The following is a true story but some names have been changed to protect the ego and reputation of one Navy SEAL in particular.  I’ll just call him “Don” (From SEAL TEAM FIVE).

The high-pitched screaming woke me up from a dead man’s sleep.  “There’s a fucking bug in my ear!” the Don yelled. “AAAAAHHHHH!”  “GET THIS FUCKING THING OUT OF MY EAR!!!”

I was still pretty damn tired from my 20 mile ruck hump the day earlier, and I ignored the screaming (among muffled comments like “shut up Don” from other teammates spread out in our tactical LUP (Lay Up Point).

I quickly fell back  asleep thinking, “The SEAL doc will take care of him…”.  Of course this was after I pulled my wool cap down over my own ears, I sure as hell didn’t want the same fate as Don.  Whatever the hell was going on he was obviously terrified and in pain and I slept soundly through the continued screaming—thank goodness for the SEAL HM (Doc) I thought.

Navy SEAL RECON Patrol- Alaska

To my discomfort I was awakened again about five minutes later, this time to an angry exchange.

SEAL Doc-“Don, shut up dude there’s nothing in your ear. Quit being a pussy”.

Don-“Screw you, AHHHHH! I’m going to kill you if you don’t get it out! There is a damn bug in my ear!

A few hours later we were sipping coffee and wondering how Don was making out now that they shipped him off to the local med clinic.  There was lots of talk about him losing his mind and whispers around the camp about the made up bug that was all in his mind.  It was our last day and we were breaking down camp and had plenty of time for banter.