Navy SEAL Graduates Earn Trident Pins at Ceremony with Social Distancing

A new class of Navy SEALs earned their Trident pins this week at a ceremony in San Diego where attendees observed social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to Naval Special Warfare (NSW).

Graduates of the SEAL Qualification and Training received their storied Trident pins at a ceremony at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California on April 15.

The ceremony was limited to students and staff and followed Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to the extent applicable, according to NSW. Photos showed at least 30 new graduates wearing masks and standing about six feet apart.

NSW Basic Training Command Commanding Officer Cmdr. Keith Marinics told the graduates to never forget the importance of always acting with humility, professionalism, and integrity, according to NSW.

Marinics did have to come closer than six feet to each new graduate to place the Trident pin on their uniforms, however.

At least four sailors from NSW Command has tested positive for the virus, but all were assigned to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor at the time.

The Pentagon has tried to balance combat readiness with the containment of the spread of the coronavirus, particularly after an outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt that has sidelined an entire carrier in Guam.

The military services have had to adjust recruiting and training, and some are hosting graduation ceremonies virtually in order to graduate recruits on time and get them into the service.

Recruiters have moved to online platforms and expect a decrease in recruiting amid shutdowns, but they hope to make it up over the busy summer recruiting season.

So far, the Navy has had 1,017 sailors test positive for coronavirus, most of them — 660 — from the USS Theodore Roosevelt. There has been one death so far, also from the Roosevelt.

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