NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE CENTER
Standards Based SEAL Training
Agenda
• SEAL Production Process
• Preparation Training
– NSW Prep Course; Great Lakes
– BUD/S Orientation
• BUD/S Standards
• Overview of Student Loss by type and
phase of training
SEAL Development
Total Timeline
Initial Training: 61wks
NSWCEN
ATC
NSWCEN
BTC
NSW
Prep
8 wks
NSWG
TRADET
DEPLOY
BUD/S
JUMP/
SERE
SQT
PRODEV
27 wks
7 wks
19 wks
6-8 months
ULT
6 months
SIT
4-6 months
2.5 years of training until 1st deployment
Basic Training:
SEAL Pipeline
• NSW Prep COI - 8 weeks
• Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training
(BUD/S) - 27 weeks
• Navy Parachute Course - 4 weeks
• NSW SERE Level C - 10 days
 (NSWCEN Developing in house Curriculum/MARSOC
Model)
• Junior Officer Training Course - 5 weeks
• SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) - 19 weeks




Cold Weather / MAROPS
Close Quarters Combat / Combat Shooting
Land Warfare
Combat Swimmer
61 weeks total
NSW Prep. Course Progression
- 2 Senior Enlisted SEALs and Blackwater Coaches
- Focus on Physical Preparation
Check-in
Conditioning
1 week
4-8 weeks
Max 12 weeks
• Admin
• PT groups by ability level
• Assessment • Daily academic instruction
• MED Clear
• Progress carefully tracked
• Course Intro
Test & Transfer
• Exit Standards
• PST
• Review Board
• Ship to
Coronado
The “BUDS Class” begins to form here.
BUD/S
Orientation
3 weeks
Coronado
CA
NSW Prep Course Standards
EXIT STANDARD
ABILITY ASSESSMENT
- At check-in
- Assesses each student’s fitness lvl
- Placement into PT groups
- Must be met to “ship” to NSWCEN
- Failure results in a “roll” to the next
class or a drop from training.
•
500 yd swim no fins
10 min break
•
1000 Yd Swim - 20:00 min. (fins)
10 min break
•
Max push-ups (2 mins)
2 min break
•
Push-ups - 70 Minimum (2 mins)
2 min break
•
Max sit-ups (2 mins)
2 min break
•
Sit-ups - 60 Minimum (2 mins)
2 min break
•
Max pull-ups
20 min break
•
Pull-ups - 10 Minimum
20 min break
•
1.5 mile run (running
shoes/long pants)
•
4 Mile Run - 31:00 min (running
shoes / trousers)
•
Review Board / FINAL PST
BUD/S Orientation Schedule
Onboard NSWCEN Coronado, CA
-
Focused on Transitioning NSW Prep SEAL Candidate to BUD/S
skills and physical standards
-
No BUD/S-like harassment
-
True Senior Enlisted Mentorship and Skills Development
Week 1: Admin/Check-in
- Equipment Issue / Administrative INDOC
- Initial Run (x2) and Initial O’ Course (x2)
Week 2: Orientation week
- Learn the routine, skills and standards
- Practice skills required for BUD/S entry
- “safe student” learning and practical of high-risk evolutions
Week 3: Test week
- BUD/S entry standards (Run/Swim/O’Course)
Orientation Exit Standards
Standard PST:
500 yd swim 12:30, 42x Pushups, 50x Sit-ups,
6x Pull-ups, 1.5 mile run 11:30
4 Mile Timed Run:
1.5 nm Bay Swim:
Obstacle Course:
33:00
65:00
15:00
Additional Skills tested, ONLY for student “self gauging”
Survival Swim
Knot Tying
Drown-proofing
25m U/W Swim
1st Phase Schedule; 7 WKS
Weeks 1-3: Conditioning and Physical Training
- Aquatics Skills Practice
- Physical Training and Conditioning Run
- Tested timed events (Run/Swim/O’Course)
- Unit integrity/Teamwork Training
- Log PT
- Inflatable Boat Small Training
Week 4: HELLWEEK
- Sunday PM to Friday AM
Week 5: Recovery Week / Skills Week
Weeks 6-7: Hydro Recon and water skills test week
1st Phase Standards
Must pass 50% of each type timed event
Physical Evolutions
4 Mile Timed Run:
2 Mile Ocean Swim:
Obstacle Course:
32:00
85:00
13:00
B.O. progression
33:00
1.5nm – 65:00
15:00
HELLWEEK – completion
Pass/Fail Completion Water Evolutions:
- Underwater knot tying,
- 50M underwater swim,
- drown proofing,
- life saving
Written Tests – Nautical Charts & 1st Phase Final
2nd Phase Schedule; 8 WKS
Week 1: Dive physics and medicine
Week 2: SCUBA charging, Dive safety, Diving Skills
Week 3: Open Circuit Qualification and Competency
Week 4: Open Circuit, Open Water Diving
Week 5: Closed Circuit (CC) Qualification
Week 6-7: CC Combat Swimmer Skills - Proficiency
Week 8: Combat Swimmer FTX 1&2
2nd Phase Standards
Physical Evolutions
4 Mile Timed Run:
2 Mile Ocean Swim:
Obstacle Course:
31:00
80:00
11:00 / 10:30
Progression
32:00
85:00
13:00
Pass/Fail Completion Diving/Water Evolutions:
- Tank Treading Water
- Open Circuit Competency
- Closed Circuit Competency
- 3.5 nm Swim
- 5.0 nm Swim
Written Tests
- Diving Medicine
- Diving Physics
3rd Phase Schedule; 9 WKS
Week 1-2 : Intro to Land Warfare and Land Navigation
Week 3: Rope Insertion Training / Transit to SCI
Week 4: Pistol Training/Qualification
Week 5: Demolitions Training
Week 6: Long Rifle and Machine Gun Training/Qual
Week 7: Small Unit Tactics (Raids/Immediate Action
Drills)
Week 8: Small Unit Field Training Exercises
Week 9: Admin and Graduation
3rd Phase Standards
Physical Evolutions
4 Mile Timed Run:
2 Mile Ocean Swim:
Obstacle Course:
30:00
75:00
10:00
Progression
31:00
80:00
10:30
Pass/Fail Completion Land Warfare Evolutions:
- Land Nav Course
- Pistol and Rifle Qualification
- Demolitions Practical
- Small Unit Immediate Action Drills (Officers)
Written Tests
- Land Navigation
- Demolitions
BUD/S Attrition Overview
Enlisted Loss during Phase of Pipeline
2 Year average since becoming A-School (262-270)
32%
18%
17%
12%
PRETRNG
INDOC
1st Phase
Pre-HWK
HELLWEEK
POSTHWK
2nd Phase
DIVING
1%
2%
3RD
PHASE
0%
PTRR
INDOCofPRE
H HELL W POST
H DIVING
LAND WARFARE
35%
Loss
Candidates
Prior
to BUD/S
start
= 44% of total attrition prior to starting BUD/S Training
BUD/S Attrition Overview
Enlisted Loss by Type
80.0%
60.5%
60.0%
40.0%
6.9%
6.7%
2.7%
20.0%
0.0%
Enlisted attrites 5 year historical
DOR
MED
Perf
Adm in
61% of Enlisted Students “Self De-Select”
Only 7% of students don’t meet the standards
Questions