SEALs

Naval Special Warfare Community Mourns Loss of SEAL Team One Commander

SEAL Team 1 commanding officer Robert “Bobby” Ramirez was found dead in his San Diego area home on December nineteenth at the age of forty-seven. He is survived by his wife, Anne, and their four children. Naval Special Warfare Command officials have announced in a statement that there is no suspicion of foul play in the high-profile SEAL’s death. However, an investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department remains ongoing. His cause of death has not been immediately disclosed.

Ramirez is pictured here with his wife, Anne. Image courtesy of Facebook/Anne Ramirez

Accolades & Rememberance

Captain David Abernathy, Commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1 (who oversees all four Coronado-based SEAL Teams), said in a statement to Navy Times, “Bobby was an outstanding leader, devoted husband, and father, and a good friend to us all. This is a devastating loss to our community and all who knew him. We will remain in support of Bobby’s family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time.”

Ramirez enlisted in the Navy in 1996 and was commissioned as an officer in 2004. In 2019 he was promoted to the rank of Commander. He had only been in command of Team 1 for one month at the time of his death, having arrived at the unit in June from his last assignment with the Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan. In his 27-year career, Ramirez was awarded three Combat Action Ribbons and five Bronze Stars, two with “V” devices for valor.

The late Commander attended recruit training in Great Lakes, Illinois, shortly after his enlistment, followed by Combat Systems school in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His next move was to Coronado, California, where he went through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in 1997.

Commander Ramirez and his family with the children’s faces not shown for the sake of privacy. Image from Facebook/Anne Ramirez

Following BUD/S, Ramirez was assigned to an East Coast SEAL Team, where he stayed until 2001 when he became a student in the Seaman to Admiral Program at Old Dominion University in his native Virginia. After his 2004 commissioning, he saw combat in multiple theaters across the globe, including Iraq (where he was deployed four times) and Afghanistan (where he was deployed twice). He worked his way up the SEAL ranks and attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

In addition to the awards noted above, Ramirez was also a recipient of the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, two Good Conduct Medals, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Other Recent Command Losses

Ramirez was the second SEAL team commander to die in just over the span of one year. Commander Brian Bourgeois, who led SEAL Team 8, fell to his death during a fast rope training evolution on December fourth, 2021. He was forty-three years old and had spent almost half of his young life (20 years) in the Navy. The decorated combat veteran fell approximately 40 feet from an Army Black Hawk helicopter on the 4th, was taken to a local hospital, and succumbed to his injuries on the 7th with his family by his side.

Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) took charge of the accident investigation because the aircraft involved in the mishap belonged to and was being operated by the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), also known as the Night Stalkers. Factors involved in Commander Bourgeois’s death included communications issues with the aircraft, an early release of the rope that the SEAL was using to descend into the target area, and, according to special operation officials, “a lack of adequate communication between the aircrew and the partner ground force.”

In a review of the accident, USASOC spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Michael Burns said, “USASOC has taken several steps to prevent future events of this nature, including rewriting multiple procedures to ensure both aircrew and partner ground force take appropriate steps to ensure communication is clear and safety remains an utmost concern for all.”

A 2001 graduate of the US Naval Academy, Bourgeois was selected as a Surface Warfare Officer before he attended BUD/S and became a graduate of class 253. He went on to earn his master’s degree in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. He left behind a wife and five children.

Medal of Honor Recipient Home Safe and Sound

Red Wings

By now, most people know the story of “Lone Survivor.” The tale of a SEAL mission in Afghanistan gone wrong has been told in a bestselling book, a well-known movie starring Mark Wahlberg, and in countless interviews with the Lone Survivor himself, Marcus Luttrell. At the time it happened 17 years ago (hard to believe it’s been that long), it was the greatest loss of life in one day in the special operations community. We lost 11 SEALs and 8 Night Stalkers.

This piece isn’t to rehash the actions of that day back in June of 2005 but to tell the story of another day a few weeks later. It’s a much more private and seldom told story, although it did appear in the book SEAL of Honor: Operations Red Wings and the life of LT Michael P. Murphy as told by Murph’s parents, Dan and Maureen.

Medal of Honor recipient (posthumously) Michael P. Murphy. US Navy photo (RELEASED)

A Little Background

LT Micheal P. Murphy led the four-person SEAL recon element of Operation Red Wings. Murph was an honors graduate of Penn State University and had been accepted to law school when he decided to become a SEAL. At first, his father, Dan, a Navy veteran wounded in Vietnam, was against his oldest son’s decision to join the military. He did not want to see him go through the pain and suffering that he did due to combat. But, in time, the elder Murphy came around when Michael explained how it would be far worse for him to spend years behind a desk wondering, “what if? “.

After a lengthy firefight, and when every team member had been wounded and needed care, Murphy left his cover and concealment in favor of an area where he could get a clear satellite signal to call in a quick reaction force. Ever the gentleman, even while taking rounds, Murphy was sure to say “thank you” as he ended his last call.

Memorial Service and Burial

On the fourth of July, 2005, a US military recovery team found LT Murphy’s remains. He was returned to the United States. Nine days later, on the thirteenth of July, Murph was buried with full military honors at Calverton National Cemetary, Calverton, New York, Section 67, grave number 3710. This is fewer than 20 miles from his childhood home.

Murphy’s fiance Heather holds a folded American flag presented to her during Michael’s service as she is comforted by her mother (left) and his parents, Dan and Maureen (right). Screenshot from New York Daily News.

A Memorable Phone Call

It had been a long, trying day. At the end of their son’s graveside service, Dan and Maureen were walking back to their car when Maureen’s phone rang. Understandably, she wasn’t inclined to take a call just then, but something motivated her to check her phone. She picked it up and saw that she had just received a text message.

