SEALS: Officer v. Enlisted

[Stearmann4]

If you want it- Ask for it. This applies for anything, in any service, at any time.

I know an O-6 who put on his FIRST assignment wish list that he wanted to be the CO of USCGC EAGLE (An O6 job...Not an O1 job). It took 26 or so years-but he got it- because he wanted it so bad he could taste it.

If you want to be a SEAL officer- Apply for OCS and try to get a BUDs contract. Don't get it- Enlist and try to get a BUDs slot.
Always make sure you get good info (from a SEAL program manager or someone else in a job like that) and always do what you can to make yourself more competive for the program.

Good luck in which ever path you choose!!

I don't think the purpose of the post was whether he could get to BUD/S through OCS, but rather how difficult is the route. It's a huge gamble when you're off the street competeing for an officer slot at BUD/S with the academy grads, world class swimmers, etc. First and foremeost you've got to decide if you really want to be a SEAL. If the answer is yes, then what do you gain by being an officer (except a cooler uniform?) The point is if you can't get to BUD/S through OCS, than enlisting may be the correct answer. If you really want to be a SEAL than altering your immediate goals from officer to enlisted will be but a small detour in your plans. Mustang SEAL officers are looked upon with great reverence in the Teams. By the way, don't ever tell anyone what a great leader you are, wait for them to tell you.

Mike-

 

[S.O.B.]

I don't think the purpose of the post was whether he could get to BUD/S through OCS, but rather how difficult is the route. It's a huge gamble when you're off the street competeing for an officer slot at BUD/S with the academy grads, world class swimmers, etc. First and foremeost you've got to decide if you really want to be a SEAL. If the answer is yes, then what do you gain by being an officer (except a cooler uniform?) The point is if you can't get to BUD/S through OCS, than enlisting may be the correct answer. If you really want to be a SEAL than altering your immediate goals from officer to enlisted will be but a small detour in your plans. Mustang SEAL officers are looked upon with great reverence in the Teams. By the way, don't ever tell anyone what a great leader you are, wait for them to tell you.

Mike-

When I was going through OCS there were a couple of Officer Candidates that were Seals but they weren't going back to teams. Is that atypical? I don't know if it was their choice. I think one was SNA and the other may have been a SWO.

 

[corvettetimmy]

but he was enlisted long enough to have a Good Conduct Medal (4 years).

Its 3 years....
Only reason I have any medals other than the Mc Donalds ribbon...

 

[Zissou]

When I was going through OCS there were a couple of Officer Candidates that were Seals but they weren't going back to teams. Is that atypical? I don't know if it was their choice. I think one was SNA and the other may have been a SWO.

Not common. I know many HM's who have become MD or PA Medical Officers and one guy who became an aviator.

 

[lmnop]

When I was going through OCS there were a couple of Officer Candidates that were Seals but they weren't going back to teams. Is that atypical? I don't know if it was their choice. I think one was SNA and the other may have been a SWO.

I was on the ship with a guy who was a frog for 6 or 8 years prior to getting commissioned as a SWO. He lat transferred from SWO back to SPECWAR, screwed up while he was redoing SQT and I believe ended up getting out. Not a common career progression, but it does happen occasionally.

 

[Mumbles]

Not common. I know many HM's who have become MD or PA Medical Officers and one guy who became an aviator.

There was a prior SEAL who I believe had been NPQ'd from his program for a bad knee and came through OCS....he ended up going VQ Rota (Pilot). I recall he got a lot of special "attention" from the DIs....but the guy was a total badass, and held his own very well evidently.

 

[HeyJoe]

There was a prior SEAL who I believe had been NPQ'd from his program for a bad knee and came through OCS....he ended up going VQ Rota (Pilot). I recall he got a lot of special "attention" from the DIs....but the guy was a total badass, and held his own very well evidently.

When your dad was an instructor at VF-101, we had a former SEAL come through the RAG. Unfortunately, he perished in a suspect vertigo incident after pulling up into an overcast while accclerating after flying over a group of friends at Sandbridge on an Apollo Longshot departure burning down gas for FCLP.

 

[Brunes]

I don't think the purpose of the post was whether he could get to BUD/S through OCS, but rather how difficult is the route. It's a huge gamble when you're off the street competeing for an officer slot at BUD/S with the academy grads, world class swimmers, etc. First and foremeost you've got to decide if you really want to be a SEAL. If the answer is yes, then what do you gain by being an officer (except a cooler uniform?) The point is if you can't get to BUD/S through OCS, than enlisting may be the correct answer. If you really want to be a SEAL than altering your immediate goals from officer to enlisted will be but a small detour in your plans. Mustang SEAL officers are looked upon with great reverence in the Teams. By the way, don't ever tell anyone what a great leader you are, wait for them to tell you.

Mike-

Prog- Stupid or not...EVERYONE knew what he was after. And his personal drive/motivation got him there eventually. He had a damn successful career- so I'm not going to question his methods. and I wasn't suggesting that he do the same thing. It's to illustrate a point.

Mike...Point of my post was- There isn't a "CAN'T". I'll bet going civilian to SEAL officer has happened in the past. It doesn't really matter how difficult it is- You need to explore/attempt every option to get to you goal. For the OP- His whole goal is to be a SEAL officer...so try to do that first- if it doesn't work out...Enlist and go SEALS...Work your way along to your goals.

and +1 on the leader comment...:icon_wink

 

[phrogdriver]

Oddly enough, I met a guy at the gym a couple months ago who went SEAL to Navy nurse. I saw the Budweiser on his khakis and the medical leaf insignia on his collar and asked what his story was. He told me he was a corpsman in the SEALS and thought that going officer was the way to go and did the nursing program. Then 9-11 happened and he's been trying to go back to the teams but they won't let him. At least I bet no one makes fun of him for being a male nurse!

 

[AlphaTango]

Civilian Seal

Bro,
Go enlisted first, get a couple work ups and tours under your belt. Then apply for OCS, it's easy day from there as long as you do your job prior to applying. Good luck

 

[S.O.B.]

There was a prior SEAL who I believe had been NPQ'd from his program for a bad knee and came through OCS....he ended up going VQ Rota (Pilot). I recall he got a lot of special "attention" from the DIs....but the guy was a total badass, and held his own very well evidently.

There was a Seal at OCS around the same time as myself who was instructed to "push" and his response to the DI was "I have more push, then you have time."

 

[Paddles]

Definitely go officer over enlisted, no matter what the job.

Second, if the Navy didn't want SEAL officers off the street, then there wouldn't be a way to do it.

 

[lmnop]

Definitely go officer over enlisted, no matter what the job.

Is this a ha-ha funny, stir the pot comment or do you actually believe this?

 

[xmid]

18 posts in the last 3 years and two tonight on how going enlisted is stupid and NFO's teaching SNA's is stupid. Someone grew a set of balls... I smell a troll...

 

[Paddles]

Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it. Although, I'm guessing my opinion is based on more experience then Inmop or xmid.