FIRST PHASE (basic conditioning)

First phase is eight weeks long. Continued physical conditioning in the areas of running, swimming, and calisthenics grow harder as the weeks progress. Students will participate in weekly four mile timed runs in boots, timed obstacle courses, swim distances up to two miles wearing fins in the ocean and learning small boat seamanship.

The fist four weeks of phase one prepare you for the fifth week better known as "Hell Week." During this week, students participate in five in a half days of continuous training, with a maximum of four hours of sleep (thats about 20 minutes of sleep a night). This week is designed as the ultimate test of one's physical and mental motivation while in phase one. Hell Week proves to those who make it that the human body can do ten times the amount of work the average man thinks possible. During Hell Week you will learn the value of the mainstay of the SEAL teams: TEAM WORK! The remaining three weeks are devoted to teaching various methods of conducting hydrographic surveys and how to prepare a hydrographic chart.

SECOND PHASE (diving)

After you have completed first phase, you have proven to the instuctor staff that you are motivated to continue more in-depth training. The Diving phase is seven weeks in lenght. During this period , physical training continues, but the times are lowered for the four mile run's, two mile swims, and obsticle courses. Second Phase concentrates on combat SCUBA (self contained underwater breathing apparatus). Students are taught two types of SCUBA: open circuit (compressed air) and closed circuit (100% oxygen). Emphasis is placed on a progressive dive schedule which emphasizes basic combat swimmer skills needed in order to qualify as a combat diver. These skills, which seperate SEALs from all other Special Operation Forces, will enable students to tacticly insert and complete their combat objective.

THIRD PHASE (land warfare)

The demolitions, reconnaisance, weapons and tactics phase is ten weeks in length. Physical training becomes more strenuous as the run distances increase and the minimum passing times are lowered for the runs, swims, and obsticle course. Third Phase concentrates on teaching land navigation, small unit tactics, rappelling, military land and underwater explosives, and weapons training. The final four weeks of third phase are spent on San Clemente Island, where students apply techniques acquired throughout training in a practical environment.