The Difference Between Navy SEALs and the

75th Ranger Regiment

by Jack Murphy · March 5, 2015

The Internet has no shortage of basement-dwelling commandos beating at their

keyboards like chimpanzees as they forcefully insist upon one incorrect factoid or
another regarding Special Operations units. All SEALs are considered Tier One, right?
No. Rangers pull security for Delta, correct? Time to throw away that scratched-up
“Black Hawk Down” DVD, hero. Since the Internet stupidity goes on and on, two of the
SOFREP staff decided to team up and write a definitive article about the differences
between SEALs and Rangers. This article was co-written by Brandon Webb, who
served in SEAL Team Three, and Jack Murphy, who served in 3rd Ranger Battalion.

SEALs
SEa Air Land. It always amazes me how many people that acronym is lost on. They
think water, Navy and marine mammal.

History
The history of the modern day SEAL team dates back to the 1940s and WWII. They
began as the Navy construction and demolition units (NCDUs) and then saw a
transformation with Draper Kauffman (great story here) and the Underwater Demolition
Teams (UDT). JFK would officially welcome the first SEAL teams: SEAL team one and
two in the 1960s. The U.S. military desperately needed a maritime Special Operations
fighting force; the SEALs were the answer. Come from the water and fight on land or
sea.

Photo courtesy of the UDT/SEAL Museum: UDT at work at Inchon in Korea

For the UDTs, the operational pace in the combat zone frequently found two of their
platoons–approximately 30-men forward deployed to a particular Amphibious Personnel
Destroyer (APD) for periods of six to eight weeks. Embarked UDT platoons usually ran
between 10 and 20 demolition or beach reconnaissance missions while aboard the
APDs; depending on weather and enemy activity. Moreover, individual UDT personnel
were often away on temporary duty with other military or CIA units; usually for advisory
and training duties. This included the forward-basing of small teams on islands close to
the North Korean coastline, where they stood alert duty with UN Escape and Evasion
organizations assisting in the recovery of downed airmen. (Source: Navy SEAL
Museum)

Historic UDT Weapons and Demolitions

Individual weaponry taken by UDT men behind enemy lines was usually limited to the
submachine guns, pistols, and knives found most useful for the close-quarters combat
that characterized most raiding missions. Though presumably available, sound
suppressors for the weapons are not known to have been used. The men used a
variety of demolitions in their work, but the standard Mark-135 Demolition Pack, which
contained twenty pounds of C-3 plastic explosive was foremost. (Source: Navy SEAL
Museum)

The Modern-day SEAL Mission

Navy SEALs and the Naval Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen form the
operational arms of the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community, headed by the Naval
Special Warfare Command. NSW acts as both the Navy’s Special Operations force as
well as the Navy component of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Their roles
include:

 Surveillance and reconnaissance operations to report on enemy activity or to

provide a better understanding of the operational situation. These missions can
include swimming ashore at night, tracking enemy units, monitoring military and
civilian activity, and gathering information about beach and water conditions prior
to a beach landing.
  Direct action—offensive strikes against an enemy target using tactics such
as raids, ambushes, and assaults.
 Foreign Internal Defense (FID)—Training and assisting foreign counterparts to
increase their capacity to respond to threats.
 VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, and Seize)—Maritime hostile ship boardings in the
middle of the night on the high seas.

A
modern SEAL sniper in position on an H60 helicopter, courtesy U.S. Navy.

 Combat swimmer—Exactly what it sounds like. General Noriega’s boat didn’t

blow itself up in Panama during the invasion of 1989, it was combat swimmers
from SEAL Team Two. There’s some other special stuff the SDV teams do, but
you’ll have to join to find out.
 Tier-one counterterrorism—This is DEVGRU’s (AKA SEAL Team 6) turf.
Granted, the edge goes to the Army’s Delta Force for remaining much quieter
about their jobs. Culturally, Delta does a much better job of cloaking their mission
in secrecy. Several former command members in DEVGRU have
apparently violated their disclosure agreements, and this has created a lot of
internal strife in the community.

Modern Navy SEAL Culture

Unit culture is incredibly different from other branches of Special Operations such as the
Army, USMC, and USAF. Only recently have SEAL candidates become immersed in
small-unit tactics immediately following boot camp, and this is a good thing.

