Story by LTJG Martin Carey, NSWG Two, Feb 14, 2024.

In a constant demonstration of partnership in the Eastern Mediterranean, U.S. East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) collaborated with Cypriot Navy Underwater Demolition Team (MYK) partners Jan. 22 – Feb. 14, 2024, refining their operational expertise in the maritime domain throughout waters surrounding Cyprus. This relationship serves as a powerful deterrent, showcasing a united front against potential threats to regional and maritime security in the area.

“Our partnership with the Cypriot Underwater Demolition Team sends a clear message to our adversaries. Together, we stand as a resolute force, ready to respond to any challenge and defend the shared interests of our nations,” said Capt. Bill Gallagher, Naval Special Warfare Group TWO Commodore. “This is not just a collaboration; it’s a crucible of excellence. Through joint endeavors, we fortify our capabilities and make clear that any aggression will be met with a swift, unyielding response.”

Navigating persistent waves, the SEALs and their Cypriot partners engaged in synchronized drills, honing their skills in covert operations, maritime operations, and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) at sea. The intensity of these exercises reflects the unwavering commitment Naval Special Warfare has to training their personnel to ensure readiness and the ability to operate in dynamic maritime environments.

The on-site SEAL commander stated, “The interoperability and camaraderie displayed here transcend conventional military cooperation. These face-to-face iterations of training not only bolster our combat capabilities but ensures the U.S. and Cypriot relationship remains steadfast.”

The MYK special operations forces are highly skilled operators of the Cypriot Navy who conduct special reconnaissance, direct action, military assistance, combat search and rescue, and maritime operations to safeguard the interests of Cyprus and promote regional security.

Naval Special Warfare Group TWO produces, supports, and deploys the world’s premier maritime special operations forces to conduct full-spectrum operations and integrated deterrence in support of U.S. national objectives. For more information, visit https://www.nsw.navy.mil/.

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This story by LTJG Martin Carey was first published on February 14, 2024, by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. DVIDS content is in the public domain.

Photo: East Coast-based U.S. Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) conduct maritime training with Cypriot Underwater Demolition Command (MYK) forces near Limassol, Cyprus on Jan. 25, 2024. (Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class William Carlisle, January 25, 2024)

Story by LTJG Martin Carey, NSWG Two.

East-Coast based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and the 164th Romanian Naval Special Operations Forces (ROUSOF) conducted training on maritime interdiction operations, special reconnaissance, and special operations tactics to enhance allied defense throughout the European region. The joint effort was conducted November 4-17, and enhanced maritime expertise and strengthened the capacity to respond to maritime crises in the Black Sea region.

“Our partnership with the Romanian Naval Special Operations Forces is in direct alignment with the U.S. National Defense Strategy’s emphasis on strengthening alliances and partnerships. Together, we prepare for the challenges posed by the unique operational environment here as we work in tandem to preserve security during this critical time,” said Maj. Gen. Steven G. Edwards, Commander of Special Operations Command Europe.

During the evolution, SEALs and ROUSOF conducted a multitude of interoperability and training iterations including close quarters combat techniques, urban patrol movements, breacher training and integrated visit, board, search and seizure tactics. The ability for U.S. and NATO special operations forces to integrate seamlessly across multiple operating areas further refines their capabilities to deploy in support of real-world operations in the area.

“Working alongside our allied Romanian special operators provides us the ability to further enhance our capabilities in order to meet operational demands,” said the senior Naval Special Warfare Operator on site. “These opportunities are not only invaluable for the SEALs, but also the numerous support personnel who enable us to complete our mission in a joint environment.”

In the spirit of solidarity and shared commitment to regional security, the collaboration between SEALs and ROUSOF serves as a testament to the vital importance of international partnerships within the European Command Area of Responsibility. Strengthening alliances through joint training initiatives bolsters the capabilities of both nations’ special operations forces and underscores the collective dedication to preserve peace and security in the Black Sea region.

The 164th Romanian Naval Special Operations Forces are a highly specialized unit of the Romanian Navy who conduct direct action missions, special reconnaissance, and maritime operations to safeguard the interests of Romania and promote regional security.

Naval Special Warfare Group TWO produces, supports, and deploys the world’s premier maritime special operations forces to conduct full-spectrum operations and integrated deterrence in support of U.S. national objectives. For more information, visit https://www.nsw.navy.mil/.

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This story by LTJG Martin Carey of Naval Special Warfare Group Two was published on December 13, 2023, by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. DVIDS content is in the public domain.

Photo: East-Coast based U.S. Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) conduct visit, board, search, and seizure training with the 164th Romanian Naval Special Operations Forces near Constanta, Romania, Nov. 16, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Bill Carlisle)

By Chief Petty Officer Dustin Kelling, NSWG-4.

Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20) received the 2022 Naval Special Warfare Battle Efficiency Program Award in a message released Jan. 23, 2023.

This is the first year that the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community has awarded the Battle Efficiency Program Award. Simply known as the Battle “E”, it is given to NSW teams that demonstrate a high degree of performance in an operational environment throughout the fiscal year.

“Earning the Battle ‘E’ is incredibly important as it validates the hard work and personal sacrifice of every Sailor that worked to make SBT-20 operationally focused and battle ready,” said the commanding officer of SBT-20.

The Battle “E” program within Naval Special Warfare Group 4, the NSW community’s special boat team headquarters, recognizes the unique challenges that Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) team members must navigate and overcome. SBT-20 had to dedicate time and funding to training a task group while maintaining standard command duties and responsibilities of manning, training and equipping deployable combatant craft detachments.

SBT-20 received the award in part for validating ground-breaking tactics and increasing the scope of combatant-craft capabilities.

