SEAL-Mania! America Goes Crazy for Navy Unit After bin Laden Death
- Posted on May 16, 2011 at 8:47am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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ENCINITAS, Calif. (AP) — Joe Stumpf snaps the 115-pound barbell up to his chest and swiftly lifts it over his head, holding it with gritting teeth and locked arms as sweat streams down from his gray hair line.
The barbell hits the ground in a clang seconds later. After eight reps, the 54-year-old businessman dressed in camouflage pants rushes to the next excruciating exercise.
Stumpf is one of a growing number of Americans putting themselves through grueling fitness programs modeled after Navy SEAL workouts as interest in the elite military unit has soared since one of its teams killed Osama bin Laden. Everyone these days seems to be dreaming of what it’s like to be a SEAL, know a SEAL or at least look like one.
Book publishers say they cannot order the printings of the memoirs of former SEALs fast enough, while people are dialing 1-800-Hooyah! like mad to get their hands on T-shirts emblazoned with the SEAL insignia and sayings like: “When it absolutely, positively must be destroyed overnight! Call in the US Navy SEALs.”
Awe over the covert operation is even putting the city of Fort Pierce, Fla., on the map for vacation destinations. The city’s National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum — the only museum dedicated to the secretive SEALs — has been flooded with calls from people planning to visit.
But nothing short of joining the SEALs offers a more true-to-life taste of their toughness than the workout places run by ex-Navy commandos.
“Every little boy has got a SEAL in them,” Stumpf joked after completing one of the workouts in Southern California.
Former Navy SEAL Cmdr. Mark Divine said his business has been inundated with inquiries since the raid. Most have been from the general public caught up in the excitement over the surprise attack on bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. He said military candidates aren’t showing greater interest and Navy officials say visitors to recruiting centers have not spiked since the historic May 2 operation.
“Certainly a lot of corn balls have called for sure — people who wouldn’t stand a chance of making it through our training,” said the brawny accountant-turned-SEAL who founded NavySEALs.com, SEALFIT and US CrossFit gyms in the beach town of Encinitas, just north of San Diego. “I had an e-mail today from a kid asking if I could train him from home because his parents don’t want him to become a SEAL.”
Divine started SEALFIT to help sailors and Marines interested in becoming special forces members by giving them a peek at the Navy’s notoriously brutal basic training for SEALs. His tough workouts, he says, also save the dreamers “from four to five years in the Navy chipping paint for the USS Never-Sail.”
Divine soon discovered even people who will never be a SEAL could benefit from his trainings, which run the gamut from daily hard-core workouts to a month-long live-in academy involving 10 hours of exercise, seven days a week.
The fittest can move on to a SEALFIT camp, which is based on the Navy’s “Hell Week,” the defining moment for SEAL candidates who must endure more than five days of constant exercise — including swimming, running, and slogging through mud — on fewer than four hours of sleep a day.
Camp-goers exercise for 50 hours without sleep, and get to go out on a mock, SEAL-type mission.
“It’s not easy to determine who is going to make it through SEAL training or not,” Divine said. “The secret sauce is inside of you. It’s mental toughness and unbeatable spirit.”
Stumpf wanted to find out if he had that “sauce” long before the national euphoria erupted over the SEALs.
Eight months ago, the business coach for real estate agents and mortgage brokers started taking Devine’s SEAL training class to prepare for the 50-hour camp.
On a recent afternoon, Stumpf kept stride with the men half his age as they race walked a half-mile down an Encinitas street, lugging up to 70 pounds in weights in each hand. At one point, Stumpf stopped and dropped his 55-pound kettlebells to the ground, letting out a grunt and sigh of total exhaustion. As the others fast approached, he picked them up again and made it across the imaginary finish line.
“If you really want to find out what’s happening in Afghanistan, you want to get a taste of it and you’re never going to be over there to do it, but you might be admiring what’s going on, you can come here and get a little taste,” he said. “I like that I’m getting to taste something that a lot of men are putting their life on the line for. I encourage men my age to go for it. To push it, push it all farther than they ever have. Taste what they teach.”
