Full Mettle: SURVIVING THE CUT Showcases the Intense World of Special Forces Training

-- World Premiere Series Begins Wednesday, August 18 at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery --

(Silver Spring, Md.) - With extraordinary, unprecedented access, Discovery Channel takes viewers into the intense world of military special forces training in SURVIVING THE CUT premiering Wednesday, August 18 at 10 PM ET/PT. From divers and snipers to para-rescue men and bomb specialists, the elite and how they earn a place in the coveted units are the focus in this compelling all new series.

From the most competitive and brutal underwater training tests in the US Army Special Forces Underwater Operations Course to the unforgiving, torturous demands of Army Rangers training, SURVIVING THE CUT is a full throttle, action-packed journey into the backbreaking hell that is military training.

"No other military show has ever taken such a genuine, honest look at the people behind the uniform. SURVIVING THE CUT will inspire and captivate viewers by showing them a truly poignant glimpse of the extreme physical and mental strength required throughout military training," said Clark Bunting, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel and President of Science Channel.

SURVIVING THE CUT shares the personal quest of men and women committed to making it into the military's most coveted and elite units including Special Forces Divers, Marine Recon, Air Force Pararescue, Navy EOD, Marine Snipers, and Army Rangers. SURVIVING THE CUT takes an up close and personal look inside the candidates' emotional journeys as they overcome the ruthless minefields of physical and psychological hurdles to become the best of the best.

SURVIVING THE CUT is produced for Discovery Channel by 2 Roosters Media. Bobby Williams and Al Edgington are executive producers. Christo Doyle is executive producer for Discovery Channel.

About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.1 million U.S. homes, can be seen in over 180 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 180 countries. cptfc Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

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SURVIVING THE CUT

Training Unit Descriptions

Special Forces Diver

The US Army's Special Forces Combat Dive Course takes only the Army's best soldiers. Most are already battle-proven Army Rangers and Green Berets. Now these elite special ops soldiers challenge themselves to become the most highly trained combat divers on the planet. For six weeks, they are tested in the most severe underwater conditions. To earn the coveted Special Forces Divers Badge, these men will push the limits of the human body to prove they have what it takes. One in three won't make it� the rest survive the cut.

US Marine Recon

Reconnaissance Marines are the eyes and ears of the Marine Corps. The first men on the ground behind enemy lines, they gather intelligence and carry out missions that support the entire Corps. Their motto says it all: Swift, Silent, Deadly. But to earn the name "Recon Marine", you must first survive the Corps' famously grueling 12-week recon course. Marines are pushed to unconsciousness in the pool, and then wrestle their 90-pound packs into the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean. It's a man-breaking, all-out endurance test that forges top soldiers with unparalleled skills. One in three won't make it�only the best survive the cut.

US Air Force Pararescue

Air Force Pararescuemen are the most highly trained combat search and rescue experts in US Special Operations. When a pilot goes down behind enemy lines, these are the experts who stop at nothing to get him out. Nicknamed "PJ's", they are also surgically trained combat medics. Full training to become a PJ takes more than two years. Early on, students must survive one notoriously difficult milestone called "Extended Training Day" designed to weed out anyone not up to the staggering demands of the PJ job. It's 24 hours of pure hell -- nothing else in any special operations training course rivals the torment of this single day. In the end, only nine men out of 100 survive the cut and are allowed to continue training as a PJ.

US Army Ranger School

US Army Ranger School is considered the toughest combat course on the planet. The course replicates the nonstop stress of war to forge the Army's elite combat leaders. For sixty-one days and nights, this extreme training replicates the nonstop stress of warfare. Soldiers sleep an average of three hours a night and receive just one meal per day. They train continuously, running missions 20 hours straight in mountains, swamps and dense woodlands. Most lose 20 or more pounds before it's over, and many quit or fail the course along the way. Only one in three make it though.

Navy EOD Final Certification

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians, or EOD, are the only explosives and bomb specialists qualified for special operations. Before a Navy EOD team can go to war with Special Forces, they must go through one final test. Like the job itself, it's all-or-nothing training: A five-day, non-stop series of high stress missions. Make the wrong move, allow fatigue or distraction to take over and the entire team will fail. The team that survives the cut stays together as a certified special ops team.