C of I senior accepted into Navy SEAL training
2011. 10. 19.
Since childhood, College of Idaho senior Kyle Davis has wanted to become a United States Navy SEAL.
Davis will get a chance to fulfill his lifelong dream after he passed a battery of written, medical, physical and psychological tests this fall. Davis, a political economy major from Newark, Del., has received his SEAL operator contract, the first step in the long, difficult process of joining the elite group of warriors responsible for the toughest of missions – including the recent elimination of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
“I've always dreamed of fighting for my country,” Davis said. “I love this country, and I want to be a SEAL because they are the best of the best, the very best this country has to offer.”
Davis is the first person from his family to join the military. He qualified for SEAL training by passing the SEAL Physical Screening Test with flying colors. He also excelled on his written exam, scoring 20 percent higher than the average recruit.
“I thank God – he is the one who is going to help me get through this.” said Davis, a devout Christian with a minor in religion at C of I. “I feel fortunate that I was able to pass on my first try.”
Davis ships out in June for basic training at the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School in San Diego before embarking on the six-month Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUDS) program, widely considered the toughest military training course in the world.
“BUDS has an 80-percent drop-out rate,” Davis said. “The guys who want it most are the ones who are going to make it.”
Recruits who graduate from BUDS go on to SEAL Qualification Testing, another arduous six-month program. Successful graduates officially earn the SEAL title and move on to SEAL Troop Training, a specialist program that typically takes 12-18 months to complete.
When all is said and done, Davis hopes to become a SEAL sniper. He feels his faith and the education he has received at C of I will serve him well in his efforts.
“I've had great professors in the political economy program,” Davis said. “In particular, I think my classes in international political economy have given me an understanding of what's going on around the world in developing countries and the areas I'm going to be operating in. Having an understanding of different cultures and ways of life around the globe is good information to have.”
Founded in 1891, The College of Idaho is the state's oldest private liberal arts college. It has a century-old tradition of educating some of the most accomplished graduates in Idaho, including six Rhodes Scholars, three Marshall Scholars, and another ten Truman and Goldwater Scholars. The College is located on a beautiful campus in Caldwell, Idaho. Its distinctive PEAK curriculum challenges students to attain competencies in the four knowledge peaks of the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field, enabling them to graduate with an academic major and three minors in four years. For more information on The College of Idaho, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.