San Diego students train with Navy SEALs

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Michael Russell | Basic Underwater Demolition (BUDS) candidates and San Diego students participate in surf passage at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Naval Special Warfare Center hosted 190 students from the San Diego School Safety Patrol and officers from the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) during a day with Navy Sea Air and Land (SEAL)s. Surf passage is one of the many physically demanding evolutions that are a part of the first phase of SEAL training. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Russell/Released)  

CORONADO, CA, UNITED STATES

05.10.2014

Courtesy Story

Naval Special Warfare Command

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Russell

CORONADO, Calif. – Naval Special Warfare Center hosted students from the San Diego School Safety Patrol (SDSSP) and officers from the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) during a day with Navy SEALs, May 10, 2014.

SDPD Juvenile Services, Southeastern Division teamed up with the Naval Special Warfare Center to provide the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for more than 190 School Safety Patrol students from the San Diego Unified School District.

“This means a whole lot to us and demonstrates our strong partnership with Naval Special Warfare,” said Tony D. McElroy, Police captain for the city of San Diego, Southeastern Division. “Many of these kids have never even visited the beach, so to have them come out and spend the day with Navy SEALs is a big deal.”

Upon arrival, the students watched members of the U.S. Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, parachute onto the beach.

Next was a motivational speech by Luis R. Lastra, retired master chief SEAL, who gave the students a basic understanding of Naval Special Warfare.

“This is a great experience for the children,” said Lastra. “It gives them an understanding of the challenges that we face as SEALs and helps them understand they can personally get through things themselves by embracing adversity.”

After adding face paint to look more like Navy SEALs, the students headed out to the obstacle course where students climbed ropes, balanced logs and maneuvered under barb wire on the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) compound. The students also got a chance to go out with SEALs in rafts to perform surf passage.

The day ended with lunch followed by an awards ceremony.

SSP was formed in 1935 by SDPD to assist elementary school children to cross uncontrolled intersections on their way to and from school, and to reduce the number of pedestrian and bicycle collisions involving elementary-age students.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Special Warfare, visit www.navy.mil/local/nsw/.

• Date Taken: 05.10.2014
• Date Posted: 05.14.2014 17:47
• Story ID: 129788
• Location: CORONADO, CA, US