Two female candidates attempting to become Navy SEALs have advanced further through the military's grueling training pipeline than any women before them at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California. An enlisted sailor and a naval officer entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL, or BUD/S, training several weeks ago, marking a historic milestone since special operations opened to women in 2016.
Reaching the Brink of Hell Week
The two candidates both made it to the third week of the rigorous training pipeline. Hell Week, the infamous five-and-a-half-day endurance test, begins in the fourth week of the roughly six-month initial training course. Roughly 45% of all candidates are removed or rolled back to the next class during the initial weeks prior to Hell Week, according to Navy data compiled between 1998 and 2023.
Ultimately, the naval officer was rolled back to the next class and requested to be dropped from the course before facing Hell Week. Meanwhile, the enlisted sailor was medically pulled from Hell Week. Naval Special Warfare Command withholds the names of candidates for privacy and security reasons.
Key Facts on SEAL Training Attrition
- Roughly 68% of candidates are weeded out of the Navy SEAL training pipeline at various stages.
- The first phase features the highest attrition, removing 66% of candidates or rolling them into another class.
- About 29% of candidates voluntarily withdraw during the three weeks preceding Hell Week.
- Around 21% leave during Hell Week due to voluntary drops, medical issues, or performance problems.
The History of Women in U.S. Special Operations
Before combat positions officially opened to women in 2016, female service members contributed to special operations dating back to World War II. Following the Persian Gulf War, Congress repealed the combat aviation exclusion in December 1991. Defense Secretary Les Aspin later rescinded the risk rule policy in 1994, though direct ground combat units below the brigade level remained restricted until Defense Secretary Leon Panetta lifted gender-based assignment rules.
Over the past decade, a small number of women have successfully navigated elite pipelines across branches. In 2021, a sailor graduated to become a Special Warfare Combat Crewman, known as a SWCC. In the Army, fewer than 10 women have earned the Green Beret, and less than a dozen have joined the 75th Ranger Regiment, including former Capt. Hailey Gibbons, who completed Ranger School in 2021.
Debate Over Standards and Combat Roles
As the two candidates navigated BUD/S, they faced social media criticism from some former SEALs and military accounts. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has questioned whether women should serve in ground combat roles, arguing in a podcast interview that "we should not have women in combat roles" and asserting that standards had changed in subtle ways.
The Pentagon recently commissioned a study to review the effectiveness of women in ground combat roles. However, Gibbons defended the integrity of the selection process, telling sources that standards remain completely unchanged.
"When he's saying that the standards have changed and that people have lowered standards to allow women into their formations, it's absolutely a lie because no brigade commander would sign off on that," Gibbons stated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far did the two women get in Navy SEAL tryouts?
Both women advanced to the third week of BUD/S training, making them the furthest-advancing female candidates in history, though neither completed the full course.
What is Hell Week in BUD/S training?
Hell Week is a notoriously punishing five-and-a-half-day endurance test starting in the fourth week of training where candidates receive about four hours of sleep total.
When did the military open special operations to women?
Special operations positions were officially opened to women in 2016 after the Pentagon removed gender-based combat assignment restrictions.