Curious about how many Navy SEALs there are out there? In this article we dive into the current state of the U.S. Navy SEALs and how many are out there. The number of SEALs has fluctuated based on global needs and military history. Their story begins before they were even called SEALs. They have their roots in the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) of War II.The first official SEAL Teams were established in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy. He saw a need for a dedicated maritime special operations force. The initial teams were very small, pulled from the ranks of the UDTs to form a new kind of fighting force.The Vietnam War saw a significant expansion of the SEALs and their mission sets. They proved highly effective in the jungles and rivers of Southeast Asia. After Vietnam, their numbers were reduced during the relative peace that followed, a common trend across the Army and Navy forces.The biggest recent change came after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The subsequent Global War on Terrorism created a massive demand for special operations forces. According to research from the Congressional Research Service, all of the U.S. Special Operations Command saw a period of growth.But even during this time of high demand, the standards for becoming a SEAL were not lowered. The warfare command, working with Navy human resources, chose to focus on enabling their current force and slightly increasing the number of training slots. The fundamental truth remained: the selection process confirms not everyone can be a SEAL, and forcing it would be a mistake.