“We had to get creative with our task group, requesting support from other NSW and Navy commands to ensure we could function as a command-and-control element,” said the commanding officer.

SBT-20’s success ties into every facet of an operational command such as “training, equipping, and manning,” said the SBT-20 Command Master Chief. “The SBT-20 Task Group is a great example of this, the Battle ‘E’ award confirms and reinforces the command’s ‘Brilliant on the Basics’ approach to excellence,” he said. “The command’s focus on individual Sailors through human factors, career development boards, recognition, and mentorship, highlights the link between effective sailorization and mission success.”

SBT-20 is a subordinate command under NSWG-4. As the NSW community focuses on strategic competition and contested maritime domains, the SWCC teams of NSWG-4 continue to grow and develop emerging capabilities to deter any threat and protect America from attack.

“I am incredibly proud of my Sailors,” said the SBT-20 commander. “They have constantly performed at an exemplary level as they prepare for and execute special operations in the maritime environment across multiple domains.”

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This story by Chief Petty Officer Dustin Kellin of Naval Special Warfare Group Four was first published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on March 10, 2023. DVIDS content is in the public domain.

Photo: Special Warfare Combatant Craft (SWCC). Video by Austin Rooney, All Hands Magazine, Nov 1, 2018. SWCC video

By Cole Black.

In the early 1990’s, American naval strategy underwent a fundamental design shift to better suit a changing global maritime environment and battlespace. Up to this point, the United States had organized her navy to respond to major open water conflicts against comparably armed opponents. Large, powerful fleets were crucial to warfighting in WWII, but were soon replaced by more versatile platforms. Aircraft carriers, whose air wings could conduct more adaptable strategic strikes, replaced immense battleships. Submarines augmented naval fleets’ abilities to operate undetected in enemy waters.

The nature of fleet-on-fleet conflict may have adjusted its image to fit the proliferation of new naval platforms, but its ideology remained relatively consistent: a traditional focus on fleet-on-fleet warfare and “blue water” battlespace rooted in Alfred Thayer Mahan’s naval strategy laid out in The Influence of Seapower Upon History, his 1890 book that would shape maritime naval strategy to varying degrees for over a century.

Going into the early 90s, soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall and dissolution of the Soviet Union, the United States would reevaluate its Mahanian naval emphasis as the nature of naval conflict shifted away from great power engagement. Naval Special Warfare (NSW) was an obvious asset in this new focus. Their traditional role as pre-assault assets for amphibious operations fit into the “brown water” operations of littoral combat against simultaneously in multiple regions against unorthodox opponents. Instead of facing large fleets of opponent nations, the USN would come up against transnational, non-state actors and maritime disruptors, including increasing piracy and terrorism in regions of instability. Tracking the role of NSW through the broader shift in naval strategy of the 90s and early 2000s reveals the successes of NSW in supporting American naval and maritime power, and the weaknesses/exploitations of their increased importance in naval operations.

NSW has transformed from a loosely organized, underemphasized, but notably successful asset of the USN during 20th century conflicts, to an irreplaceable asset in the regional maritime conflicts of the 21st century, especially throughout the War on Terror. As network-centric warfare increasingly becomes the dominant focus of American military strategy, NSW is positioned to play a key supporting role in joint-service operations.

In 2003, the Navy released Sea Power 21, detailing their plan to transform the USN to better fit the modern battlespace. Sea Power 21 has been adjusted since its original publication, (through documents like Admiral Gilday’s (CNO) 2022 Navigational Plan which clarified the importance of interservice cooperation and joint-service operations moving forward) but provides a useful framework to locate NSW’s role in a shifting American strategy. It describes three main enablers for American naval strategy: Sea Strike, Sea Shield, and Sea Base. Each enabler contains important NSW missions, but greater attention should be given to the major role of NSW in Sea Strike and Sea Base operations. Sea Power 21 also emphasizes the necessity to shift military strategy to a network-centric approach, one ready to take on threats to the USN’s command, control, communication, computer and intelligence systems (C4I). NSW will play a key role here in intelligence gathering and battlefield direction.

But prior to an analysis of NSW and Sea Power 21, we look at the proliferation of NSW mission sets in the late 1990s, especially its meteoric rise after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The global War on Terror ignited by these attacks transformed NSW into a modern, highly capable, highly funded warfighting system. However, it also made the traditionally clandestine world of Special Operations significantly more visible. If NSW is expected to continue its unique roles, it must be able to conduct missions with small, highly skilled, self-sustaining teams, outside of the public eye. Otherwise, the USN will lose the benefits of NSW missions, which provide America with the ability to operate without political liability or risk of escalation. 

In 1998, a series of bombings targeted two US embassies across East Africa. Near simultaneous attacks were conducted on the US embassy in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The organizers behind these truck bombings were suspected to be operating in Somalia, a politically unstable country and safe haven for the ringleaders of terrorist groups for decades. During the notorious 2003 “Black Hawk Down” incident in Mogadishu, Somalia, US Special Operations Forces were tasked with abducting violent Somali warlords in an effort to influence the Somali Civil War, as well as providing humanitarian aid to the starving people of the city. Somali National Alliance forces attacked the outnumbered and poorly organized American forces, killing 18 soldiers and dragging their bodies through the streets. SOF operations in Africa steadily rose to unsustainable levels, straining the elite soldiers of Marine RECON, Navy SEAL, and Army Special Forces units, as well as Tier One units like Naval Special Warfare Development Group (SEAL Team 6) and Delta force. Oftentimes, military tasking was given to units outside of their area of expertise, simply because of an exaggerated belief in the versatility and durability of Special Operations Forces soldiers.

