A US Navy SEAL training commander in charge of a "Hell Week" boot camp where a 24-year-old man died has hit back at a grieving recruits mum who claims "you murdered him."
Kyle Mullen, from Manalapan, New Jersey, US, died during an intensive program after swimming in cold waters and developing pulmonary edema, which caused his lungs to be filled with fluid and gave him pneumonia, according to an autopsy.
During a five-and-a-half day stretch in which SEAL candidates are allowed just four hours of sleep each night, after running more than 200 miles in the ocean, and complete physical training for more than 20 hours per day.
Navy Captain Brad Geary has been labelled a "murderer" by Regina Mullen, the mum of SEAL candidate Kyle, who blames him for the death of her son.
The nurse claims if Kyle had been given proper medical attention when he first showed signs of illness he would still be alive.
"If you're sick, you're weak - that's what they were like promoting and cultivating," she told the New York Post. "I don't even know that you need the SEALs."
According to a Navy report, "a near perfect storm" of circumstances at the Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL course, resulted in injury to a number of candidates and the death of Kyle.
The nearly 200-page report complied by the Naval Education and Training Command claimed medical oversight and care were "'poorly organized, poorly integrated and poorly led and put candidates at significant risk."
Regina believes Mr Geary only feels bad because he got "caught": "I said, "You are a murderer. You murdered him. I think he feels bad, but everybody feels bad when you're caught."
Navy Captain Brad Geary, who was in charge of the course at the time of Kyle's death, has spoken out after being forced to deny allegations he blamed candidates for being mentally ill.
The report stated: "Capt. Geary maintained a view that the high attrition was caused, among other reasons, by the current generation having less mental resilience, or being less tough."
However, Mr Geary hit back at the allegations during an interview with the New York Post, saying: "I'll never be able to take that weight off my shoulders.
"One of the things that was misstated in that report was this notion that I somehow blamed the next generation for being mentally weak, which is what resulted in the attrition.
"Those were not my words. I never said that. Those closest to me in my command would say I never said that."
"That's flippant and irresponsible and just not true. I loved Kyle Mullen, I grieved his loss and still do. I will carry that weight with me forever."
Rear Admiral Keith Davids, who heads Naval Special Warfare Command, said the Navy needs to learn from the devastating tragedy and steps are already in place to change their training programme.
He said: "Our effectiveness as the Navy's maritime special operations force necessitates demanding, high-risk training.
"While rigorous and intensely demanding, our training must be conducted with an unwavering commitment to safety and methodical precision."
