navy Seals

[Wareagletd 0]

Pet peeve, it's SEALs, not Seals.

Carry on gentlemen.

At least I'm not the one to point it out.

[Slammer1 409]

Nice read...

The gist of the report was not what AU can get from Special Force programs, but what Special Force's can garner from other elite sources. This included not only reviewing conditioning techniques from top tier collegiate and pro teams, but rehab methods to help reduce injury, prolong careers, and help shattered folk get back together again.

... too bad some won't read before they post.

that's right.... Military is adjusting their physical training regimen everyday. When I went to basic training in 07 at Benning.... It was push-ups and run til you throw up. My little brother joined the Infantry just like I did and their PT is way different... Tons of 8 count stretches and yoga type stuff along with the normal pushup pyramids and runs ..... I was blown away.

It changes all the time. When I went to basic it was push-ups, sit ups, 2 mile run PT test with times/numbers based on age. Of course we trained in various ways depending on where you were deployed/which unit you were with.

I was more so just talking the basic training PT regimen but yeah I had that standard APFT test as well. Rumor is, the APFT will include a "functional PT test" based on MOS. Marines have been doing something like that for a while and I think the Infantry shouldve already been doing it. acing the 2 mile run, pushups and sit-ups doesnt mean you are combat ready.

The Marine Corps started mandatory PFT for everybody regardless of MOS in the early '60s. Ours consisted of the exercises already mentioned with chinups included and a 3 mile run. The 3 mile run had to be completed in no more that 36 minutes. I have no idea what the present requirements are. The Marine Corps regards everyone as a rifleman, aviation personnel included and that got tested in Nam on many occassions. Don't know about Iraq or Afghanistan. Maybe some of you younger folks on here could enlighten me as to what is going on today. WDE!!!

[caleb1633 1,421]

Nice read...

The gist of the report was not what AU can get from Special Force programs, but what Special Force's can garner from other elite sources. This included not only reviewing conditioning techniques from top tier collegiate and pro teams, but rehab methods to help reduce injury, prolong careers, and help shattered folk get back together again.

... too bad some won't read before they post.

that's right.... Military is adjusting their physical training regimen everyday. When I went to basic training in 07 at Benning.... It was push-ups and run til you throw up. My little brother joined the Infantry just like I did and their PT is way different... Tons of 8 count stretches and yoga type stuff along with the normal pushup pyramids and runs ..... I was blown away.

It changes all the time. When I went to basic it was push-ups, sit ups, 2 mile run PT test with times/numbers based on age. Of course we trained in various ways depending on where you were deployed/which unit you were with.

I was more so just talking the basic training PT regimen but yeah I had that standard APFT test as well. Rumor is, the APFT will include a "functional PT test" based on MOS. Marines have been doing something like that for a while and I think the Infantry shouldve already been doing it. acing the 2 mile run, pushups and sit-ups doesnt mean you are combat ready.

The Marine Corps started mandatory PFT for everybody regardless of MOS in the early '60s. Ours consisted of the exercises already mentioned with chinups included and a 3 mile run. The 3 mile run had to be completed in no more that 36 minutes. I have no idea what the present requirements are. The Marine Corps regards everyone as a rifleman, aviation personnel included and that got tested in Nam on many occassions. Don't know about Iraq or Afghanistan. Maybe some of you younger folks on here could enlighten me as to what is going on today. WDE!!!

The standard for the PFT now is the three mile run being under 28 minutes, pull-ups minimum is 3, and crunches is 50 in under 2 minutes. All of these are incredibly easy of course. The average PFT nowadays is an average score of like 255 out of 300. They've also implemented the Combat Fitness Test (CFT) which is an 880 yd run (max 2:45), 30 lb ammo can presses (max 91), and a maneuver under fire (max 2:14). It balances out the PFT as bigger guys tend to do better at the CFT. I don't feel like either is a good gauge of combat fitness in comparison to something like the RPAT (Reconnaissance Physical Assessment Test). That one is crazy, but so is combat.

[Slammer1 409]

Nice read...

The gist of the report was not what AU can get from Special Force programs, but what Special Force's can garner from other elite sources. This included not only reviewing conditioning techniques from top tier collegiate and pro teams, but rehab methods to help reduce injury, prolong careers, and help shattered folk get back together again.

