SEAL of Approval
“Dot.calm” by Jane Silverman
It was a freezing morning. In London. Which means it was summer. I was tucked in bed in my Mayfair home and questioning myself, “could I? would I?” join a North Pole expedition with a well-known female explorer and friend? I plotted the sponsorship opportunities for my participation and the charity it would benefit; I imagined the fitness training and steely resolve I would need to prepare.
All the while, I was getting up the gumption to throw off my warm covers in the icy air, tiptoe down five flights of stairs and get a cup of coffee; but I couldn’t get out of bed, it was too darn cold. That’s when I realized one of the many fatal flaws in my plan. A lightbulb moment. I hate the cold! I would never-ever be a North Pole explorer. I could never “get comfortable with being uncomfortable” as the Navy SEALs say… I just don’t have what it takes.
The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday:
I so admire the willpower, determination, stamina, and patriotism of our Navy SEALs – the country’s Special Warfare combat force for Sea, Air, and Land. The approximate 2500 active SEALs trace their roots back to the elite frogmen of World War II with their first incarnation in response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Where It All Began:
The SEALs Up Close & Personal weekend has grown considerably since its first inception several years ago as a Card Sound Golf Club “invasion” (just imagine SEALs parachuting in a mock staged attack, emerging from the pond, with barking K9 teammates).
Signed, SEALed & Delivered:
This weekend’s event is a great opportunity to meet, golf, fish, and dine with 20 SEALs (including Medal of Honor recipients), and their families, and celebrate SEAL Team Ocean Reef – ORC Members who support the heroic work SEALs do around the world.
All proceeds from the weekend benefit the National Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, FL. Saturday’s 4 p.m. demo is complimentary to all Members while other events require a ticket. For the full schedule click here.
The SEALs Up Close & Personal semi-annual weekend is now enjoyed by hundreds of Ocean Reef Members. But the SEALs give as good as they get: during Hurricane Irma a SEAL team provided ORC with generators; another flew with Member Tonya Wallace to rescue dogs from the Bahamas; and others visited The Academy to say the Pledge of Allegiance with its students. This weekend be sure and introduce yourself and say, “thank you for your service.”
Embrace the Pain:
The closest I ever got to the SEALs motto of “embrace the pain” was “going for the burn” doing a 1982 Jane Fonda workout video. Download the free Navy SEAL Training & Exercise app by former SEAL Lieutenant Steve Smith to be fitter than fit. The app features 115 free exercise videos including a Survival Swim “drown-proofing” underwater training video which aspiring SEALs do with hands and feet tied to complete their BUDs (24 weeks Basic Underwater Demolition) portion of their entrance exam. Read more about it at www.military.com/special-operations/training-tobe-a-navy-seal.html.
All in, All the Time:
If you’re a fan of Navy SEALs films like “Captain Phillips,” “American Sniper,” “Act of Valor,” “Lone Survivor,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” or “SEAL Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden” but don’t know how to watch them, then visit Just Watch www.justwatch.com. The app and its website are a viewing guide searching over 100 broadcast TV and streaming sites. Just type the film title in the Search Bar to find where and when to watch it.
Knot Happening:
The Art of Manliness www.artofmanliness.com website, free newsletter, app, and informative manly podcasts provide useful, actionable, no-fluff content to help men become better men in all areas of their life: character, career, fitness, relationships, style, skills, and more.
The site also lists the directions for the five basic knot types: the Bowline, Square Knot, Becket’s Bend, Clove Hitch, and Right Angle which SEALs have to tie one after the other while holding their breath underwater. According to AoM, “Navy SEALs are the world’s last bastion of unabashed manliness, they have a lot to teach modern men … about gaining greater resilience, navigating the business world, and even parenting.”