“In the 1980s, about 40 percent of candidates graduated. Over the past 25 years, the average has dropped to 26 percent. In 2021, it was just 14 percent, and in Seaman Mullen’s class this year, less than 10 percent.”
An old college roommate of mine was a SEAL in the 80s / 90s and he told me essentially the same thing. The instructors continue to make the course more difficult and brutal and the attrition rate keeps rising. In his opinion it’s an issue of ego, arrogance and increasingly toxic environment like hazing at fraternities. Without proper oversight it just keeps gett5ing worse.
This whole article is just so stupid!
This whole article is just so stupid!
Instructors have said the graduation rate varies with the number of SEALs and replacements they need, a guy may be failed while passing because they didn’t have the slots for him.
The instructors continue to make the course more difficult and brutal and the attrition rate keeps rising. In his opinion it’s an issue of ego, arrogance and increasingly toxic environment like hazing at fraternities.
I'm not going to begin to pretend that I know what BUD/S is like. But, I have been in military programs where attrition makes it seem 'elite.' The desire for high attrition leads to situations where passing is basically luck.
Add that in with a desire to pass minorities, women and poofters, and you end up not graduating the best of the best.