To be sure, NSW and similar SOF groups were extremely successful in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts across Africa. Look to the successful rescue of Captain Phillips by SEAL Team 6 from the hands of Somali pirates, a hostage rescue mission against seemingly impossible odds. SEAL snipers simultaneously shot three Somali captors from the back guided missile destroyer. In 2014, two platoons from SEAL Team 2 successfully took control of an oil tanker held by a Libyan militia group. This prevented the Libyan sect from selling the oil on the black market, which would have significantly funded their violent methods of rebellion.

But even the successes of NSW in these operations came at a price: the price of public attention and admiration. Wildly popular media, from the comedically action packed 1990 film Navy Seals to the myriad of documentaries, movies, and books written after Operation Neptune Spear, or the book detailing the 2009 Maersk Alabama operation written by Captain Richard Phillips within a year of his rescue, and its screenplay adaptation in 2013, increased awareness and interest in NSW, bringing their operations into a dangerous international spotlight. Efforts to capitalize on the NSW name and its sensitive mission set for monetary gain, or to rouse political support, or to seek public recognition, or even with wholly moral intentions, came at the expense of the safety afforded to NSW by its secrecy. This, coupled with the overemphasis of Special Operations Forces in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts past their capabilities, jeopardized the effectiveness of NSW in naval strategy.

The operational intensity, public vulnerability, and misuses of Special Operations assets proved to be a big strain on the community. In 2016, largely because of operations in Africa, more Special Operations soldiers were killed than conventional soldiers. In 2017, four Special Forces soldiers were killed in an ambush in Tongo Tongo, Niger, in part because they did not have adequate intelligence or contingency support. A 2020 comprehensive review of culture and ethics by USSOCOM found “The continuous global demand for SOF capabilities, combined with a SOF culture focused on force employment and mission accomplishment, has led to sustained high operational tempo which challenges unit integrity and leader development, and erodes readiness.” This is a worrisome, if obvious, conclusion. Ongoing naval strategy, as detailed in Sea Power 21, needs to avoid these pitfalls if it is to properly capitalize off the skill set of NSW assets. Correctly balancing operational tempo with suitable mission tasking allows NSW teams to do what they do best: move small, highly skilled teams covertly into crisis areas to effectively shape the battlespace alongside broader joint-service operations.

The aforementioned advantages and weaknesses of NSW should be considered in correctly weaving their operations into the Sea Power 21 strategic framework. Sea Strike capabilities mean the ability for the USN to strike “from the sea” on strategic land targets, as well as other maritime assets. NSW’s role in Sea Strike is both immediately obvious and surprisingly nuanced. “From the sea” strikes are well suited for a force designed to swiftly attack littoral and riverine environments. Able to insert themselves into the battlespace from multiple specialized platforms, like the combatant crafts or RIBs manned by Special Warfare Combatant Crewman units (SWCC) or the submarine-launched SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV), Navy SEAL and other NSW assets are well equipped for direct Sea Strike. Newer Virginia class submarines have been designed with NSW mission sets in mind, allowing SDV deployment and accommodations for larger SEAL attachments.

In ship-on-ship strikes, NSW has a long history of maritime interdiction and visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) missions. But Sea Strike does not solely mean clandestine amphibious assaults, with movie star-like Frogmen jumping out of planes into coastal waters. Indeed, Sea Strike encompasses all sea-based offensive weapons systems, from Tomahawks fired by surface or submarine platforms to mines laid in strategic maritime waters. The extreme end of Sea Strike capabilities are submarine launched ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads. NSW assets can assist in these more conventional Sea Strike missions by gathering battlespace information and advising targeting strategies to better support on-ground operations. In Afghanistan, NSW assets collected information during their hunt for Osama bin Laden, then directed Navy and Air Force aviation assets from carrier and land-based air wings in bombing runs that destroyed an al Qaeda weapons cache. NSW information gathering can and should be used to greater extent in joint-service Sea Strike operations, especially in volatile, complex battlespaces.

Sea Basing has an equally important space for NSW assets, not only in conducting Sea Strike missions, but for advancing the goal of Sea Basing, which is to minimize reliance on ashore installations of allied forces, like foreign airports or military outposts, to minimize obstacles that can arise from untrustworthy or inefficient partners. Sea Basing, primarily done through prepositioned forces on conventional platforms like surface ships, aircraft carriers, or on-station submarines, is most effective when done by small, self-sufficient assets. Attaching a platoon of SEALs to an SDV-capable submarine in strategically important waters gives US naval strategy the option to strike from the sea by means of forward-deployed NSW assets, as opposed to moving NSW assets on-station, potentially re-tasking them from previous mission sets. SWCC forces attached to Marine amphibious platforms serve a similar purpose. A Sea Base with an in-house SWCC/SEAL contingent could be stationed off North Africa, the South Pacific, or the Mediterranean to combat piracy and enforce sanctions/embargoes through VBSS operations.  NSW assets don’t have the manpower, nor skillset, to act as standalone Sea Base groups, but are vital to augmenting the capabilities of conventional USN assets. At the same time, stationing NSW assets on Sea Base groups minimizes the need to build up NSW or Marine forces on shore, as Sea Base assets can be quickly deployed as needed. Sea Bases should act as afloat forward staging bases for NSW assets, in conjunction with broader strategic maritime goals.

