SEALs now take training at Great Lakes

Recruits who have a shot at joining an elite unit known for its prowess on sea, air and land are now getting whipped into shape at Great Lakes Naval Training Center near North Chicago.

An activation ceremony Thursday at the base officially launched the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School. That's where would-be Navy SEALs started receiving preliminary training under an initiative launched in late fall.

Orders from the Defense Department and the Navy to increase the number of SEALs is what spurred a quick eight-month implementation of the training program at Great Lakes.

Enlisted SEALs are expected to grow in number from 1,800 to 2,500 in four years because of the Navy's shift to civilian recruiting.

SEALs are crucial elements in the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, said Navy Rear Adm. Sean Pybus of U.S. Special Operations Command.

"We are in a fight that will be 10 or 20 years, if not longer," Pybus said.

SEALs are maritime, multipurpose combat forces expected to handle special missions in all operational environments and threat conditions. SEALs typically operate in small numbers, frequently on risky clandestine missions.

At Great Lakes, SEAL recruits are receiving intense training in the swimming pool, gymnasium and weight room. About 15 coaches train the recruits.

Courtney Valerious, 23, who grew up in Arlington Heights, was among the coaches donning a Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School warm-up suit at Thursday's event. She found the job through a Navy advertisement.

Valerious, an Indiana University graduate who was on the women's rowing team, specializes in strength and conditioning for the potential SEALs.

"We're creating a physical foundation for these guys," Valerious said.

Coaches such as Valerious won't be lacking for business at Great Lakes. Navy officials said 1,300 SEAL recruits are projected to pass through annually.

If they graduate from boot camp at Great Lakes, the SEAL candidates proceed to basic underwater demolition training in Coronado, Calif. Roughly 31 percent of candidates who reach Coronado become SEALs, Navy officials said.

Capt. Roger Herbert Jr., commanding officer of the Naval Special Warfare Center, said it's hoped the extra physical training for the recruits at Great Lakes translates into more SEALs in California. He said physical capacity, mental toughness and the desire to be a SEAL are the keys to success.

Pybus said he considers SEALs to be the best warriors in the battlefields. He said while the SEALs are in the Navy, they have been proficient in the deserts and mountains of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are now engaged in two irregular wars," Pybus said, "and our time has come."