Promises

I am reading Lone Survivor.

I am reading about BUD/S, again.

Because of the GURPS: SEALs in Vietnam playtest I've read a lot of SEAL memoirs now.  I've read quite a few historical accounts too.

And every single one of them has a detailed account of BUD/S.

Every.  Single.  One.

Today I figured it out!

The instructor sits there on the beach, with the trainees doing flutter-kicks in the surf...

"Who here wants a steak dinner?"

Everyone thinks it's a trick.

It's asked again.

One hapless trainee sticks his neck out, "I want a steak dinner."

"Are you willing to do anything I say to get that dinner?"

I bet quite a few decide to drop back down to the water, but a few say, "sure!"

The dinner is shown to the trainee at a folding table under an awning.

"All you gotta do to get that steak dinner...  If you ever write a memoir, you have to devote at least the first half of it to BUD/S!"

"That's it?"

"That's it, except you can't mention this little deal about the steak."

"I promise!"

"Chow down!  Now the rest of you pukes ain't ever going to write anything ever!"

Because SEALs are brought up to be honorable, every one who has made this pact has kept it.