Shawn Ryan on BUD/S: Alcohol, Hallucinations, and Getting Rolled

About this video

Shawn Ryan recounts his Navy SEAL training and early career, including being performance-rolled from BUD/S class 240 to 241 after failing the first phase exam due to partying instead of studying. He describes hallucinations during Hell Week, including jumping out of his boat believing a tidal wave was coming and mistaking dolphins for sharks. Ryan discusses his frustration with his early SEAL Team deployments to Europe instead of combat zones, ultimately staying in Afghanistan and transferring to Iraq to see action, which reignited his commitment to the teams.

Key takeaways

• Ryan was rolled from BUD/S class 240 to 241 after failing the first phase exam, which he attributes to going out partying with friends instead of studying after completing Hell Week
• Ryan experienced vivid hallucinations during Hell Week, including jumping out of his boat thinking a tidal wave was approaching and attempting to hit dolphins he mistook for sharks with his paddle
• Ryan nearly left the Navy after his first deployment to European Command (Germany) instead of combat, but extended his Afghanistan deployment and transferred to Iraq where he finally saw combat operations, which changed his perspective on staying in the teams

Episode details: published June 17, 2026 · 30K views · 27:20 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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