NSW has been useful in strengthening the vision of Sea Power 21 since its publication in 2002. Their integration into this vision should continue to be emphasized and resourced and adjusted to fit the joint-service focus of NAVPLAN 2021. In doing this, tasking should be given to NSW forces in line with their expertise, at a rate sustainable by the sailors being asked to risk their lives, not at a rate thought possible by zealous politicians or out of an overreliance on NSW’s mythic resiliency. The NSW mission is well defined by the Special Operations Forces Reference Manual: providing an effective means to apply counterforce in conjunction with national policy and objectives in peacetime and across the spectrum of hostilities from peacetime operations to limited war to general war. The missions given to NSW, and Special Operations Forces in general, should reflect this mission.

All efforts should be made to make sure NSW missions can be conducted out of the public eye to protect its members. NSW is uniquely positioned to influence US seapower in ways far less obvious than movements of conventional surface fleet assets around the global maritime theater. In Sea Strike and Sea Base efforts, NSW assets should be recognized for their advantages, but play a supporting, augmenting role in greater naval strategy, without a needlessly burdensome emphasis. In thinking about continuing to adapt NSW to modern naval warfare, and how this has been successfully and unsuccessfully pursued since the 90s, the USN should always be looking into the future to preemptively react to changing battlespaces. This means, and has meant for over a decade, greater importance placed on network-centric offensive and defensive capabilities. Information warfare of the 21st century will impact all of NSW’s mission areas. Securing the flow of sensitive information regarding NSW missions is mandatory if NSW is to operate confidently. At the same time, NSW will have an offensive role in information-space warfare. Missions focused on special reconnaissance objectives can provide information used for internal NSW purposes and contribute to greater battlespace detail.

If Mahanian principles are poised for a resurrection as the USN prepares for potential conflict with comparably armed fleets of powerful nations like Russia and China, they will be applied to a modern “blue water” conflict far different from those described in The Influence of Seapower Upon History. Offensive and defensive efforts in technology-reliant information networks will open the door to “winning without fighting” maritime strategies. NSW finds its strength in its ability to adapt to adversity and new challenges: that mindset will serve their community, and American seapower, well going forward.

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Bibliography:

ADM Clark, Vern. “Sea Power 21: Projecting Decisive Joint Capabilities”. Proceedings. United States Naval Institute. 2021

History and Research Office. USSOCOM History. 6th ed. 2008

Joint Special Operations University. “Chapter 4: US Naval Special Operations Forces”. In Special Forces Operations Reference Manual. 4th ed. JSOU Press, 2015

Mahan, Alfred Thayer. The Influence of Seapower Upon History. Little, Brown and Company, 1890

National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum “SEAL History: The Story of Naval Special Warfare”. National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum. 2020

Richard, Gary. Naval Special Warfare’s Contribution to Global Joint Operations in Support of Sea Power 21, The United States Navy’s Vision for the Twenty-First Century. Fort Leavenworth, 2004

United States Special Operations Command. “Comprehensive Review of SOF Culture and Ethics”. 2020 In https://irp.fas.org/agency/dod/socom/index.html

Author: Cole Black grew up in San Diego, CA, and is currently attending Yale University. He is pursuing a history major with a focus on War and Society.

Photo: Naval Special Warfare combatant craft conducts maritime interoperability training. Pacific Ocean, April 17, 2021, U.S. Navy photo. (Creative Commons, Flikr)

Story by Benjamin Kittleson, NSW.

The sun is still below the horizon as the ocean breeze blows on a chilly winter morning in San Diego, where the latest group of Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC) hopefuls hits the soft sand for some morning physical training. Overseeing this training is an experienced instructor, alternately observing and motivating the class to stay focused.

“Listen up! Eat, sleep and train. That’s all you’re getting paid for!”

These are the three things Chief Petty Officer Joan Jennings, an instructor at Naval Special Warfare’s Basic Training Command (BTC), wants candidates thinking about as they start their day. It’s an important lesson she knows from years of special warfare assessment and selection: keep your goals in the now – and make them simple. This is how candidates travel the long, arduous road to join the Navy’s elite commando force. Humility helps.

“When you get down to the basics,” she said, “you joined to serve your country.”

BTC’s instructor cadre has a broad range of experience, talents and backgrounds. Many, like Jennings, have deployed to combat zones.

“I was embedded with Army infantry prior to women being allowed in combat zones,” she said, reflecting on her time as a Navy second class petty officer deployed in a combat camera role to Bagdad in 2008. “There were moments when I realized I was the only female in the FOB (forward operating base), but I didn’t think of myself as some sort of trailblazer. The whole time I was there, the idea of me being a girl never really crossed my mind because we were all there to do a job, to complete the mission. I wanted to be in it and document the fight.”

The mission of the instructor cadre seems simple: assess and select the next generation of Naval Special Warfare (NSW) operators to go downrange. But it takes a lot of hard work and professional requirements to earn the title of instructor at one of the Navy’s most prestigious training commands, and BTC needs more than just a qualified staff – proven leaders are critical to the success of the mission.

“As a Chief and an instructor, I’m able to mentor not just SEAL and SWCC candidates, not just men or women who want to be special operators or boat team members, but young Sailors,” said Jennings. “And I think it is important for the female candidates who come through here to see senior leadership within the instructor ranks.”

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Erika Neal spent five years deploying and working in support of multiple SEAL teams on the Mobile Communications Team before successfully interviewing for an instructor position at BTC. But that was just the beginning.

“I’ve always held the mindset that says, ‘you have to earn your spot’,” said Neal. In anticipation of joining BTC, she participated in a familiarization program to prepare her for the challenges of being an instructor. “I ran the beach with a boat on my head, I carried the log, swam the laps – to be a part of the team, a part of the community. We’re expected to shoulder our share of the weight.”

Now she serves as an instructor for the Basic Crewman Training course, helping candidates learn the critical skillsets of the SWCC community, the Navy’s elite maritime mobility operators. She finds working as part of a professional cadre with different values and perspectives to be rewarding.

