User Panel
I've always been a fish in the water, but spending the last few months diving in 36 deg, sometimes with no hot water for 30-40 minutes has really toughed things up.
IMHO with the limited experience I have doing cool guy stuff, it's all about gutting it out and pretending you're suffering less than everyone else. Powered by shadenfreude! |
|
I know four Seals personally. There is no way I could pass, ever.
I never had the body type. |
|
The 24-year-old me was in fantastic shape, but I did not have the desire to become a SEAL, so for me BUD/S in the hypothetical scenario outlined in the OP would be a "Let's see if I can" thing, not a "I am going to do this, no matter what" thing, which is (in my uninformed opinion) one of a number of ways you set yourself up to fail to complete BUD/S.
So, no. |
|
It has a lot of swimming right?
I am a weak swimmer and have never been able to hold my breath for much longer than 30 seconds (childhood asthma messed it all up). I can run and jump and climb all day, toss me in the water and it's back float time though. |
|
Pretty sure I could do the physical stuff. But I hate being cold and wet. So no.
|
|
Nope. The running would kill me. Even when I was in high school playing football and in the best shape of my life, there was no way I could run for 3-5 miles. They conditioned us to death but I always sucked at jogging.
|
|
In all honesty, no. Not now, not at 24. Not even at 21 with a 32 year old's mind. I'm a lone wolf at heart and the pack mentality of SEALs or Delta teams doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. Plus I'm no champion swimmer. I can swim, but I don't have the "knack" for it, so to speak.
|
|
I'm 25. Probably.
Then again I think the swimming, particularly the drown proofing would wash me out. ETA: I only say probably because I already work 2 jobs (one being physical) and have had them land fucked up causing me to do one to two days working with no sleep. |
|
No.
Poll results confirm my thoughts about arfcom membership. |
|
Pretty sure the long distance running would weed me out. The three miles for the USMC PFT was tough even in my 20s. Thankfully my job now only requires a 1.5 mile run!
|
|
|
@24 I could hang - was a golf caddie waking up at 4:30am, walking probably 10 miles a day and running 12-15, working out with my roomates, then partying most of the night and getting back up to work again on very little sleep.
Go from that into 18 months of training and I'd say I had a chance. |
|
At age 24?
The mental part? Yes. The physical part? The swimming would probably kill me. I accomplished a lot of tough physical and mental shit in the Army based on the premise that I thought they would not let me die. Boy, was I stupid! |
|
My knees would keep me from doing the running portion.
The water portion I could do. But still, nope, no way, not possible. |
|
At 24, with 18 months of preparation? I don't know, I'd like to think I would have a shot. I've been a strong swimmer my whole life. But really, I lack the Hubris to say yes. So much can go wrong in terms of physical injury, or psychological stress, it's impossible to say.
|
|
|
I voted no.
Eighteen months of training with competent individuals could go a long way towards prepping me, but absent an incredibly strong motivator (like "pass or die" or "pass and here's a couple million $"), I'm certain I would end up failing. Honestly, even with something like that to keep me going...it's a long shot. |
|
Quoted:
If given 18 months to prepare, could you pass BUD/S? You have no family, career, or life obligations to interrupt or distract from this scenario. Your current health, fitness, swimming abilities, and all other factors are the same in the hypothetical scenario as they are in real life at this moment. This is about you, your ability to prepare for, and then your ability to get through BUD/S with nothing else in life getting in the way or distracting you. Edited to add - this is about whether or not you believe you could pass BUD/S given 18mos to both physically and mentally prepare. To make it more interesting and to include more of you; also assume you are in your twenties...let’s call it 24. I am interested to see if you believe you have the character and traits it takes to have prepared for it in 18 months and then handled the physical and mental aspects of BUD/S. Let’s also guess what % of GD will click, “yes” thinking they legitimately could have passed and see how that compares with the actual pass rate. View Quote thats a question that probably cant be answered without going through BUDS. in 18 months anyone can become physically fit enough to pass. but there is no real bar to test mental toughness like you can physical toughness in everyday life. everyone going in to BUDS thinks they can pass it or they wouldnt be wasting the time and pain to even try. Then look at the wash out rate. |
|
When I was 22, sure....it's mental conditioning that the most important factor in passing the SOF selection programs. Given 18 months, I could condition anyone male or female with the right motivation and guts to pass a SOF selection course.
in my professional opinion (I was an SFAS candidate and later an evaluator), the toughest part is the mental conditioning, the ability to overcome self doubt, fear of the unknown and unfamiliar. 18Z50....putting the self doubt suck into SFAS one candidate at a time. |
|
The physical side maybe
Most people don't get the spiritual side of U.S. Navy's Special Warfare -Bodhisattva |
|
|
At 43, hell no. At 24, doubtful but maybe.
