USMC? Navy SEAL?

Question

I've asked a few questions on this topic, but I'm sounding like a broken record. I'm 21 finishing last yr of college and going military as an Enlisted man. I'm a very motivated person which comes from the inside and I also got the smarts. Physically I have been working out for the past 4 yrs just for this 6 X's a week. Army is out of the ?, USMC blew me away with what they were all about, so I have been leaning towards them. But the thing is I can't settle for anything but the best therefore I want to do Recon. But lately the Navy has all been calling and telling me they would offer a SEAL contract. What would you do? The NAVY tells me I should do theres because the training is that much better/longer. But the way I see it is whether or not Recon school is shorter, I am very much attracted to the USMC and the thought of if I somehow would fail BUD/s I couldn't see myself on a NAVY ship. I need a gun in hand and doing work on the ground. What would you do/recommend?


Thanks

Answer 1

you can be in the Marines and still go be a SEAL. I'd definitly go the Marine route as I was a regular grunt, and for the grunts that wanted to be even more hard core, the was always force recon (I'm told it's harder than being a SEAL), snipers, etc. I know of a few guys that went into the Navy and didn't pass something along the way of becoming a SEAL, so they basically got dropped and put on a boat doing a menial task somewhere. You said it yourself in your description. At least in the Marines, you'd still be a grunt and able to shoot and blow stuff up. If you have any USMC questions, feel free to email me. I was a grunt and was a squad leader in Iraq.

Wow, a lot of people are saying things like Army and Air Force. Apparently they didn't read your description. Someone in the Chair Force carrying a gun? Doubtful. Even if they did have one, they wouldn't know how to use it. Some people have suggested going in as an officer, and I can't really argue that. It would probably be a better idea to do so, but once again, the officers really don't get to do all the shooting and blowing stuff up, they have other people do it for them. Many officers are pretty clueless, and most NCOs and SNCOs have 10 times as much leadership ability as an officer.

Other people keep answering with the Marines constantly being stationed on a boat. I did two deployments while I was an active duty grunt, and I was on a boat for a total of 6 weeks. They do NOT keep you on a boat for your whole tour, or even for that long. Trust me, I was there.

Note: I revised my answer from most to many officers above. There were many that were indeed outstanding leaders and were great at their job. However, there were also many that would routinely come up to me and other squad leaders with a lost look on their face, map and compass in hand and ask "Sgt, do you know where we are?"

Answer 2

Finish college.
Go in as an officer.
Try to qualify for either RECON or BUDS.

There are no guarantees that even with great physical abilities you will make it through. Your recruiter should not be offering you false promises.

In bootcamp (for enlisted) tryouts for buds will take place. If you pass the PRT for BUDS interested personnel and meet the minimum standards after bootcamp you will be handed a set of orders to either an A school (sometimes A and C school) or you will be sent straight to BUDS training. But if you don't pass the PRT you won't get squat. That's why your recruiter cannot offer BUDS to you. If pass the BUDS training there will be a few more prerequisite trainings to become a SEAL. Most people washout in BUDS.

As far as RECON, I only know that to be a RECON, you have to be a physical specimine. You have to be great runner, swimmer, and have tremendous resistance. As a navy corpman (HM) you can become a RECON also.

Officers may enter BUDS training in much the same way. In the end they get paid better.

Answer 3

As of late, Navy SEALS are getting all the attention. Killing pirates off the coast of Somalia, to the latest, that of the elimination of bin Laden. It almost appears to be a budget issue. Naturally, the US Navy gets a bigger piece of the pie from the Dept of the Navy then does the USMC. Forced Recon has been around a lot longer than the SEALS. It dates back to the post Korea war years. Why it isn't seen more in these high profile missions could be because its mission has changed. Certainly the training of Force Recon is every bit as rigorous as Navy SEALS, so only the Dept of the Navy can answer this question.

Answer 4

recon training is not harder. BUD/s has the highest attrition rate of any military school. The reason recon is harder is because you have to be a grunt first and then basically be chosen for the opportunity to go recon. But be careful because recon is not part of joint special operations command, (jsoc) so they are not techinically a special forces group and therefore recon guys are not on a team for their career. Recon guys do a few deployments as recon and then are sent back to a regular squad. But dont be sucked in by the Navy...they aren't giving you some deal with a SEAL contract, anyone who passes the PST and ASVAB can get a SEAL contract and do not count on passing BUD/s if you are not 100% dedicated to it. You may be in the best physical shape in the world and want to be the best but the guys who make it through have dedicated years to preparing for BUD/s both mentally and physically and they know without a doubt it is what they want with their lives. I would recommend marines but do not do it if your only desire is recon because it might not happen

Answer 5

Dude your info like 10 out of 200 make it into the navy seals. I'm prior military and have had friend who were. I'm sorry I've never met you but i could almost say that you could not even make it threw the beginning of seal training. Its not for people who say " I work out X many times a week", Theres drown proofing there the mental aspect. What the recruiter is doing is telling you, You have a chance to get in as a seal but in reality when you fail out of seal training their going to throw you into the most need most unwanted career where your going to hate life. You can always try out for seals later in your enlistment.

Answer 6

I haven't been in for awhile but you used to have to be enlisted for a minimum time to even apply for Seal Training. If you want a challenge, I believe you would discover it about 2 hours into Marine Boot Camp. If you find the infantry too wimpy, make a try for Force Recon. If you want to get down and gritty, USMC infantry should be able to offer you plenty.

Answer 7

Either way USMC or Navy SEAL you'll be on that boat. If your just finishing college...go in as an "O" ...not enlisted. After joining any branch..you'll probably think what in the heck did I join. Go Air Force Combat Control Officer if you want to hump the ground and carry a gun.

Answer 8

Alright, so I'm probably biased on this, but I'm all for the Marines. I have two brothers who were in the Marines. One retired from the Marines, the other had a medical discharge due to a bad motorcycle accident he was in. I do find it interesting that you said 'I need a gun in hand and doing work on the ground.' The Marines are tough on their guys, but they're a pround group of soldiers. I'm humbled by anyone who's brave enough to join their ranks.

Answer 9

you need to rethink. If you "can't see yourself on a navy ship", where do you think a marine spends most of his tour? Either on a navy ship waiting to be deployed, or serving on a naval vessel as security. The marines are part of the navy. If you wanna be a ground pounder, rethink the army, Rangers. As a navy seal, you will be on a boat or a ship to deploy. Period. I'm not pushing one over the other. I was navy, 2 of my brothers were Army, others were marines. Good luck in whatever you decide. Shoot low, they may be crawling.

Answer 10

To be honest, is extreme hard to be Seals, only about 1% made upon graduation of Full Seals, training, all of all seals application cound't even pass the Class A Swim test during bootcamp, water is very bigdeal in Seals, first of all can you stay underway for minimum of 10 minutes? if can't don't even thinking about it, you just gonna injury yourself during training. Which most then. Seals is heavy at water training, then combat etc.. Recon focus heavy at combat training, depend which one you think better fit, don't go for something just because it sound cool.