... too bad some won't read before they post.

that's right.... Military is adjusting their physical training regimen everyday. When I went to basic training in 07 at Benning.... It was push-ups and run til you throw up. My little brother joined the Infantry just like I did and their PT is way different... Tons of 8 count stretches and yoga type stuff along with the normal pushup pyramids and runs ..... I was blown away.

It changes all the time. When I went to basic it was push-ups, sit ups, 2 mile run PT test with times/numbers based on age. Of course we trained in various ways depending on where you were deployed/which unit you were with.

I was more so just talking the basic training PT regimen but yeah I had that standard APFT test as well. Rumor is, the APFT will include a "functional PT test" based on MOS. Marines have been doing something like that for a while and I think the Infantry shouldve already been doing it. acing the 2 mile run, pushups and sit-ups doesnt mean you are combat ready.

The Marine Corps started mandatory PFT for everybody regardless of MOS in the early '60s. Ours consisted of the exercises already mentioned with chinups included and a 3 mile run. The 3 mile run had to be completed in no more that 36 minutes. I have no idea what the present requirements are. The Marine Corps regards everyone as a rifleman, aviation personnel included and that got tested in Nam on many occassions. Don't know about Iraq or Afghanistan. Maybe some of you younger folks on here could enlighten me as to what is going on today. WDE!!!

The standard for the PFT now is the three mile run being under 28 minutes, pull-ups minimum is 3, and crunches is 50 in under 2 minutes. All of these are incredibly easy of course. The average PFT nowadays is an average score of like 255 out of 300. They've also implemented the Combat Fitness Test (CFT) which is an 880 yd run (max 2:45), 30 lb ammo can presses (max 91), and a maneuver under fire (max 2:14). It balances out the PFT as bigger guys tend to do better at the CFT. I don't feel like either is a good gauge of combat fitness in comparison to something like the RPAT (Reconnaissance Physical Assessment Test). That one is crazy, but so is combat.

Thanks for the info caleb. People today are much more fitness minded than years ago as shown by the many fitness clubs throughout the country now. The RPAT that you refer to I assume is what our Recon Marines have to pass to make the team. Glad to see the Marine Corps has not slacked off in the physical fitness area. I really didn't think they would. SF and WDE!!

[Randman5000 4,265]

Gus said it was 9 or 10. It included Nick, Gabe, Alex Kozan, Sammie, Marcus Davis. This is all I could find….

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2014/05/auburn_sends_group_of_players.html

[AuburnWarVet 46]

That is a good article but unfortunately the military is far behind college athletic departments in providing what is needed to train their special forces groups. Just spoke to two special forces guys this week. Arrived at a new base and were not allowed to swim the length of a pool underwater because of "base regulations". I think the response they gave was "that is stupid but all good, wanted to get in some open water time anyway. Off to the coast this weekend". Just one of many idiotic base rules and lack of resources that these men face as they get prepared to do their job.

You take that example to conclude the military lacks behind college? SPECOPS kill people, college athletics dont. Trust me, they are not lacking in resources.

You didn't read the article, did you? They are lacking in resources.

I don't read open source articles to form my opinion on resources for SOF / SPECWAR. I know what I know through my experiences.

With all due respect to your service (and I mean that sincerely), your experiences are not the sum total of reality on the subject. The article quotes military people with their own experience stating they don't have as many resources as they want to develop strength & conditioning and nutrition programs to help elite soldiers perform at peak level. It also quotes them as saying their training programs are at the level of a mid-size high school. This trend of military experts visiting elite college programs and vice versa seems to be aimed at helping the military more than helping the colleges. The article is worth your time to read.

AUUSN, thank you for your service. My father and father-in-law both served in the Navy. I have great respect for what you do.

Lacking in certain mechanical training resources, yes, I'm sure. But I think the reason AUUSN said that elite military units such as the SEALs are not lacking in resources goes beyond mere equipment. In fact, I'm not so sure the lack of training resources doesn't help, if only for the mentality of broadening one's resourcefulness. Think Denzel Washington from "Remember the Titans", when the players were doing drills, and he was pushing one of them (Petey, I think) by repeating, "Fourth quarter! Fourth quarter! Fourth quarter!"...except these guys are training to stay alive under the most severe circumstances known to man, not to avoid the ire of their coaches or someday earn millions of dollars.