Maureen read the text: “Momma, home safe and sound. Mike”

Her hands began to tremble, and she dropped the phone. She let out an audible gasp. After composing herself, she bent over, picked up the phone, and stared at the message. She summoned her ex-husband Dan to come over and have a look. They turned to each other and managed a smile through their tears.

Over the years, Michael had gotten into the habit of calling or texting his parents whenever he arrived at a new destination after leaving a visit with them in New York. It was his way of letting them know he had arrived safely and he was OK. So Dan and Maureen chatted a little and recalled that they had not received word from Michael after he arrived at his duty station in Hawaii following his visit to New York about three months prior.

It seems that the message has just now arrived. His parents, devout Catholics, took this final message to mean that their son had arrived at his eternal home safe and sound.

New York Times Slams SEAL Training; “A Culture of Brutality, Cheating and Drugs”

The New York Times headline on August 30th was certainly attention-getting,

“Death in Navy SEAL Training Exposes a Culture of Brutality, Cheating and Drugs”

The hook they hung these sensational charges on was the death of Seaman Kyle Mullen who died of a particularly virulent strain of pneumonia after he completed the portion of Basic Underwater Demolition School known as Hell Week. Mullin was back in his room and was discovered by another BUD/S student to be unresponsive and medical personnel were called. As it would turn out, it was too late. In investigating the “mishap” a term used by the navy to describe events that occur outside of planned expectations, they found syringes and performance-enhancing drugs(PEDs) in his car. The captain in charge of BUD/S found during his investigation that about 40 candidates had either tested positive or had admitted to using steroids or other drugs in violation of clearly stated and acknowledged Navy regulations against their use. Regulations that exist for three reasons,

They can be dangerous to use while undergoing the intense physical training that BUD/S entails,
The SEALs want trainees on a level playing field when it comes to physical condition, natural stamina, and abilities
They don’t want people who cheat on the rules because it becomes a pattern of behavior later on.

Over the last 10 years, SOFREP has covered the navy SEALs and other units of our Special Operations Forces extensively. We don’t shy away from stories when SEALs are caught up in criminal activity like SEAL Team 6 member, SO1 Aaron Howard who was convicted of blackmailing women for nude photos in 2020.

We also reported on the case of navy SEAL, SOC Eddie Gallagher who was accused of murdering a wounded Iraqi insurgent in 2017. We followed the case extensively and when it looked to us like the prosecution was way out of bounds in the way the case was handled we broke with the head still calling for his head and pointed to the problems with the case we thought suggested undue command influence and mismanagement of the case itself. Gallagher was acquitted of the charges after a witness given immunity testified on the stand that he was he and not Gallagher who ended the prisoner’s life.

So we were not afraid to look into this story to either confirm or deny the claims that a culture of drug use and cheating existed in BUD/S. Let the chips fall where they may.

The Times story goes on to make some pretty sensational claims, not the least of which was the accusation of Kyle Mullens own mother Regina, who accused the SEALs of inflicting unneeded brutality on her son, saying to the Times, “They say it’s training, but it’s torture. And then they didn’t even give them the proper medical care. They treat these guys worse than they are allowed to treat prisoners of war.”

“They killed him,” she told the Times reporter.

The New York Times writer, Dave Philipps, states he interviewed, “17 active-duty Navy personnel, including senior leaders, active-duty SEALs and current and former trainees and instructors.”

Well, we spoke to some too. We also spoke to Naval Special Warfare Command. In their piece, the New York Times says the navy declined to comment on the story because of the pending investigation.

NSWC was willing however to answer all our questions and was very forthcoming with information. We also spoke to navy SEALs both serving and retired, both instructors and non-instructors. We also spoke to medical professionals who have treated members of Special Forces units like the SEALs, including SEALs themselves, who are intimately aware of the medical problems that go with this kind of training.

Rather than confirm that the SEAL teams tolerate a ‘culture of brutality, drugs and cheating” they claimed that the Department of the Navy, the Naval Special Warfare Command, and the instructors themselves are actively working to prevent a culture like that from taking hold. Not that it doesn’t come easily.

A retired SEAL Chief Petty Officer who spent two years(a standard tour) at BUD/S explained it this way, “These are smart, competitive, and resourceful guys coming into the program and they are always looking for ways to gain some kind of edge on the training program. When they enter training they all read and sign various acknowledgments about what they are allowed to do and not do in terms of conduct during and after training hours including very specific stuff on drugs, supplements, and performance-enhancing drugs. There is zero tolerance for anyone who gets caught.” These signed acknowledgments are also known as “Hang-Me” sheets in the navy because they form an evidentiary basis for charges that can result in Bad Conduct and Dishonorable Discharges for offenders.

When asked about the syringes found in Seaman Mullens’s car, the Chief had this to say, “It could be a number of things from vitamin B12 to HGH(human growth hormone) to testosterone, but the fact that it was hidden in his car strongly suggests he was using something he knew was against rules and regs.”

SOFREP asked if cars were ever searched, “Sure, I’ve been called in when I was off duty with other instructors to go through every car in the parking lot belonging to trainees on just a rumor that someone was using something against regulations. We didn’t find anything though.”

The easy availability of performance-enhancing drugs like HGH and testosterone in Mexico resulted in a decades-long regulation that said those in BUD/S training were specifically forbidden from crossing the border into Mexico for any reason for the duration of their training, which runs some two years. The Naval Special Warfare Center where SEALS are trained is located in Imperial Beach, Californian which is less than 5 miles from the border with Tijuana Mexico.

