Navy SEAL candidate dies, another hospitalized at conclusion of 'Hell Week'

[Zorro]

Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

Two sailors succumb to unknown sickness hours after grueling training

Hours after they completed the last leg of the grueling “Hell Week” phase of the Navy SEAL training regimen, two candidates succumbed to an unknown illness and one died, Navy officials said Saturday.

The incident occurred Friday, shortly after the two SEAL candidates completed the basic underwater demolition class, the Navy said in a statement. One of the candidates died Friday at Sharp Coronado Hospital; the other remains in stable condition at Naval Medical Center in San Diego.

The cause of death is currently unknown and remains under investigation.

The sailors were not actively training when they reported their symptoms, the Navy said in a statement. They were immediately transported to emergency care.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2022-02-05/navy-seal-death-hell-week

[Cognitive_Resonance]

1. Decompression sickness? nt

[Sgent]

12. This was my first thought

I've listened to my family member's description of BUDS and he considered it the most dangerous portion of the program, although his information is woefully out of date. It's also the only thing I can think of that would happen a "day later" rather than a heart attack or heat stroke in the middle of training.

[Wingus Dingus]

2. Underwater demolition--

I wonder if it's traumatic brain injury or some other detonation shock-wave internal injury? Hard to think of what would quickly kill one and injure the other, otherwise.

[BootinUp]

3. They could have picked up a nasty bug

or been exposed to a nasty chemical with those kinds of operations I would guess.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. Chemical Exposure Is Highly Unlikely

The compounds used in demolition explosives have very low vapor pressures & have only moderate (for organic compounds) rates of entropy.
In addition, explosives have to tightly packed in order to be fully efficient. The surface area to mass is very low.
Finally, most the breakdown components have only long term health effects. Entropic compounds from these don't carry an IDLH warning. (Immediately Dangerous to Life & Health.)
Has to be something else.

[Sapient Donkey]

4. It's my understanding that they weren't likely doing much of that at this point in training

but they do put the body through extremes.

I have no doubt the anti-vaxxers will try to make it into a thing about vaccines.

[Martin68]

7. That's my understanding. It is a grueling physical challenge that many are unable to complete.

It's not really training per se. More like a physical test and initiation.

[COL Mustard]

8. It's some of the most difficult training in the US military

And lasts for over a year.

[Martin68]

13. I believe these deaths followed Hell Week...

[Happy Hoosier]

10. While it is the name of the class....

.... "Hell Week" is a grueling combat simulation. There are various simulators used, but no real serious demolitions. It's mainly used to test the physical fitness and mental toughness of candidates and occurs fairly early in the training cycle.

Candidates can choose to leave at any time, and usually, only about 25% of the initial class complete Hell Week.

[Ray Bruns]

14. Hell week is the begining stage of the training to weed people out

They wouldn't be doing that kind of training until much later on.

[3Hotdogs]

5. Sad. At the end of a hard training that they were proud of completing.

[Emile]

9. This probably happens more often than we realize.

[Shellback Squid]

11. no, the Navy would report it every time

[Happy Hoosier]

15. 14 out of many thousands....

Most due to latent and undiagnosed medical conditions.

Of course, your chances of dying once you actually ARE a SEAL are much higher.

[musclecar6]

16. I agree

Being a Navy Seal is obviously a very dangerous job. The training is way over the top and more so I believe than any other special ops training in the military. There are many who will claim it is absolutely necessary to weed out anybody who has the slightest weakness so that you can become a super soldier. If you succeed getting through the training you’re gonna be sticking your neck out as we’ve all seen on TV and movies because the Navy seals are mainly there for clandestine operations.

My hats off to anyone who buys into the rationale that special ops operators must endure their respective training ( Navy Seal, Army Green Beret, Delta etc) and becomes a special ops person. I was in the Air Force back in the day and was glad to see someone else was happy to do that kind of work, cause it certainly wasn’t me.

[Mysterian]

17. Army Ranger School lost four students in the Florida swamps in 1995

and three were lost in the swamp several years before that. Those who complete Ranger School in the winter months face a real danger of hypothermia. When I went through, the Florida swamps were the final phase. Many quit just days before completing the course rather than go into the swamps for a second day in a row.

[pfitz59]

18. Dehydration, or food born illness?

The deaths happened after completing 'Hell Week'. Hell Week is mostly sleep-deprivation, starvation and brutal exercising. It's a test of willpower, strength and stamina. I lived on the Amphib base for 7 years. Knew it well.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

19. Right wingers blaming it on the vaccine in 3,2,1...