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Navy Seal Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal
The United States Navy's Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training is some of the toughest military training in the world. In this behind-the-scenes account, readers join New York Times bestselling author Stephen Templin in his journey as a trainee in Class 144.
Templin and his classmates endure Hell Week: five-and-a-half days of swimming, hallucinating, enduring frequent hypothermia, running more than two hundred miles, and doing over twenty hours per day of extreme physical training-having slept only four hours total for the week. After Hell Week, they face more challenges. These experiences, Steve's insights into some of the psychology needed to overcome seemingly impossible challenges, teamwork, and an unexpected conclusion, make this a memorable adventure.
Praise for Stephen Templin and SEAL Training Class 144
"Reveals an intimate look at the rigorous training."
-Nick Carbone, Time
"Great to relive, remember, cringe, and laugh over so many of those memories. Steve does an exceptional job of bringing key aspects of BUD/S training to life in an eloquent, realistic, humorous, and thought-provoking manner. Whether you serve a day of your life in a military uniform or not, the lessons he conveys from his time in SEAL training are valuable, life-learning insights for all."
-Mark Beder, BUD/S Class 144 Leader, SEAL Assault Team Leader/Lieutenant Commander (Veteran)
"When I read SEAL Training Class 144, I thought I was doing it again-oh, hell. It was like watching a movie-I remembered everything. I think readers will be hooked and love it. Good job, Fire Team Templin!"
-Jose Duque, BUD/S Class 144 Honor Man, La Infanteria de Marina (Retired)"
Templin and his classmates endure Hell Week: five-and-a-half days of swimming, hallucinating, enduring frequent hypothermia, running more than two hundred miles, and doing over twenty hours per day of extreme physical training-having slept only four hours total for the week. After Hell Week, they face more challenges. These experiences, Steve's insights into some of the psychology needed to overcome seemingly impossible challenges, teamwork, and an unexpected conclusion, make this a memorable adventure.
Praise for Stephen Templin and SEAL Training Class 144
"Reveals an intimate look at the rigorous training."
-Nick Carbone, Time
"Great to relive, remember, cringe, and laugh over so many of those memories. Steve does an exceptional job of bringing key aspects of BUD/S training to life in an eloquent, realistic, humorous, and thought-provoking manner. Whether you serve a day of your life in a military uniform or not, the lessons he conveys from his time in SEAL training are valuable, life-learning insights for all."
-Mark Beder, BUD/S Class 144 Leader, SEAL Assault Team Leader/Lieutenant Commander (Veteran)
"When I read SEAL Training Class 144, I thought I was doing it again-oh, hell. It was like watching a movie-I remembered everything. I think readers will be hooked and love it. Good job, Fire Team Templin!"
-Jose Duque, BUD/S Class 144 Honor Man, La Infanteria de Marina (Retired)"
224 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2015
111 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Templin
21 books507 followersGet your FREE book at www.stephentemplin.com. Steve is a NYT, USA Today and international bestselling author, with the movie rights to one of his books purchased by Vin Diesel. His books have been translated into 13 languages, and he publishes with three of the Big 5 publishers: Simon and Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachette UK. Steve's writing is "action packed...harrowing...adrenaline laced" (New York Times).
He wasn't a SEAL, but he completed Hell Week, qualified as a pistol and rifle expert, blew up stuff, and practiced small-unit tactics during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training. Later, Steve became a missionary. Then for 14 years he lectured as a tenured professor at Meio University in Japan, where he trained in the martial art aikido. His PhD is in education, and he lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Secretly, he's a dark chocolate thief. Feel free to talk with him on Twitter or Facebook.
