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First woman enlists to become a Navy SEAL (1 Viewer)

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

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First woman enlists to become a Navy SEAL - CNN.com

(CNN)A woman will train with other potential officers this summer in hopes of becoming the first female Navy SEAL.The candidate, a midshipman, and another woman have enlisted as the first female candidates seeking to join the Navy's special operations teams.
The latter is training for the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman program, or SWCC.



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These women have already made history, but they still face a long road ahead of training and tests before they officially make the cut.
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Odds are high they won't make it, but that's true of most men who attempt it too.

Just a step in the right direction for allowing them the chance to try.
 
Don't let Henrin see this thread...... ;)

Congrats, I'm sure she's up to the job, or she wouldn't be there. In addition to anything normal she brings to the table, she'll add a buff to her squad, in that the uber-chauvinist ISIS thugs she's facing off against will lose their **** when they realize their buddy shut got knocked off by a girl.
 
Unfortunate, but inevitable. USASOC would probably have been the better venue to have tried this, as they don't take pipeliners.
 
I hope she makes it, I'm surprised she is the first to enlist for it though. I would have thought GI Jane would have inspired women before this. The lady the movie is based on, Jane Parkhurst, went through the army equivalent at the age of 35 and did well. Becoming the first woman, and the oldest person to do it. She went into the army with a physical score of 290 out of 300, and maintained top physical fitness her whole career. I'm sure the seal candidate is probably similar in that regard, putting her on an even playing field physically with the men who are selected. She just has to keep her mind right, candidates don't wash out just because its physically hard.
 
PIPEWRENCH said:
I am OK with it as long as we don't have to lower our standards so they can get in.
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Agreed. if they can make it through all of the training and testing a male Navy Seal goes through with no special treatment, more power to them, however I do not think a woman can make it through that training unless she is built like a man.
 
ThoughtEx. said:
I hope she makes it, I'm surprised she is the first to enlist for it though. I would have thought GI Jane would have inspired women before this. The lady the movie is based on, Jane Parkhurst, went through the army equivalent at the age of 35 and did well. Becoming the first woman, and the oldest person to do it. She went into the army with a physical score of 290 out of 300, and maintained top physical fitness her whole career. I'm sure the seal candidate is probably similar in that regard, putting her on an even playing field physically with the men who are selected. She just has to keep her mind right, candidates don't wash out just because its physically hard.
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I enjoyed the movie GI Jane, however I did not see it as realistic. The physical end of it would probably wash out nearly 100% of female candidates.
 
OlNate said:
Don't let Henrin see this thread...... ;)

Congrats, I'm sure she's up to the job, or she wouldn't be there. In addition to anything normal she brings to the table, she'll add a buff to her squad, in that the uber-chauvinist ISIS thugs she's facing off against will lose their **** when they realize their buddy shut got knocked off by a girl.
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I would not assume that she is up for the job. 70% of men who try out for the Navy Seals wash out. Nobody knows until they actually go through the training. However, if she does get accepted and can make it through the same training as the men with no special consideration, more power to her.
 
ThoughtEx. said:
I hope she makes it, I'm surprised she is the first to enlist for it though. I would have thought GI Jane would have inspired women before this. The lady the movie is based on, Jane Parkhurst, went through the army equivalent at the age of 35 and did well. Becoming the first woman, and the oldest person to do it. She went into the army with a physical score of 290 out of 300, and maintained top physical fitness her whole career. I'm sure the seal candidate is probably similar in that regard, putting her on an even playing field physically with the men who are selected. She just has to keep her mind right, candidates don't wash out just because its physically hard.
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:shock:
 
I have no problem with women having the opportunity to qualify as a SEAL and receive the Trident.

Quite honestly though, I don't see any female successfully making it through the BUD/S 21 week ordeal at Coronado Naval Base.

A few applicants get one medical "do-over" and start again from scratch. The failure rate among men is ~75%. Typically, 15 in a class of 60 can survive BUD/S training and Hell Week.
 
I think I may have been around a hundred sailors (wild guess) that I worked with, or just knew, who requested BUD/S training.

3 made it that I know of. You would be surprised with the ones that do make it. They are not all the strongest and fastest, but they have a certain hardness, strength of mind, and extreme confidence. I am still in contact with 2 of them, and I know quite a few younger SEALS who are active. A lot of them hang out a few slips over from my boat at the marina. A couple live on my street.

I was TAD to the teams for mechanical support (boat mechanic) a few times back in 87-89 and made a lot of friends.
 
RetiredUSN said:
I think I may have been around a hundred sailors (wild guess) that I worked with, or just knew, who requested BUD/S training.

3 made it that I know of. You would be surprised with the ones that do make it. They are not all the strongest and fastest, but they have a certain hardness, strength of mind, and extreme confidence. I am still in contact with 2 of them, and I know quite a few younger SEALS who are active. A lot of them hang out a few slips over from my boat at the marina. A couple live on my street.

I was TAD to the teams for mechanical support (boat mechanic) a few times back in 87-89 and made a lot of friends.
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That is the thing. You have to be physically fit that is a given, but the mental toughness not only to survive through hell week but even after that. They will probably do a pre-requirement.