There's something to be said for even a subtle difference such training can make.

And I, too, would like to thank AUUSN for his service (I don't think I already have, but either way, the regards remain). I have nothing but the utmost respect for our patriots in uniform.

Red you hit the nail pretty much on the head with that...all military units, not just those under JSOC, are taught to do extraordinary things with very little. They are taught to be resourceful because there are plenty of times where a unit will get isolated and have no one to come help them and they have ran out of everything. Mental toughness is something that can turn an average fit person into a machine. If you can honestly make up your mind that you are going to do something then you will be able to do it. Its not about making someone run faster its more about being smarter about what you do and making up your mind you can do it along with lots of teamwork. I saw it several times in the Army where you have a macho type guy who is very physically fit run through an obstacle course and fail only to have someone of average fitness run through like nobodies business all because he had made up his mind he would not fail.

and AUUSN thanks for all the boat rides:) This grunt did appreciate you guys getting our butts into and out of lots of messes lol. although i will say the Army still has more boats than yall do

No worries brother. The Army has the largest Air Force too.

I think the Army wants to be everyone else lol I think we should stick with playing in the mud and drinking beer

Godspeed!

[Rednilla 5,439]

Pet peeve, it's SEALs, not Seals.

Carry on gentlemen.

Hey, I got it right...

[GoAU 1,690]

The answer regarding conditioning is always "just a little more". The sad thing is even though I've been out for years I still work out every morning and can't ever talk myself into a "nice, easy run". I've been brainwashed

[caleb1633 1,421]

The answer regarding conditioning is always "just a little more". The sad thing is even though I've been out for years I still work out every morning and can't ever talk myself into a "nice, easy run". I've been brainwashed ;)/>

That's because running sucks and there's no such thing as a "nice easy run." Lol

[NCTiger82 0]

I applaud Auburn for getting involved here and hope we stay engaged. I bet there are going to be some military folks pulling for our Tigers this year as new Tiger fans. I would think this impacted our boys seeing the mental and physical demands of that profession. This may be another positive side story covered during some of our games. Even the AL press can't put a negative spin on this without looking foolish. Nice job Gus and Auburn !

War Eagle !

[AURanger 0]

Lots of great comments here by military folks. As a former college athlete, former 0311 infantry USMC, and current 11A US Army infantry officer with 20 years across multiple disciplines (Special Ops, airborne, and regular line time), I think it is great to see sports programs like AU train with special operations personnel. The military and sports combine great workouts with mental toughness and I think it is great that several AU players are experiencing "the other side." For many years, special operations forces have been developing "tactical athletes" and units like the SEALS, Rangers, and SFOD-D led the way, which is now taking hold in regular units as guys cross back and forth. Heck, the rangers were doing crossfit in the 90s as part of daily physical training (just did not call it that) and all of their gyms resemble college football program gyms at most of the upscale universities. Additionally, lots and lots of guys who served in these ranks are among the elite in crossfit and other functional fitness programs across the country. The days of running in a squad, platoon, or company formation for miles and miles are far behind us in most special operations communities, but one has to be able to still run 5 miles in 40 minutes or less, regardless of age or rank, as a standard to enter and stay in the community so running is never out of the fitness picture - it just is not the only aspect of the standard "thoughtless" PT program anymore. I am sure the SEALS and Tiger players will both gain from the experience and wish I were there with them training to get better.

[caleb1633 1,421]

Military Athlete (militaryathlete.com) is a page that shows great "sport-specific fitness" for tactical athletes. It incorporates functional lifts like they do in football with mental toughness pieces like what they do in SOF. If you ever wanna have your world rocked, try one of their operator sessions.

[Stripe 5]

I just retired from the Air Force after 23 years of service on 1 April 2014. The airforce doesn't have anything near what a major college has available to them and what they do have is shared among an average of 5000 people or more per base. It's a joke. And they keep changing their Physical Fitness program not to improve their airmen but to kick people out that are not 18 year old gym nut.

This means that unless your skinny as a 18 year old kid, and as athletic as a track star your screwed. God forbid you get Injured because Things get worse for you and easier for them to kick you out as you have to be even skinnier than when healthy.

