This guide provides helpful information to those who are considering to join the U.S. Navy as a Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB) during Fiscal Year 2025.
The U.S. relies on a specialized force few people even know exists—Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC). That’s intentional. Their missions are too critical for publicity.
These are the special boat operators who get SEAL personnel in and out of classified locations fast, no questions asked. Highly trained. Relentless. Precise.
Their motto: “On Time, On Target, Never Quit.” And they don’t.
ENLISTMENT BONUS: Future Navy SBs are currently eligible to receive up to $30K in cash bonus just for signing up.
Job Description
Special Warfare Boat Operators (SB) handle some of the most demanding missions in Naval Special Warfare Operations. They maneuver high-speed boats through shallow rivers, open oceans, and coastal zones—getting Special Operations Forces (SOF) in and out fast.
Their skill set runs deep: operating and fixing combatant craft, handling advanced weapons systems, running tactical comms, and even parachute jump SWCCs to deploy their craft.
SWCC operators master boat tactics, tactical ground mobility, trauma care, intel gathering, and direct personnel extraction from hostile waters. They’re trained in combat lifesaving, low-profile collection operations, and maritime interception operations. High-risk missions in dangerous waters are their specialty.
What They Do
- Insert and extract SEAL teams and other special operations forces from Naval Special Warfare Units
- Gather intelligence operations on enemy positions and boats from aircraft using aerial deployment training
- Conduct combatant craft operations, interdiction operations, and counter-drug operations
- Work with law enforcement agencies and military on special reconnaissance
- Operate and maintain advanced navigation systems, tactical comms, and high-speed craft
- Perform combat rubber raiding craft insertions into enemy-held areas
- Conduct reconnaissance operations in coastal patrol environments
- Support Naval Special Warfare Development Group and NSW-Task Force
SWCC has roots in WWII’s PT boat crews and Vietnam’s River Patrol Force, evolving into today’s elite Special Boat Team operators.
Nature of Work
SWCC operators take on covert insertion capabilities in riverine warfare. These warriors operate in distant shores, handling combat craft in river patrol boats, boat projects, and combat power operations.
Deployed worldwide, they operate in Armed Forces of the U.S. in any environment—cold, desert, jungle, tropical—day or night, no matter the conditions. They master air assault, night operations, and diving operations for covert insertion capabilities.
Their primary job: Inserting and extracting Navy SEALs from classified locations with precision and speed. They use CH-47 helicopters, MH-47 Chinook helicopters, and SEAL Delivery Vehicles for direct personnel recovery.
Also Read: The Navy Warrior Challenge: Complete Guide
Specific Roles
Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (Basic)
- Master unit tactics, boat crews, and combatant craft operations
- Maintain 11-meter RIB, Mark V Special Operations Craft, and other primary support craft
- Train in medical evacuation training scenario, combat lifesaving, and tactical driving
Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (Senior)
- Serve as Boat Captain, leading Boat Troop teams on coastal river squadron missions
- Oversee boat team leaders, ensuring safe navigation and boat ready status
- Command boats on counterinsurgency operations, convoy operations, and clandestine insertion missions
Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (Master)
- Command Special Boat Team 20 and other Special Boat Units
- Lead SWCC Master level operations, overseeing combatant craft operations and counter-drug operations
- Plan house training, combat lifesaving, and Naval Special Warfare Unit insertion missions
Rank Structure
| Pay Grade | Rate | Abbreviation | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Seaman Recruit | SR | Seaman Recruit |
| E-2 | Seaman Apprentice | SA | Seaman Apprentice |
| E-3 | Seaman | SN | Seaman |
| E-4 | Petty Officer Third Class | SB3 | Special Warfare Boat Operator Third Class |
| E-5 | Petty Officer Second Class | SB2 | Special Warfare Boat Operator Second Class |
| E-6 | Petty Officer First Class | SB1 | Special Warfare Boat Operator First Class |
| E-7 | Chief Petty Officer | SBC | Special Warfare Boat Operator Chief |
| E-8 | Senior Chief Petty Officer | SBCS | Special Warfare Boat Operator Senior Chief |
| E-9 | Master Chief Petty Officer | SBCM | Special Warfare Boat Operator Master Chief |
Salary and Benefits
Salary for the First 6 Years
Monthly pay for Navy enlisted Sailors (E-1 to E-6) in the first six years is laid out in the January 2025 Active Duty Pay chart:
| Pay Grade | Less than 2 Years | Over 2 Years | Over 3 Years | Over 4 Years | Over 6 Years |
| E-1 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 |
| E-2 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 |
| E-3 | $2,484.60 | $2,640.60 | $2,800.80 | $2,800.80 | $2,800.80 |
| E-4 | $2,752.20 | $2,892.90 | $3,049.80 | $3,204.30 | $3,341.40 |
| E-5 | $3,001.50 | $3,203.70 | $3,358.80 | $3,517.20 | $3,763.80 |
| E-6 | $3,276.60 | $3,606.00 | $3,765.00 | $3,919.80 | $4,080.60 |
Extra Pays and Allowances
- Housing Allowance (BAH): For members living off-base. Covers rent, based on rank, location, and if they have dependents.
