By Thomas Metcalf Updated June 29, 2018
Navy SEAL snipers are considered the elite among the elite. Sniper is among the most challenging specialties in the SEALs. Only a small percentage of SEALs qualify for the demanding training regimen – and even fewer complete the program.
SEAL Requirements
Candidates for SEAL training must be men between the ages of 18 and 28 with good eyesight who have at least a high school diploma or a GED. Candidates must pass a rigorous physical test that requires them to swim 500 yards in 12 minutes, 30 seconds; complete 42 pushups in two minutes and 50 sit-ups in two minutes; do six chin-ups and then run one-and-a-half miles in 11 minutes or less – with minimal rest between activities.
BUD/S Training
The first part of SEAL training is BUD/S – basic underwater demolition/SEALs – which lasts for eight weeks. Training is intensive and psychologically demanding, as instructors try to winnow out candidates who will not be able to withstand the stress of the job. Candidates swim up to two miles at a stretch in the ocean, run on the Coronado, Calif., beach, practice teamwork in Zodiac boats, carry telephone poles and perform other physically demanding tasks. Many candidates quit. BUD/S culminates with hell week, when candidates are pushed to the limits of their endurance on little or no sleep – for the entire week. Those who graduate from BUD/S have reached a major milestone, but they are still not yet SEALS.
Advanced Training
Phase II is dive training. SEAL candidates work extensively with conventional scuba equipment and Draeger rebreathing systems – the self-contained system that leaves no trail of bubbles. Following eight weeks under water, training shifts to nine weeks of land warfare training in Phase III. Here candidates learn marksmanship and the use of various weapons, demolition techniques and other tactical warfare activities. This is followed by three weeks of parachute training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Despite this comprehensive training, candidates are not official SEALs until they pass a a six-month probationary period on a SEAL team.
Sniper Training
The SEAL who has passed all of the above requirements may be invited to sniper school, which consists of three months of training – 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Training is in three parts. The first month focuses on technology, digital photography and satellite communications. The second month shifts to the techniques of camouflage, scouting and learning to move undetected in and out of enemy territory. In the final month trainees hone their mental focus and work with advanced marksmanship methods. Only after successfully completing all of this training can a SEAL call himself a sniper.
FAQs
Soldiers must be on Active duty or in the Reserve / National Guard Components. Must possess MOS 11B, 19D or 18 series in the rank of E3 through E6. Must have a good performance record with no history of alcohol or drug abuse. Must at a minimum possess a physical profile of 111221.
How long is sniper school? ›
More than 300 Soldiers each year begin the seven-week U.S. Army Sniper School at Fort Moore, Georgia, but only the best of those will make it through the course to graduation.
What disqualifies you from being a Navy SEAL? ›
(1) Chronic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease, active tuberculosis, reactive airway disease or asthma after age 13, sarcoidosis, and spontaneous pneumothorax are disqualifying. Traumatic pneumothorax, pulmonary barotrauma, and chest tube placement are disqualifying.
Can I be a sniper if I wear glasses? ›
People with glasses have become snipers, but it's not recommended. Glasses can be lost, broken, fall off, or become scratched and dirty; all of which impairs your vision. The one person I've known that wore glasses had laser keratotomy done his eyes. He was a sniper attached to a combat engineers unit.
Is it hard to pass Sniper School? ›
Just 288 students are accepted into the Sniper Course each year, and roughly half pass the course and graduate. Students learn to operate several weapons systems and must master hitting targets up to 1,100 meters away.
What branch has best snipers? ›
The USMC Scout Sniper School is widely regarded in the military as the finest sniper training program. The Marines offer a tremendous program that trains eligible sniper candidates in all branches of the armed services.
Who is the youngest Navy SEAL? ›
Mini Bio. Scott Helvenston was born in 1965 in Ocala, Florida and raised in Leesburg, Florida. In 1982, he received special permission to join the U.S. Navy and, at 17, he became the youngest Navy SEAL in U.S. history.
How long is a SEAL contract? ›
This is to get you back into physical condition for BUD/S proper…as well as start teaching you some of the tasks and skills you'll need in Coronado. A Navy SEAL contract is six years, but you can always re-enlist and extends its duration.
Can I be a Navy SEAL with glasses? ›
Eyesight must be correctable to 20/25 with lenses. If your vision is worse than 20/25 but at least 20/40 in your best eye, and 20/70 in your worst eye, and you can correct it to 20/25 with lenses, then you qualify. If not, you may require eye surgery.
How long does it take to be a Navy SEAL sniper? ›
The Navy SEAL Sniper Course is divided into three phases and takes over 90 days of 100-hour seven-day workweeks. It tests to the highest standards in the world.
As of Apr 5, 2024, the average annual pay for a Navy Seal in the United States is $98,176 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $47.20 an hour.
What sniper school do SEALs go to? ›
ANSWER: We go to SEAL Sniper school in Indiana all run by SEALs. A tough course and the attrition rate is high. Each SEAL Platoon has at least two Snipers in it.
Do SEALs have their own sniper school? ›
The SEALs, CCT, and Army Rangers all have sniper elements in their units. And although they all have their respective sniper schools, there is one school that stands out -- the United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper School.