In times of war or uncertainty, there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our
nation’s call: a common man with an uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by
adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest Special Operations forces to serve his
country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.

 Navy SEAL Ethos

My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes

that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By
wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way
of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day. My loyalty to Country and Team
is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always
ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise
the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept
the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others
before my own. I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control
my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from
other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor
are steadfast. My word is my bond.

We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead
my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations. I
will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be
physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will
get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to
protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and

the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical
proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete. We train for
war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to
bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country.
The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by
the very principles that I serve to defend. Brave men have fought and died
building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In
the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and
silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.
The SEAL Pipeline
After their SEAL contract, the candidate goes off to boot camp. Then, they get a shot at
BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training—seven months of pain and
suffering. In the unlikely event a candidate makes it through BUD/S, then it’s on to the
three-month long SEAL Qualification Training (SQT). Some guys don’t make it through
SQT, usually for bad tactical performance. Those who do get their trident and are
assigned to their SEAL team. That doesn’t mean they can rest on their laurels. My swim
buddy in class 215 got canned and sent back to the fleet during his first platoon. You
have to earn your trident every day in the teams.

Before naval special warfare operator (SO) was an official Navy job title (we call it
a rating in the Navy), we had an alphabet soup of job titles for enlisted SEALs. I started
off in the Navy as a helicopter SAR swimmer and sonar operator (AW), and then went
to BUD/S with class 215.

Quick fact for potential candidates: If you want to operate, really operate, then enlist.
Officers don’t get the same choice in schools or the same operational experience
(sniper, race car driving, flying, stinger missile gunner, and on and on).

BUD/S

1. First Phase: The basic conditioning phase is seven weeks long and develops the
class in physical training, water competency, and mental tenacity, while continuing
to build teamwork. Each week, the class is expected to do more running,
swimming, and calisthenics than the week before, and each man’s performance is
measured by a four-mile timed run, a timed obstacle course, and a two-mile timed
swim. Because of its particularly challenging requirements, many candidates
begin questioning their decision to come to BUD/S during First Phase, with a
significant number deciding to drop on request (DOR).
2. Second Phase: The combat diving phase lasts seven weeks. This phase
introduces underwater skills that are unique to Navy SEALs. During this phase,
candidates become basic combat swimmers and learn open- and closed-circuit
diving. Successful Second Phase candidates demonstrate a high level of comfort
in the water and the ability to perform in stressful and often uncomfortable
environments. Candidates who are not completely comfortable in the water often
struggle to succeed.
3. Third Phase: This phase is seven weeks long and involves basic weapons,
demolitions, land navigation, patrolling, rappelling, marksmanship, and small-unit
tactics. The second half of training takes place on San Clemente Island, about 60
miles from Coronado. On the island, the class practices the skills they learned in
Third Phase. Men who make it to Third Phase have demonstrated extraordinary
commitment to becoming SEALs. They graduate BUD/S as special warfare
operators, but have a long way to go before pinning on a trident and becoming a
SEAL.

SEAL Qualification Training (SQT)

SQT is designed to provide candidates with the core tactical knowledge they will need
to join a SEAL platoon. Before graduation, candidates attend survival, evasion,
resistance, and escape training. It is this intermediate skills course that prepares
candidates for the advanced training they will receive once they arrive at a SEAL team.

SQT includes:

 Weapons training
 Small unit tactics
 Land navigation
 Demolitions
 Cold-weather training
 Medical skills
 Maritime operations

Before graduating, candidates also attend SERE training:

 Survival
 Evasion
 Resistance
 Escape

SQT training will also qualify candidates in:

 Static-line parachute operations

 Freefall parachute operations (High Altitude, Low Opening “HALO”)
 Freefall parachute operations (High Altitude, High Opening  “HAHO”)

Upon completing these requirements, trainees receive their SEAL trident, designating
them as Navy SEALs. They are subsequently assigned to a SEAL team to begin
preparing for their first deployment.

