Leadership: May 29, 2002

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To provide more flexibility in deploying SEAL teams, two more teams were added in March and April, 2002. But manpower was not increased. Instead, each SEAL team now has six platoons instead of eight. There are now eight SEAL teams. Before a SEAL team is deployed, it goes through an 18 month training cycle. Six months concentrate on individual training, six months training as a team and then six months working with the various specialist detachments (special water transportation vehicles, logistics, administration, communications personnel, mine clearing and so on) that, when added to a SEAL team, make a NSW (Naval Special Warfare) Squadron. The NSW is a new concept, which includes the six months of training with all the specialists, rather than just joining the specialist units when the SEAL teams reached the area they were to operate in. Each NSW squadron will be commanded by an experienced SEAL officer.