A US Navy investigation released Thursday identified major problems in the particularly grueling training of its elite unit, the US Navy SEAL.
The investigation, which began after the death in February 2022 of Kyle Mullen, a Special Forces sailor in training, revealed numerous “failures” that “put several candidates at risk of serious injury”.
In particular, it highlighted inadequate oversight by managers, a lack of risk assessment, and a medical system that was not “trained, organized, integrated, or trained to ensure effective, continuous medical monitoring and care.” So is the use of steroids by recruits.
Kyle Mullin has died of pneumonia after completing a week of hazing known as “Hell Week” in which contestants are pushed to the limits of their physical capabilities while sleep-deprived. Other members of his group were hospitalized after training, according to the investigation.
Mr. Mullen was treated for respiratory problems during the intensive week, but this information did not reach the clinic that carried out his final health examination, causing him to go to rest in the barracks.
Once at his headquarters, the conscript’s health deteriorated, prompting young officers who were in the service, without medical training, to call a military doctor on probation.
This doctor suggested he should go to the hospital if he wished, adding that all candidates would be assessed the next day. But Kyle Mullen has repeatedly refused hospitalization.
The Navy Seals are the US Navy special forces that carry out some of the most dangerous US military operations, such as the 2011 raid that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
