The Navy ordered an investigation into the grueling SEAL selection course, according to three Navy officials, after the death of a sailor earlier this year drew increased scrutiny of the policies, personnel training and security measures in place around one of the most elite units of the army.
The new investigation was initiated by a letter from outgoing Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Lesser, one of the officials said. The letter directed the Naval Education and Training Command to review Navy Special Warfare oversight of the most difficult and punishing elements of the SEALs’ elective course, another of the officials said, including a look at the use of performance-enhancing drugs at basic training school for completing the course.
The New York Times first reported the launch of a wide-ranging investigation into the SEALs elective course.
It’s a broader look at the circumstances surrounding the death of Navy SEAL Kyle Mullen in February. Mullen completed “Hell Week” during the Navy’s Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL course, but began suffering symptoms several hours after the course, the Navy said at the time. Hell Week is a brutal part of the first phase of the SEAL selection course, consisting of five days during which trainees are constantly cold, hungry, sleep-deprived and wet.
After Hell Week ended, Mullen suffered symptoms and was taken to a California hospital, where he later died. At the time, the Navy said neither Mullen nor another injured sailor was “actively” training when they became ill.
A separate but closer Line of Duty investigation into Mullen’s death is being completed and being reviewed, a Navy spokesman said. After completion, it will be shared with family and released.
While the Navy could not provide a timeline for completing the investigations, the spokesman said the agency is committed to “transparency” and final reports that are “thorough, accurate, [and] impartial.”