ALSO BY STEPHEN TEMPLIN
Special Operations Group Thrillers
Trident’s First Gleaming [#1]
From Russia without Love [#2]
Autumn Assassins [#3]
Assassin’s Sons [#4]
Special Operations Group Short Story
Dead in Damascus [#0]
Nonfiction
Navy SEAL Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal
SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper
I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior (Young Adult version of SEAL Team Six)
SEAL Team Six Outcast Novels
SEAL Team Six Outcasts [#1]
Easy Day for the Dead [#2]
He wasn't a SEAL, but he completed Hell Week, qualified as a pistol and rifle expert, blew up stuff, and practiced small-unit tactics during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training. Later, Steve became a missionary. Then for 14 years he lectured as a tenured professor at Meio University in Japan, where he trained in the martial art aikido. His PhD is in education, and he lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Secretly, he's a dark chocolate thief. Feel free to talk with him on Twitter or Facebook.
ALSO BY STEPHEN TEMPLIN
Special Operations Group Thrillers
Trident’s First Gleaming [#1]
From Russia without Love [#2]
Autumn Assassins [#3]
Assassin’s Sons [#4]
Special Operations Group Short Story
Dead in Damascus [#0]
Nonfiction
Navy SEAL Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal
SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper
I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior (Young Adult version of SEAL Team Six)
SEAL Team Six Outcast Novels
SEAL Team Six Outcasts [#1]
Easy Day for the Dead [#2]
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 17, 2015
Some people dream. And some people achieve their dreams. What hidden force casts the dice in favor of the achievers, allowing them to succeed while most dreamers are still sitting on the sofa? Stephen Templin’s new non-fiction Navy SEAL Training Class 144, My BUD/S Journal answers that question and more. In the author’s note, Templin mentions the “critical value of self-efficacy.” In Chapter 30, he elaborates. Not everyone is called to be a Navy SEAL, but each of us, in the context of a lifetime, will face challenges that appear to be insurmountable. How do we overcome the Hell Weeks of our own lives to be stronger, more capable, achievers? This is where Stephen Templin shines, in providing essential tips to not only surviving, but thriving and adapting amidst adversity. As an added bonus, we get to tag along with Stephen as he is re-forged from your average Joe through Navy SEAL Training Class 144 and beyond, with all the bravado, insight and action that one comes to expect from the very best.
Webster’s defines wisdom as “knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life.” Author Stephen Templin served in the Navy, survived BUD/S, and went on to become a missionary in Japan, a PhD educator, and best-selling author. The wisdom he has to offer reminds us that we are not limited by our circumstances, our physical characteristics, or the effects of nature or man in opposition to us, but rather by our beliefs. And “the only easy day, was yesterday.”
Webster’s defines wisdom as “knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life.” Author Stephen Templin served in the Navy, survived BUD/S, and went on to become a missionary in Japan, a PhD educator, and best-selling author. The wisdom he has to offer reminds us that we are not limited by our circumstances, our physical characteristics, or the effects of nature or man in opposition to us, but rather by our beliefs. And “the only easy day, was yesterday.”
December 9, 2015
This book was absolutely amazing and delightful. From the first page to the last of this this book will entertain you in all different types of ways. It is about how a person trains for a long time through different challenges to become a seal. I was given this book by the author for a fair and honest review. This is the story of how the author survived the rigorous training of 'Hell Week' during BUD/S and went on to train to become one of the world's best fighters. I highly think anyone who is interested in SEALS/ARMY should read this book for sure.
November 17, 2015
Reality check ahead from food, obstacles, commanders, trainers, wet sand, eating bugs, tests to Congratulations Seal!
Navy Seals are so intriguing. When you hear the words, you picture *cue music* big, strong, tough men, faces painted with black grease, bodies carrying survival and assorted weapons of defense, always on a mission at anytime, anywhere, any place. Whatever the assignment, it will be completed by the extraordinary ones. Our soldiers of the night. *end music*
This book is an easy and interesting read. You may feel scared, laugh a lot and bugs and wet sand...there's a lot. Mean and nice people playing their parts to help keep the soldiers from hurting themselves. BUD/S Training.....wow!
