I'm so glad to be reading more by wives of team members. You have such a unique perspective. Luttrell's "Service" had a nice chapter on some SEAL wives that I thought was very thoughtful. I can only imagine that it must be difficult to share, but I think it's important for people to understand some of the unique challenges of being married to someone in Special Ops. Thank you for your service.
So sad to hear this news. Chris clearly had a huge heart to never stop giving back to those around him in need. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and members of the Team he served with.
I'm not a member of the military, but from what I know about the Navy SEALs I think being able to compete in a course as Berlingeri did is not an accurate indicator of being ready for BUD/S or beyond. For one thing, there's no time for a shower break. Speaking as a woman, I'm conflicted about the role women should play in combat. While I would want to be treated as an equal and be subject to the same training and expectation, I'm not sure it's possible. It's a difficult question to answer without personal experience, so I'm curious what others think. I do know that the lack of combat experience holds many women back from advancing in their military careers.
This one's kind of old, but an interesting (brief) look at BUD/S. It's a 6-part series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQFRePXMI9M