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East Coast SEALs Offer Aquatics Enhancement Program for Fleet Sailors

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS091202-14
Release Date: 12/2/2009 4:08:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph M. Clark, Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Public Affairs

LITTLE CREEK, Va. (NNS) -- Members of the East Coast Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Motivating Team have established an Aquatics Outreach Program as part of the Sea Air Land (SEAL) and Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewman (SWCC) Fleet Transition Program for candidates pursuing careers in military special operations.

The NSW aquatics program is open to fleet Sailors who aspire to become SEAL or SWCC operators, with the intent on preparing candidates for the intense water skills and rigorous demands required for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) and Basic Crewman Training (BCT).

"Swimming and aquatics-based evolutions have been the Achilles' heel for most candidates who recede from BUD/S," said retired SEAL, Capt. Dave Morrison, an aquatics instructor and SEAL motivator based out of Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek, Va. "Our program was designed to address this challenge by providing the candidates with a familiarity and level of comfort in the water, as well as instruction on technique and physical conditioning that was not available to these Sailors before we started this program."

Morrison, who completed a tour as a BUD/S instructor as an active duty SEAL, said the aquatics program will open doors for candidates who are otherwise qualified for careers as SEALs and SWCCs.

"The system is tried and true," said Morrison. "The goal has never been to lower the standards for candidates at BUD/S and BCT, but rather to increase the candidate's proficiency and to prepare them mentally and physically for the challenges of this very difficult training."

The aquatics program aims extend beyond preparation for the initial entry level SEAL/SWCC training, coordinators said. These skill sets are essential for proficiency in the operational environment that SEAL and SWCC personnel work in.

"NSW constantly keeps one foot in the water," Morrison said. "These operations are what define our community, and the rigors of BUD/S and BCT are a reflection of this concentration. This is also why many shy away from the community or are unable to make it through the training."

Although the NSW community will continue to maintain its demanding environment, more candidates may find that they are up to the challenge as a result of the Aquatics Outreach Program, according to Morrison.

"We take candidates from ground zero and prepare them for the challenges," Morrison said. "This program introduces a valuable skill set to those who are uncomfortable, or who have low proficiency in the water. We are able, as a community, to incorporate candidates from a multitude of backgrounds, even if they have limited initial exposure to the water-based skills that they will need to succeed."

Engineman 2nd Class Wilmot Lloyd, who has been participating in the program for four months, said that the program is the preparation that he needs to accomplish his goal of becoming a Navy SEAL.

"I wanted to be a SEAL since boot camp, but I never attempted BUD/S because I knew there was a lot of concentration on swimming and operating in the water," Lloyd said.

Lloyd has demonstrated all skills required to enter BUD/S, with the exception of swimming. He attributed his limited ability in the water to a lack of exposure to swimming during his youth.

"Petty Officer Lloyd is an ideal candidate for this program," Morrison said, speaking about Lloyd. "Before he joined the program, he basically had no exposure to the water. The first time I watched him swim, he literally sank to the bottom. He is now completing the entire swim portion and his times are improving each week."

According to Morrison, Lloyd's strongest asset is his strident dedication to his goal in the face of adversity.

"Lloyd has gone above and beyond in his commitment," said Morrison. "He is usually here early each morning to get more time in the water, and again in the afternoon for the regular session we hold."

Each candidate must demonstrate a high level of dedication in order to succeed within the program and ultimately make it through BUD/S and BCT, according to Morrison.

"This program is not easy. It is designed to test the candidates both physically and mentally,"
Morrison said. "It is a huge commitment and each candidate has to be up to it in order to succeed."

The goal, Morrison said, is to utilize programs like aquatics enhancement to provide opportunities in Naval Special Warfare for a diverse cross section of Navy personnel.

"We are not looking for one type of individual to serve in Naval Special Warfare," Morrison said. "Our operations are worldwide, and our success depends on having a diverse community. This program serves as a force multiplier in that respect."

Sailors interested in Naval Special Warfare programs are urged to contact their command career counselors.