We spoke to a working physician and career veteran who served in the Army Medical Corps and a former Navy SEAL himself who remains actively involved in the medical issues encountered by SEALs in training along with the unauthorized use of supplements. His statement is repeated here without edits.

“A friend and Naval Academy friend and classmate of mine was the commander of the Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, California from 1999 until August 2002. Then, in March 2001, a 29-year-old BUD/S trainee died during a Hell Week swimming event. He was coughing up frothy red sputum at the time – as were others in his class. His death was the first BUD/S Hell Week death ever, which surprised all due to the incredible and capable medical team that monitors Hell Week activities 24 hours a day.

I was invited to have dinner with my classmate soon after that while visiting BUD/S to lecture on the dangers of certain supplements that were killing soldiers in the Army at Ft. Bragg, NC. I was the Commander of the clinic that cared for the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division and their families at the time and was witness to five or more deaths a year during routine training. These Army soldiers were taking creatine and ephedrine as supplements for improved physical performance as advertised heavily in sports magazines. These supplements prevent sweating and cause muscles to hold water and swell. That includes the muscles of the heart and lungs.

The result is heart failure, and commonly a sudden body temperature elevation (from not sweating) resulting in heat stroke and death.

Used correctly these supplements can aid weight lifting training, but they should never be used during aerobic activities like running or swimming and they have been banned by high school and college sports teams due to their dangers.

When I heard of the 1999 SEAL officer’s death I saw the similarity of his presenting symptoms, and (as an ex-SEAL and now doctor) was asked to come to present my findings to the BUD/S staff. My classmate and Special Warfare commander invited me to dinner at his home. We discussed the autopsy findings and the physical symptoms of coughing up blood-tinged frothy sputum. I noted that this was what I was seeing at Ft Bragg and suggested that perhaps the LT was taking creatine or ephedrine or both.

Supplements were found in his locker.

I noted that others in the class were also likely taking it, and it was noted that others in training were also coughing up similar sputum which had the medical teams concerned. We discussed this at length and what could be done to prevent further adverse events.

Soon after this discussion, the Commander issued an order that banned all supplements permanently, restricted trainees from crossing the border to Mexico, and implemented regular inspections to assure compliance. His immediate and well-thought-out actions clearly saved lives for the next two decades.

The recent death in February of this year of one SEAL, and the near-death of another during the day of rest after completing Hell Week raises my concerns that supplements may have been involved again. Creatine and ephedrine are easily purchased online and in health food stores.

Another risk factor that should be considered is the recent use of Covid shots administered to Navy personnel. There are multiple medical reports of large and microscopic blood clots caused by both the Covid infection and the Covid shots. I personally experienced blood clots and lung damage during my last (fully immunized) bout with Covid (proven by blood tests and CT scan).

The autopsy and sputum cultures of both recent Hell Week-related casualties found that they had bacterial pneumonia caused by a very dangerous pathogen that is difficult to treat in the best of cases.

The article in the Times mentioned “needles” and tried to imply drug use. This is extremely unlikely given the oversight and active monitoring programs currently in place.

One possibility for needle use by fitness-focused athletes is steroids, but this is not likely in a SEAL candidate due to aggressive and effective oversight and lack of perceived benefit. A possibility might be vitamin B-12 which is commonly given by doctors to patients by injection for low B-12 levels.

There will be additional upgrades to the already robust training and medical monitoring efforts at BUD/S. The Navy has the most capable military and medical teams in charge of the most difficult military training in the world today.”

The autopsy performed on Seaman Mullen found that he had contracted acute pneumonia due to Streptococcus pyogenes. This is known as a Group A strep bacteria, which the report said: “is capable of causing multiorgan failure and cardiovascular collapse via toxic shock.” This strain of streptococcus can result in mild symptoms with little effect on the body but can balloon into a serious infection that can include a very rare incidence of Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome in which the patient rapidly experiences a drop in blood pressure, organ failure, and in some cases, death. It can also develop into necrotizing fasciitis which we know as Flesh Eating Bacteria

In September 2000, the Naval Health Research Center released a study that found that the intense psychological and physical stressors of training often led to respiratory infection. Between 1998-2000, 477 Naval Special Warfare trainees were used in a double-blind trial of oral azithromycin plus a placebo, and it was compared with using benzathine penicillin G plus a placebo. Of the 464 subjects, 44 developed acute respiratory infections with 20 developing pneumonia during the two weeks of the most intense training. 12 subjects were found to have a Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and just 7 had indications of a Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. They recommended administering azithromycin to trainees to help them ward off infection. The treatment for the more dangerous but more rare Streptococcus pyogenes is known to be oral penicillin for 10 days or intramuscular injection of benzathine penicillin, also known as the dreaded “Peanutbutter Shot” in the military because of its thick brownish color in the syringe. This shot is usually given in the butt muscle and you are sore as Hell at the site of the injection for days afterward.

It is actually kind of amazing that more don’t contract pneumonia during training given the conditions under which they train. They spend a lot of time in the Pacific ocean during BUD/S which is generally very cold all the time with temps that are usually in the 60s. During the winter months, the failure rate of trainees increases in BUD/S because of the colder water. There is another reason the relatively low rate of serious respiratory infection among trainees is remarkable.

Every day, Mexico dumps some 30-40 million gallons of sewage and toxic waste, into the Tijuana river which outflows into the Pacific about a mile away from where BUD/S is conducted.

raw sewage in the Pacific ocean outflowing from the Tijuana river appears brown and muddy. Just beyond the pier extending into the ocean is the Naval Special Warfare Training Center. Residents of Imperial Beach frequently complain of the smell of raw sewage wafting into their homes and frequent beach closures due to the biohazard this presents to humans.

