To some people, comfort is a warm spot under the covers. To Special Warfare and Special Operations officers, its parachuting 500 feet into the frigid ocean, overseeing the disposal of an ocean-borne mine, traveling silently in an underwater SEAL Delivery Vehicle or scurrying through a dense jungle in a combat situation. Theres no such thing as after-the-fact when a competent Special Operations force is needed. Only the most physically fit, strategically-thinking team players qualify to orchestrate operations among this elite community. SEAL and Special Operations officers are the experts and leaders in unconventional warfare. They quietly and efficiently destroy enemy targets, recover and dispose of underwater explosives and collect information on enemy operations.

What Will You Do?
Special Warfare and Special Operations officers lead some of the most strategic, secretive and dangerous missions in the Navy. They must coordinate the flawless team effort needed in virtually every environment in order to accomplish each mission. As an officer in the SEAL or Special Operations community, you may be called upon at a moments notice to perform covert reconnaissance missions, conduct anti-terrorist missions, clear land mines in the far corners of the globe or even train dolphins to utilize their sonar capabilities. SEAL and Special Operations officers may be trained to jump from airplanes with high-altitude parachutes, operate stealthy watercraft, inflatable boats or scuba gear. Some other duties you may perform as an officer in Special Warfare or Special Operations include:

• Perform underwater location and identification of foreign and domestic ordnance, as well as rending safe, disposing of, or recovering ordnance.
• Assist the United States Secret Service in protecting dignitaries
• Direct and perform parachute/helicopter insertion operations in support of missions
• Collect information about enemy military installations in coastal areas
• Conduct reconnaissance and demolition of natural or man-made underwater obstacles prior to amphibious landings
• Conduct and carry out demolition and other direct-action raids against military targets
• Patrol underwater in small units to accomplish operational tasks
• Conduct demolition of hazardous munitions, pyrotechnics and outdated explosives using detonation and burning techniques
• Conduct extended heavy work underwater, salvaging submerged aircraft and historic ships, re-floating grounded ships or conducting battle damage repair

Skills and Training
To become a Special Warfare (SEAL) officer, a candidate must meet the physical prerequisites, volunteer for hazardous duty and report to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training after gaining a commission as a naval officer. BUD/S Training is a seven-month course that is specifically designed to provide the necessary basic physical, mental and technical skills needed by a Special Warfare operator and its requirements are demanding enough that only those who are highly motivated will complete the course. BUD/S Phases:

• Indoctrination: Gives students an introduction to required BUD/S techniques and performances.
• First Phase (Basic Conditioning): Includes continuous physical conditioning. Students also study small boat seamanship and hydrographic surveys and charts.
• Second Phase (Diving): Covers SCUBA skills. Students learn open and closed circuit combat diving and how to complete long-distance underwater transit dives.
• Third Phase (Land Warfare): Includes land navigation, small-unit tactics, rappelling, military land and underwater explosives, and weapons training.
• Post-BUD/S Training: BUD/S graduates attend several more courses before they are assigned to a team:
  • Basic parachute training at Army Airborne School
  • Special Operations Technicians training at the Naval Special Warfare Center
  • Diving medicine and medical skills training in the Special Operations Medical Sergeant Course (for those with a medical rating)

Once all courses are completed, graduates are assigned to a SEAL or Special Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Team for six to 12 months of on-the-job training. Successful candidates are awarded a SEAL designation and the SEAL Trident.

Advanced SEAL Training
Training, physical conditioning and drills are part of the SEAL lifestyle. Once youve received SEAL classification, you can go even further with advanced training that could include sniper school, dive supervisor, language training, SEAL tactical communications and more.

Special Operations (SPECOPS) Officers Training
To become a Special Operations officer, you will attend the Surface Warfare Officer School in Newport, Rhode Island. This 17-week course prepares newly commissioned officers for shipboard duty and provides basic knowledge of ship operations. Study areas include surface combat systems, operational concepts, watch standing of critical shipboard operations, engineering and more.

Following SWOS, your initial sea tour will last approximately 24 months, including time at sea and in port. During this tour, your new knowledge is applied to actual shipboard situations.

Special Operations officers then attend 51 weeks of rigorous training, beginning with 12 weeks of dive training. Students receive training in diving physics, medicine, SCUBA, small boat operation, small-team diving integration and more.

Upon successful completion of dive school, students transfer to Elgin AFB for 39 weeks of training in demolition of explosives, Explosive Ordnance Disposal tools and methods, chemical munitions and EOD publications. The final phase is broken down into specific types of ordnance. Each division teaches an in-depth course on both foreign and domestic weapons.

Educational Opportunities
You might learn the fundamentals of explosive ordnance disposal through formal Navy schooling. Or you may learn about chemical/biological warfare, military tactics, deep-sea diving or a number of other tactical military procedures.

The courses in this field are demanding, but individuals who accept these challenges are rewarded with extra pay and extraordinary duty assignments.

Career Outlook
Although the officer careers in Special Warfare and Special Operations have few civilian counterparts outside of medical emergency and law enforcement, the leadership, tenacity and combat strategy skills you will acquire are highly respected by any employer.

Special Pay/Bonuses
SEAL officers receive normal pay and allowances, plus incentive pay for special skills and assignments, such as $175/month dive pay, $300/month SDV pay, $225/month HALO (jump) pay, $110/month special duty assignment pay and $50-100 a month for second-language proficiency. Special Operations officers assigned to diving duty are eligible to receive dive pay. Demolition Duty Pay is payable to officers working with explosives and demolitions, including during training.

If youd like to find out more about career opportunities with the U.S. Navy, Request More Information.