“It’s actually really cool how different we all are, because I think that with this little group that we have, it’s important that we all balance each other out,” Neal said. “When we’re going over ideas regarding training, we’re not all coming up with the same thing. Our individual personalities help us to work interdependently.”

The women of NSW share a deep sense of camaraderie as they work to deliver on mission.

“This is something I want to do. The idea of supporting women in special operations spoke to me,” said Lt. Cmdr. Erica Young, force integration officer for Naval Special Warfare Command. “You see, I didn’t want to simply have a job, but a career where I could build upon skill sets – where what I’m doing is rewarding and meaningful, and I’m giving back. That’s important to me, and I knew I could have that here.”

Young believes the tough daily regimen of training for the next generation of warriors is worth it not only for candidates, but for the women who have earned the title of instructor.

“It’s important to have these women here, regardless of whether there’s a female candidate coming through or not,” she said. “Because it’s changing the outlook and mindset of the men, they’re seeing these women get the same respect as the other male instructors, even though they don’t have a SEAL or SWCC pin.”

Still, the focus remains on the candidates. Jennings said that what she concentrates on today, more than 20 years after she joined the Navy, has not changed all that much from the basics she tries to instill in the candidates today. “The people we train, both men and women, they’re so young and hungry. And no matter what job they pick, they’re thinking selflessly, and they’re committing to something bigger than themselves. We’re doing something we’re passionate about. And you have to be passionate about this – otherwise it’s just a job.”

Naval Special Warfare Center, located on Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, provides initial assessment and selection and subsequent advanced training to the Sailors who make up the Navy’s SEAL and Special Boat communities, a key asset of NSW. The NSW mission is to provide maritime special operations forces to conduct full-spectrum operations, unilaterally or with partners, to support national objectives.

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This story of Petty Officer 1st Class Benjamin Kittleson of the Naval Special Warfare Center was originally published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on April 6, 2022. DVIDS publishes content in the public domain.

Photo: Chief Mass Communication Specialist Joan Jennings, supervises Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC) candidates during swim training in the combat training tank onboard Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Chief Jennings is an instructor at Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command, a component of Naval Special Warfare Center. NSWCEN provides initial assessment and selection and subsequent advanced training to the Sailors who make up the Navy’s SEAL and Special Boat communities. These communities support the NSW mission, providing maritime special operations forces to conduct full spectrum operators, unilaterally or with partners, to support national objectives. For more information on the NSW assessment, selection and training pathway, visit https://www.sealswcc.com/. (U.S. Navy photo by Benjamin K. Kittleson)

Courtesy story by DVIDS.

Sparks flew from the whetstone as the battle-ax that is the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) sharpened its lethal edge, conducting integrated training on the beachheads and jungle terrain of Okinawa in January.

As the MEU’s forward reconnaissance platoon advanced on their objective during the exercise, the opposite blade of the same formidable weapon – a platoon of Navy SEALs assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group (NSWG) 1 – glinted in shafts of sunlight piercing through the canopy.

They have no names. They have no faces. They move precisely and stealthily, leaving no leaf or branch out of place as they conduct critical reconnaissance the Marines can use for expeditionary advanced base staging and operations.

“A key aspect of our emerging naval concepts is winning the reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance battle at every point of the competition continuum,” said Col. Michael Nakonieczny, commanding officer of the 31st MEU. “As the 31st MEU competes with potential adversaries, we will partner with other elite units, such as these Navy SEALs, to continuously gain contact below the threshold of violence in order to understand their baseline activities. If competition transitions to armed conflict, elements of the MEU will then persist inside the weapons engagement zone and exploit our knowledge of the adversary’s baseline as we sense, make sense, and impose cost on the enemy via organic and joint fires.”

NSW assets folded into the preparations for a motorized raid exercise, one of several capabilities the MEU flexed from the decks of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11 ships comprising the America Amphibious Ready Group (ARG).

“Our ability to rapidly assemble our formidable team of Sailors, Marines, ships, aircraft and landing craft on short notice is what makes us the Indo-Pacific region’s premier crisis response force,” said Capt. Greg Baker, PHIBRON 11 Commodore. “We train year-round and recertify regularly to ensure we’re ready to fight tonight – to answer the call not only for U.S. interests but for those of our regional allies and partners.”

Combined with a simulated expeditionary strike from the wings of F-35B Lightning II aircraft embarked aboard USS America (LHA 6), the motorized raid paved the way for a follow-on helicopter raid, amphibious assault, and boarding exercise.

“Even after years of land-based missions, NSW has not forgotten its maritime roots and we are taking the lessons learned – the way we mission plan, rehearse and integrate with the joint force – on the sea, into the littorals and at the shore to support the fleet and joint force for strategic competition,” said U.S. Navy Capt. David Abernathy, commodore of NSWG-1. “This integrated training opportunity with the 31st MEU prepares us to gain, maintain, and extend access in contested environments.”

From the air, SEALs fast-roped out of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter onto the immense flight deck of PHIBRON 11’s newest player: USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5), a Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base. During the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercise, NSW assets and the 31st MEU’s maritime raid force searched Miguel Keith for simulated enemies and illicit cargo, which ensures the ship is safe and seaworthy to turn over to partner-nation authorities.

“Miguel Keith started off as a USNS – it was built to commercial standards – so the fact that it has a high freeboard, the fact that it looks like a commercial vessel, are absolutely germane,” said Baker. “Because the vessel is so large, it lends credence to the use of Miguel Keith as a training and target platform.”

