Updates have been a longtime coming, I know. Last week was a mega-busy week that included two more trips to Petersburg. (And, adding to the overall frustration, I didn't get anything accomplished that I needed to in either trip.)
I probably would add something more substantial tonight, but I'm waiting to see a series of shows that I've not seen and would love to. It's the second half of a series on the Military Channel about the first few weeks and months of training for Navy SEALs. The show is called BUD/S Class 234. (BUD/S, as the show told me, is Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training).
The first three episodes are shown pretty frequently. Sadly, the remaining three are not; I've only seen the fourth one once and have never seen the fifth or sixth.
The fourth episode is about the trainess' endurance of "Hellweek." I can't remember all that it entails, but I think they go for a few days straight (yes, days) and then take like a 5-hour nap.
The thing that strikes me most about the SEAL instructors is that they aren't all in your face and screaming like we see with drill instructors. But they're supremely intense, and sometimes sarcastic. Like one dude seemed to be dogging it on a four-mile run, so the instructor drove behind him in a SUV and played salsa music over the SUV's intercom. (He'd also do a little sing-songy routine: Hurrrr-y up, don't fall back. Hurrrr-y up, catch the pack.)
If you get the Military Channel, I'd highly recommend watching it. It really makes you appreciate what our guys have to go through to join one of those elite counterterrorism units. Because it ain't easy, and that's about the biggest understatement I've ever made in my life. I would be passed out within three hours (OK, two) of arriving at their beach in Coronado.
And I'm hardly the only one. According to one write-up, 83 members entered Class 234; 17 made it through the end.
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Sorry to intrude, especially so long after you posted this, but just wanted to clear some things up...
The fifth and sixth episodes are about second phase (diving) and third phase (land warfare) respectively.
And some nitpicky things...
SEALs arent exclusively counterterrorist. Although, at the moment and since the U.S.S. Cole incident that's been nearly monopolizing their time, it's not their main focus. They are a maritime irregular warfare unit that specializes in direct action sorties. And in the Middle East, they are far faster than any other unit in reacting to the extremely fluid intelligence, which is why they are being so heavily used in the War on Terror.
Annnd, I'm done. Sorry about this, I just get really picky when it comes to SEALs.
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