Balancing Safety and Accomplishing the Mission

The Times article painted a picture of blind indifference to losses in training to suggest that a culture of brutality extended also to navy leadership in noting that 11 aspiring SEALs have died in training since 1953. There are occupations in the navy where far more deaths occur without claims that these deaths are the result of indifference to risk, drug use, or cheating on established standards.

From 2013 to 2017. aviation mishaps in just the Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets took the lives of some 133 pilots and other service members. In just this one type of aircraft. These losses occurred in spite of everything the navy can think of doing to make naval aviation safe in an environment that really cannot be made safe. Planes fly off of the shortened runways of aircraft carriers at night and in bad weather. They operate at high speeds and low altitudes with heavy loads. These aircraft are often flown at the limits of their engineered specifications. The men who fly them are preparing for war. In Ukraine, the appalling casualties of Russian soldiers illustrates how deadly and unforgiving war can be to hastily trained troops.

The difficulty of making unsafe things like carrier aviation safe can also be applied to navy SEALs and their mission according to one retired SEAL we spoke to,

“There is no way to make SEAL training safe. We board submarines and exit them using their torpedo tubes into freezing water. We jump from an airplane at 35,000 feet wearing oxygen and free fall to under one thousand feet before deploying our parachutes. We train with weapons and explosives and even place mines on ships to blow the bottoms out of them in defended harbors. The only way you can make things like this safe, is not to do them. So, selection and training is hard on purpose, because if the first time you run into something hard and dangerous is on an actual mission, you will fail in that mission and you’ll die along with your teammates.”

CORONADO, Calif. (Sept. 2, 2015) Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUDS) candidates wearing helmets and reflective life vests getting sandy during surf passage training. Surf passage involves rubber inflatable handling in difficult surf conditions. It is also about recovery procedures should the raft capsize in the waves. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Russell/Released)

The Navy Reacts

The death of any service member automatically triggers an extensive safety and process investigation in the service branches. It’s an examination of processes and regulations which are mostly written as the result of other incidents resulting in death or serious injuries. They are also looking to identify unforeseen circumstances that require new safety regulations be put in place.

We reached out to Naval Special Warfare Command on these allegations and they were eager to answer our questions initially offering this statement;

“The circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Seaman Kyle Mullen remain under investigation. Naval Special Warfare Command continues to examine events leading up to his death, including medical practices, prohibited performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) testing, and BUD/S safety protocols to identify and address areas that may have contributed to the loss of our teammate. We are committed to a thorough, accurate, and impartial investigative process. The safety of our SEAL candidates remains paramount during every evolution of NSW’s demanding Assessment, Selection, and Training pathway.”

In a series of follow-up questions, we asked NSWC to share with us any policy changes the navy may be considering in the wake of the unusual death following the end of Hell Week. They offered the following, which is printed without edits;

Naval Special Warfare Policy and Procedures

This unfortunate incident has afforded Naval Special Warfare Command an opportunity to closely examine current medical practices, prohibited performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) testing protocols, and identify areas of unforeseen risk that require immediate action to address with changes to policies and procedures. These substantive changes will reduce the risks inherent in NSW’s demanding Assessment, Selection and Training pathway.

Numerous changes have already been implemented and many more are in the process of implementation. The changes immediately implemented upon SN Mullen’s death include:

Institution of a cardiac screening program
Increased prevention measures for pneumonia
Extending the observation period post-BUD/S Phase 1 Assessment and Selection and SWCC crucible events to 24 hours
Mandatory shift turnover between medical providers
PEDs testing
Creation of Training Selection Assessment Team

If you prefer more detail to the specific changes:

Numerous changes have already been implemented and many more are in the process of implementation. The changes immediately implemented upon SN Mullen’s death include:

- Cardiology. Institution of a cardiac screening program that incorporates recommendations from multiple cardiologists across all service branches. This includes purchasing of ECG machines with improved artificial intelligence to screen for underlying conditions which may result in sudden cardiac death in athletes. These are used during orientation and reviewed by Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) cardiologist prior to entering first phase.
- Pneumonia Prevention. Increased prevention measures for pneumonia based on recommendations and data from NMCSD Infectious Disease department. An intra-muscular injection of Bicillin is being administered the week prior to both Phase 1 Assessment and Selection crucible event for SEAL candidates and Tour Week for Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewmen.
- Observation Post-Hell Week. Basic Training Command has extended the observation period for 24 hours post securing both BUD/S Phase 1 Assessment and Selection and SWCC crucible events. Candidates now recover in the Recovery Observation Center (ROC) located in an open bay barracks in the Howell Classroom. A medical provider and Hospital Corpsman remain on site in building 637 medical spaces until candidates are secured after medical checks on Saturday morning. The leading watch stander is now a qualified high-risk instructor.
- Turnover. Mandatory shift turnover between BTC Medical on coverage and NSWCEN Medical duty provider to discuss medical status of candidates.
- Limited PEDs Testing. “Medically safe-to-train” PED testing through urine tests with the NMCSD laboratory for the safety of accession candidates within the limitations of existing policies and directives.
- Creation of Training Selection Assessment Team (TSAT). The TSAT was formed in April 2022 to strengthen oversight and identify latent risk of BTC and Advanced Training Command (ATC) courses. It is composed of the Command Warrant Officer/Training Officer at NSWCEN, a senior civilian, a senior enlisted from both the SEAL and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) communities and Reservist Support. Third party participation with Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) is in staff coordination to strengthen the objectivity of this effort. TSAT focuses on three areas: 1. Professionalism of instructors with students; 2. Instructors following proscribed curriculum/schedule/remediation; and 3. Training safely (EAPs created and followed, equipment available, on-site, and functioning).