All of us know that all of these men go through years of extreme training to earn this right. They are the best of the best, brothers for life, no matter what. We are so busy putting them on a pedestal that they deserve, lest we forget that each member is also a person, just like you and I. We do not consider each of their personal struggles and sacrifices to get that designation. We don't think about them crying or suffering from loss, from individual pain. *enter Rambo*
Stephen Templin gives us a truly personal view of what and how a soldier becomes a Navy Seal. To be frank, I never thought about the process as much as the result. There are some god awful times, sad times and times you will bust a gut. In a way, it reminds me of being in school, which I guess it is. After reading this book, I have even more respect for Navy Seals for the fight they face on a personal level, for their pain, for their bruises, for their extreme sacrifices, their worn out bodies, their nausea, their vomitting, the days they have to stay awake, the tests they take, their discipline, their frustration and their tears. What is amazing is that people who never met before and those you have, form and bond in a comraderie and support from each other to get through every day better than the one before. The strength is takes mentally, physically, emotionally and every other -ally.
I really enjoyed Stephen Templin pulling us into his story so we can see exactly what it takes and what it means to want something so bad, to be better than the rest, to want to give up yet to keep going, to struggle, to daily keep your fingers and head away from ringing the bell which says I've had enough, to be tired and hungry and grateful for a little sleep in wet sand and an astronauts pouch of food. There is also a poignant life lesson to us all. Sometimes, we don't really know what we want or are seeking in life. Expectations can make and break you. If you really want something, then son go for it balls to the wall. Never give up. Most importantly, many take their days for granted having no clue what others go through in order for you to have this safe feeling, this life. Before you pass judgment, speculate or talk about our military and special forces, you better damn well know what they do for you and each one of us. Trust me. Not every problem, battle or war is covered by CNN. You know why? Because of our protectors who believe in and love this country and all of us. Are you willing to give up your life and tear yourself apart for strangers to live a safe and happy life? Some of you have and do.
Thank you Stephen for another great book. I will keep this to remind me that at the basic level, we are all human. Never forget that. To become a Navy Seal is an honor and a very, in-depth process. Only the skilled few are ever meant to get through. And a few only get through.
If you are not heart and soul serious about serving your country, please stay home. If you know you can do this heart, body and soul, Stephen guides you through from beginning to end. Good luck to every foot touching that sacred and revered training ground. Stay strong because you are in for one hell of a ride. To be the best of the best, you have to earn it. By the time you get from the front to the end of this book, you will know for sure if this is your calling. If I were younger and in tip top shape, I would have run out and signed up for sure. This book pumped me up, but then, wore me out!
Personally, from this readers heart, I thank you everyday for the things we never hear about because you do what needs to be done, period. I love my country and the men and women who protect it everyday with their lives. My son and his best friend signed up and will leave next year. Thank you, Stephen for explaining the process in real life terms. To them and all our military, be safe and Thank you!
And as Stephen would say, HOOYAH!
Navy Seals are so intriguing. When you hear the words, you picture *cue music* big, strong, tough men, faces painted with black grease, bodies carrying survival and assorted weapons of defense, always on a mission at anytime, anywhere, any place. Whatever the assignment, it will be completed by the extraordinary ones. Our soldiers of the night. *end music*
This book is an easy and interesting read. You may feel scared, laugh a lot and bugs and wet sand...there's a lot. Mean and nice people playing their parts to help keep the soldiers from hurting themselves. BUD/S Training.....wow!
