I'm not shocked (and trust me when I say that she saw, maybe, 1/10th of one-percent of what she would have seen later, as her training progressed through the various phases). I went through BUD/S way back in the day and it was the hardest thing I'd ever tried in my life. Most guys "ring out" of the training as well. (Look up what "ringing out" entails and means.)

Word is Naval Special Warfare Command (and the Navy) isn't going to budge even a millimeter when it comes to lowering the physical (and mental) training requirements to become a special warfare operator in today's SEAL Team environment, which is a full order of magnitude more demanding -- physically and mentally -- than a few decades ago, believe me.

Lastly: women do not belong in at least the lead-slinging part of SPECOPS/SPECWAR. They can drive the boats and they can fly the helos and planes, sure. (Some of the smartest and most skilled helo pilots I knew out in the field were Army, Navy and Marine Corps women.) But the Frogman/Ranger/Special Forces/Air Force PJ stuff? NO.

At best, 1 out of 100 women may (MAY) make it through the physical screening test, then Naval Special Warfare Prep School, then BUD/S itself. We know this for a fact. So why are we futzing around with one of the finest special warfare communities in the world to accommodate one percent of a given Navy population group (BUD/S applicants)?

Anyway, here are a couple of articles I've written for the Houston Chronicle about Navy Special Warfare and the BUD/S selection, training and Navy SEAL career fields:

What Are Jobs in the Navy Seals? | Chron.com


Is Becoming a Navy Seal a Realistic Goal? | Chron.com

---

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."