Stumpf said the timing of the SEAL mission coinciding with his training has made his pride over the historic event feel much more personal.
“I got phone calls from all my colleagues that know I’m doing this and they were like, ‘Hey man, you guys did it!’” he said, laughing. “Well, I‘m like I’m not a SEAL! But I’ll take it. So I put the shirt on that day, you know.”
He added with a chuckle that at least, “I’ve got the T-shirt!”
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Comments (77)
wolverine
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:36amI think we need to discuss greedy Disney Co. trademarking Seal Team 6 so they can make more money as far as I am concerned this is the most insensitive move an American corporation has ever made.
Report Post »Code_Orange
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 3:04pmSo, “Atlas Shrugged” all over the SEALs. Some non-Government Job Creators needed to use the SEAL team 6 sacred honor to make some extra big pieces of silver. Grow a pair. Who is John SEAL?
Report Post »jblovesAmerica
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:26amSEALS-are more than physical fitness-Its a way of thinking-that BHO will never understand.
Report Post »the look on his face tells it all.
liberals want to destroy that mental aspect.
American exceptionalism wasted on liberals.
hechafteth
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:00amlol @ mace
I‘m wagering that you’ve had more soldiers in you than citizens…
Report Post »orangeelephant
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:54amHey…whatever makes your gun go bang. Give them a lot more credit than the fatties on government benifits sitting in McDonalds supersizing themselves.
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:52amMore SEALs? Uhhh, no. We need men that will sacrifice for this country. Everyone is making the SEALs into this glamorous entity. Accolades are nice, but roughly 95% in this country aren’t cut out to be SEAL material.
Report Post »DonaldH
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:51amBINGO!! I remember during the 2004 presidential election John Kerry was running around saying we need to increase the numbers in our special forces which all sounds great until you decide to seek the reality of the numbers and you realize the numbers are where they are NOT for the lack of interest but because of quality of the personnel… We can’t trade quality for quality!!
Report Post »DonaldH
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 3:39pmI meant quallity for quanity
Report Post »Sinista MACE
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:43amEvery citizen is a soldier, but this is false pride brought on by propaganda.
Report Post »flsnipe
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:36amPeople in this Country will exploit anything to make a buck. The only easy day was yesterday.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:25amWhile I agree with you statment I don‘t believe that’s what’s happening here. The guy already had this business set up and is more a beneficiary of the events than exploiting them.
Report Post »ILUVAMERICA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:28amSorry typo- DICTATORSHIP
Report Post »ILUVAMERICA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:27amHERE IT COMES!!!!! OBAMA’S DICTATOERSHIP!!!!!!!!
Congress To Vote On Declaration of Worldwide Perpetual War; No Borders, No Clear Enemies War –
http://www.prisonplanet.com/congress-to-vote-on-declaration-of-worldwide-perpetual-war-no-borders-no-clear-enemies.htmlEndless
The war will continue until all hostilities are terminated, which will never happen.
Report Post »No Borders – The president will have the full authority to launch military strikes against any country, organization or person, including against U.S CITIZENS on U.S SOIL.
Unilateral Military Action – Full authority to invade any nation at any time with no congressional approval required.
No Clearly Defined Enemy – The US can declare or allege anyone a terrorist or allege they are or have been supporting “hostilities” against the US and attack at will.
Authorization To Invade Several Countries – The president would have full authority to invade Iran, Syria, North Korea, along with several other nations in Africa and the Middle East and even Russia and China under the legislation all of which are “known” to have supported and aided hostilities against the United States.
omgfolks
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:24amOur Navy Seals are the best of the best, They deserve our respect, I take issue with this article making money of the Seals they way they do. Seals would not advertise they work behind the scene, GOD BLESS The ELITE SEAL TEAMS. That my take on it. These money hungry greeders should find another venue and step off.