Naval Special Warfare Command is also working aggressively to change the following policies and procedures:

- SIPE. SIPE protocol be reviewed for effectiveness and issued in an instruction to ensure uniform application of the protocol throughout Assessment and Selection. The protocol will emphasize the potentially serious medical consequences of SIPE.
- Medical Screening. Clarify the use, purpose, and procedures of data collection regarding recordation of respiratory complaints or abnormal lung sounds in candidates, including the Pulmonary Complaint form, and codify it in written instruction.
- More Clarity Regarding Duties of Duty Medical Officer. Codification of an instruction governing the purpose, role and responsibilities of the Duty Medical Officer.
- Connection Between PEDs Use and Pneumonia. Force Medical will further study the correlation between PED use and contracting pneumonia, beyond the anecdotal correlation presented in this investigation, and brief WARCOM to determine whether this correlation should be requested for further research in current Department of Defense studies.
- PEDs Policy. We are relentlessly pursuing a comprehensive and permanent PED testing protocol for the future. NSWCEN has submitted through the Navy Staff for consideration to expand the authority to test Naval Special Warfare candidates for PEDs. This action will strengthen our understanding of the scope of PED use, and help us counter unauthorized PED use within the force.
- Improving Candidate Culture. Finally, additional inquiry will be made into the cultural tension between the expectations that candidates will push through adversity to demonstrate grit and that SEALs will recognize and report health information to remain medically fit for mission. The SEAL and Combatant Crewman ethos must be reinforced through all phases of Assessment, Selection and Training.

Current drug testing procedures

The current drug testing procedure for Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) at the Naval Special Warfare Center consist of a urine lab sample to analyze the T/E ratio. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards for Testosterone to Epitestosterone (T/E) ratio is 4.0. If a sample shows abnormal results based on WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) standards, the candidate is removed from training and will undergo an additional urinalysis test, authorized via probable cause from the first test, through a DOD approved SMRTL lab for a full performance-enhancing drug panel. Out of the 794 PEDs tests that have been conducted this year, 33 were positive.

NSW is relentlessly pursuing a comprehensive and permanent PED testing protocol for the future. NSWCEN has submitted through the Navy Staff for consideration to expand the authority to test Naval Special Warfare candidates for PEDs. This action will strengthen our understanding of the scope of PED use, and help us counter unauthorized PED use within the force.

The word SIPE appears in the above quote and it refers to Swimming Induced Pulmonary Edema, a condition where fluid collects in the lungs. It is generally triggered by swimming in colder open water. In addition to surface swimming, SIPE is also found to occur during scuba diving, snorkeling, and free diving. The Symptoms of SIPE include coughing, shortness of breath, tightness or pain in the chest, and in some cases hemoptysis (blood in the sputum). It can be fatal in some cases, but symptoms generally lessen after leaving the water and are gone entirely within 48 hours. Not a great deal is really known about SIPE, it was first identified in scuba divers in 1981 and the number of studies done on the condition is sparse because it is rarely fatal and the symptoms clear up rather quickly once someone is out of the water. Studies of the condition(admittedly limited in number) have not found any known deaths from SIPE.

In BUD/S training, instructors not only see SIPE occur in trainees but many have experienced it themselves. While Seaman Mullen suffered from an underlying acute Strep infection, the symptoms he presented while training looked very much like SIPE, a non-life threatening condition with a very low incidence of death, especially in young fit males.

Screening for Performance Enhancing Drugs is not a new policy. These substances are not illegal narcotics in the military like marijuana or cocaine and the normal drug screenings performed on personnel will not detect PEDs. The World Anti-Doping Agency standard mentioned above includes a 20-page list of substances prohibited to competitive athletes and the list is updated every year as new drugs are introduced. And the tests are not cheap, they cost about $400 for each one administered. The question then becomes how often such tests are administered during the two-year training program and at what point are they administered? What about after training when these new Naval Special Warfare Operators go to the Teams? In the information released above the navy states that this year they have already conducted some 794 PED tests on trainees and found only 33, or just over 4% tested positive.

Can 4% disobeying clearly stated regulations about using PEDs be fairly called a “culture” of drug abuse? Given the trainees limited exposure to the SEAL community in a few weeks is BUD/S the reason for this culture or are trainees bringing these habits with them when they arrive?

We asked the spokesman at the Naval Special Warfare Center what the consequences would be for a trainee or later SEAL caught using PEDs. They stated that a second test would be done to confirm the positive results and then the service member would be processed for an administrative separation from the Navy. This differs from the Bad Conduct or Dishonorable Discharge given to service members caught using illegal narcotics which represents criminal offenses, but it is also a zero-tolerance policy. Get caught and you are out of the navy whether in training or actively serving on the Teams.

180413-N-PJ969-3899 Coronado, Calif., (Apr. 13, 2018) U.S. Navy SEAL candidates participate in Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training. SEALs are the maritime component of U.S. Special Forces and are trained to conduct a variety of operations from the sea, air and land.(U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Abe McNatt)

A Culture of Brutality

SOFREP asked about Instructors being negligent in handling trainee safety and we were told by our source who was an instructor at BUD/S,

“Virtually every second of BUD/S training is carefully scripted in great detail. We exercise almost no discretion when it comes to going past proscribed limits in training. Trainees spend 15 minutes in the ocean, no more no less, then 20 minutes of calisthenics on land, then another 8 minutes in the water, no more no less. We might make it seem to the trainees that they will be in the water forever, but the time limits represent safe limits and we stick to them very carefully, We could get everyone to quit or just die by leaving them in the cold ocean for hours, but we aren’t trying to do that.”

