The U.S. Navy to Initiate Randomized Drug Testing for SEALs and Special Warfare Units

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Starting in November, the U.S. Navy will institute randomized drug tests for performance-enhancing substances among its special operations forces. This marks a departure from longstanding military leadership policies that have previously opposed such screening. Rear Admiral Keith Davids, the head of the Naval Special Warfare Command, unveiled this initiative in a recent communication to his troops. He emphasized that the measure is crucial for safeguarding the health and operational readiness of service members. Although the Navy will be the pioneer in initiating such testing, the Army Special Operations Command has indicated plans to implement a similar strategy at an undetermined future date.

Special operations forces in both the Army and Navy, including Navy SEALs and the Army’s Delta Force, Green Berets, and Ranger Regiment, are often entrusted with executing the military’s most perilous and confidential operations. The intense physical and psychological demands of their selection processes, as well as the risky nature of their missions, can tempt some to use performance-enhancing substances, despite officials noting that the numbers are marginal.

Leaders have previously been reluctant to establish widespread drug testing because of its specialized nature, financial costs, and the necessity to collaborate with a limited number of capable laboratories. While isolated tests have been conducted on individual service members perceived to be problematic, comprehensive, randomized tests have historically required explicit authorization from the Department of Defense.

According to Navy regulations, four units will be randomly chosen each month for testing, with 15% of the members of each unit being screened. This could equate to approximately 200 sailors each month. Those found positive during these tests risk disciplinary action or expulsion from the force.

The implementation of this policy was accelerated, in part, due to the death of a SEAL candidate, Kyle Mullen, who passed away after succumbing to acute pneumonia shortly after completing the SEALs’ demanding Hell Week. Although no performance-enhancing drugs were found in his system, the subsequent Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) investigation spotlighted the issue of such drug use among those aspiring to be elite forces and advocated for more rigorous testing.

Multiple inquiries from 2011, 2013, and 2018 into suspected steroid use among SEAL candidates had led to disciplinary actions and appeals for enhanced drug screening. Previously denied requests for hair follicle tests and randomized steroid tests were finally approved in January by the Pentagon’s undersecretary for personnel, specifically for Naval Special Warfare forces, affecting roughly 9,000 active-duty service members and reservists under this command.

The budget allocated for this endeavor by the Navy stands at $225,000 for the current month, with projected annual costs estimated to be around $4.5 million for the subsequent two years.

Rear Admiral Davids has informed his force that any use of illegal drugs is intolerable and poses risks, urging open discussions within the ranks about the dangers of such substances. Medications prescribed for legitimate medical conditions will, however, still be permissible. There is only anecdotal evidence at present to suggest widespread performance-enhancing drug use within the special operations forces.

Between February 2022 and March 2023, over 2,500 tests conducted by the Naval Special Warfare Center identified 74 individuals with elevated testosterone levels, though only three were confirmed to have used performance-enhancing drugs.

For the newly instituted testing, sailors will be required to submit two urine samples. One will be analyzed by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory, a leading lab in international sports doping tests, and the other will be sent to the Navy Drug Screening Laboratory Great Lakes for standard drug screening. A positive result will trigger a preliminary investigation, and if no legal justification is found, disciplinary action or expulsion from the force will ensue.

Current protocols mandate that all SEALs and Special Warfare Combat Crewmen are made aware of and acknowledge the ban on such substances. A report by the NETC had indicated that there may have been some ambiguity regarding the stance on performance-enhancing drugs, citing an instance where an instructor’s comments led to confusion among candidates.

The latest policy change reflects a commitment to the enduring well-being of every individual serving in the Naval Special Warfare community, according to Rear Admiral Davids. Lt. Col. Mike Burns, a spokesperson for the Army Special Operations Command, also confirmed that they have received approval for random testing and are in the process of structuring their own program.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Randomized Drug Testing in Special Operations Forces

More about Randomized Drug Testing in Special Operations Forces

• U.S. Navy Official Website
• Army Special Operations Command Overview
• Naval Special Warfare Command Press Release
• Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory
• Navy Drug Screening Laboratory Great Lakes
• Pentagon Undersecretary for Personnel
• Naval Education and Training Command Reports
• Department of Defense Guidelines on Drug Testing
• Military Health and Readiness Policies
• Legal Aspects of Military Drug Testing