The so called push for healthy is an easy way for them to kick out people to get down to congressional mandated reductions.

Health push is BS. All it does is kick out the people that can actually do their jobs and keep the ones who can't. I have been watching it happen for years now. Lucky for me I hit my 20 or I might not have made it. I have had a broken back for 3 years as of this past March, 2 back surgeries and a 3rd scheduled for next month...they could care less. As someone who couldn't exercise I had to take VERY unhealthy measures to lose weight and keep it off. Everything from starving to slathering preperation-H on my torso then wrapping it in plastic wrap for 3-4 days before having to have my "waist" gut really measured. Good luck exercising with a broke back.

And to prove how much they really don't care. Instead of performing the med board that was In work for 2 years, they canceled it because I could retire. Dirty bastards.

Nothing like getting screwed over because Congress wanted a new pay raise so piss on the little guy that they broke.

Sorry to rant but the Air Force doesn't care about their people, they just spew that BS to make them look good. It's all smoke and mirrors.

[I_The_Pariah 0]

I just retired from the Air Force after 23 years of service on 1 April 2014. The airforce doesn't have anything near what a major college has available to them and what they do have is shared among an average of 5000 people or more per base. It's a joke. And they keep changing their Physical Fitness program not to improve their airmen but to kick people out that are not 18 year old gym nut.

This means that unless your skinny as a 18 year old kid, and as athletic as a track star your screwed. God forbid you get Injured because Things get worse for you and easier for them to kick you out as you have to be even skinnier than when healthy.

The so called push for healthy is an easy way for them to kick out people to get down to congressional mandated reductions.

Health push is BS. All it does is kick out the people that can actually do their jobs and keep the ones who can't. I have been watching it happen for years now. Lucky for me I hit my 20 or I might not have made it. I have had a broken back for 3 years as of this past March, 2 back surgeries and a 3rd scheduled for next month...they could care less. As someone who couldn't exercise I had to take VERY unhealthy measures to lose weight and keep it off. Everything from starving to slathering preperation-H on my torso then wrapping it in plastic wrap for 3-4 days before having to have my "waist" gut really measured. Good luck exercising with a broke back.

And to prove how much they really don't care. Instead of performing the med board that was In work for 2 years, they canceled it because I could retire. Dirty bastards.

Nothing like getting screwed over because Congress wanted a new pay raise so piss on the little guy that they broke.

Sorry to rant but the Air Force doesn't care about their people, they just spew that BS to make them look good. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Sorry you have experienced this, as i have not and im completely happy with how the Air Force has treated me and my Colleagues

[AURanger 0]

I just retired from the Air Force after 23 years of service on 1 April 2014. The airforce doesn't have anything near what a major college has available to them and what they do have is shared among an average of 5000 people or more per base. It's a joke. And they keep changing their Physical Fitness program not to improve their airmen but to kick people out that are not 18 year old gym nut.

This means that unless your skinny as a 18 year old kid, and as athletic as a track star your screwed. God forbid you get Injured because Things get worse for you and easier for them to kick you out as you have to be even skinnier than when healthy.

The so called push for healthy is an easy way for them to kick out people to get down to congressional mandated reductions.

Health push is BS. All it does is kick out the people that can actually do their jobs and keep the ones who can't. I have been watching it happen for years now. Lucky for me I hit my 20 or I might not have made it. I have had a broken back for 3 years as of this past March, 2 back surgeries and a 3rd scheduled for next month...they could care less. As someone who couldn't exercise I had to take VERY unhealthy measures to lose weight and keep it off. Everything from starving to slathering preperation-H on my torso then wrapping it in plastic wrap for 3-4 days before having to have my "waist" gut really measured. Good luck exercising with a broke back.

And to prove how much they really don't care. Instead of performing the med board that was In work for 2 years, they canceled it because I could retire. Dirty bastards.

Nothing like getting screwed over because Congress wanted a new pay raise so piss on the little guy that they broke.