My older brother graduated mini BUDS, BUDS, SEAL training and went on to work on Team 2. Mentally he had a path planned out and he devoted every waking moment to ensure that he succeeded. Growing up he was always a little bit bigger than I was muscular wise. When he came out of SEAL training he was ginormous. It was like, what did they do to your neck? It’s gone! Lol. I asked him what the low point in training was for him. He said the cold. |
|
My uncle went through BUD/S as UDT. He is just a different kind of animal, different mindset than your average Joe. Knowing his capabilities and how I don't possess them, I'm going with a big fat no for me!
|
|
Now, umm no.
When I was 18, maybe... My brother in law washed out and he's in amazing shape. Got hurt, recycled, tapped out the 2nd go around. |
|
From a physical standpoint possibly. However, the mental side of it would crack me hands down. Your minds gotta tell your body to do it. So my vote is a Hell NO given the mental aspect.
|
|
I hate to say it and it sounds awful but having a family really cuts into my schedule to get things done. If I didn't have to worry about them or a job I know with out a doubt I could get in shape enough to pass it. I'm 33 now with a little more weight than I'd like to have on my frame but I can still out do all the people in their 20's.
|
|
Mental yes
Physical no Having already joined the navy to go to BUD/s and suffering a few injuries while training to go at 24 I already served my 5 years and had been out for two years. In those two years I had spent that time trying to rehab said injuries in order to sign back up and go to BUD/s... 15 years later the same injuries remain. ITBS was the deal breaker Dislocating shoulder I just worked around |
|
Quoted:
If given 18 months to prepare, could you pass BUD/S? You have no family, career, or life obligations to interrupt or distract from this scenario. Your current health, fitness, swimming abilities, and all other factors are the same in the hypothetical scenario as they are in real life at this moment. This is about you, your ability to prepare for, and then your ability to get through BUD/S with nothing else in life getting in the way or distracting you. Edited to add - this is about whether or not you believe you could pass BUD/S given 18mos to both physically and mentally prepare. To make it more interesting and to include more of you; also assume you are in your twenties...let’s call it 24. I am interested to see if you believe you have the character and traits it takes to have prepared for it in 18 months and then handled the physical and mental aspects of BUD/S. Let’s also guess what % of GD will click, “yes” thinking they legitimately could have passed and see how that compares with the actual pass rate. View Quote |
|
My only hold back would be the running. I live swimming, diving etc. My flat feet act like fins, but they suck at running.
|
|
Mentally, as far as the psychological challenges, yes. Very little bothers me.
Physically, as long as I had someone like a trainer to push me hard every day, yes. Overall, no. I don't have any kind of drive for that sort of thing, and I'm not the stereotypical "team player" they would want. |
|
Quoted:
I hate to say it and it sounds awful but having a family really cuts into my schedule to get things done. If I didn't have to worry about them or a job I know with out a doubt I could get in shape enough to pass it. I'm 33 now with a little more weight than I'd like to have on my frame but I can still out do all the people in their 20's. View Quote I'm in the best shape I've ever been in at 31 (and I've been fit since I was young) but working with some 20 year olds this year for the first time in awhile reminded me how much damn energy they have. Given the right skill set they could easily work me under the table now. Luckily most of them are idiots (like every 20 year old that ever existed) so my efficiency and skill trumps their energy pointed in the wrong direction. When it come right down to stamina over time though, they win. Remember being able to work hard for 10 hours, take a shower, then go out with your friends until midnight, wake up at 5am and do it again? They are at that stage. I can work hard for 10 hours, go take a shower, then need 8-10 hours of sleep and a healthy breakfast to be able to at least match them for stamina through the day. |
|
Not even if I got a pass on doing stuff and only had to stay awake.
|
|
At 24? Hell yes. I was active-duty USMC and in the best shape of my life.
Now? No fucking way. |
|
I would try to CLEP out or take the AP test
I have met a few people who passed it. Only one shared his training secret, gallons of vanilla ice cream to pack on the lard so he could stand the cold. I would drown the first hour. |
|
Hell no.
I remember reading somewhere that the oldest graduate was 39. That's insane. |
|
Physically, no problem at all. Always been extremely athletic and super competitive - hate to lose at anything.
Mentally, maybe (slight maybe at that) now at 50, but definitely not in my early 20s. So I guess that's a NO. |
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.