(NewsNation) — The elite Navy SEAL training program is plagued by inadequate oversight, failures in medical care and use of performance-enhancing drugs, according to an investigation sparked by the death of a sailor last year.
The nearly 200-page report compiled by the Naval Education and Training Command concluded that flaws in the medical program had the “most direct impact” on the health and well-being of recruits, “specifically” Seaman Kyle Mullen.
The 24-year-old collapsed and died of pneumonia in February 2022 after completing the Navy’s Hell Week test that pushes candidates to their limits during the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training.
His mother Regina previously told NewsNation it was “criminal” the way her son and others were treated.
She was briefed on the investigation Thursday.
“Looking at the egregious failures that went on, there needs to be serious accountability,” she said. “The next stage of accountability is where I am focused.”
The investigation also found “strong indicators” of performance-enhancing drug use by “some” SEAL candidates. It recommends establishing a testing program to catch drug users and an education program “to build of culture of integrity and moral character.”
The report suggests recruits were given conflicting messages on PEDs, which are barred.
It cites an unnamed instructor telling the class: “I’m a performance guy; do what you need to do to get through. All types of people make it through BUD/S. Steroid monkeys and skinny strong guys. Don’t use PEDs, it’s cheating, and you don’t need them. And whatever you do, don’t get caught with them in your barracks room.”
After an “awkward silence,” the instructor said, “that was a joke,” according to the report. Some candidates viewed it an implicit endorsement of PEDs while most felt the instructor was making it clear drugs were prohibited.
The report notes that special operations forces are routinely required to carry out high-risk military operations, and thus require demanding training. But it said SEAL instructors in recent years appeared to focus on weeding out candidates, rather than teaching or mentoring.
Compounding that problem, the report said, is that candidates were often reluctant to seek medical care because it would be seen as weak and could get them removed from the course or delay their completion. According to the Navy, about 888 SEAL candidates are considered every year, and the goal is to graduate 175.
A separate report released in October by Naval Special Warfare Command concluded that Mullen, from Manalapan, New Jersey, died “in the line of duty, not due to his own misconduct.” Three officers, including Navy Capt. Brian Drechsler, were reprimanded following that investigation, and Drechsler was later moved to another job.
Earlier this month, Regina Mullen told NewsNation she believes those involved in her son’s death should be court-martialed.
“It’s not enough. He just got transferred. He has his job (…) He’s alive,” Mullen said. “He’s got full benefits. It’s a slap on the wrist. It’s disgusting to me.”
NewsNation writer Caitlyn Shelton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.