A Memorable Armed Forces Day

I’ve always had an interest in the Navy SEALS.  In honor of Armed Forces Day, I ditched work last Friday and flew down to Coronado to visit some JAG friends, one of whom was assigned to one of the Teams.  “Your timing’s perfect,” they said.  “We’re taking our quarterly physical readiness test (PRT) on Friday.  Bring your PT gear.”  Ended up taking PRT with the JAGs and their assigned admins.  The base Executive Officer (Ex-O) was also doing the PRT, so I had to “put out” and represent for all the civilian JD’s.



After a shower, BBQ, and plenty of chit chat, I got a killer behind the scenes tour of Coronado Amphibious Base, including “The Center” where BUDS selection goes down.  Started at Group Three to check out the boats.



An Seal Delivery Vehicle (SDV) on display.  Packs six SEALS and gear.  No windows, all electronic nav for nighttime clandestine ops.  Gives new meaning to “pimped out”, but no room for fishfinder.



Fleet of kayaks that were stationed out behind SEAL Team 3’s docks.  Woulda plastered one with an NCKA sticker, but didn’t want to get shot.



Here’s a shot of some Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmember (SWCC) boats.  Can you say mothership?



Here’s a shot of BUDS class 271 doing inflatable boat small (IBS) races.  The summer selection cycle just started, so the class was still pretty large.  Next time you THINK you just got tossed in a tough surf launch, just remember these guys and toughen the F@#% Up!! 



While class 271 was out playing in the surf zone, me and my JAG escort snuck back to the Obstacle Course.



Would have taken some pictures of the Grinder, but as we were touring around, three BUDS candidates were ringing out.  Last thing I wanted to do was disrespect them as they were being checked out by the Class 371 Proctor.  Much more solemn an event when seeing in person.

On the plane ride home I was wearing a NavSpecWar Group One Hat that a JAG gave me as a souvenir.  A guy asked “What class?” referring to what BUDS class I had graduated.  I laughed and told him about my Coronado tour.  He told me he was with Class 141, and the Trident on my hat really brought him back.

"Hoo-Yah" to all of you who served in the Armed Services. 

Very cool report......If I could turn back time, I would would have loved to have the chance to serve with the Navy SEAL (believe it or not, I was in very good shape - back in my youth) A good friend of mine, who moved to Sac and is now a Doctor, was also a Navy Seal.

Martin, next time you go...take me with you...I'll even carry your luggage for you

HOOYA!!!!

Very cool report indeed.  Much respect for all branches of the Armed Forces, especially the Navy SEALS.

Michael

Very cool!

My first experience with a kayak came during a wargame down in Panama at the Spec ops jungle survival school. We (Rangers) were in mock combat with seal team 3. We Over ran their position in the middle of the night and commandeered all of their kayaks. I spent the next week running the Chagras river in that "borrowed" folding klepper style kayak, totally falling in love with it and forgetting I was suppose to be playing Army. The thing even had a machine gun rest for my m-16. God those were the days. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us Yakuza, how'd you do on the PRT?

10-4, that was a good report, Sir!   

I was in the Marines back in the 90's and I remember we were on a long hump on the beach at Camp Pendleton near the hovercraft base during the post boost camp combat training. We were in full combat gear and whining pretty good when a group of SEALS also in full gear went RUNNING by us! Those guys were barely breathing hard and made us look like a bunch of pansies  I've got nothing but respect for those guys.

how'd you do on the PRT?

If I'm reading the PRT standards correctly, my lowest score was an excellent (high) for any of the tested categories.  I did well on the pushups and the timed run, but my crunches were sad.  For desk jockey paper pushers, those JAGs are a pretty fit bunch.  Some guy did 140 pushups and 120 situps in 2 min a piece.

Little disappointed b/c I can exceed my PRT numbers at home under A/C conditions on flat pavement.  Conditions played a factor for me, just wasn't used to putting out on grass in outdoors like that or running in that kind of heat.  In fact, I felt like a complete goob when I remarked that the grass was wet and muddy.  Everyone else (including the female JAGs) dropped to the deck and didn't say a word.

Martin -

Glad you had a good weekend. We missed you at LK. Funny that they would use yellow kayaks instead of something more stealthy unless that is the new top secret yellow radar absorbing plastic that OK just developed. 

Scott

Swellrider, What battalion were you in. I served in 2nd Batt C. Co from 93-97. RLTW!