- Subsistence Allowance (BAS): Enlisted get $465.77 monthly for food.
- Hazard Duty Pay: For dangerous jobs. Pays $150-$250 per month, depending on the job.
- Sea Pay: For those assigned to ships or deployed units. Depends on rank and time at sea, from $50 to $750 a month.
- Special and Incentive Pays: Bonuses for certain roles, like air traffic control or unique skills. These can be a few hundred to thousands per year.
- Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP): Earns an extra $225/month for the demanding nature of SWCC assignments.
- Parachute Pay: Qualified SWCCs trained in static line and military free-fall jumps receive $150–$225/month, depending on certification.
- Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB): To retain experienced SWCCs, the Navy offers up to $45,000 based on rate, time in service, and reenlistment commitment.
- Language Proficiency Pay: Operators fluent in mission-critical foreign languages receive additional pay, with amounts based on language and proficiency level.
Source: Figures are from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.
Benefits
- Enlistment Bonus: $30,000 just for signing up.
- Healthcare: Active-duty personnel are eligible for free complete medical and dental treatment. Tricare programs are inexpensive for families to use.
- Housing Accomodation: Depending on location, rank, and family size, free on-base accommodation or a tax-free housing allowance (BAH) for off-base living are available.
- Food: Monthly Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) for food costs is known as the “food allowance.”
- Blended Retirement System (BRS): Conventional pensions are no longer available to active-duty personnel. Rather:
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): Up to 5% in government matching and automatic contributions.
- Retirement Pay: After 20 years of service, you’re eligible for monthly payments according on the BRS formula, which combines TSP savings with a calculated pension.
- Education:
- Availability of tuition assistance programs that pay for all or part of college tuition.
- Support for higher education under the post-9/11 GI Bill.
- Navy College Program to support education while on service.
- Life Insurance: Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) provides coverage up to $500,000.
- Vacation: ten or more federal holidays plus thirty days of paid vacation each year.
- Extra Benefits:
- Exchanges and commissaries provide tax-free purchasing.
- Discounted travel via military resorts, access to fitness centers, and leisure amenities.
Career and Training Opportunities
SWCC Training Pipeline
SWCC candidates face some of the toughest physical training in the world at Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB Coronado).
Training Phases:
- Naval Special Warfare Orientation (7 weeks) – Physical and psychological physical conditioning
- Alpha Phase (Selection) (7 weeks) – Tests endurance, cold water survival, and fast-rope capability
- Bravo Phase (Training) (7 weeks) – Focuses on boat ready tactics, boat teams, and maritime navigation
- Charlie Phase (Qualification) (17 weeks) – Covers 21-week crewman qualification training, SERE Level C Candidates, and combatant craft operations
Graduates are assigned to Special Boat Team units in Little Creek, VA, Stennis, MS, or Coronado, CA. Operators spend 80% of their career deployed and 20% in training or staff roles.
Advancement & Specialization
Promotion is competitive and based on performance. SWCCs can specialize in Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School, operations combat medic training, and airborne operations.
They can advance through elite mission planning cycle roles, reaching chief senior-chief level for mission readiness schools and special reconnaissance planning.
Qualifications to Become a Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB)
- U.S. citizen eligible for security clearance
- Meet eyesight standards: 20/40 (best eye), 20/70 (worst eye), correctable to 20/25
- ASVAB scores:
- AR+VE = 105 and MC = 51; or
- AR + 2MK + GS = 210 and MC = 51
- Aptitude for mechanics, teamwork, and maritime operations
Physical & Mental Demands
- Exceptional swimming ability for shallow water and riverine patrol
- Mental fortitude to endure combat craft and counterinsurgency operations
- Physical impacts from constant exposure to high-speed river patrol boats
- Risk of brain injuries from clandestine insertion and combat operations
Minimum Physical Screening Test (PST) Standards
| Exercise | Time | Min. Requirement | Competitive Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500-yard swim | Unlimited | 13:00 | 10:00 |
| Push-ups (2 min) | 2 min rest | 50 | 70 |
| Curl-ups (2 min) | 2 min rest | 50 | 70 |
| Pull-ups (2 min) | 2 min rest | 6 | 10 |
| 1.5-mile run | Unlimited | 12:00 | 10:00 |
For additional information, visit official websites like the U.S. Department of Defense or contact NSW.candidate@socom.mil.
More Information
If you wish to learn more about becoming a Navy Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB), contact your local Navy Enlisted Recruiter. They will provide you with more detailed information you’re unlikely to find online.
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