop can be easily task organized into 4 squads or eight 4-5 man fire teams for operational purposes. The size of each SEAL “Team” with Troops and support staff is approx. 300 personnel. The typical SEAL platoon has an OIC (Officer in Charge, usually an O-3), an AOIC (Assistant Officer in Charge, usually an O-2), a platoon chief (E-7), an Operations NCO/LPO (Leading Petty Officer, E-6) and other operators E5-E6. The core leadership in the Troop and Platoon are the Commander/OIC and the Senior Enlisted NCO (Senior Chief/Chief).

Troop core skills consist of: Sniper, Breacher, Communicator, Maritime/Engineering, Close Air Support, Corpsman, Point-man/Navigator, Primary Driver/Navigator (Rural/Urban/Protective Security), Heavy Weapons Operator, Sensitive Site Exploitation, Air Operations Master, Lead Climber, Lead Diver/Navigator, Interrogator, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Technical Surveillance, and Advanced Special Operations.

Each SEAL Team is commanded by a Navy Commander (O-5), and has a number of operational SEAL platoons and a headquarters element.

Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, a naval base in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is home to SEAL Teams 2, 4, 8, and 10. Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, a naval base in Coronado, CA, is home to SEAL Teams 1, 3, 5, and 7. There are also an SDV unit, SDVT-1 located in Pearl Harbor, HI. SDVT-2, formerly based in Virginia was disestablished and merged into SDVT-1 which is now headquartered in Pearl Harbor, HI. SDV Teams are SEAL teams with an added underwater delivery capability. An SDV platoon consists of 12-15 SEALs.

Insignia	Team	Deployment	Number of Platoons	HQ	Notes
File:SEAL-Team-1.jpg	SEAL Team 1	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Coronado, CA
[[File:SEAL-Team-2.jpg\|70px\|SEAL Team 2	SEAL Team 2	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Little Creek, Virginia
File:SEAL-Team-3.jpg	SEAL Team 3	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Coronado, CA
File:SEAL-Team-4.jpg	SEAL Team 4	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Little Creek, Virginia
File:SEAL-Team-5.jpg	SEAL Team 5	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Coronado, CA
	United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group	Worldwide	Classified	Dam Neck, Virginia	Seal Team 6 was dissolved in 1987. The operators of SEAL Team Six established the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, also known as DEVGRU.
SEAL Team 7	SEAL Team 7	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Coronado, CA
File:SEAL-Team-8.jpg	SEAL Team 8	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Little Creek, Virginia
File:SEAL-Team-10.jpg	SEAL Team 10	Worldwide	6 Platoons	Little Creek, Virginia
	SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE	Worldwide	4 Platoons	San Diego, CA Dets in: Little Creek,VA Pearl Harbor, HI
	SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO	N/A	N/A	Little Creek, Virginia	Merged with SDVT-1

SEAL ethics

The SEAL code

"Loyalty to Country, Team, and Teammate
Serve with Honor and Integrity On and Off the Battlefield
Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit
Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates
Excel as Warriors through Discipline and Innovation
Train for War, Fight to Win, Defeat our Nation’s Enemies
Earn your Trident everyday."

SEAL creed

"In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.

My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.

I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.

We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.

I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me - my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.

We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.

Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail."

Area of operations

As stated above, SEALs got their name from the environments they operate in: SEa, Air and Land. The following is list of those areas of operation:

Land

Deserts

SEAL operators must be ready for desert deployment especially with the current Iraq War. The Desert will test the SEALs both mentally and physically. Vast movement in the desert environments is sometimes covered by Humvees or Desert Patrol Vehicles. The harsh desert environment provides little to no concealment so blending in is difficult for a SEAL. A SEAL knows that hydration in the desert is a must.

Arctic
Arctic missions can call for a lot of equipment and skill. The SEALs layer their clothes, travel by night, sleep in snow caves and carry 3 lines of gear and often pull a sled.The First Line gear includes: survival gear, including signaling device, emergency rations, spare parts, E&E kit, map & compass, flashlight and the side arm. Second Line gear includes equipment carried on the operator's web gear, including primary weapon and ammo, short-term supplies (should the rucksack be ditched), grenades, water, med kit, smokes, flares, carabiners and other miscellaneous gear. Finally, the operator's Third Line of gear includes that equipment stored in the rucksack, including sleeping bag, ground pad, tent, food for the duration of the operation, gas stove & utensils, dry socks, clothing layers and a water container. Mountaineering gear will also be divided among the squad and carried with the third line, and each member will carry his personal ice ax and snowshoes attached to his rucksack. Other Arctic operations include extreme cold water diving, kayaking, skiing, and snowmobiling.

Woodland/Jungle

The woods and jungles are difficult to maneuver in. In the jungles SEALs will typically carry a machete to clear foliage quickly and easily and a shotgun for close combat. Patrols in the jungle will normally take longer than usual because of the difficulties in maneuvering.