“Through this training we demonstrated the interoperability of naval and special operations forces that are postured and prepared to achieve their objectives in the maritime domain across the competition continuum,” said Nakonieczny. “Together, Navy Special Warfare and the 31st MEU will continue to combine the complementary capabilities of our unique forces to ensure stability and, if need be, persist, fight, and win throughout the INDOPACOM region.”

The 31st MEU and PHIBRON 11 are the only continuously forward-deployed MEU-ARG team.

Based in Okinawa, the 31st MEU consists of a command element, as well as ground, air and logistics combat elements. Its air combat element, Marine Medium Titlrotor Squadron (VMM) 265, is reinforced by a detachment of F-35B Lightning II aircraft from the Iwakuni, Japan-based Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121.

Amphibious Squadron 11 is permanently embarked aboard USS America in Sasebo, Japan. The America Amphibious Ready group includes USS Green Bay (LPD 20), USS Ashland (LSD 48), and Miguel Keith. Green Bay and Ashland embark landing craft, utility (LCU) and landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) from Naval Beach Unit (NBU) 7.

Together, the 31st MEU and the ships of PHIBRON 11 are operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

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Story: The article was originally published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on January 31, 2022. DVIDS content is in the public domain.

Photo: U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Alex Story with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), patrols through the jungle on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 29, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Manuel Alvarado)

The first woman to become a Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) graduated from the Naval Special Warfare training pipeline on Thursday, July 15, 2021. She was among 17 graduates of the Crewman Qualification Training (CQT) class earning their pins.

“Becoming the first woman to graduate from a Naval Special Warfare training pipeline is an extraordinary accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud of our teammate. Like her fellow operators, she demonstrated the character, cognitive and leadership attributes required to join our force.”

Rear Adm. H. W. Howard, commander, U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command

The Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen specialize in small boats used in maritime operations, insertion and exfiltration of SEAL and other special operations elements, Visit Board Search Seizure (VBSS), and in the conduct of coastal patrol and interdiction. SWCCs provide dedicated rapid mobility in shallow water areas where larger ships cannot operate. The Special Boat Teams have the unique capability of delivering combat craft via parachute drop utilizing the Maritime Combatant Craft Aerial Delivery System.

Photo: CORONADO, Calif. (May 14, 2020) A member of Crewman Qualification Training Class 109 receives a Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC) Basic pin during a graduation ceremony at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, May 14, 2020. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Anthony W. Walker/Released) 200514-N-QC706-0117

The ‘official’ Naval Special Warfare website on SEAL / SWCC training details the rigorous and demanding 37-week long training that SWCCs undergo to become qualified. The website states that there are five stages for a SWCC candidate.

• Stage 1 (2 months) takes place at the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School in Great Lakes, Illinois where the candidates improve their physical fitness and learn the basic concepts of special warfare.
• Stage 2 (three weeks) is the Naval Special Warfare Orientation course where there is a lot of physical fitness and water training.
• Stage 3 (7 weeks) is the Basic Crewman Selection course (BCS) where the physical fitness training and conditioning continues. More running and swimming with lots of time spent in the pool or ocean. The last part of the BCS is called “The Tour” – a grueling days long crucible period requiring mental fortitude and physical stamina.
• Stage 4 (7 weeks) is the Basic Crewman Training where the candidates learn special operations maritime skills, navigation, communications, combat medicine, and small boat seamanship.
• Stage 5 (7 weeks) is the Crewman Qualification Training. The mental and physical toughness of the SWCC candidates is tested while they learn advanced navigation, weapons, mission planning, and small boat operations. After competing this phase the candidates attend NSW survival, SERE, and cross-cultural training.

The graduation rate for the SWCC assessment and selection pipeline is about 35%. In 2016 the Navy’s special warfare duty positions were opened to female sailors. 18 women have attempted the SEAL or SWCC training, but thus far, only one has successfully completed the training. The new SWCCs will either go on to some specialized training (for instance, the Special Operations Combat Medic course) or report to a Special Boat Team.

Photo: Naval special operations forces from the Greek Underwater Demolition Team (DYK), Cypriot Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), and U.S. Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) conduct Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) in Souda Bay, Greece, during a trilateral exercise, January 11-29. (Photo by Sgt. Monique ONeill, SOCEUR, Jan 24, 2021)

Once qualified SWCCs continue to train in their core competencies as well as in advanced skills. They are experts in maritime operations, navigation, communications, engineering, parachuting, and other special operations tactics and techniques. The principle boats that they will operate include the Combat Craft Assault (CCA), Combat Craft Medium (CCM), Combat Craft Heavy (CCH), , and the Special Operations Craft Riverine (SOC-R).

Photo: Two combatant craft assault crafts (CCA) assigned to the Special Boat Team 20 perform a high-speed transit in the Mediterranean Sea, May 26, 2021. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Coffer, May 26, 2021)

The Navy has three Special Boat Teams with 800 sailors. The Special Boat Teams are located in Coronado, California (SBT 12), Little Creek, Virginia (SBT 20), and Stennis, Mississippi (SBT 22). The SBTs are continually deploying to overseas locations in support of naval special operations exercises, training, and missions.

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Top Photo: A Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC) candidate from Basic Crewman Selection (BCS) Class 111 prepares for an evolution during “The Tour” at Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Center in Coronado, Calif., June 1, 2020. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sean Furey)

Story by Naval Special Warfare Command.

Naval Special Warfare (NSW) concluded the second and final pilot round this week for its newest initiative, the NSW Leader Assessment Program (NLAP), which focuses on transforming how it selects and promotes future leaders.

NLAP serves as an integral component to NSW’s focus on informing, developing and implementing a reliable and repeatable talent management paradigm. NLAP increases precision and selectivity in NSW’s assignment processes for every milestone of officer and enlisted leadership, putting the right people in the right positions by assessing attributes known to be correlated with successful leaders.