Medical personnel monitor the condition of trainees and are present during the entirety of Hell Week Training. There are even ambulances standing by in case of an emergency. As Hell Week progresses the medical checks become more and more frequent.

When asked about why Mullens didn’t ask for or seek medical attention during Hell Week, the Chief told us, “These guys try to hide how sick they are sometimes because they want to push themselves through. We aren’t going to tell them what their limits are unless it’s obvious to us they are no longer able properly assess that for themselves. We had a trainee on the fourth day of Hell Week dislocate his shoulder and was still pressing on. We noticed the way he was moving and I and the other instructors had a brief conference about his condition. We weren’t sure what the problem was at the time, but something was definitely wrong with one arm. We pulled him out and sent him to medical”

SOFREP asked if this injury meant the trainee would have to recycle and repeat Hell Week, did he fail? “Oh no, we passed him. It was Day 4, and this guy wasn’t willing to quit with a dislocated shoulder. That’s the kind of determination we are looking for in a Navy SEAL.”

In a recent Salon interview, the writer of the New York Times piece, Dave Phillips stated that some of his sources were trainees who had quit BUD/S and that they would be good sources because they would be upset they did not pass the program. Of course, the problem with these men as sources is that many of them left the program in the First Phase of BUD/S during Hell Week which is the fourth week of actual training. A few weeks in SEAL training before they quit the program and returned to the fleet is all some of Mr. Phillips’ sources know about what goes on in BUD/S, a program that takes some two years to produce a SEAL ready to go to an operational team for even more training.

“One of the things I learned really quickly is the front door is not a good way to report. In this BUD/S selection course, the statistic they’re most proud of is only 25 percent of people who show up make it through. The vast majority quit. I was like, “Oh, the vast majority quit! They’re not SEALs, but they were there.” That’s a heck of a lot of people who have a pretty good idea of the dynamic there is, and probably have reason to talk because maybe they felt like they weren’t treated very well. So, that’s really the angle I started working. It’s just a mass attack on these former candidates and reaching out to them cold. My failure rate on that approach is really, really, really high—95 percent, if not more. But you don’t need that many to get a beachhead. If I can get one or two guys and talk, not only is that really good firsthand information about what happened, but if I talk to someone for two hours, I have a much higher success rate with someone they know than I do with a cold call. So slowly, piece by piece, you build this landscape where you can figure out what happens. Bit by bit, I get enough to tell a story.”-Dave Phillips, New York Times

Brandon Webb, publisher of SOFREP spent more than 13 years in the navy, was a navy SEAL for most of it, a Chief Petty Officer, and the program manager for their elite sniper program.

“The Teams have gone a long way to clean up their public image in the last four years and it’s well known inside and out of the community that all illicit drugs are off limits. That extended to other legal supplements when I was a SEAL. I’ve been through high-risk instructor training and worked Hell Week as a guest instructor. The cadre is tough but extremely sensitive to medical issues, and if any instructor understood the severity of Mullen’s condition they would have sent him to the hospital immediately. Students sometimes hide injuries to their detriment. They call it high-risk training for a reason. You can’t make diamonds unless they are subjected to extreme pressure over time. This is BUD/S.”

Webb bristled at the New York Times writer’s accusation that a culture of “brutality” exists on the Teams; “Brutality is cruelty and violence done without care for anyone but yourself. Navy SEALs are willing to give their lives not just for their country but also for each other. That willingness to sacrifice yourself for others doesn’t come from a culture of brutality.”

SOFREP’s Navy Highlight: The Path of Special Warfare Combatant Crewman Nick O’Sullivan

In the fast and flashy world of bustling America, we sometimes forget how our homegrown heroes live their lives. Today, we’ll show you the inspiring dedication of Navy’s Nick O’Sullivan.

“I always push myself to try and learn something new every day.” This is how Nick wakes up every morning – with purpose and passion. When he was seven years old, his family moved all over the country because of his father’s job. He played baseball in school and became an umpire in high school. For Nick, his sports training taught him to make the right decisions at the right time. This would become one of his irreplaceable foundational skills in the military.

Nick was not a kid who you would call a “jock.” Instead, he was extraordinarily creative and had a passion for design. In the military, he integrates his love for creating things into his woodworking activities.

As young Nick sought a career that would change his life, he went on to work in a local grocery store, but he knew there was something bigger awaiting his destiny.
He knew he wanted to serve “something bigger than himself.”

Then, his brother got re-enlisted as a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy. The Navy’s Hospital Corps has more than 30,000 active duty and reserve Corpsmen training in multiple specialties. Corpsmen are stationed in various limitary facilities, research units, clinics, and medical institutions throughout the US. Corpsmen are instrumental in providing direct support to the Navy and Marine Corps (especially during a live mission).
His brother’s passion sparked something in him, pushing him to join the military.

At first, Nick didn’t know what to enlist in, but when he watched a video of Special Operations Craft – Riverine (SOC-R) carrying [Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC) crew members, that got his attention.

“I want to do that,” Nick said.

The SWCC is somewhat of a hidden branch in the Navy. They’re not as flamboyant as the ones we see in the movies, but they’re a highly important, specifically trained unit that operates and maintains smaller craft for special operation missions (supporting Navy SEALS).

Since SWCCs are highly specialized, their crewmembers must have a knack for combat and analysis.

As per the US Navy:

“United States depends on an elite defense force known as Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen, or SWCC. You may have never heard of them, and that’s on purpose—their missions are the kind the Navy keeps quiet because of how vitally important they are. As the Sailors who insert and extract Navy SEALs from classified locations around the world, they are true warriors—highly trained, disciplined and distinguished. Their motto is “On Time, On Target, Never Quit,” and they live up to every word.”

