[QUOTE=Plan B]
The thing I never understood about special forces training was the demand that recruits get by on almost no sleep. I think the Rangers go 30 days with two hours of sleep a night. The other stuff I can understand. Probably anyone who has done a triathalon in competitive time could do the SEAL stuff (with the exception of the ball balancing 
) but how can anyone, no matter how motivated or well conditioned get by with so little sleep? Anyone know anything about this? Are they allowed to sneak in little naps as long as they don’t get caught? Are the standards much different than what I heard?
[/QUOTE]
Another voice chiming in on this aspect of the training. Having watched the Discovery channel shows on the Seals a couple of times I now consider myself as practicaly a trained expert on the subject.
My understanding from the show was that the training was intended to weed out anyone who would quit. That’s what they are looking for, guys that will never give up. There probably millions who are stronger, faster, bigger, and whatever else, but if they will quit they are not what the Seals want.
I remember watching the final hours of Hell Week. The instructers had the 25 or so that had made that far standing in knee deep water with the waves breaking up around thier waists and chests. The water was cold and they were obviously tired. One of the instructers said, “They’ll stand there and die before they quit.” I think they called them in then and that was about it for Hell Week.