Mountaineering/Climbing

An operator will carry his climbing gear in the third line rucksack for use if and when needed. The common gear, such as ropes and carabiners, are split among the squad to distribute the weight among the Team. Each individual will carry his own sit harness.The lead or point climber is the most experienced climber in the squad. He will climb the face free of any protection (i.e. chalks, pitons, top rope etc.) and set the route. Once at the top he will anchor a top rope and let it down to the squad below. He will then set security while the climbers ascend the rope. A belay man will assist from below or above depending on the type of climb. The gear will be hauled up on a Jumar along with the climber. This is dangerous work and emphasis is on speed and stealth. The lead relies on his strength and vast amount of free climb training and experience to find the best route in the darkness.

Sea

SEALs can insert, extract, and perform underwater attacks; this is what distinguishes them from other Special Operations Forces. The SEALs have a variety of equipment and water crafts that help them perform water missions.

Air

SEALs utilize several different forms of insertion from the air. Static Line and Free Fall Parachuting, Fast-Rope and Rappel operations, or just plain jumping out of a helicopter into the ocean with a zodiac. SEALs are also extracted by air transportation on occasions.

References

^ Four operators from DevGru were a part of the assault convoy during Battle of Mogadishu
^ http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/05/coast-guard-graduates-first-two-seals/
^ US Navy. SEAL requirements "SEAL Requirements". navyseals.com. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
^ Waller, Douglas (2003-02-03). "The CIA Secret Army". TIME (Time Inc). http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030203/
^ SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam by John L. Plaster
^ Haney, Eric L. (2002). Inside Delta Force. New York: Delacorte Press
^ Efran, Shawn (producer), "Army Officer Recalls Hunt For Bin Laden", 60 Minutes, CBS News, October 5, 2008.
^ Point Man by Chief James Watson & Kevin Dockery, 1993, ISBN 0-380-71986-X
^ Edwin E. Moïse. "The Vietnam Wars, Section 8: The Tet Offensive and its Aftermath". Clemson University.
^ http://science.howstuffworks.com/navy-seal3.htm
^ Navy.mil
^ Hansen, Louis, "SEAL's Death At Training Facility Raises Safety Concerns", Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, February 28, 2009.
^ See also: Category:Special forces of Romania

"Navy Fact File: Navy SEALs". San Diego: Naval Special Warfare Command – Public Affairs Office, United States Navy. 2005-03-03. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
McCoy, Shane T. (August 2004). "Testing Newton's Law", All Hands Magazine, p. 33.
Obringer, Lee Ann. "How the Navy SEALs Work". How Stuff Works. Retrieved 2006-06-14.
Sasser, Charles W. Encyclopedia of The Navy SEALs, Facts on File, 2002. (ISBN 0-8160-4569-0)

External links

US Navy SEAL & SWCC official website
Naval Special Warfare Command official website
US Navy SEALs Information
US Navy SEALs Directory
US Navy SEALs Blog
US Navy SEALs Store

[1] Four operators from DevGru were a part of the assault convoy during Battle of Mogadishu

[2] ttp://coastguard.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/05/coast-guard-graduates-first-two-seals/

[3] US Navy. SEAL requirements "SEAL Requirements". navyseals.com. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)

[4] Waller, Douglas (2003-02-03). "The CIA Secret Army". TIME (Time Inc). http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030203/

[5] SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam by John L. Plaster

[6] Haney, Eric L. (2002). Inside Delta Force. New York: Delacorte Press

[7] Efran, Shawn (producer), "Army Officer Recalls Hunt For Bin Laden", 60 Minutes, CBS News, October 5, 2008.

[8] Point Man by Chief James Watson & Kevin Dockery, 1993, ISBN 0-380-71986-X

[9] Edwin E. Moïse. "The Vietnam Wars, Section 8: The Tet Offensive and its Aftermath". Clemson University.

[10] ttp://science.howstuffworks.com/navy-seal3.htm

[11] Navy.mil

[12] Hansen, Louis, "SEAL's Death At Training Facility Raises Safety Concerns", Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, February 28, 2009.

[13] See also: Category:Special forces of Romania

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v t e United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
United States Army USASOC	Units 1st Special Forces Command 75th Ranger Regiment Army Special Operations Aviation Command John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Types Special Forces Rangers Civil Affairs Psychological Operations
United States Marine Corps MARSOC	Units Marine Raider Regiment Marine Raider Support Group Marine Raider Training Center Types Critical skills operator
United States Navy NAVSPECWARCOM	Units Naval Special Warfare Group 1 Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Naval Special Warfare Group 4 Naval Special Warfare Group 8 Naval Special Warfare Group 11 Naval Special Warfare Center Types Navy SEALs Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen
United States Air Force AFSOC	Units 1st Special Operations Wing 24th Special Operations Wing 27th Special Operations Wing 137th Special Operations Wing 193rd Special Operations Wing 352nd Special Operations Wing 353rd Special Operations Wing 492nd Special Operations Wing 919th Special Operations Wing Types Pararescue Combat Control Team Special Reconnaissance Combat Rescue Officer Special Tactics Officer Combat Aviation Advisors Psychological Operations
Special mission units JSOC	Army 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force) Intelligence Support Activity (ISA / The Activity) Navy Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU / SEAL Team Six) Air Force 24th Special Tactics Squadron (24 STS) Joint Communications Unit
Theater Special Operations Commands	SOCAFRICA SOCCENT SOCEUR SOCKOR SOCPAC SOCNORTH SOCSOUTH
Source: SOCOM 2013 Fact Book