All of us know that all of these men go through years of extreme training to earn this right. They are the best of the best, brothers for life, no matter what. We are so busy putting them on a pedestal that they deserve, lest we forget that each member is also a person, just like you and I. We do not consider each of their personal struggles and sacrifices to get that designation. We don't think about them crying or suffering from loss, from individual pain. *enter Rambo*
Stephen Templin gives us a truly personal view of what and how a soldier becomes a Navy Seal. To be frank, I never thought about the process as much as the result. There are some god awful times, sad times and times you will bust a gut. In a way, it reminds me of being in school, which I guess it is. After reading this book, I have even more respect for Navy Seals for the fight they face on a personal level, for their pain, for their bruises, for their extreme sacrifices, their worn out bodies, their nausea, their vomitting, the days they have to stay awake, the tests they take, their discipline, their frustration and their tears. What is amazing is that people who never met before and those you have, form and bond in a comraderie and support from each other to get through every day better than the one before. The strength is takes mentally, physically, emotionally and every other -ally.
I really enjoyed Stephen Templin pulling us into his story so we can see exactly what it takes and what it means to want something so bad, to be better than the rest, to want to give up yet to keep going, to struggle, to daily keep your fingers and head away from ringing the bell which says I've had enough, to be tired and hungry and grateful for a little sleep in wet sand and an astronauts pouch of food. There is also a poignant life lesson to us all. Sometimes, we don't really know what we want or are seeking in life. Expectations can make and break you. If you really want something, then son go for it balls to the wall. Never give up. Most importantly, many take their days for granted having no clue what others go through in order for you to have this safe feeling, this life. Before you pass judgment, speculate or talk about our military and special forces, you better damn well know what they do for you and each one of us. Trust me. Not every problem, battle or war is covered by CNN. You know why? Because of our protectors who believe in and love this country and all of us. Are you willing to give up your life and tear yourself apart for strangers to live a safe and happy life? Some of you have and do.
Thank you Stephen for another great book. I will keep this to remind me that at the basic level, we are all human. Never forget that. To become a Navy Seal is an honor and a very, in-depth process. Only the skilled few are ever meant to get through. And a few only get through.
If you are not heart and soul serious about serving your country, please stay home. If you know you can do this heart, body and soul, Stephen guides you through from beginning to end. Good luck to every foot touching that sacred and revered training ground. Stay strong because you are in for one hell of a ride. To be the best of the best, you have to earn it. By the time you get from the front to the end of this book, you will know for sure if this is your calling. If I were younger and in tip top shape, I would have run out and signed up for sure. This book pumped me up, but then, wore me out!
Personally, from this readers heart, I thank you everyday for the things we never hear about because you do what needs to be done, period. I love my country and the men and women who protect it everyday with their lives. My son and his best friend signed up and will leave next year. Thank you, Stephen for explaining the process in real life terms. To them and all our military, be safe and Thank you!
And as Stephen would say, HOOYAH!
November 17, 2015
I'm a military mom and SEAL training has always been fascinating to me as it is glorified in the movies and the press. I wasn't sure what to expect from a glimpse into a training class but with Stephen's writing skills he immerses the reader from start to finish with quick witted chapters on snippets of what his class endured to make it through hell week. From stealing the bell so no one can quit, eating sandy food and sleeping on the beach after training sessions, marksmanship skills, drownproofing, dealing with setbacks and how the weakest members improved through sheer will and mental toughness...each chapter is skillfully titled to showcase the SEAL training and instructors.
Two of my favorite chapters were 12 and 30 respectively as they dealt with being the underdog "circus" trainees who had to work harder to scrape by as they were continually last but never gave up and reminding the reader that humans aren't puppets. Stephen points out people can be born into poverty but we can choose to push past it and use our IQ and set goals for ourselves to achieve and believe in your success through positive thinking and not letting failure define you. This book is a must have to understand how SEALS go through hell week to achieve their elite status and you won't put it down until you're finished and you will be recommending it to friends. Stephen brings you into their world and you will think of it the next time you see a Hollywood movie glossing over just how hard it is to become a Navy SEAL.