Report Post »NOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:18amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxqOESr6Hdw&feature=f%ADeedf
SO MANY DAs BELIEVE UBL TOOK DOWN THE TOWERS, here listen to Dick Cheny and get ur head out the sand.
Report Post »SLR Cameras
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:13amWe need more SEALS that is for sure.
Report Post »MaggieRose
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:09amAwesome… who knows what embers are being stirred in some little patriots chest. We need future warriors to protect and defend America, not more crybabies with their hands out.
Report Post »ILUVAMERICA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:09amUncle Sam openly admits to turning its multi-billion dollar espionage network against U.S citizens which has produced such great fruits as innocent activists exercising their first amendment rights being placed on the terrorist watch list by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
Just remember that as long as we are in a state of war your civil liberties and constitutional rights are pretty much null and void, only enforceable if the Government allows you to have them.
Even then, they can declare you a terrorist, an enemy combatant, or a threat to national security to revoke your constitutional rights immediately. They then can play the national security card when they are asked to explain their allegations.
This is rotten all around, and the first step to getting our rights back is to end the perpetual wars.
Contact your congressman and tell them NO WAY to this egregious bill!!
http://www.prisonplanet.com/congress-to-vote-on-declaration-of-worldwide-perpetual-war-no-borders-no-clear-enemies.html
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:07amThe bloodlust allows the government to continue to steal your freedoms. Sheepeople are acting like the mob and not following the Constitution. We do not regardless of how hideous the individual is execute people outside the laws. So when you pump yourselves up into a frenzy the government is feeding you your candy and can do what the want to you because you do not question anything they do.
Report Post »conservativeBC
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:07amPoll – The Daily KOs Libs Fear Michelle Bachmann More Than Other Potential GOP Candidate
http://conservativeblogscentral.blogspot.com/2011/05/poll-daily-kos-libs-fear-michelle.html
Report Post »Code_Orange
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 3:01pmI am sending money directly to her PAC and I have volunteered to help if she runs. Lots of money.
Report Post »Code_Orange
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:04amWe can still enjoy the Disney Channel who just bought the rights to a Tail-Hook cartoon series about a squadron of madcap fighter jocks and their zany Carrier based comedic antics! Two and a half aviators!
Report Post »ILUVAMERICA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:01amCongress To Vote On Declaration of Worldwide Perpetual War; No Borders, No Clear Enemies
Report Post »http://www.prisonplanet.com/congress-to-vote-on-declaration-of-worldwide-perpetual-war-no-borders-no-clear-enemies.html
Code_Orange
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:01amNo Regulation! No standing in the way of the new “superfit” John Galt! Profit uber alles.
Seal Team 6 Happy Meals at the WAL-MART embedded McDonalds!
Report Post »goodone121
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:19pmNo way, Commie! We WILL have regulation, but at the STATE level!
Report Post »Also, what’s wrong with profit? Is it you don’t have a share?!
Cobra Blue
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:01amI salute the SEALS. Just make sure there is no association or reference to Obama in the same category…and we will be fine. Every little boy may have a little SEAL in them…how about more MEN with a little more SEAL in them. Right now…especailly in Congress we unfortunately have more women with a little SEAL in them than the men. Time to stand up and MAN UP.
Report Post »StopGovtBondage
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:00amI’m greatful we have the Seals – and other fine military and intelligence people – and that UBL is dead.
However – Obama and his people have talked too much, as always….more concerned about a “story line” and manipulating a narrative – after our bumbling VP spilled the beans, and identified the Seals – the leaks flowed…
The world does not need to know USA operative details…the enemies are surely taking notes!
Barack Hussein Obama will certainly get a lot of people killed and/or ruined with his irresponsible and self-serving administration.
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 11:25amYou’re right about too much info released. The GREATEST weapon Recon Marine, Army Ranger and Navy SEAL has is thier anonimity. A faceless, nameless warrior who can stand next to you would be truly feared.
