In times of crisis the Commander in Chief
has the entire United States military at their disposal. When it comes to dangerous and sensitive missions
there are certain elite soldiers who can get the job done. The elite soldiers we are talking about are
the Navy SEALs and Green Berets. Each is a special forces branch of the military. Let’s take a look at the similarities and
differences between these two military powerhouses. The name Navy SEAL tells us two things. The first is that this is the special forces
branch of the Navy and that they conduct missions on sea, air, and land. This is what the acronym SEAL stands for. These elite soldiers are used in direct raids,
reconnaissance missions, and action against terrorist forces. The Navy SEALs can trace their heritage back
to World War II. During the war, elite Naval soldiers were
assigned to naval combat demolition units and underwater demolition teams. The missions they carried out were to disarm
mines and recover sunken objects. These dangerous missions required the best
soldiers the Navy had to offer. They were nicknamed “frogmen” after their
green suits and amphibious nature. These “frogmen” eventually evolved into
what is today known as the Navy SEALs. Due to Cold War tensions in 1961 President
John F. Kennedy called for an increase in special forces. The following year the U.S. Navy created the
first two SEAL teams. The soldiers were recruited straight from
the underwater demolition units. Navy SEALs continue to carry out important
and top priority missions to this day. Green Berets are the special forces unit of
the United States Army. Green Berets specialize in counterinsurgency. Like the Navy SEALs, the Green Berets can
trace their history back to World War II as well. However, the name Green Beret did not come
into use until the 1950’s. The idea behind creating Green Beret squads
was to create small tactical teams that could sabotage enemy communications and supply lines. The first actual special forces unit in the
United States was formed in 1952 under the U.S. Army Psychological Warfare Division. Two years later the Army Special Forces soldiers
incorporated their iconic green berets into their uniforms to distinguish themselves from
other branches of the military. In 1962 the Army Special Forces gained official
and exclusive rights to the berets thus immortalizing the name Green Berets in history. Navy SEALs and Green Berets both have their
own requirements for candidacy. In order to become a Navy SEAL you must have
at least 20/40 vision in your best eye and 20/70 in your worst eye with no color blindness. This means that some people are disqualified
just on eyesight alone. You must have a minimum Armed Services Vocational
Aptitude Battery score of 220 and be 28 years old or younger. The final requirement is that you need to
be a U.S. citizen and eligible for security clearance. You must meet all these requirements before
you will even be considered for the training regiment. In order to be considered for the Green Berets
an applicant must be a U.S. citizen and between 20 to 32 years of age by the day they are
sent to Infantry One Station Unit Training. You also must be an active duty member of
the Army or National Guard and qualify for airborne training. To meet strength and endurance requirements
for Green Berets an applicant must complete a minimum of 49 pushups, 59 sit-ups, run two
miles in under 15 minutes and 12 seconds, and do six pullups. How do the training regiments stack up between
the Navy SEALs and Green Berets? Training for a Navy SEAL is consistently rated
the most difficult training out of any branch of the military. The training for a Navy SEAL is made up of
three core pillars. The first is to create Men of Character, which
means to train each soldier to uphold the Navy’s core values. The next pillar of training is physical. Navy Seals must be physically fit and trained
to work in every environment, but most especially water. The final pillar of training is technical. The training to become a Navy SEAL requires
soldiers to be intelligent and able to quickly learn new tasks. There are two months of preparatory training
before a soldier can even begin their Navy SEAL training. This preparatory period includes demanding
physical and mental screening tests. Once the preliminary training is over SEAL
candidates enter a six month Basic Underwater Demolition training program. This is the part of the training that is cited
as being the most difficult training in all of the U.S. military. The candidates must undergo constant physical
and mental tests. They are also trained in basic water competency
skills, underwater combat, weapons and demolitions training, and navigation on dry land. Then there is Hell Week and it lives up to
its name. This part of SEAL training is five days or
more of candidates being pushed to their breaking point through intense physical and mental
exertion around the clock. They are only allowed about four hours of
sleep the entire period. It is at this point about 75% of candidates
fail or drop out. If a candidate makes it through Hell Week
they are then put through weeks of intermediate training including small-unit tactics, parachuting,
and cold weather operations. But nothing is as difficult as Hell Week. If a soldier can make it through all of the
rigorous training exercises then they are awarded the Trident. This is the official Navy SEAL symbol. Once the soldier receives their Trident they
are assigned to a SEAL platoon where they have several more months of advanced training
for specialty skills. It is after this point that soldiers can call
themselves a Navy SEAL. Green Berets start out with Basic Combat Training. Candidates who aspire to be Green Berets must
also have completed Advanced Individual Training and U.S. Army Airborne School. Soldiers then need to report to Fort Bragg
to complete a six week course in physical fitness and land navigation called the Special
