Renee Collier - Staff Writer

Del Mar - Former Navy SEAL instructor Scott Helvenston got pumped up for a role in Demi Moore's latest film, "G.I. Jane."

Helvenston also had a heck of a time preparing for the part - he's cast as, get this, a Navy Seal instructor. He said it was quite a stretch.

"It was a tough role," Helvenston said with a laugh earlier this week. "Demi wanted to put us in the film to add authenticity to it.  A couple of the scenes are far fetched, but for the most part this film is the most accurate when it comes to Navy SEAL training."

The seven-year Del Mar resident spent 12 years with the Seals, arguably the best-trained and most elite fighting force on the planet.  Navy SEALS are trained in hand-to-hand combat, various martial arts, weapons, and underwater demolition.

"The training I went through taught me mentally we're all a lot stronger than we think we are," Helvenston said.  "We can actually push our bodies."

Helvenston joined the Navy at age 16 and was the youngest candidate to ever compete Seal training.

"I had somewhat of a troubled childhood," he said.   "My father passed away when I was 7, and, for whatever reason my relationship with my mother was rocky.  Through my adolescent years I lived in 37 different foster homes, and, needless to say, I did not have much structure or guidance."

Most of his time as a SEAL was spent in operations conducting joint training with other countries.  The rest of his years in the Navy were spent as an instructor.

"I did see real world activity in El Salvador and Peru, I must say that real combat is much different than training," he said.  "Stakes are a lot higher."

His highest achievement since retiring was when he was asked to be a technical advisor for "G.I.Jane."  He was involved with physically training Moore and other actors for the film.  He said he has never been a star struck person, and when it came to Moore, he never gave her preferential treatment.

"Here's a person who's making $12 million a movie, she could have sat in a trailer, but she was out there being one of the guys," said the personal trainer.

"At one point she was bent over puking, so I kicked her in the but and said, 'Hey, Petunia, can't you hang?'"

During the three months he trained Moore, he grew to respect her and was amazed at how dedicated she was.

"The thing people should appreciate about Demi is that she works out to stay in shape, and she's very dedicated," he said.  "She's not one of your scrawny people."

"Most of the time society spends exploiting walking bone racks.   Only a small percentage of society is that way.  Society should exploit Demi, because she is the norm."

Helvenston said he misses the Navy at times but is quite happy with what he is doing now.  "Fitness is me, and I am going to promote it for the rest of my life."  he said. 

So, if the film seems to spark an interest in becoming the next G.I. Jane. don't sweat it, you can call (800) 474-3764 for the video tape.

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