Report Post »thermonator
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 8:59amLOL…… this is kinda like the idea of couples living together to test marriage. Just join the Navy and in boot camp they will offer you the chance to take the SEAL training. It’s the commitment that will get you through the training the same way it is the commitment that will get you through marriage.
Report Post »DonaldH
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:35amThey offer you the chance to test for consideration of SEAL training……
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 1:53pmSEALS are war crimminals and mass murderers and should be tried as such.Gloriifed murderers no different then the terrorist groups we so hypocritically decry.At least the terrorist were not brainwahed but were true liberators of their people who the americans harmed by propping up brutal dictators and its onesided unjust pro israeli policies.those SEALS just believe whatever they’re told by anyone in power and follow orders like obedient drones.That they have to hide who they are for fear of reprisals just show they know they’re glorified thugs.
Report Post »warloch
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 8:59amI normally do not adhere to conspiracy theories; however, I am very confused about the details of the helicopter crash during the raid on Osama Bin Laden. First, what are the odds that one of the helicopters chosen from hundreds for that HIGH VALUE CRITICAL raid would coincidentally developed a mechanical problem and crash into Osama Bin Laden’s compound? Second, how could a team of expert commandos trained in demolition fail to destroy the top secret parts of that helicopter and then walk away knowing they were leaving behind top secret military equipment? Something stinks and it isn’t Osama’s rotting corps.
Report Post »ILUVAMERICA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:11amThe stinking is coming from the White House. It’s full of maggots
Report Post »warrior21
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:43amWarloch. I agree. I think the problem with the choppers was that only two were available that had stealth capabilities. As for the second, it is beyond me, maybe they didn’t have enough incendiary grenades available, or maybe they just didn’t know what the were doing. One thing I found hard to believe is…that the team did not secure the target. The search for OBL was carried out without any security for the assault team…unusual! I also don’t understand why Seal Team 6 gets the credit since there is no longer a Seal Team 6, and hasn’t been one for over a year.
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 11:13amHaving a couple of Predators would have come in handy launching Hellfire missiles on the wreckage.
Report Post »As far as blowing it up manually, I’d assume they expected a fire to consume anything left.
Code_Orange
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 8:59amThis is just what we need – ATLAS SHRUGGED meets the DevGru — and Big money can finally be made by Contractors – not Government SEAL teams.
Report Post »MontanaRob
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 10:01amWe already exist…be afraid commie, be very afraid!
Report Post »Code_Orange
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:59pmI c-ain’t hardly sleep worry-in’ about you disnee-boyz. Cash in while yer young.
Report Post »IvanK
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 8:57amEvery little boy would have “a little seal in them” if not for the fact that liberal america has already indoctrinated them – now we have a nation full of castrated little girly boys – BUT!!!!!!! THey all have their self esteem…
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:07am@Ivank
Report Post »Actually they don’t have self esteem. The closest that they have to self esteem is what obama and his thugs tell them they can have. They live off of obama self esteem which means that they are living off of nothing.
IvanK
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:09amIf you ever have the opportunity – pay close attention to children that are raised on a farm or with conservative parents. Then pay close attention to children raised by the public education system – see any difference?
Report Post »million
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:36amWith Obama running us into the ground nothing that we Americans held high as an example of our exceptionalism is safe. The last shuttle was just launched so we are not even in the space race by Obama’s comand. We had the best medical care in the world but not to worry as Obama is in the process of dismantling that as well. Our military is another claim to fame that we will soon no longer be able to say we’re the best thanks to the annointed one. Our economy is about to be overtook by China as the number one in the world. Whats next, abolishment of the boyscouts. God help us!
Report Post »TEAMSTFU
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 11:36amIvank and godsamerica you both need a room you both sound like you have sugar in your tanks… The weakest links thanks I needed a laugh thank god for people like yourselves.
Report Post »Code_Orange
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:57pmAnswer: the farm-raised children are – organic, of course. (There are also free range children available.)
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