Two of my favorite chapters were 12 and 30 respectively as they dealt with being the underdog "circus" trainees who had to work harder to scrape by as they were continually last but never gave up and reminding the reader that humans aren't puppets. Stephen points out people can be born into poverty but we can choose to push past it and use our IQ and set goals for ourselves to achieve and believe in your success through positive thinking and not letting failure define you. This book is a must have to understand how SEALS go through hell week to achieve their elite status and you won't put it down until you're finished and you will be recommending it to friends. Stephen brings you into their world and you will think of it the next time you see a Hollywood movie glossing over just how hard it is to become a Navy SEAL.
November 17, 2015
I was given this book by the author for a fair and honest review. This is the story of how the author survived the rigorous training of 'Hell Week' during BUD/S and went on to train to become one of the world's premiere War Fighters. He talks in the book about how teamwork and trust in your fellow man is the essence of making it through the intense training to become a Navy SEAL. The book describes the good times and the bad. He describes the times when he's almost ready to give up and "Ring The Bell" but gives himself that one final push that makes it through that part of the training. I really enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it to anyone who would like to read about just what it takes to become a SEAL.
November 16, 2015
Before you open the pages of this book be prepared to spend some very tense and gripping moments that we as civilians only wonder about! As I started this book I have to admit I was a bit skeptical as to just how interested I would be in a book like this! I have a grandson in the Navy so it held a little interest. I started reading and could not put it down! It is full of stress and hurt and challenges that an everyday person could handle. If you have any interest at all or the tiniest little wonder, hurry and buy this book and you will fall quickly into the world of the Class 144. Good Luck I hope you make it through to graduation!!!
I received this ARC for a HONEST review
I received this ARC for a HONEST review
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November 16, 2015Stephen Templin
I confess to not having read a lot of books about SEALs, despite my love of the thriller genre. But Stephen Templin's new account of his experiences, and those of his teammates, in Basic Underwater Demolition/Seals, Class 144, convinces me that those who successfully graduate training are some exceptional individuals, and that we, the civilian populace, ought to be very grateful. Reading this memoir is the nonfiction equivalent of a rollercoaster thriller: you can't stop turning the pages and you can't set it aside. My thanks to the author for presenting this to the reading audience.
I confess to not having read a lot of books about SEALs, despite my love of the thriller genre. But Stephen Templin's new account of his experiences, and those of his teammates, in Basic Underwater Demolition/Seals, Class 144, convinces me that those who successfully graduate training are some exceptional individuals, and that we, the civilian populace, ought to be very grateful. Reading this memoir is the nonfiction equivalent of a rollercoaster thriller: you can't stop turning the pages and you can't set it aside. My thanks to the author for presenting this to the reading audience.
November 18, 2015
This is the best non-fiction work of Stephen Templin. He was thinking about the training as a possibility and he achieved his goals for sophisticated skills before he finished his Navy contract. I was captivated by the simplicity of the journal, and just wanted to keep reading through to the end. Its a good introduction to his works.
December 29, 2017
An interesting, fast read. Lots of very short chapters, good for short attention spans and low brain power. Templin writes in a very casual style with great flow and pacing.
The only thing that bugs me is that the author gets all the way through SEAL training, excels, then randomly decides, “nah, not for me.” Templin did such a good job at explaining his mindset during the rest of the book that this left field turn just boggles. His brief explanation following was an incredibly unsatisfying ending to an otherwise very satisfying book.
The only thing that bugs me is that the author gets all the way through SEAL training, excels, then randomly decides, “nah, not for me.” Templin did such a good job at explaining his mindset during the rest of the book that this left field turn just boggles. His brief explanation following was an incredibly unsatisfying ending to an otherwise very satisfying book.
June 1, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened next in Stephen's SEAL training. It's a book I would re-read any time I want to get a feel for what SEAL training must be like; to remember those who are fighting for our freedoms and to remember those who've worked so hard for all of us that we should remember those from the past, present and future.
January 9, 2018
This book was... OK. It hung together more like a collection of short stories than anything else, but I was hoping for something more.
The ending of the book was a bit of a surprise and a bit of a letdown. I might have scored it higher except for that.
