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SEAL training lasts nearly a year and is composed of three phases: (1) BUD/S — Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL; (2) Open water Swimming/Diving: (3) Land Warfare. If you complete all three phases (less than 1 of 10 do), you get your trident pin and are assigned to an active SEAL Team platoon as a probationary member. You must put in a minimum of six to eight months with the platoon before they either accept or reject you. It takes about 18 months before you're really part of the team.

About the bell. Becoming a SEAL is voluntary and you can quit at any time. If you quit, you go up and ring the bell 3 times to DOR (drop on request) and you're processed out.

During training phases, there are certain milestones that must be passed. If you don't, you may be setback or given a DOR. If you're injured in training, you'll be setback until you heal. SEAL training is the most difficult of all the Special Operations training. Even the most fit get washed out. Fitness isn't enough — you must want to be a SEAL more than anything in life — because the instructors will push you past your limits.

When you see a guy wearing that trident pin, understand he's the best of the best in many specialties. Plus, he keeps adding to his skill set throughout his SEAL career.

I’m sure everything you said is absolutely correct. When I was at the SEALs training facility on Coronado I was told the odd number SEAL Teams are on the West Coast and the even number SEAL Teams are on the East Coast. I Believe Chief Stella, who showed me around, is with SEAL Team 3.

I asked him how much of the training is mental and how much is physical and he said SEAL training is probably 90% mental. You’re right about being injured, it;s a set back, but you’re still allowed to continue. Chief Stella said up until a few years ago if you were DOR you could try again, but not anymore once you go DOR you’re done for good.

I was so impressed with these young men. It was their day off and Rob took me onto the obstacle course, but still the men who were going through BUD/S were still out on the obstacle course trying to perfect the course, trying to get their time down a minute or two.

One of the first impressions I had of these fine men which stuck with me was when I first walked through the doors into the facility. Chief Stella was explaining something to me and two trainees came through the door and I stepped back against the wall so they could walk by and they asked me very politely if I could step forward so they could pass behind me so they wouldn’t interrupt. My God, I thought where do they find these men? I was very impressed.

Even the most fit get washed out. Fitness isn't enough — you must want to be a SEAL more than anything in life — because the instructors will push you past your limits.

I've read an account by a SEAL that emphasized that. He said that some of the guys who made it in his BUDS class puked during the early runs, or were visibly fearful when first confronted by dangerous situations, and some of the guys who were fitness fanatics, or black belts, rang the bell.