Forces Preparation Course. Next, the candidates need to go through the
Special Forces Assessment and Selection training. During this training soldiers’ survival
skills are tested and their physical and mental fitness is pushed to its limits. The final phase of the training is the Special
Forces Qualification Course. This is a 53 week training course in small
unit tactics, combat marksmanship, advanced special forces tactics, language and cultural
training, and unconventional warfare. Once these 53 weeks are over the soldier can
finally be deployed as a Green Beret. Navy SEALs and Green Berets are both elite
special forces units. The Navy Seal training is more difficult to
get through, but the Green Berets training is a longer process. There are currently around 2,500 Navy SEALs
on active duty. There are about 7,000 Green Berets on active
duty. Reports state that the number of Green Berets
may be decreasing. The strain of repeated deployments and failure
to meet recruiting targets are starting to take its toll on the Green Berets. The amount of soldiers in a squad differs
between Navy SEALs and Green Berets as well. SEAL squads consist of approximately 16 men,
but may be divided into smaller squads and fire teams as needed. Green Beret squads work in 12 soldier teams,
known as an "A-Team." Each member of the team has a specific job
within the squad. The two special forces branches have specific
mission types. However, Green Berets and Navy SEALs do work
together from time to time. There have been missions where the two branches
are deployed to complete missions together, and other times where a squad is a mix of
Navy SEALs and Green Berets. Normally Navy SEALs are assigned to specific
missions based on the skills required. In the case of Navy SEALs The skill set of
the squad drives the decision of where they will be deployed. Green Berets are assigned to nine different
types of missions. These missions are: unconventional warfare,
foreign internal defense, direct action, counter-insurgency, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism,
information operations, counterproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and security
force assistance. The squad is deployed based on the geographic
focus of the Green Beret platoon. If the squad has been trained in Middle Eastern
cultures they will most likely be deployed to that region of the world. But in extreme circumstances Green Berets
are sent wherever they are needed most. When it comes down to it, the training necessary
to join each elite force is rigorous and difficult to get through. You can be sure that the soldiers from both
branches of the military will be skilled and lethal. But what about their weapons? How do Navy SEAL weapons stack up against
the weapons of the Green Berets? For hand guns the Navy SEALs use 9mm SIG Sauer
P226, which can have a twenty round clip. The other option Navy SEALs have is the MK23
MOD 0 45-caliber offensive handgun, which has a standard twelve round clip. Both hand guns are equipped with a suppressor
and laser-aiming module. These modifications allow for stealthiness
and better accuracy. For rifles Navy SEALs use a plethora of different
guns. The most common is the M4A1, which has a 550
yard range and a 30 round magazine. SEALs have also been known to use the AK-47
along with submachine guns, shot guns, and sniper rifles to supplement the fire power
in their squad. The standard issue handgun for Green Berets
is the Glock 19. This pistol was selected for its low-visibility,
which allows it to be concealed easily. This is important as the Green Beret uniform
might change to meet mission requirements. The Glock 19 magazine capacity can vary from
6 to 33 rounds and can fire over 100 rounds a minute. The two most used rifles for Green Berets
are the MK 17 SCAR and the M-4 Carbine. The SCAR is designed for mid-range engagements
and has a standard 20 round magazine. The M-4 is used by soldiers who prefer the
customizability of the gun and its light weight. Green Berets will choose the right gun for
the specific mission they are assigned. Another difference between the Navy SEALs
and Green Berets are the crafts they use from mission to mission. Navy SEALs have a wide variety of vehicles
at their disposal for deployment. They use aquatic crafts such as the SEAL Delivery
Vehicle and The Combat Rubber Raiding Craft, a 15-foot heavily reinforced, inflatable rubber
boat. The Navy SEALs also have several other ships
and larger craft for deployment and extraction. On the other hand Green Berets tend to only
use one vehicle, The Ground Mobility Vehicle. It is a lightweight, all-terrain truck that
can be used in a variety of environments and missions. It would seem that the Ground Mobility Vehicle
is versatile enough to complete almost any Green Beret assignment. The fact that Navy SEALs must work in the
water and air, as well as on land, means they need a more diverse array of delivery vehicles. Deployment time varies within each special
forces branch SEALs typically operate on 18-month cycles and are deployed for 6 months at a
time. However, some units with special assignments
or skills have their own schedules. They may be deployed more frequently, but
for shorter amounts of time. Green Berets deployment length can vary, but
deployment time is normally between 90 days to 15 months. All in all Navy SEALs and Green Berets are
well trained elite soldiers. They can get deployed anywhere around the
world, for a variety of missions. Both Navy SEALs and Green Berets have to go
through hell and prove they have what it takes through months of training. These soldiers are the best of the best, and
are given the equipment they need to complete any mission. Sometimes SEALs and Green Berets work together. I’d hate to be the mission target for that
squad. Now go watch American Soldier (USA) vs British
Soldier - Military Comparison. Or if you want to learn more about another
branch of the U.S. military watch Typical Loadout of a US Marine.