I do not think she will meet the men restrictions most men don't make it.
Physical injury etc are common. Next failure to pass phases.

I know I couldn't do it.
 
ObamacareFail said:
I would not assume that she is up for the job. 70% of men who try out for the Navy Seals wash out. Nobody knows until they actually go through the training. However, if she does get accepted and can make it through the same training as the men with no special consideration, more power to her.
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I second that
 
ObamacareFail said:
Agreed. if they can make it through all of the training and testing a male Navy Seal goes through with no special treatment, more power to them, however I do not think a woman can make it through that training unless she is built like a man.
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I would think seal training is more geared to a gymnastics body than the traditional big strong man. I don't see any reason a woman that excels in gymnastics couldn't pass the physical part of seal training. The problem with seal training or even special forces is you need to excel in so many areas. Physical, mental, emotional, intelligence, and the determination to push every one of these necessary skills beyond the normal breaking point of an average person. That really narrows the field down quickly. With women the field is already small to begin with. I think there are clearly a few who can overcome the challenges. Especially since women overall are working to become more physical.
 
ObamacareFail said:
Agreed. if they can make it through all of the training and testing a male Navy Seal goes through with no special treatment, more power to them, however I do not think a woman can make it through that training unless she is built like a man.
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well I don't know other than my Nephew went through ranger school, then, after three combat tours joined the SF and qualified for that and after another combat tour then trained with the SEALS for 18 months. He was a former all-american soccer player and tested in the top one percent physically of those in the army. HE claimed he doubted any woman could get through the SEALS training let alone SF Q school without the standards being lower. But he might be wrong but I tend to believe him over anyone else I know on this issue. Two other friends of mine-one deceased were both SEALS and they said the same thing.
But if she meets the standards more power to her
 
TurtleDude said:
well I don't know other than my Nephew went through ranger school, then, after three combat tours joined the SF and qualified for that and after another combat tour then trained with the SEALS for 18 months. He was a former all-american soccer player and tested in the top one percent physically of those in the army. HE claimed he doubted any woman could get through the SEALS training let alone SF Q school without the standards being lower. But he might be wrong but I tend to believe him over anyone else I know on this issue. Two other friends of mine-one deceased were both SEALS and they said the same thing.
But if she meets the standards more power to her
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My biggest concern has always been that if no women make it or even just not what is considered enough then there will be pressure put on the military to lower standards to meet that goal. And unfortunately even if SEALS SF and Rangers resist that pressure eventually a commander will come along who values his career over doing what's right. I just hope that when that day comes they will simply lower standards for the women and not the men. I would much rather go to war with a few women who didn't meet the standard then a bunch of guys as well. Most likely though in the name of fairness the standards will be lowered across the board.

There are a few other issues I have with allowing women into SOF but that is the main one. And as an SF guy I think my organization as well as MARSOC, will have the most issues with women due to the fact that so much of our job entails working very closely with men from countries that have very different ideas about equality.
 
Dragonfly said:
He can see it. But he can't comment on it. Sweetness on so many levels. :lol:
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I just saw that he was banned.

He was on my ignore list...but to be banned after 60,000 posts is kinda sad.


Anyway...I hope this gal makes it in.
 
ludin said:
That is the thing. You have to be physically fit that is a given, but the mental toughness not only to survive through hell week but even after that. They will probably do a pre-requirement.

I do not think she will meet the men restrictions most men don't make it.
Physical injury etc are common. Next failure to pass phases.

I know I couldn't do it.
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Same here. I found Basic Training in the Army to be mentally and physically tough. However that is kindergarten compared to the training that the US Navy Seals go through.
 
PIPEWRENCH said:
I would think seal training is more geared to a gymnastics body than the traditional big strong man. I don't see any reason a woman that excels in gymnastics couldn't pass the physical part of seal training. The problem with seal training or even special forces is you need to excel in so many areas. Physical, mental, emotional, intelligence, and the determination to push every one of these necessary skills beyond the normal breaking point of an average person. That really narrows the field down quickly. With women the field is already small to begin with. I think there are clearly a few who can overcome the challenges. Especially since women overall are working to become more physical.
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Have you ever viewed a documentary on Seals Buds training? It is also quite geared to big strong men. Petite women or for that matter small men need not apply.us-navy-seal-training-4 (1).jpg
 
TurtleDude said:
well I don't know other than my Nephew went through ranger school, then, after three combat tours joined the SF and qualified for that and after another combat tour then trained with the SEALS for 18 months. He was a former all-american soccer player and tested in the top one percent physically of those in the army. HE claimed he doubted any woman could get through the SEALS training let alone SF Q school without the standards being lower. But he might be wrong but I tend to believe him over anyone else I know on this issue. Two other friends of mine-one deceased were both SEALS and they said the same thing.
But if she meets the standards more power to her
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Yes. I am sure that at best, the washout rate for women in Seals Training would be considerably higher then for men. And I say that while intending no offense at women. we are just built differently.
 
How long before the presence of a female team member endangers the whole mission?
 
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