Nick finally knew what he was meant for—the SWCC.

Nick discovered that the program was ruthless. As part of the SEAL’s special operations unit, SWCC needs to be quick on their feet and highly intelligent when it comes to analyzing the situation and making “the right decisions at the right time.” SWCCs are also trained in communications, electronics, small boats, and special missions (like raids and waterborne confrontations).

Nick had to undergo the Recruit Training Command (RTC), aka Boot Camp, where he had intensive medical screening and physical training. Then, there was the 2-week SWCC indoctrination in Coronado, CA. Then, another five weeks go for his Basic Crewmember Training (BCT), which covers water competency, basic seamanship, boat handling, teamwork, and mental tenacity.

He passed the Crewman Qualification Training (CQT) and *finally* became an official SWCC member.
Through this program, Nick became passionate about learning and improving himself everyday. He also appreciated the bond in the SWCC team and treats everyone like family.

Even outside of training and duty, learning and bettering himself simply became second nature to Nick.
Nick’s most outstanding achievement is being invited to return as an SWCC Instructor “Instructor to pay the training and knowledge he’s received forward to new recruits. As an instructor, Nick sees his team as a family and wants to set them up for success when they’re embarking into the world for their mission—just like he does with his own son.”

Want to know more?

From shallow rivers to distant shores, the United States depends on an elite defense force known as Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen or SWCC. You may have never heard of them, and that’s on purpose—their missions are the kind the Navy keeps quiet because of their vitally important. As the Sailors who insert and extract Navy SEALs from classified locations worldwide, they are true warriors—highly trained, disciplined, and distinguished. Their motto is “On Time, On Target, Never Quit,” and they live up to every word. Learn more about what it takes to be a Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman.

Share your story

We all have our own stories in the military. If you’d like to share yours, reach out to the SOFREP team and send an email to editor@sofrep.com.

DELTA Force Doc – Can You Save The Hand?

He ought to be screaming in pain

After two years of working at Fort Bragg, NC, as a Clinic Director, I was approached by the secret DELTA Force organization. They asked me to apply for the job of the unit’s Command Surgeon. “Surgeon” is a military title given to physicians of any specialty when assigned to a medical command and staff position in the military. As a family physician, I was invited to become the senior medical advisor to the commander.

I was recruited in part because of my past special operations experience as a Navy SEAL. I accepted the position and reported to the Deputy Commander’s office for my initial brief.
“Doc,” pronounced the intent colonel. “I’ve done the job of every officer on my staff, except yours. I can never do your job, but I consider it essential to our command’s success. I want you to provide the best medical care in the military to my staff and their families. I’ll expect you to ask for what you need to accomplish this, and when you ask me, I will approve it every time. I’m not qualified to argue with you, so if you say we need it, you’ll get it.”

That promise was never broken. Our clinic building was expanded and renamed in honor of unit medics killed in combat. Then we opened the doors to family members. We added a dental clinic, provided obstetrics care, and began delivering the children of unit moms. I delivered forty-four babies for these families. When I return now for reunion gatherings, there is always a mom or dad that regales me with stories of their children that I delivered. Good times.

Challenging patients frequently presented themselves because of the constant training with live weapons, explosive ordinance, parachuting, and aviation operations.
“Eagle down,” came the message to my secure phone. “There has been an accident in the field with an explosive injury to a hand. He’s en route to the hospital now,” finished the voice on my secure phone.
“Roger that. I’m on my way. Give me his name, please.” The name was passed, and as many times before, I drove above the speed limit to the emergency room. I arrived soon after the casualty did and was met by the nurse, who expected me.
“Hello, Doctor Adams,” she breathed. “Your patient is in room three. He may have lost his hand.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “How is he doing?”

“Sir, I have to be honest with you. He ought to be screaming in pain. His hand is almost completely gone! But he is just looking at it, while we clean it, and asking if we can save it. Who is this man?” She finished in awe.
He’s the definition of someone special. “He’s made of different stuff,” I replied.

When I got to the room, he was looking at his hand. Most of the soft tissue was gone. The bones of his fingers were mostly there, but he could not move them. There were burned edges of flesh visible down to the wrist area. I had been briefed en route, by the medic on the scene, that the squad was conducting simulated combat building clearance operations. He had pulled the pin on a flash-bang grenade to throw forward. Instead of the standard three-second delay, it had detonated instantly in his hand. A flashbang grenade produces a brilliant, eye-blinding flash of light and heat, with a loud explosive noise, but does not produce shrapnel. It is used to disorient attackers before entering a room.
The orthopedic hand surgeon arrived almost immediately after we called him. He took a careful look and directed us to move to the operating room. He would be better able to determine the extent of the injury with the patient under anesthesia. Our patient insisted on a local nerve block so he could listen and watch. Who were these men, and where do we get them?
A few months later, after they had fitted him with a new functional artificial hand, he came to me and requested to be medically cleared to freefall parachute again.

Where do these men come from?

The next week the same orthopedic medical team was back in the operating room. During building assault training, a rope rappelling rig had failed, and my new patient had slid down a four-story building. He had landed feet first onto the ground and performed the best parachute landing fall he could. His feet took the brunt of the fall, absorbing the impact of full body weight, weapon, and backpack. He had broken almost every bone in his two feet. We were passing stainless steel wires from the tip of each toe back towards the heel as we manually pushed bone fragments back in line.