Sorry to rant but the Air Force doesn't care about their people, they just spew that BS to make them look good. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Sorry you have experienced this, as i have not and im completely happy with how the Air Force has treated me and my Colleagues

Same here, from the Army and Marines. Although after 20 years, I am under no illusions about how my personal service is viewed by the big green machine. The military is extremely competitive and it is all about "what have you done for me lately." This is the reason we have the greatest armed forces on the planet. It is a cold way to look at things, but so is our line of service (MOS dependant). People are what make serving great. I never counted on the big green machine to come pull me out of a jam or will ever count on them to look at my 70 months of combat and countless other sacrifices if I have a similar situation. The simple fact is this.... We have standards for a reason and we must either meet those standards or find another line of work. If we get hurt, we must maintain our appearance standards and allow the medical system to work to heal our broken bodies. Luckily, in some communities, medical service is on par or better than some of the best sports medicine programs around the country (and they should be because of what we do), but one has to meet certain standards to be a member of that community and reap the benefits. It saddens me that we have stories like Pariah's, but medical service is not equal among the many military communities due to social medicine.

When the sad day comes that I hang it up, I will look back on all the great people I served with and have fond memories. If the big green machine determines tomorrow that I am no longer value added, I will hold no ill will because I understand that service is a privelige and I am entitled to absolutely nothing, no matter what I think I have done.

[aujeff11 6,243]

Follow up story by Phillip Marshall from Auburntigers.com

AUBURN, Ala. - Senior Auburn defensive tackle Gabe Wright was already a team leader. But four days with the Navy Seals at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, Calif., changed his outlook on football and life.

In May, Wright and eight teammates joined strength and conditioning coach Ryan Russell and assistant Jeff Jones on the trip across the country to learn from the Navy’s elite fighting force. And, Wright says, learn they did.

“They gave us four levels of leadership, No. 4 being the best,” Wright says. “In my mind, I was at No. 1. I started in front of my teammates and the Seal captain I’m at the 1 stage. Four is an unbelievable leader, puts everything down, you first, me next. In life, that’s hard. You have to understand it’s not just about me. I’m doing it for my teammates.”

Wright’s teammates would say he graded himself too harshly, but he and those who experienced the trip with him returned to Auburn determined to share what they had learned about leadership, living the right way and caring for those around you more than yourself.

“I feel like we are off to a fast start,” Wright says. “It was a big deal to bring leadership back and bring the things last year’s senior class brought.”

Wright, quarterback Nick Marshall, wide receiver Sammie Coates, linebacker Cassanova McKinzy, quarterback Jonathan Wallace, center Reese Dismukes, offensive guard Alex Kozan, safety Jermaine Whitehead and wide receiver Marcus Davis made the trip.

“It’s so easy to remember on those guys because we all had to speak out on our own,” Wright says. “Everybody spoke tremendous words. We all shared a real bond. Having a brother in the military, it only goes to show the tremendous amount of courage and loyalty you have to have.”

Wright and his teammates are working toward a season of great promise, driven by last season’s near-miss in a 34-31 loss to Florida State in the BCS Championship Game. But the trip west, he says, made a major impact on all who were there.

“If we go visit a place like that, we know they are the superstars,” Wright says. “What they do allows us to do what we do. Beside the physical part of it, we took leadership classes. We learned mental capabilities and how 90 percent of the game and life are truly mental. You can be 6-5 and 280 in a Navy Seal camp, and it doesn’t matter.”

The Auburn group went through one full day of physical training. Wright says it was nothing like what is required of even aspiring Seals, who have to go through a full week of intense training with a total of four hours of sleep. But it was enough.

“It was tough,” Wright says. “It was really tough, and we didn’t even do it to near the speed they do.”

Back in Auburn, Wright is focused on his senior season, on applying the leadership lessons he learned and on finishing what wasn’t finished last season at the Rose Bowl. It’s a far cry from a year ago when he was still trying to learn how to deal with the demanding ways of defensive line coach Rodney Garner and still stinging from a 3-9 season in 2012.

So much has changed.

“I’ve come a long way - physically, mentally, academics, on the field, off the field,” Wright says. “I’m fine with it happening the way it’s happened. I walked into a life skills class the other day with the incoming freshmen. I spoke about respecting females, handling your money and your classes.

“I want to credit my teammates. We really haven’t gotten in a lot of trouble. Coaches are important, but we are the ones that have to make those decisions. We had one of the best academic years we’ve ever had. Guys are busting their tails. They want to be successful.”

[WarEagle84 0]

Thanks for posting, aujeff. Great to hear. Expecting greatness from these guys on and off the field.