Paul Tharp

Paul Tharp is a veteran US Navy SEAL Master Chief and multisport athlete. Throughout his 28 year career in the SEAL Teams, he served in various operational and leadership positions. His most formative years were spent at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (SEAL Team Six), where he operated for over 16 years as an Operator and command pilot in the Air Mobility Unit, deploying to Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq and other locations. In 2008, Paul was selected to lead the start-up and establishment of Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School (NSWPS) near Chicago where he served as the school's first Officer in Charge. NSWPS is an 8-week program designed around an intense and progressive physical training curriculum with academic aspects of exercise science and mental toughness training. Paul and his staff designed this entry program into the SEAL production pipeline in order to prepare every SEAL candidate who entered the military for BUD/S. (Basic Underwater Demolition - SEAL training) After establishing NSWPS, he was selected to serve as the Command Master Chief for our Nation's premier SEAL/SWCC selection, training and qualification school in Coronado, California. In this position he oversaw the daily training and development of over 1,200 candidates per year while managing over 260 NSW Instructors and support staff as they safely and effectively qualified about 250 SEALs annually. Paul recently transitioned out of the SEAL Teams and is pursuing his lifelong ambition of doing whatever in the hell he wants to do.