A mixed bag. On the one hand it would be gratifying to know that I had the ability to make a difference. I'd be proud that I was one of the truly elite of my profession. It would be a lot of hard work, a fair amount of physical pain, a lot of fun at times, and not nearly as 'glamourous' as most people think. Mud is mud, not chocolate. I'd enjoy the challenge and getting to play with all the fun toys. I think what I would find most enticing about it would be the incredibly tight bonding that is within the TEAMs. Most of us never have the opportunity to even get close to being part of something like that. I'd enjoy the adrenalin rush and the feeling of being so 'alive' and 'in the game'.
On the other hand, I think it would frustrate the living shit out of me. For several reasons. One is dealing with politicans and 'scrambled egg' brass asses. You have the capability and are highly motivated to do a job. But you can't do that job because you have to await orders from people who you know can't find their butts with both hands and a road map. And at the other end of the specrtum, I've heard tales of having to justify supply requests for everything from tan dive shorts to fishing reels (for stringing wire under water) to some snippy little paperpushing beancounter. Give you the job, give you the tools and then get the hell out of your way. Anything else is a waste of the SEALs.
The other frustration would be what we were discussing earlier about having to take promotion and eventually flying a desk. I've never understood that mentality. I understand RIF, if someone CAN'T make promotion after three tries, then you might want to look at maybe that's not where they need to be. But when you have someone who's happy and effective where they are, leave them the hell alone.
"What do think it would be like to be married to a SEAL?"
It would be a challenge, and would definitely take a woman like you seem to have married. One who is so independent that she's a partner not a burden. But Gods it would take a toll on the nerves and heart. It would be the same thing as a cop or fireman's wife, in that your mate's job places him in great danger. The counter to that is that you know he's the best there is at what he does and he's not alone out there. .... then you get a CF like what happened late June/early July in Afg and it all comes home to you that all the training, teammates and equipment in the world sometimes just isn't enough and the good guys die. I'd be proud of him, and I'd hang with him to the end, but I'm pretty sure I'd spend a lot of time crying into a pillow when nobody was looking.