A Navy SEAL out of water is sort of like a duck. Kinda awkward and waddles around. This military-inspired comic from the frontlines of deployment overseas. The official motto of the Navy SEALs is “The only easy day was yesterday.” This seems fitting, since their days are almost always filled with brutal tasks, harrowing adventures, and immense tests of endurance and loyalty…however when out of the water it sometimes gets weird for SEALS.

The SEAL Out of Water: A Military Duck Tale

You’ve heard all the legends: Navy SEALs, the most elite warriors in the world, trained to take on any mission, anywhere, at any time. They’re stealthy, ruthless, and practically invincible in their element. That element, of course, being water. But what happens when a SEAL is, well… out of the water?

It’s a little-known fact that when Navy SEALs aren’t swimming through hostile waters, rappelling from helicopters, or navigating the most treacherous of terrains, they have a certain… awkwardness. Sort of like ducks on dry land. Majestic in the water, but take them out, and suddenly things get a bit wobbly. This is the true (and slightly exaggerated) tale of Petty Officer First Class Tom “The Fish” Fisher, a Navy SEAL who found himself far from his beloved ocean.

The Out-of-Water Situation

It was the middle of deployment, somewhere deep in a desert where there was as much water as there were parking spaces at a Costco on Black Friday. The SEAL team had been tasked with an inland mission, far from the comforting splash of the waves. For most of the team, this was no big deal—they were warriors, after all. But for Petty Officer Fisher, the moment his boots hit the desert sand, he felt… off. The swagger that usually accompanied his perfect combat strokes in the water was gone, replaced by a clumsy gait that would make a baby giraffe look coordinated.

It didn’t help that his nickname, “The Fish,” was well-earned. The man practically had gills. In the water, he was poetry in motion—a graceful creature who could outswim dolphins and make swimming instructors weep with joy. But here? In the middle of a desert? He might as well have been a duck waddling through the Sahara.

The Waddle of the SEAL

As the team moved out, Fisher trailed behind, shifting awkwardly from side to side. His teammates, seasoned in both land and sea, couldn’t help but notice.

“Hey Fish,” said Lieutenant “Bull” Carter, smirking. “You forgot how to walk? Or did someone switch your legs with a penguin’s?”

Fisher shot him a glare. “Laugh it up, Bull. Just wait ‘til we’re back in the water. I’ll swim circles around you.”

“Yeah,” said Chief Petty Officer “Rock” Ramirez, who was built like, well, a rock. “But here, you look like a drunk duck waddling home after last call.”

Fisher grumbled something about “fish out of water” and focused on not tripping over his own boots. The sun beat down mercilessly, turning the sand into what felt like a never-ending beach, minus the waves, the ocean breeze, or anything that made the beach remotely enjoyable.

The team moved with precision, each man in sync—except Fisher, who tripped on a stray rock and almost face-planted. The group paused, trying to suppress laughter.

“You good, Fish?” Bull asked, barely holding it together.

Fisher gritted his teeth. “I’m fine. Just give me some water, and I’ll show you who’s boss.”

The Mirage of the SEAL

As the day dragged on, Fisher’s mind began to play tricks on him. The heat was intense, and as they marched through the desert, he began to imagine waves crashing in the distance, seagulls cawing overhead, and the unmistakable scent of saltwater filling the air.

“There’s… there’s water up ahead,” Fisher muttered, eyes wide, his parched lips cracking. “I can hear it…”

The rest of the team stopped and looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Bull raised an eyebrow. “Fish, that’s not water. That’s a mirage.”

Fisher blinked, his vision blurry. “A mirage? What’s that?”

“It’s what happens when you’ve been out of water too long,” Rock said, patting him on the back. “You start seeing things. Like a dehydrated duck who misses his pond.”

“Man,” Fisher groaned, “this desert is brutal. I don’t know how you guys do this. Give me an ocean, some flippers, and I’m good. But this? This is torture.”

The Rescue: Water to the Rescue

Just when it seemed like Fisher might lose his grip on reality, the team finally reached their destination: a small outpost where supplies had been waiting for them. And there, like an oasis in the desert, was a cooler filled with bottled water.

Fisher practically dove for it, grabbing a bottle and pouring it over his head like he was trying to recreate a scene from a shampoo commercial. The water cascaded down his face, and for a brief moment, he was back in his element. Sure, it wasn’t the ocean, but it was something.

“Feeling better?” Bull asked, grinning.

Fisher wiped his face and stood up straighter. “Much. Still not the same as the sea, though. I swear, I could hear the waves back there.”

Rock shook his head. “That’s called losing your mind in the desert, Fish.”

The Return to the Waves

After what felt like an eternity, the team completed their mission and headed back to base, where Fisher could finally return to his natural habitat: water. The second his feet hit the beach, Fisher transformed. Gone was the awkward waddle; gone was the mirage-seeing duck. In its place was the SEAL everyone knew—the one who could swim for miles without breaking a sweat, who moved through the water like a fish through coral.

As Fisher dove into the surf, he let out a deep sigh of relief. This was where he belonged. No more dry land. No more waddling. No more tripping over rocks. Just the cool, familiar embrace of the ocean.

His teammates watched from the shore, amused as always.

“Well,” Bull said, watching Fisher cut through the waves, “I guess the water is his natural habitat after all.”

Rock chuckled. “Yeah, but man, it’s fun to watch him on land. Like a SEAL-turned-duck trying to figure out how to walk.”

As the waves crashed against the shore, Fisher gave them a thumbs-up from the water. “The only easy day was yesterday!” he yelled, echoing the Navy SEAL motto.

“Yeah, but only when you’re in your element,” Bull shouted back. “On land, you’re just a duck!”

And with that, Fisher dove under the waves, the awkwardness of dry land already a distant memory. For now, at least, he was back where he belonged.

The Frontlines

Explore the fantastic range of military-themed shirts, mugs, and posters available at The Frontlines Shop! Don’t miss out on our amazing sales happening right now! And believe it or not, some of the comics I created during my 20 years in the military have actually been published! These humorous and occasionally edgy reflections are inspired by incredible mentors, wonderful friends, and a genuine love for sarcasm. Check them out on Amazon The Frontlines

Popular Products