“We place emphasis on superior leadership as our principal asymmetric advantage over the nation’s adversaries and embrace the mission imperative to evolve the ways we assess the character, cognitive and leadership attributes within the force,” said Rear Adm. H. W. Howard III, commander, Naval Special Warfare Command. “We recently accelerated the development of the NLAP pilot to rapidly experiment with an approach that increases officer and enlisted selection precision, development opportunities, and leader pairing decisions – and addresses cognitive biases that can adversely impact selection decisions.”

This round of NLAP pilots consisted of four separate convenings with two in Little Creek, Virginia and two in Coronado. Naval Special Warfare Center, which has been charged with running the assessment program, screened over 90 participants eligible for either executive officer or command master chief positions. In the future, the four-day process held on the premises will apply to all levels of leadership from major command to O-5 command as well as tactical level commanders and senior enlisted advisors.

Photo: Naval Special Warfare Leader Assessment Program (NLAP) participants discuss leadership techniques during an NLAP pilot, June 15. (U.S. Navy photo by Brad Houshour)

“To meet tomorrow’s national security objectives, we must improve leader selectivity and assignment precision while promoting a culture of development,” said Capt. Bart Randall, commodore, Naval Special Warfare Center. “We will produce a stronger, more self-aware, lethal NSW force by assessing participants’ leadership potential, cognitive aptitude, communications skills and personality attributes and providing that information to inform selection decisions and the participants’ own professional development process.”

NLAP evaluated the readiness of prospective leaders in a transparent, fair and merit-based fashion. Among other criteria, panel considerations included peer and subordinate surveys completed by service members who have worked with or for each participant. Additionally, participants underwent physical, psychological and writing assessments to establish performance and psychometric baselines. Panel members also conducted double-blind interviews to further assess participants’ leadership potential.

NSW completed its initial NLAP pilot in March 2021, assessing 48 officers across the spectrum of attributes required for strong leadership. This convening, along with other services’ experimentation with similar programs, served as a proof of concept to inform the latest round of assessments.

Altogether, the pilots will form the basis for the implementation of formal policies and procedures to establish the NLAP program as part of NSW leader selection in 2022. The iterative nature of the pilots was by design, a strategy to methodically “build a little, test a little, learn a lot,” according to Howard. Because the program is still under development, results from the NLAP pilots will not be used for future Navy administrative selection panels.

Naval Special Warfare Center, located on Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, provides initial assessment and selection and subsequent advanced training to the Sailors who make up the Navy’s SEAL and Special Boat communities. These communities support the NSW mission, providing maritime special operations forces to conduct full-spectrum operations, unilaterally or with partners, to support national objectives. For more information on the NSW pipeline, visit https://www.sealswcc.com/.

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Top Photo: Naval Special Warfare Leader Assessment Program (NLAP) participants undergo physical performance testing during an NLAP pilot, June 14, 2021. NLAP is run by Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Center. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Benjamin K. Kittleson).

Story: This article is a courtesy story by Naval Special Warfare Command first published by DVIDS on June 29, 2021. The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service provides media content for the public domain.

Story by Sgt. Monique ONeill, SOCEUR.

CRETE, Greece – Naval special operations forces from the Greek Underwater Demolition Team (DYK), Cypriot Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), and U.S. Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) joined forces to conduct a maritime exercise in Souda Bay, Greece, January 11-29.

The tri-lateral Special Operations Forces (SOF) exercise, which was designed to better enable global operations, included Over the Beach (OTB), Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), and Small Boat Interdiction (SBI).

“These exercises help keep us sharp, prepared, and consistent. We are able to communicate and integrate fluidly when we train together on a regular basis,” said the U.S. Naval SWCC team leader.

The United States, Greece, NATO allies and partners, continuously train together in the European theater operations to build trust, improve levels of cooperation and combined capabilities. The integration of the Republic of Cyprus is a demonstration of NATO’s commitment to increasing interoperability with regional partners in an effort to promote collective defense and stability.

“The inclusion of Cypriot forces created an opportunity to expand capabilities and relationships with partner nations in the neighboring area. We are all strong nations individually, but we can grow stronger by working collectively, in the context of joint military training activities,” said Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Greek Minister of National Defense. “It’s imperative to understand that we can always learn and grow stronger by cross-training together with our partners and allies.”

Although Cyprus has been divided since 1974, the country has a unified military and training objectives.

“We know the importance of joint exercises like this and hope to work closely with partners in the future in order to promote peace and stability in our region,” said Charalambos Petrides, Minister of Defense of Cyprus.

To enhance the VBSS training experience for the SOF participants, the Hellenic Navy added a frigate, HS Kanaris, from their fleet to the exercise.

“This training was very useful for our ship and our crew. We are very proud to have the Special Forces from all three countries on board,” said Lieutenant Commander George Lykousas, member of the Hellenic Navy.

Throughout the entirety of the exercise, the SOF components used Combatant craft-assaults (CCAs) assigned to Special Operations Command Africa.

“The collective efforts enabling global operations increase interoperability in a maritime environment, alongside our NATO allies and partners, helping increase security and stability in the region,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David Tabor. “We appreciate having this opportunity to build upon already strong relationships while also improving cooperation between Special Operations Command Africa and Special Operations Command Europe.”

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Photo By Sgt. Monique ONeill , SOCEUR, January 2021.

This article is a repost of “Greece, Cyprus and the U.S. join forces for naval SOF exercise in the Mediterranean Sea”, by Sgt. Monique ONeill, U.S. Special Operations Command Europe, January 29, 2021. View original article here. Articles posted by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) are in the public domain. View additional photos of the training by Sgt. ONeill posted on DVIDS.

