Here
are three of seven of Boat Crew #1's members: Ranger Lee, Joe Q, and
Garcia. Missing are Mr. Deitz, Gooz, and Cronin. US Navy SEAL Training
BUD/s Training Class 142 - Oct. '86 to May '87
Here
are three of seven of Boat Crew #1's members: Ranger Lee, Joe Q, and
Garcia. Missing are Mr. Deitz, Gooz, and Cronin.
It
was a winter class, and here I am in long johns. My roommates were
The Refugee, Johnnie M, and McCastland. McCastland twisted his nuts during
surf passage and was subsequently dropped from training.
Here
we are at our midnight meal during HELLWEEK December of 1986. Clockwise from
left: Garcia, me, Joe, Mr. D, Cronin, Ranger Lee, and Gooz. Our boat crew
kicked butt all during hellweek, thanks to the leadership of Mr. D, and only
Garcia quit the second night. We secured six hours earlier from hellweek
than the others because of our performance, so we got to shower up, put on some
warm clothes, and crash out in our rooms. I remember going to sleep with
the Eagles Greatest Hits playing and hearing the rest of the class getting
worked over for the remainder of the day right outside the dorm room window.
In the last phase of training (dive phase at that time), only four
of us remained and we split up into two man dive pairs: Gooz & Joe, Mr. D
& me. We had been together ALL through training up to that point.
After
the all day compass course in January of 1987, our three man group were the
first ones done. So the instructors had some involuntary "naked" fun with us in a
mountain stream. We looked of female gender when we got out.
Joe,
me, and The Refugee taking a lunch break during
land-warfare phase mountain training. By the way, The Refugee is also well
known in the SEAL community as "the luckiest man in the teams." He has
been in the right platoon, in the right team, at the right time, during all
major conflicts since we graduated from BUD/s in May of 1987. Panama, Gulf
War, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other little squirmishes in-between!
He is highly decorated and I am proud to have him (and his lovely wife!) as
very good friends.
UPDATE: The Refugee
and me 22 years later - at his retirement ceremony Friday, 26 September 2008, in
Coronado. What a great day...the refugee is free!
Getting
ready for the firing range at "the Island."
The firing line at night supervised by Inst. Chapman while Mr. D
looks on.
The
instructors always find ways to keep themselves amused. Here on the island
the students are the main source of their fun.
Just
before leaving the island after one month, we took a group photo. That's
Santa Catalina Island in the background.
Mk-15
mixed gas diving in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. That's
Sam suiting up on the left, the slack-jawed peasant in the middle.
Coincidentally, us three went to the same team later.
BUD/s
Class #142, May 1st, 1987 16 of the 106 trainees that
started in October the previous year are in this picture. The
others rolled in along the way after healing from broken bones, failing tests,
etc.
Yeah baby, take it and run before they change their minds.
Or worst yet, the instructors get a hold of you one last time...they DID earlier
that morning! This is Capt. Olson (Ret.) handing me my graduating certificate
- he was our guest speaker that day.
So you want to be a FROGMAN...a real Navy SEAL? Here's what it takes: CLICK HERE.