Inspector General finds improvements to medical care, safety at SEAL training
Congressionally-mandated review came in the wake of the February 2022 death of SEAL trainee Kyle Mullen
Updated
The Navy SEALs have improved the healthcare and safety of trainees in its selection course following the 2022 death of a SEAL candidate, according to a report by the Defense Department’s Inspector General.
The improvements to SEAL training include advanced cardiology screening, close monitoring of trainees during and after Hell Week, and procedures to prevent pneumonia and other bacterial infections. However, the changes described in Thursday’s report go further and suggest that the SEALs no longer view the medical issues that arise during training as another obstacle to overcome.
In the past, trainees’ feet were often a bloody mess after Hell Week; medics now inspect candidates’ feet for deformities, injuries, and infections and provide new socks and dry boots.
The SEALs are testing clothing to reduce the sometimes severe chafing that results from running miles in wet clothes.
Staff from the Inspector General’s office observed Hell Week and found medical personnel monitored sl…