An additional story on the same exercise was posted by The National Herald (Greece), Feb 2, 2021. Has some good photos.

By Petty Officer 3rd Class Alexander Perlman.

It is no secret that Navy SEALs, the special operations force of the U.S. Navy, are constantly striving to out-perform themselves and each other, but how far can they go? In 1984, one of them went above and beyond his teammates and made history.

“At the time, NASA was taking astronaut candidates who were not just pilots,” said Capt. William Shepherd, retired SEAL, and the first commander of the International Space Station. “There were candidates made up of doctors, engineers and scientists, and I looked at that and said, ‘You know I’ve spent a lot of time in the water in my SCUBA gear, and that’s an awful lot like being in a space suit, so I think I’ll just apply and see what happens.’”

Not long after, Shepherd learned he would become a member of the NASA Astronaut Corps, making him not only the first military non-aviator, but also the first Navy SEAL to go through astronaut training in U.S. history.

After four years of training, Shepherd embarked on the space shuttle mission STS-27 (Space Transformation System 27), and launched into space for his first time Dec.2, 1988 from the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Fla.

“We are now at a crossroads, deciding whether we are bound to inhabit only the Earth, or if humans are to live and work far from the home planet,” said Shepherd in an interview regarding the 5th anniversary of continuous life aboard the International Space Station. “Let us continue now with new explorations which are more expansive and more bold; voyages which will define us as a space-faring civilization.”

Shepherd’s path to becoming an astronaut in service to the country started with Underwater Demolition Team ELEVEN, then SEAL Teams ONE and TWO, and Special Boat Unit TWENTY, all operating in the Pacific, Atlantic and European theaters.

Although Shepherd was standing in the ranks among the most highly trained warriors in the world, he looked towards the stars to achieve more, he wasn’t the only one. Capt. (SEAL) Chris Cassidy, a current astronaut, spent more than 10 years in the SEAL teams and was directly influenced by the previous achievements of Shepherd.

“In my experience with the SEAL teams and with going through BUD/S, it’s given me the confidence to know I can accomplish anything that I want,” said Cassidy in an interview with U.S. Navy SEAL & SWCC Page. “If you look at SEALs after their life in the teams, you’ll find people in all different sectors of industry doing all types of things. I personally always had an interest in astronauts, and I followed Capt. Shepherd’s career and was inspired by him to be an astronaut.”

In 2004, Cassidy was selected for NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Class and joined a group of fellow explorers including pilots and engineers. Shortly after selection, he began intensive training that included land survival, T-38 jet ground and flight training, Shuttle orbiter systems training, space station systems training, science and engineering briefings and orientation tours at all NASA centers, including the Kennedy Space Center and Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

Currently, Cassidy is in command of the International Space Station on ‘Expedition 63.’ The current mission he leads is conducting research investigations focused on biology, earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development, as well as providing the foundation for continuing human spaceflight beyond low-earth orbit to the Moon and Mars which is central to future space exploration as part of NASA’s Artemis program.

The Artemis program is an ongoing U.S. government-funded crewed spaceflight program with the goal of landing “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon by 2024, and it is likely that a U.S. astronaut currently serving in the program will be the next American to step on the surface of the Moon.

It is possible that astronaut could be Lt. (SEAL) Jonny Kim.

In 2002, Kim decided to leave his hometown of Santa Monica, Calif. to enlist in the Navy and join the ranks of Naval Special Warfare operators.

“I didn’t like the person I was growing up to become. I needed to find myself and my identity,” said Kim in an interview with former SEAL, Jocko Willink. “And for me, getting out of my comfort zone, getting away from the people I grew up with, and finding adventure, that was my odyssey, and it was the best decision I ever made.”

After completing Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S), Kim was assigned as a Special Warfare Operator to SEAL Team THREE Charlie Platoon and served as a Special Operations Combat Medic, sniper, navigator and point man on more than 100 combat operations spanning two deployments to the Middle East including Ramadi and Sadr City, Iraq.

His experiences as a medic taught him about teamwork, humility and service. Upon returning home, he decided to challenge himself yet again and applied for a commissioning program that put him on the path to become a medical doctor. Kim’s application was accepted and he began his residency to Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

In 2017, Kim was a resident physician in emergency medicine with Partners Healthcare at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He finally met his goal of becoming a doctor, but he didn’t stop there. That same year, he applied to become an astronaut and was accepted, joining NASA’s team on the Artemis program.

“I was told that with the right attitude, and with enough hard work, if you get up after every time you fail, you can amount to something and you can do positive work. You can leave a positive mark for our world, and that’s what I aim to do,” said Kim.

Kim’s unwavering perseverance led him to be the outstanding American that many call a hero, and he encourages many others to follow in his path of greatness as well.

“Don’t let that hunger for the unknown go away,” said Kim. “That curiosity is so important, so you should maintain that passion for what you do. Never in a million years would I have thought I could have been an astronaut candidate. I didn’t have the confidence from my childhood, but dreams are possible and all good things in life are hard to get, so persevere and don’t give up!”

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Story: This article was originally posted on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) and is part of the public domain. “SEALs in Space”, by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alexander P. Perlman, Naval Special Warfare Command, August 5, 2020.

Photo: Lt. Cmdr. Chris Cassidy, center, practices docking the space shuttle with his shuttle commander and pilot in a virtual reality simulator at Johnson Space Center. Cassidy, a U.S. Navy SEAL, was a mission specialist on the International Space Station. Courtesy photo, U.S. Navy, March 25, 2009.