What's the diffrence between a Navy Seal, and a US Marine?

Question

I know like a little about this stuff, but I want to know more. I hear ones conventional and one isn't. From what I know, Marines are killers, and they are good at destroying big things. In other words lots of enemy soldiers or buildings. I hear SEAL missions are often politically sensitive ones, where killing and destroying everything probably wouldn't be a good idea. In a perfect SEAL mission, the enemy would never know they were there. A good example that someone told me is that the Marines are an axe, and the SEALs are the tip of a knife. They are more precise, quiet, and operate in 14 man platoons where a marine platoon would be 30+. (marines usually operate in a company [100+] man force. But there are just a few who can really become a navy seal?..I mean not everybody can be a Navy Seal I guess?

Answer 1

The difference is that one of Special Forces of the Navy and the other is not special forces. If you want to make a better comparison that makes sense how about comparing Marine Corps Force recon to the SEALS since they are both Special Forces.

And whoever gave you the example of the Marines being a Axe and the SEALS a tip of a knife is making a very ignorant statement that makes no sense.

We are not killers we are trained to kill in defense of ourselves.

Get it right, and do some research.

Answer 2

The SEALS are attached the the Navy while the Marines are a separate branch of the military. They have slightly different training. The marines are trained in amphibious assault whereas the SEAL training focuses a fair bit on stealth and the like.

Answer 3

SEALS are a special operations detachment of the United States Navy.  The Marines are a entire branch of the military, with emphasis on blowing **** up and strong-fronting major military operations.  

Answer 4

Ok wow, you're asking like...who was Jesus?  I mean...not EVERYONE is going to agree on an answer here, mainly, as stated above, due to the fact that the US military has been messing around with socom to include the marines (MARSOC), which is basically taking marine recon and putting a cute little SOCOM sticker on it.

Anyways, I think the best way to answer your question is this: FLEXIBILITY.  The difference is that the Navy Seals are designed for one purpose: unconventional warfare by sea.  Thats not to say that they can't also work on land, or participate in conventional war, etc.  However, the SEAL's were originally designed to counter the Army's Green Berets during the Kennedy Administration.

With that said, the Marines--through their history--have developed two main purposes:to be the first to fight, and to be really f-ing good at amphibious landings (Case study: WWII Pacific Theater).  

Now to do both of these things requires the Marines to be a certain size, yes, but to also have a number of different sizes to be ready for a s-load of different situations.  For example the USMC has MEU's (Marine Expeditionary Units) which are like special operations formations, as well as force recon, and the general magtaf(fleet).

Ok so what do you really have to conceptualize here? Basically the main difference between a marine and a seal is like comparing army with the marines.  The Seals are more cut-off from the main effort of friendly forces, just like the situation of most marines compared to the army.  The army works completely different, relying on a huge amount of technological and logistical support.  Same with air force.  But a marine must be able to do alot more--with less.  A seal must mainly be able to swim if his life depended on it...literally.  A marine, not so much, just because he's much less likely to be put in that situation.  

Also as far as physical requirements, I'd have to say the same thing as most others have already said, which is those are only initial requirements for entering the seal program.  For example an enlisted  marine is only required to do a minimum of like 3 pull ups (officers are required to do a minimum of 10).  But if you do the minimum in all three events (3mi run, crunches 2-min timed, pull ups from a dead hang), then you would still fail, since these are all averaged together for a score.  Comparatively, these requirements fall probably just slightly under the officer's requirements in the usmc.

Then again...I'm slightly biased, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

Semper Fidelis

Answer 5

As a whole they have different objectives. One is small group within a military branch the other is an entirely seperate branch. Marines can be in aviation, artillery, tanks or infantry. Marines also now have their own Special Forces.

Answer 6

There's a big difference. First, you are comparing Navy special forces to every day Marines. Marine recruit training is, undoubtably, the toughest training of any boot camp.

But what you should compare Navy Seals to is Marine Recon. Every sailor is not a SEAL, every Marine is not Recon. Most people who apply to SEAL or Recon training are turned down. Some reapply 2 or 3 times before they make it.

BTW, most of the physical test you cited is required of all Marines. They don't include the swim test in the PFT (Physical Fitness Test.) I don't remember the standards we had to meet but, I ran 3 miles in 16 minutes and 45 seconds. I believe I met all the other standards you posted. This was for an Air Wing Marine. I wasn't even an infantry Marine. But, the Air Wing met the same standards after sitting at a work bench day after day. We were required to. We had a thirty mile force march once, just to prove we could do it.

Recon Marines get paratrooper training with the Army at Ft. Benning. They also recieve some SEAL training. But, the missions of Recon and SEAL's are different.

In the past few years, a multi-force special ops unit was formed. The Marines refused to participate because they don't have special forces. Recon is exactly what it says, they go behind the lines and provide reconnaisance. The Marines, finally, agreed to allow Recon Marines to participate after some arm twisting.

Personally, I think Navy SEAL training is the toughest training we have, and I was/am a Marine. But you should look at Recon Marines as far as capability and ability.

Answer 7

the woman Marine on the bottom...what a foolish thing to say, maybe thats what they teach you in female recruit training but they taught us how to kill out of anger, to harness your aggression and unleash it on the enemy.DI's often ask "why did you join my Marine Corps?!", the correct answer being "Sir, to kill, Sir!" to which they reply, "What makes the grass grow?!", to which you reply "Sir, BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD, Sir!".Marines are well versed in killing, I dont see how you could say otherwise.

Answer 8

The info you gave for the PFT is just the entrance test for the seals, you need to look up their everyday work out, one part is a 4 mile run every day in 32 minutes or less, the seals are Sea Air and land, they are the best of the best in the Navy, precise, quiet, undetected, they do what the need to do quietly and they get out without anyone knowing, the marines go in guns blazing and use force over stealth, both are equally effective just one does it and no one hears about it and the other does it and its on the news 30 minutes later..

Answer 9

SEALs are special forces, Marine Corps is not.  SEALs go through a lot more intense training than your average grunt.  Both are badass, just one slightly more than the other.

Answer 10

SEALs training is a lot more intense and they do different kinds of missions

Answer 11

or you can become a Marine and then join Recon. Which is the Marines equivalant to the Seals. Just not as well known. Then once in Recon try and join Force Recon which is a notch above the seals

Answer 12

OMG, are you serious?

You find out all of these info about them but you can't find the simplest of them all?

The SEAL are a Special Operation Force while the Marine Corps is a branch of the US Armed Forces.

The Marines have tanks, helicopters, jet fighters, attackers, etc,  they are basically their own army, expect for Navy Corpsmen, ships and heavy bombers.

The SEAL only do like demolition, reconnaissance, assassination, and ambush stuff. But they can't take on a tank division or if they get jump by 200 terrorist since they operate in small teams.

You're like comparing Samurais to Ninjas

If you want to compare the SEAL with something, try Force RECON and MARSOC