As we discussed in my last post, most people don’t make it through BUD/S. They ring the bell, place their helmet in the Grinder, and move on, considered DOR’s (Drop On Request). But where do they go? They go to a purgatory-like existence at another part of the training complex at Coronado. So, they’re still technically around, although they don’t get to live in the same barracks as those still in BUD/S. This DOR group is referred to as the X Division, or X-Div.

X-Div members get moved to another part of the islands, where they typically do menial labor until they get their next assignment from the Navy. As you might expect, the atmosphere among them is not great. They’ve just let go of the rope and given up their dream of becoming a SEAL, and few of them walk away from it in a good state of mind. Regret, frustration, bitterness, anger, resentment, fear, and a lack of direction on where to go next are standard responses. [Read more…] about Lessons from the SEALs: Ignoring the Haters