Navy Memorial Launches SEAL Exhibit

Naval Special Warfare Public Affairs

Washington, D.C. - The Navy Memorial in Washington officially opened its newest exhibit April 14, dedicated to the U.S. Navy SEALs (Sea Air Land). Entitled "Sea, Air, Land: The Navy's Special Operations Sailors," it will run for a full year.

A special, invitation only pre-opening event was held April 12 at the Navy Memorial and was attended by Secretary of the Navy, Dr. Donald C. Winter, ViceAdm. Albert M. Calland III, Deputy Director for Strategic Operational Planning, National Counterterorism Center, and Rear Adm. Joseph Kernan, Deputy Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command.

On hand were static displays, SEAL specific video games, and multimedia presentations all highlighting both the SEAL and SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman) facets of Naval Special Warfare.

Navy SEALs are maritime Special Operations Forces, uniquely capable of striking fiom and returning to the sea.Prospective SEALs go through what is considered by many military experts to be the toughest training in the world to include diving, parachuting and demolition. A tactical force with strategic impact, their mission areas include unconventional warfare, direct action, combating terrorism, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, information warfare, security assistance, counter-drug operations, personnel recovery and hydrographic reconnaissance.

Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) are the experts in the maritime insertion and extraction of Special Operations Forces. They are highly trained in numerous types of navigation, radio communications, engineering, weapons, parachuting, first aid and tactics.

2007 marks the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of Special Operations Forces (SOF) and a series of events are planned by the Navy Memorial who has designated 2007 "The Year of the Navy SEAL".