Has there ever been a female Navy SEAL? Can a female become a Navy SEAL? Are there different requirements or different tests for females vs. males attempting to pass SEAL training and selection? All of these are great questions, and we’ll answer these along with giving some helpful information about SEAL training and selection and whether or not a female can become a Navy SEAL. The short answer… Hell yeah they can!
Jump to answers:
- Has there ever been a female Navy SEAL?
- Are women capable of becoming Navy SEALs?
- What’s different about female Navy SEAL training?
- I’m a female, where do I sign up?
- Learn more about Navy SEALs!
Has there ever been a female Navy SEAL?
While the U.S. Navy has yet to have a female join their ranks as a Navy SEAL, they did recently have the first female to ever pass the grueling and demanding U.S. Navy SEAL officer training course. That in and of itself is quite the accomplishment, considering the fact that 75% of those who sign up for the 6-month training program quit before it’s over.
Originally, Navy SEALs were just one of two communities that were required by law to not allow women to join. The other is Navy SWCC (Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen). However, that is not the case today.
Are women capable of becoming Navy SEALs?
Yes. Here are some of the qualifications that both men and women must pass in order to begin training.
- Eyesight requirements: 20/40 best eye; 20/70 worst eye; correctable to 20/25 with no color blindness
- Meet the minimum Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) score: GS+MC+EI=170 or VE+MK+MC+CS=220 or VE+AR=110 MC=50
- Be 28 years of age or younger
- Pass a physical examination that’s required for divers
- Be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for security clearance.
Physical Requirements
- Ages 17-19
- 20 push-ups (in 2 minutes)
- 54 curl-ups (in 2 minutes)
- 1.5 mile run (in 18:37)
- Ages 20-24
- 17 push-ups (in 2 minutes)
- 50 curl-ups (in 2 minutes)
- 1.5 mile run (in 18:37)
These fitness standards must be maintained after Boot Camp in order to pass a Physical Readiness Test.
What’s different about female Navy SEAL training?
Nothing. Females and males must go through the same level of training as required by men. Training will prepare both men and women for extreme mental and physical challenges. It requires over 12 months of initial training, followed by 18 months of pre-deployment and specialized training.
This includes:
- 7 weeks of Diver Preparation Course
- 15 weeks of Second Class Dive School for training in any of these areas
- Air and mixed gas diving
- Underwater cutting and welding
- Demolition
- Recompression chamber operations
- Underwater hydraulic tools
- Ship maintenance, repair and salvage
- Fleet Training
- Advanced Training
Waterboarding is no longer part of SEAL training. It was originally part of routine training but was eliminated because no one could pass and it brought down team morale.
I’m a female, where do I sign up?
You can sign up at the official Navy Seal website here.
Every job, rank and opportunity that are available to men are also available to women. Check out all the available career opportunities and qualifications and requirements before applying.
Here is more information on what life is like for women in the Navy.
Want to learn more about Navy SEALs? Check out these cool facts!
- The highest ranking Navy SEAL in history is Eric T. Olseon, a four-star Admiral.
- Chris Kyle, who was the inspiration for the movie American Sniper and known as one of the deadliest snipers in American History, was a Navy SEAL.
- SEAL Team Six was originally started by fraud. That’s right, the original founder of SEAL Team Six, numbered it at six because he wanted the Russians to be more intimidated. There were only three teams at the time.
- A lot of people refer to the Navy SEAL logo as the “Budweiser” because its design is similar to Anheuser-Busch logo.
- During filming of The Grinch, Jim Carrey consulted a Navy SEAL to teach him how to handle psychological and physical hardship in order to withstand his grueling makeup process in the film.