“Bob, I hate to hang black crepe here,” stated the concerned surgeon. “These wires pass through the smooth cartilage of every joint in his toes and feet, and this creates a type of joint arthritis that will probably make it impossible to run again. Walking will be painful for a long time.”

“Thanks, Kurt,” I replied, concerned. “I’ll let the boss know.”
That afternoon, after seeing our patient tucked in and stable, I went back to the unit and passed the same prognostic information to the commander.
“Really, Doc?” he responded. “I know you’re telling me what the book says, but I’ll suggest something different. He’ll be running in six months,” he predicted, smiling.

“You just don’t know yet what these men are made of,” he concluded.
Six months later, I watched him run by the clinic and wave.

Dr. Bob Adams is a graduate of the Naval Academy and then BUDs and becoming a Navy SEAL. Then, off to medical school to become a physician as a civilian again. Bob joined the Army as a doctor and became the Delta Force Command Surgeon. He retired as a Colonel in the Army. Doctor Bob has written several books, including, Sword and Saints and an autobiography of his time in both the Navy and the Army.

US Navy SEALs: Missions

Elite Special Operations forces across the planet have several shared core functionalities (missions).

Though there will always be healthy discussions about who does what better we can all agree that each special unit brings a unique approach and level of talent and resources to each mission.

Over the past decade the men and women of Naval Special Warfare have stood out as some of the finest as they’ve executed some of the highest profile strategic missions around the world.

So that we all might have a better understanding of what SEALs do, here are some brief descriptions of some of the missions of Naval Special Warfare.

DIRECT ACTION

LIGHTNING FAST SURGICAL PRECISION

Direct Action missions are quick “SWAT” like assaults used to rescue hostages, seize oil platforms, over take ships, or destroy a targets. Often the enemy will have little to no warning of the attack.

While executing unique Direct Action missions taking down ships in the Gulf it was common that we would have the ship under our complete control before many of the crew even knew we were aboard.

Direct action missions can be the result of extensive intelligence work and planning. Some missions, such as the elimination of Osama Bin Laden, can take years to plan and several more weeks to rehearse.

Clad in black hoods and night vision goggles SEAL platoons quickly and quietly subdue their enemy. If and when contact is made these well rehearsed missions can quickly turn into an explosion of aggression.

COUNTER TERRORISM

BRINGING THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY

The counter terrorism mission is all inclusive combining all assets and capabilities of Naval Special Warfare and other government agencies (OGAs).

SEAL Platoons are deployed throughout the world supporting the Global War On Terror (GOTWA). Working to develop intelligence assets in efforts to identify and thwart attacks before they happen takes up a bulk of our resources.

Once targets are identified a SEAL team may be tasked with surveilling it, capturing it or, if necessary, eliminating it.

The counter terrorism mission has been going on for well over 30 years and will probably remain a central focus for years to come as pockets of power struggles continue to evolve.

FOREIGN INTERNAL DEFENSE

HOMEGROWN HELP

During World War II, the Office of Strategic Services was known for sending in highly trained and highly motivated operatives to recruit, train and lead “guerrilla” groups. Foreign internal defense is similar in nature as its purpose is to enable others to protect and defend their own nation. Where FID is different from guerrilla warfare is that it’s generally sponsored by a recognized host nation and done in the open.

Foreign internal defense (FID) missions can include training in weapons, demolitions, reconnaissance, surveillance, diving or parachuting. In special circumstances intelligence collection and tradecraft may included as well. There is really no limit to what we can arm another nation to do.

As a young SEAL these were not my favorite missions to conduct. You always had that nagging feeling that you might be training someone you could be fighting in the near future.

As I matured as an operator I began to see these missions as an opportunity to build relationships and knock down geographic and cultural barriers. I realized that the men we were training were also just trying to do their best to survive and thrive just like the rest of us.

SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE

SNEAKING AND PEAKING

Special Reconnaissance (SR) missions send SEALs behind enemy lines to observe and report on enemy size, activity, location, uniforms, time and equipment (SALUTE).

In modern day warfare these missions can vary significantly taking on multiple forms. These mission may be conducted in urban areas while wearing civilian clothes where the operatives will be required to blend into local populations, as well as build observation hides in hotel rooms and vehicles. Or this type of mission can be conducted wearing a Snipers Ghillie suit while hiding in a bush.

Regardless of the environment these missions will have a heavy focus on camouflage and concealment as well as high and low tech means of capturing information. SEAL Reconnaissance operatives become experts in digital photography, sketching, physical surveillance and technical surveillance as well as observation and reporting.

Prior to just about any missions or troop movement Special Reconnaissance is conducted to identify enemy movement, threats and even road conditions.

UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE

WINNING THE HEARTS AND MINDS WHILE STRENGTHENING THE FISTS

Unconventional Warfare (UW) has been a specialty of the U.S Army’s Green Berets for a very long time and it has been adopted by the SEAL teams as well.

Its purpose is to prepare the battlefield for follow on special operations missions and the occupation of conventional forces. A UW mission can last for months and often years as specially trained SEALs gain access to typically denied areas by building relationships through shared objectives, training and time spent together.

Much like a FID mission UW missions, also known as guerrilla warfare, are typically centered on the training and enabling of foreign forces. UW becomes very different than FID because it is executed under covert or clandestine conditions and it’s typically more aggressive in its nature and its purpose.

UW missions are essential for collecting valuable intelligence that often prevents nasty attacks as well as enables extremely effective offensive strategies. UW units are known to train and enable guerrilla forces in sabotage, intelligence operations, recovery operations and even direct action.

The above missions represent the “Core” capabilities of a SEAL team, but do not represent everything a SEAL can do. Dynamic and innovative these guys can “morph” into anything they need to get the job done.