<p>LW, </p>
<p>-The Finishing School by Dick Couch is also another book you could read.
-Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell is a must. Very powerful story.
-A Sense of Honor by James Webb- more about the Academy itself (during the 60's).
-Absolutely American by David Lipsky. About a reporter who spends four years at the USMA. Worth the read because it gives you an idea what SA life is like. </p>
<p>I've read all these and would recommend to anyone interested in the SEALs/USNA.</p>
<p>Wow! okay, i am going to have to read this 10 times over just to get all of the good info about usna soaked in! thanks everyone!</p>
<p>koho123 - thanks and I have read Lone Survivor and agree it was definitely a must read</p>
<p>I'm a SEAL wife of more than twenty years (he's USNA grad, still AD & went to BUD/S directly after graduation in the mid '80's). I'm wide-eyed as I try to help our daughter manuever her way through her USNA application/nomination so I'm thrilled to find a thread on a subject that I'm much more familiar with and can actually contribute.</p>
<p>LongC90: I can confirm that the success rate for BUD/S is much higher for USNA grads although it's probably closer to the 75% itlstallion posted. Although OCS & NROTC are equally competitive for a shot at going to BUD/S, others in this thread have covered how much exposure to SEALs and the community that is available at USNA which seems to make the grads more mentally prepared for what they're getting themselves into. For whatever reason, they are slow to quit once they are in BUD/S. </p>
<p>As far as getting into BUD/S from USNA, the screener's input is considered but not the most important thing. I posted once before where I pasted info from my husband on what the board is looking for. If you can't find it, I'll post it again.</p>
<p>I would caution you about info received on navyseals.com. There's a good bit of misinformation and it is not frequented by actual SEALs. sealswcc.com is a brand new website just getting off the ground, run by BUD/S. It's not very flashy right now but if you post a question, you'll get a response by someone who knows what he's talking about. </p>
<p>Height doesn't matter. There are plenty of SEALs shorter than 5'10".</p>
<p>As far as officer vs enlisted... There is no need to recruit officers since there are so many applicants for few slots, which is obviously why it is so competitive to get a shot at BUD/S and you don't get a second chance as an officer. There's a significant percentage of enlisted SEALs with college degrees (I know one who enlisted right out of Stanford). Guys with degrees will go this route to get into BUD/S more easily and then some will try to go officer after a couple of tours. Enlisted can go to sniper school after a platoon or two. I've never heard of an officer going to sniper school. You will also be operational on a platoon level for a longer time as enlisted than as an officer. Having said that, my husband has been able to be operational more frequently and much later in his career than I would have hoped. He however, seems to enjoy it. </p>
<p>rjrzoom57, your understanding of the officer track is a little fuzzy but not completely off track. I'm not sure how much can be said on an open forum but let me know if you have more questions since your son is interested in this. I have tons of questions for you, though. For instance, are we hopelessly behind if my daughter hasn't completed her nomination packets? We get a few calls and emails every week from b&g or usna about her progress. Is that normal? Also how does it hurt her chances if she wears contacts/glasses?</p>
<p>^^^^Welcome aboard. In all honesty, don't rush the application. Early is good but completeness is better. If you are getting calls from USNA wanting the application completed, your daughter is perhaps in the LOA range. Unusual to hear that. They want her as much as she wants them. You have until March 1 to complete the application so be thorough. Early gets DodMERB out of the way, though, if that is possibly an issue.</p>
<p>Talked to a recent (USNA 2000) grad SEAL last week and he confirmed exactly what you said. Around 80& graduate and with no statistics to look at, seemed to think it was about twice the ROTC/OCS rate. He also said that depending on the SEAL officers/senior enlisted at USNA that the training regime is somewhat self selecting in that those who survive the four years 'traioning' will pretty much be selected.</p>
<p>Eyesight, within reason, is no longer an issue.</p>
<p>My best to your SEAL friend. I hope he's enjoying it and stays in a long time.</p>
<p>I don't want to hyjack the thread but what is LOA and DodMERB? She did get a 1600 on her sat the first time through which is the only thing she really has submitted at this point. Maybe that's the reason? All this contact has made me nervous that we were supposed to complete the nomination before school got out. I'm sure San Diego is pretty competitive so I guess I'm a little concerned about that.</p>
<p>1600 total, or 1600 just on the math and verbal?? LOA=letter of assurance, which basically states they really like the kid and if the kid is medically qualified and gets a nom, he/she will get an appointment. Dodmerb=dept. of defense medical review board...they are the agency basically charged w/ determining if candidates are medically qualified.</p>
<p>math & verbal. Thanks for the translations. I should probably have known that</p>
<p>She has a perfect SAT?? That is why they are calling you!!! If I were betting, I'd bet she has an LOA in hand by Oct. 1.</p>
