“Who killed Osama bin Laden?” seems to be the million-dollar question of the past couple weeks. The architects of bin Laden’s demise are America’s true Spartan Warriors, the elite of the most elite commandos.  Just a few weeks ago, on May 2, 2011, Seal Team 6 took out public enemy No. 1, Osama bin Laden, a man they have been in training to kill. So exactly what is the Navy Seal Team 6? These members of Team 6 are all “black” operatives that exist outside military protocol, part of a top-secret group in the U.S. Navy SEALs. They partake in missions that are the highest level of classification and often go outside the boundaries of international law. According to a New York Times article, “Members of Team 6 have reportedly hunted down war criminals in Bosnia, engaged in some of the fiercest battles in Afghanistan, and in 2009 they took down three Somali pirates and rescued an American hostage with just three bullets.”

There are so few records of these black operatives in case ever caught. This elite group is so secretive that the White House and the Defense Department do not directly acknowledge its existence. These members will serve in battle and go home to their closest family and friends, never indicating any hint of what they have done. Even your closest friend who is in the SEALs could have been the one who pulled the trigger on Usama bin Laden. You’d just never know about it… Their code of silence is unlike any other.

a. 500-yard swim using breast and/or sidestroke in under 12 minutes and 30 seconds
   10-minute rest
b. Perform a minimum of 42 push-ups in 2 minutes
   2-minute rest
c. Perform a minimum of 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes
   2-minute rest
d. Perform a minimum of 6 pull-ups (no time limit)
   10-minute rest
e. Run 1 ½ miles wearing boots and long pants in under 11 minutes and 30 seconds.

The beginning of SEAL training starts with five weeks Indoctrination and Pre-Training as part of a Navy SEAL Class, then the Three Phases of BUD/S. First Phase is the toughest, consisting of 8 weeks of Basic Conditioning that ends with a grueling and hardcore segment called “Hell Week” at the midway point, where you’ll be tested to your uttermost physical and mental limits.

During Hell Week, trainees do everything from timed runs on the beach in combat boots, ocean swims up to two miles, running timed obstacle courses, countless sit-ups and push-ups, small boat seamanship, and live fire exercises. Even not moving at all, just being still, can lead to similar challenges. These trainees are completely covered in mud and waist deep in the freezing cold ocean as the salt water is burning their skin. The trainees are extremely sleep-deprived, approaching hypothermia, and even at times hallucinating. Even though trainees get plenty to eat, some are so fatigued that they fall asleep in their food or even while paddling boats, needing to be pulled out of the water by teammates.

Those determined men who make it through Hell Week proceed on to Second Phase (8 weeks of Diving) and Third Phase (9 weeks of Land Warfare). Most men who have succeeded in Hell Week make it through these phases. If not then it’s most likely due to academic issues (e.g., dive physics) in the Dive Phase, or weapons and demolitions safety/competency issues in the Land Warfare (weapons and tactics) Phase. After the completion of BUDS, trainees go through 3 weeks of Basic Parachute Training. Throughout all these phases, trainees do everything from parachuting from 30,000 feet with just oxygen masks, swimming in cold water with their hands tied behind their backs, and holding their breath for a minimum of two minutes.

“I have to be really aggressive because they have never been confronted with something like this — it’s sensory overload,” said SEAL Instructor Steve. “We have to see if they can withstand the pressures and stresses that they will face in battle.”

Do you have what it takes to be in the Navy SEALs? See if you can be put through the world's ultimate fitness test:

^{Chart adapted from: http://www.thesealteams.com/SEAL_workouts/}

Check out these ridiculous videos of what the Navy SEALs and Hell Week is all about:

We should always remember those who serve or served in the U.S. Military. These people possess the uttermost courage and embody all the good that makes up our country, the United States of America. We have freedom and a strong Democracy today because of what these brave soliders are doing every single day. These people are the true Muscle Prodigies in our eyes.

To learn more about the Navy SEALS,  please visit http://www.navyseals.com. Maybe you're man enough to protect our country...

Sources:

http://www.navyseals.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/books/seal-team-six-and-the-heart-and-the-fist-reviews.html