Reality of Modern SEAL Training

As Jack Murphy has pointed out before, most SEALs don’t have the basic soldiering
skills that other branches of service have before showing up for SOF selection. Their
candidates are usually a bit older and more mature. You can easily make an argument
for older candidates or younger ones—both have their advantages. Admittedly, there
are some major advantages in fundamental training that other branches have over
newly minted SEALs. In all fairness, SEALs are quick studies and relentless in the
pursuit of knowledge and training, and it’s a gap that is quickly made up in certain
areas. Some areas that Jack points out will never get made up; SEALs just don’t focus
on certain things. I talk about this in my first book, The Red Circle.
The SEALs of 2012 (they’ve since ramped up) were way behind when it came to
maritime operations. The community is catching up, but we should be leading from the
front, leaning in—not playing catching up.

SEALs at work with the SEAL Delivery

Vehicle (SDV). Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy.
A few years ago Admiral McRaven rightly pointed the SEAL ship back in the right
direction toward maritime operations. However, the equipment didn’t match the new
training requirements. A modern SEAL team resembled a Cousteau museum when it
came to diving equipment (don’t get me started on two-stroke outboard engines and
clunky rubber boats).
“Some of our partners have equipment that, quite frankly, is better than ours
because we spent a decade fighing ashore.” —Admiral (SEAL) Pybus
Being a career officer in Special Ops has never been easy, until the terrorist attacks of
September 11th, 2001 and the new Force 21 initiative opened up the doors for
promotional growth. Before 9-11, most (not all) smart NSW (Naval Special Warfare)
SEAL officers punched their ticket up to 0-3, hit the glass ceiling of being an operator
and any chances at advancement stopped abruptly. A lot of great officers gave up their
career because of this.

SEAL Equipment
Modern SEALs get some of the best equipment available despite some setbacks with
regards to maritime equipment. There’s still a do-it-yourself culture within the teams that
has team members modifying their own gear to their liking, and blending off-the-shelf
gear and technology with standard SOF issue. Weapons are very similar among all
branches of SOF, especially since the advent of U.S. SOCOM. A typical SEAL will carry
a primary weapon (M4 or SCAR) and a secondary (Sig Sauer or HK are both popular
in .45 or 9mm). Specialty weapons are carried by snipers (SCAR, SR-25, .338 Lapua),
machine gunners, and breachers. Breachers often carry specialty explosive packages
including breaching tools. Safe to say you’ll see a variety of pocket tools and knives as
well. Emerson, Microtech, and SOG are favorites. Night vision, laser sights, thermal,
and fusion (IR and thermal) devices are all in play as well. SEALs have developed their
own special blend of camo that incorporates material technology to defeat certain
spectrums, but we won’t go into detail here.

SEAL Organization
The teams are organized into the following:

West Coast

 Team 3, San Diego, CA

 Team 5, San Diego, CA
 Team 7, San Diego, CA
 SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team-1  Oahu, Hawaii
 SEAL Team 17- San Diego, CA (Reserve Unit)

East Coast

 SEAL Team 2- Virginia Beach, VA

 SEAL Team 4- Virginia Beach, VA
 SEAL Team 8- Virginia Beach, VA
 SEAL Team 1o- Virginia Beach, VA
 SEAL Team 18- Virginia Beach, VA (Reserve Unit)
Rangers
Rangers History
The Rangers are arguably the oldest existing unit in our military. Rangers fought in a
number of American conflicts before the signing of the Declaration of Independence,
such as the French and Indian War and King Philip’s War. In the Revolutionary War,
Francis Marion organized and fought in a Ranger unit against the British. Marion was
known as the Swamp Fox because his men would attack and quickly disappear into the
swamps to evade the British military.

Six Ranger battalions fought in the Second World War. It was during D-Day, at Omaha
beach, that the Rangers came upon their unit motto. During the assault, Colonel
Norman Cota asked Major Max Schneider which unit he belonged to. When someone
replied that they were 5th Ranger Battalion, Cota replied, “Well, then goddammit,
Rangers, lead the way!” Today, all Rangers sound off with the unit motto, “Rangers lead
the way” when saluting an officer, to which any officer worth his salt responds, “All the
way!”

