Can a midshipmen be commisioned into naval special warfare?

Bear-

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I was reading on the navy hockey website that a midshipmen was commisioned to Naval Special Warfare. I was curious, because I thought you had to tryout to be selected for that. Can someone explain this? Also, if he doesn't complete the tryout, what is he then commissioned into?
 
I was reading on the navy hockey website that a midshipmen was commisioned to Naval Special Warfare. I was curious, because I thought you had to tryout to be selected for that. Can someone explain this? Also, if he doesn't complete the tryout, what is he then commissioned into?

The special warfare communities hold screeners twice a year which are essentialy the tryouts. The SEAL screener is like a mini-BUDs. They must complete the screener, go through interviews and be qualified medically. Spending a summer training with SEALs is also recommended. If they choose not to do the screener, they will not get special warfare and thus must compete for a spot in the other communities (surface, aviation, marines, subs, etc.)
 
Sorry, can you clarify? If they pass the screening, are they into the SEALs? Or do they still have to go through BUDS?
 
Sorry, can you clarify? If they pass the screening, are they into the SEALs? Or do they still have to go through BUDS?

if they do well on the screener and are selected for SEALs then they go to BUD/S after they graduate from the Academy.
 
God no.

Here's how the process works:

4/C and 3/C years: work out (on own volition) with SEALs on the yard, gather knowledge, make sure you have a good order of merit, and generally demonstrate interest.

2/C year: Participate in SEAL screener in either fall or spring. The screener is basically a haze-fest on constant (hard!) PT from a Friday afternoon through Sunday. They rank everyone who finishes (something like 90 started and 20-something finished this fall) based on performance and the top few get offered SEAL cruises. NROTC people come up the USNA to do the screener and generally all get smoked.

2/C-1/C summer: Go on a SEAL cruise. The first few days are like a mini-Hell Week, apparently several people dropped this summer. The rest of the time you work, train, and hang out with SEALs. Again, they rank everyone who finishes and this is taken into consideration at service selection.

1/C fall: Put SEALs first at service selection. Everyone who goes up for SEALs is interviewed. The interviews can be rough; any sticky spots on your record will be thoroughly discussed.

Late-1/C Fall: Hopefully, get SEALs! 28 got SEALs from my class. (SEALs/EOD, Med Corps, and Subs are the only communities to get informed early).

1/C Spring: SEAL practicum class*, keep training for BUD/S, pick BUD/S start date.

Post-Graduation: Go to BUD/S, start SEAL pipeline.

*Practicum is a class that all firsties take that's relevant to their service selection and just gives them helpful knowledge and training for after graduation. So, SWOs practice charts/mo boards and shiphandling, pilots learn the basic stuff you learn down in flight school, Marines learn Marine history, uniform wear, and do stuff like land nav. I'm not sure exactly what SEALs do, but I'd imagine they start learning the skills they need for BUD/S: pool competency stuff, dive physics, etc.
 
Bear,

The purpose of the screener is to determine a MIDN's fitness to become a SEAL Officer, which includes the ability to complete BUD/S and follow-on training.

Completion of BUD/S is a steping stone to being formally recognized as a SEAL.

Does this help?
 
As Hurricane12 pointed out SEAL/EOD selection can be a long process that begins pretty early on. It is small tight knit community that is very selective as the numbers show - 20 to 30 Mids each year go that route out of the academy. You need to be working on conditioning from the get go - get in early with a group that is focused on that sort of training - if you are not a varsity athlete try out for the Infantry Skills Team. Keep in mind that the physical training is just a part of what they are looking for - attitude, mental toughness, work ethic, etc all come into play.
 
One of the parents in our local USNA parents club had their 2011 grad select seals and make it thorough BUDS. One of the comments they made that I thought was interesting is: The screeners and process that USNA employs for seal selection are so tough that USNA grads have about an 80% succes rate in passing BUDS.

Now this is one parents comment and I can't vouch for the accuracy of the statement but i would guess it's not far off.
 
MIDNDAD: I've heard similar success rate numbers from several Mids. According to my Mid, part of the impact of the screening process at USNA is that the guys go to BUD/S not just wanting to get through for themselves, but wanting to not let down the SEALs at USNA who helped prepare them, and the other Mids who worked so hard but didn't get the spot.

Also, bear, don't overlook Hurricane's comment about having a good order of merit. If you don't have good grades and good leadership traits, all the PT in the world won't earn you a spot in BUD/S.
 
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