Real-life heroes – UDT-SEALs and Muster Day

10,000 attended UDT-SEAL "Muster" Day Celebration

The 25th annual Muster Day SEALS program yesterday was more than I ever imagined it would be.  Ten thousand people showed up, and they staged a SEAL night attack, complete with “frogmen” parachute jumpers, tanks and two incredible Black Hawk military helicopters, SEALS streaming from it to defeat the enemy, and bombs and explosions and “gunfire.”  Really amazing.  SEALS stands for Sea, Air, Land.  They were created by Pres. Kennedy in 1962.  The museum is amazing. If we get a chance, I’ll visit it again without the mobs of people. Such national pride, men and women serving their country, trading stories with others who have served.  Many SEALS return for this program every year.  A real celebration of the American spirit.  During the bell ceremony for those who fell, I thought of my uncle, my brother, and my niece, who met her boyfriend, who is still serving in Iraq, and thought of all those who have sacrificed so much so that we may enjoy our freedom.

From the website:  SEALs are U.S. Special Operations Command’s force-of-choice among Navy, Army and Air Force Special Operations Forces (SOF) to conduct small-unit maritime military operations which originate from, and return to a river, ocean, swamp, delta or coastline. This littoral capability is more important now than ever in our history, as half the world’s infrastructure and population is located within one mile of an ocean or river. Of crucial importance, SEALs can negotiate shallow water areas such as the Persian Gulf coastline, where large ships and submarines are limited by depth.

The Navy SEALs are trained to operate in all the environments (Sea, Air and Land) for which they are named. SEALs are also prepared to operate in climate extremes of scorching desert, freezing Arctic, and humid jungle. The SEALs’ current pursuit of elusive, dangerous and high-priority terrorist targets has them operating in remote, mountainous regions of Afghanistan, and in cities torn by factional violence, such as Baghdad, Iraq. Historically, SEALs have always had “one foot in the water.” The reality today, however, is that they initiate lethal Direct Action strikes equally well from air and land.