The ending of the book was a bit of a surprise and a bit of a letdown. I might have scored it higher except for that.
July 12, 2018
Hard To Put Down
As a woman I normally do not read military oriented books.
This one really kept my interest though, learning the tough training men really go through to become a SEAL!
As a woman I normally do not read military oriented books.
This one really kept my interest though, learning the tough training men really go through to become a SEAL!
November 11, 2017
One of the best books I have read, describing the grueling training one must successfully complete to become a Navy Seal.
November 17, 2017
Very interesting, but the abrupt ending left me more than a little perplexed. Still, a nice account of what is (was) a BUD/S class.
March 23, 2018
A good accounting of Navy Seal training, but the author's actions in the ending seemed inexplicable.
August 30, 2018
This is the actual journal of a DEAL while in BUDS Class. The material is not technical, but is a well written record of what one man endured to become a SEAL. This is an excellent read for the genrr.....DEHS
April 8, 2022
Good book
I don't think I would not been a seal. Seals have my ultimate respect for what they do for our country
I don't think I would not been a seal. Seals have my ultimate respect for what they do for our country
June 10, 2022
I couldn’t put it down. The Teams was always something I considered when choosing a vocation. A vocation, because to be selected, to participate, to complete takes a great deal of desire, preparation and personal fortitude. I have toured the BUDs training facility in Coronado and witnessed some of the training. It is nothing less than impressive. Every loyal American should bare witness to the sacrifice and dedication these young MEN devote to this country. To have graduated from there is like being ordained a priest or knighted. I need to read more and learn the reason the author CHOSE to leave. Who was that voice that told him to do so? I must know .
January 17, 2016
Be prepared to be drawn into a world where few dare to tread! A journey of perseverance and tenacity. One where mental stamina trumps physical agility. Stephen Templin's Navy SEAL Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal takes us straight into Hell Week at BUD/S training with a twist of humor then a bang! Page after page of gritty endurance will have you rooting for Stephen and his comrades, cheering them on as they overcome seemingly impossible feats, holding your breath as they submerge into the water with hands and feet bound, welling up with pride for their victories and accomplishments then feeling your heart sink with each ring of the bell. Feel yourself connecting on every level. Navy SEAL Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal is a roller coaster of charged emotion, so strap yourselves in for the ride of your life! A definite MUST read!
Navy SEAL Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal is also a tremendous resource for anyone wanting to be a part of this Elite Team. Stephen Templin has compiled pertinent information to guide you to sites that will help you prepare for your journey to becoming a SEAL. Many questions you may have about BUD/S Training are answered in detail.
Navy SEAL Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal is also a tremendous resource for anyone wanting to be a part of this Elite Team. Stephen Templin has compiled pertinent information to guide you to sites that will help you prepare for your journey to becoming a SEAL. Many questions you may have about BUD/S Training are answered in detail.
November 21, 2015
A good read.
My favorite thing about reading good books like this is the opportunity to spend time with men like Stephen Templin . When a biography is well written that is what it feels like. Mr Templin is worth spending time with.
My favorite thing about reading good books like this is the opportunity to spend time with men like Stephen Templin . When a biography is well written that is what it feels like. Mr Templin is worth spending time with.
March 28, 2017
Will be reading more of Templin's books
Great read. I never knew what Navy Seals did in training. Sure, I've seen some movies but that doesn't seem real. Hearing it from someone whose been there and endured the pain and felt the pride was eye opening. And, knowing that the instructors are really looking after you even when pushing hard is heart warming. As a woman, I've had no desire to be in the military but I find the stories fascinating.
Great read. I never knew what Navy Seals did in training. Sure, I've seen some movies but that doesn't seem real. Hearing it from someone whose been there and endured the pain and felt the pride was eye opening. And, knowing that the instructors are really looking after you even when pushing hard is heart warming. As a woman, I've had no desire to be in the military but I find the stories fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews