Part 6/12:
Throughout training, injuries are common—stress fractures, hypothermia, dehydration, and even drownings. Participants describe muscle locking due to shivering, chafing so severe it appears like ground beef, and feet swollen to the point of immobility. The saltwater schedules cause abrasions that feel like battery acid on open wounds.
The Tragic Drownings
One of the most tragic incidents involved a teammate, James Derek Loveace, who drowned during a pool drill after over five days of relentless sleep deprivation and exhaustion. He wasn’t the only casualty—another candidate died in a training accident, bringing heightened scrutiny to SEAL training protocols.