Rangers also served in the Korean War with distinction, including 2nd Ranger
Company, an all-African-American company of Rangers. For the first time, Rangers
were now airborne-qualified. In the Vietnam War, there were long-range
reconnaissance patrol (LRRP) teams that executed some of the hairiest missions of the
war. Penetrating deep into the jungle in their distinctive tiger-stripe uniforms to conduct
reconnaissance, ambushes, and more, these men were later reorganized into Ranger
companies. Despite what the press might have said, our Vietnam-era Rangers served
with distinction and have plenty to be proud of.

With Rangers reformed after Vietnam in 1974, their next deployment was the failed
attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran in 1980—known as Desert One. First and
2nd Battalion conducted a combat jump into the island nation of Grenada in 1983,
where they successfully captured the Point Salines airfield and rescued the American
medical students being held on the True Blue facility. Third Ranger Battalion was
formed shortly after, in 1984. In 1989, the entire regiment jumped into Panama as a part
of Operation Just Cause.

Alpha and Bravo Company of 1/75 played a role in Operation Desert Storm, while Bravo
Company of 3/75 participated in Operation Gothic Serpent—the infamous Black Hawk
Down incident in Somalia in 1993.

Since 9/11, elements of the Ranger Regiment have been continuously and constantly
deployed to combat.

Ranger Mission
The 75th Ranger Regiment is America’s premier raid force, specializing in direct action
and airfield seizures. Strategic-level missions, airfield seizures are also known as
forcible entry, but in this case we are talking about a forcible entry into a country—not
simply a building. Also written into the 75th Ranger Regiment’s mission-essential task
list (METL) is counterterrorism. While traditionally an elite light infantry unit, the 75th has
been conducting extensive counterterrorism operations throughout the war on terror.

Ranger Pipeline
Prospective Rangers usually enter the Army on an Option 40 contract, which gives them
a guaranteed shot at going to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP).
Note that I said it gives you a shot at it, and that’s it. These prospective Rangers will
then attend basic training, their advanced individual training (specific to their job in the
military i.e.: infantry, radio operator, forward observer, etc.), and then will go on to
Airborne School at Fort Benning.

Upon graduating Airborne School, these trainees are then marched (or run) down the
road to begin the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP). This is an eight-
week course which is designed to not just select who is mentally and physically
prepared for service in the Regiment, but to also provide these new Rangers with the
training they will need when they are assigned to a Ranger Battalion and deployed to
combat shortly thereafter.
From the U.S. Army:

RASP 1 is an 8 week selection course broken down into two phases.  Ranger
candidates will learn the basics of what it takes to become a member of an elite
fighting force.  Candidates are tested on their mental and physical capabilities,
while learning the advanced skills all Rangers are required to know to start their
career with the 75th Ranger Regiment.  Phase 1 focuses more on the critical
events and skill level 1 tasks and Phase 2 focuses on training in Marksmanship,
Breaching, Mobility, and Physical Fitness.
After a year or two of service in one of the three Ranger Battalions or regimental
headquarters, these young Rangers are then sent to Ranger School. The “school
house” as it is referred to is a completely separate entity from the Ranger Regiment.
The 75th is a SOF unit assigned to USASOC while Ranger School is a training course
open to most of the Army and is a part of TRADOC. Nonetheless, Ranger School
provides important lessons in leadership and tactics, so 75th members will need to
graduate before they are considered for leadership roles in the Regiment.

One of the main differences between the 75th Ranger Regiment and other Special
Operations units like Special Forces and Delta Force is that we “grow our own,”
meaning that we raise young soldiers from the time they are privates rather then getting
them showing up at our doors as sergeants like those other units do.

Ranger Training
Rangers train constantly while in garrison. Typically, the attitude is that spending two or
three nights out at the range is a more efficient use of time rather than driving back and
forth everyday, so it isn’t uncommon to work three or four days straight before being
released for a three or four day weekend. After the range, there will usually be some
recovery and refit time to clean weapons, maintain equipment, and tend to
administrative issues before going back out to the field.
A normal day will start with a morning formation at 0700 for accountability purposes
before physical training. At times, your platoon or company may have a competition,
which is often some insane combination of ruck marching, running, swimming, and land
navigation, followed up by a stress shoot out on the range. On normal days, PT is
squad led with your squad leader or team leader taking their privates out for whatever
PT events he has planned. Ruck marches are usually conducted on Thursdays.

