SWCC stands for Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen. We’re the primary insert/extract platform for the SEAL platoons and other special forces. They call SWCCs the quiet professionals.
We used to refer to it as the best kept secret in the Navy. I think that’s what intrigues a lot of us to stay in it, because it kind of is a secret society. Nobody really knows who we are or what we do. We are modern day warriors. We’re fighting for our country and for our beliefs, and we hold our brothers and our nation’s lives in our hands.
There’s nobody else out there with us, so when we fight it’s basically to keep the person next to us alive. You know that’s the guy you’re counting on if something goes wrong. He’s going to be the one taking that shot and saving your life, and as well he’s going to be the one saving your life.
We do rely heavily on each other, and it’s a different attitude when you get on the river.
I would take a bullet for any of my brothers any day, anytime, anywhere. Never think twice about it.
If we’re in a hot zone, if it’s in a high danger area, we’re not gonna go in there unless the get contacted on the beach and they’re taking affective fire. It can get hairy sometimes. But like I said, it’s all part of the challenge. You’ve got to be ready for it because everything up here is up close and personal.
When we’re going through an area of interest, the boats need to be as quiet as possible because we’re on a river. There’s only two ways we can go; we can go forward or we can go backwards. We are in the worst possible position to get ambushed.
If I had to describe SWCCs in one word, it would probably be explosive…I’d go with dynamic…Firepower…Persevering…Brotherhood…I would have to say excellence. You have to give it all you’ve got and failure is not an option…To define SWCC in one word, I think is impossible.
One word to describe the SWCCs, I would have to say dedication. I think dedication is what leads it all. Being dedicated to your family and friends, being dedicated to the country, being dedicated to a war on terrorism. That dedication will drive you to do the best you can in everything you do.