<p>I was at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar for water survival training today, and I talked to some people who were very knowledgeable about BUDs. They all said that there wasn't that big of a difference in success rate between NROTC and USNA Ensigns. Where did you hear that there was?</p>
<p>I was at the 50 meter pool today, too. We should have just chatted then. </p>
<p>BUD/S keeps statistics on just about everything. That's where I heard it.</p>
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<p>Okay, she is LOA material. The quicker you submit the application, the sooner you will have piece of mind. The Academy can and will wait. The other important part of the equation is the nomination, a completely separate process. She needs to apply for a nomination to the President, Vice President, her two Senators, and her Congressman. Additionally, if she is NJROTC or a member of an Air Force or Army honors JROTC unit, she is also eligible for an appointment via that route. The Academy insists that she apply to all available nomination sources. The MOCs' websites will list the particular application requirements of each. The USNA catalog will delineate the President and VP requirements, and the ROTC instructor will be familiar with their procedures.</p>
<p>There are nine parts to the application. She must show good effort and complete any five of them in order for USNA to request that DoDMERB commence the medical evaluation process. Again, good idea to get this started as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Is it the phone calls that is the give away that the above student is LOA material? We are getting letters working to inspire completion of everything but that also might be because my daughter is an athlete. She has completed everything now (just finished DodMERB) with the exception of the MOC packages (and no contact from the BGO yet) but a nomination is obviously a ways off. Thanks.</p>
<p>No, I think it's the 1600 SAT that screams LOA! Athletes are in another category. If you are hearing from a coach, that is very good. Most of our coach contact was via mail, w/ a few phone calls sprinkled in. Not sure what exactly is BGO procedure, but when ours came over, he was surprised to learn DS had been talking to coaches. He said that there was another avenue to go w/ BGO's because of that. We never heard from our MALO, either...found out later, the academy had taken care of that via the athletic dept . when DS visited. I think the difference was that USMA saw him as "blue chip" while USNA saw him as a mid that could join the team. So, if you are hearing from coaches, you are in good shape!! Last fall, we saw several athletes on this site receive an LOA.</p>
<p>lol! so true! My son is trying to decide between Annapolis or enlisting with goal of being a seal. Does not want to be pulled from the field. Any officers out there that can respond?</p>
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<p>I’m not a SEAL, but I know this much. Any officer in special operations, or any kind of combat arms units in general, will see significantly less field time once they reach O-4 (Major for Army/USAF/USMC or Lieutenant Commander for USN). The time one spends as an O-3 can vary widely.</p>
<p>I’m not quite sure how it works in the SEALs specifically, but in Army Special Forces, some Captains that were about to be promoted out of their teams decided to switch to one of the National Guard SF units in order to stay on a team. That should give you some idea of the compromise that officers make due to their commission.</p>
<p>Bottom line is this: your son will have to decide whether field time or a commission is more important to him. Serving in a SEAL platoon as an enlisted sailor is the only way to guarantee that he will stay in the field for most of his career.</p>
<p>@studentsmom…holy thread resurrection batman. you do realize this thread is 2+ years old?</p>
<p>Hi my name is Brett and I am currently a freshman in high school. i have straight a’s and i am also an athlete. I know for a fact that I love to be challenged and to serve. I realize that becoming a navy seal would be the ultimate challenge and also a very good way to serve others. I understand that the ladder to success is hard to climb. I would like to do this while in college ether trough the usna or nrotc. this way I can have my college paid for. Forgive me if anything I say makes no sense for I have had little time to do research. Anyway I am trying to figure out routes that would increase my success rate or any real knowledge or information anyone may have about steps to becoming a navy seal. I know for a fact that this is want I do with my life and I will do anything necessary to achieve my goal.</p>
<p>Simple to know, not simple to do. </p>
<p>Excel in the classroom, first and foremost. That will be the most important step in gaining a USNA appointment and/or an NROTC Scholarship. Both are possible entries into BUD/S, the training program for SEALS. Excel in physical fitness. Make yourself strong, agile, fast, and both physically and mentally “tough.” Strive to become a leader in those activities you are a part of. Learn to swim. Well. Read read read. Become a learned man. And in the process, read about your interests and the interests of your best teachers. Play and become accomplished at sport(s). Virtually all USNA appointees have been high level performers in one or more varsity sports. </p>
<p>And if you’re a person of faith. Pray for strength, guidance, enlightenment. If not, don’t.</p>