After PT, you could be preparing for the range and signing out weapons, or moving on
to individual training. Yes, there is some admin stuff that needs to get done, but
Rangers do not get tasked out for post details such as post beautification or any such
nonsense. Parachute jumps are conducted as often as possible to keep all Rangers
current, usually once a month or so. As a general guide, Rangers focus on the Big Five,
which are: small-unit tactics, mobility, marksmanship, PT, and medical training.

Other more intensive training exercises are frequent, such as squad and platoon
evaluations that test critical Ranger skills and battle drills. These evaluations also
became a type of pre-deployment training that incorporates direct-action raids. Rotary-
wing training is often conducted with 160th Special Operations Aviation, and fixed-wing
training is also mandatory, as airfield seizures are part of the 75th Ranger Regiment’s
mission-essential task list.
One of the big strengths of the Ranger Regiment is how much training and spreading of
knowledge is done “in-house.” Take, for instance, the Special Forces CIF teams, which
specialize in direct action. They get a fancy eight-week course called the Special Forces
Advanced Reconnaissance, Target Analysis, and Exploitation Techniques
Course (SFARTAETC) to teach them advanced urban-warfare techniques. Rangers
don’t get that; we do all of that training in-house and we train privates to do the same
breaching, room clearing, and sensitive site exploitation techniques that Special Forces
reserves for senior NCOs.

Ranger Organization
The Ranger Regiment is organized as an airborne light infantry unit, and this is reflected
in the Regiment’s table of organization and equipment. Each Ranger platoon consists of
four squads, with 9-12 men per squad. Of those four squads, three are rifle squads and
one is a weapon’s squad. Weapon’s squad is responsible for laying down a base of fire
with machine guns while the rifle squads maneuver to contact. There are four platoons
in each Ranger company. Three of those platoons are rifle platoons/maneuver elements
and one is a headquarters platoon. There are three rifle companies in each Ranger
battalion and one support company.  During the War on Terror, each Ranger battalion
added an additional rifle company (D/co) and a support company (E/co).
The Regiment consists of three battalions, a regimental headquarters, and a regimental
support battalion.

Ranger Equipment
Because it is organized as an infantry regiment, the weapons and gear found in the
Ranger Regiment start with the standard issue you would find in any infantry unit, such
as the M4 rifle, M249 SAW, M240B, 60mm, 81mm, and 120mm mortars, and M2HB .
50-caliber machine gun, but because the Regiment is like an infantry unit on steroids,
the kit significantly deviates from there by comparison to the rest of the Army. This
includes specialized optics for rifles, the latest night vision and thermal systems, and
even black-side TECHINT devices which can’t be written about here.
Ranger Culture
The culture of the Ranger Regiment is built upon the Ranger Creed, which is often
recited in formation, and each word is taken very seriously.

The Ranger Creed

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing

the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always
endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de
corps of my Ranger Regiment.

Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite

soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land,
sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country
expects me to move further, faster and fight harder than
any other soldier.
Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself
mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I
will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it
may be, one-hundred-percent and then some.

Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially

selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior
officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set
the example for others to follow.

Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall

defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained
and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger
word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the
hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I
ever embarrass my country.

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to

fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission
though I be the lone survivor.

Rangers Lead The Way!!!

As implied by the term “regiment,” the 75th is very regimented in terms of its culture.
Rangers are expected to do everything 100 percent and then some. The
competitiveness between Ranger squads and platoons cannot be overstated, as they
are constantly trying to show that they are the best. Having seen fistfights break out
during banner-day games, you can believe that Rangers take any and all types of
competition seriously.

Secret Squirrel
The 75th Ranger Regiment established a small recce element to scout out Ranger
objectives in 1984.  Organized into six-man recce teams, the Regimental
Reconnaissance Detachment would do recon on airfields that the Ranger battalions
were to jump into and seize.  Over time, RRD became RRC, the Regimental
Reconnaissance Company.  Sometime around 2004, RRC was absorbed into JSOC
and went on to play a big role in one of the most unique and sensitive programs in the
War on Terror.

Commentary and Observations on the Rangers

Rangers are now going back to training for worldwide deployments with the war in
Afghanistan winding down. Rangers are doing training rotations to Korea, participating
in winter warfare training in Alaska, and conducting training in Australia. Sexy high-
speed, time-sensitive counterterrorism missions may, or may not, be in the future for the
Ranger Regiment.

When it comes to examining the differences between Rangers and SEALs, I think one
thing you have to consider is that Rangers are infantrymen first. SEALs are sailors first.
Navy basic training has absolutely nothing to do with ground combat, which partially
explains why the BUD/S pipeline has to be as long as it is. It isn’t that these young men
are “bad” sailors, it is just that they have to be brought up to speed on small-unit tactics
and land navigation.

In the Navy, everything is big, gray, and floats. As the only real ground combat element
in the Navy, SEALs are special within the entire branch of service. In the Army, Rangers
are yet another type of infantry unit, although a Special Operations infantry unit.

Say what you will about the Navy though, one thing I always respected about the
SEALs is that their officers seem to actually support them. SEALs seem able to get
away with just about anything, no matter how ridiculous, and their chain of command
supports them. Not so in Army Special Operations. Our officers are a bunch of Jesus-
crazed careerists desperate to get to the top, and will bow down to the powers that be
faster than you can blink an eye.

I also think that the organizational differences between one unit set up for infantry
operations and the other set up for maritime operations has a bigger impact on
everything from unit training to unit culture than many would think. A lot of Army SOF
soldiers were shocked to see SEALs show up in Afghanistan in the early days not even
knowing how to write an operations order. Things have changed a lot since then, but
even the fabled Dev Group had to have operators detached to Delta so they could learn
and help their unit get up to speed during those first few Afghan deployments.

Another thing I think the Regiment has gotten right is not making “Ranger” an MOS. The
Regiment has had this opportunity and turned it down. Retaining the 11B (infantry) MOS
for Rangers allows the unit to purge underachievers very easily. This is not the case
with the SEALs, as they now have a SO rating meaning “special operator,” which is their
version of a MOS. The same goes for Army Special Forces who receive an 18-series
MOS upon completion of the Q-course.

Another difference is in weapons handling. I think the SEALs get a bit more training with
sidearms, as they place more of an emphasis on it than Rangers do. One funny story I
heard was about a former Ranger who went to vetting for the CIA’s GRS program.
Despite being a former Ranger, he had never actually fired a pistol and had to learn on
the fly during testing! However, SEALs don’t seem to have the same proficiency with
crew-served weapons and other machine guns. One friend of mine had a SEAL armorer
come into his arms room and look at a M249 SAW like he was completely baffled. He
had never even seen such a weapon. Never mind mortar systems; I don’t think they are
even organic to the SEAL Team’s TO&E.

Culturally, I think SEALs are way more laid back than Rangers. They don’t call each
other by rank or place much emphasis on proper military grooming standards. This sort
of stuff would never fly in the Regiment.

I think that the SEALs vs. Rangers debate is one of the most enduring rivalries (and
pissing contests) within the U.S. military. When you have two units from separate
branches, one focused on ground combat and another focused on maritime combat,
and both of these units are pitted against each other in competition for the direct action
mission within SOCOM, well it is no wonder that this rivalry exists. Since working for
SOFREP, I’ve come to discover that having a rift between naval and Army SOF is by no
means limited to America, either. The same rivalry exists in Italy, Denmark, and other
countries as well.

But with that, we also have to remember the great cooperation that has occurred
between SOF units during the War on Terror. Yeah, you will be hard pressed to find a
Ranger with anything nice to say about Dev Group, but there have been times when
Army SOF and Navy SOF conducted joint operations quite successfully.

The truth about SEALs and Rangers is that these units have way more in common than
either would like to admit. They both pride themselves on being effective killing
machines who can kick in your front door and shoot everyone inside.  This of course is
exactly what leads to that rivalry I mentioned.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

About Jack Murphy
Jack served as a Sniper and Team Leader in 3rd Ranger Battalion and as a Senior
Weapons Sergeant on a Military Free Fall team in 5th Special Forces Group. Having left
the military in 2010, he graduated from Columbia with a BA in political science. Murphy
is the author of Reflexive Fire, Target Deck, Direct Action, and Gray Matter Splatter. His
memoir, "Murphy's Law" is due for a 2019 release and can be pre-ordered now.