About the Special Air Service
The British Army isn't messing around if it calls in the Special Air Service. This special forces unit is made up of highly trained, motivated individuals who are tasked with combating terrorism and keeping England safe. Members do that with cunning, intelligence and weapons ranging from assault rifles to grenade launchers.
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Requirements
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Not everyone will be up to the tasks that come with joining the Special Air Service. A strict regimen of training quickly weeds out those not qualified. Training includes the endurance phase, which tests physical and mental endurance; the jungle phase, where people are sent to the jungles of Belize; and a session of escape, evasion and tactical questioning, focusing on survival after capture and not breaking under interrogations.
Troops
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Special Air Service members become members of a specific troop. Three of the troops are boat, mobility and air. Boat troop members become diving experts who can perform tasks such as secretly attaching mines to the bottom of enemy ships. Mobility troops specialize in moving behind enemy lines for attacks. Air troop members also get behind enemy lines, but they do it by jumping out of an airplane.
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Specialization
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In addition to the basic knowledge of survival and ambush, Special Air Service members further specialize in a secondary skill. These can include medical, language, Morse code and radio signals, demolition and air control.
Founder
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Captain David Stirling came up with the idea for the Special Air Service during World War II. He was so adamant about getting his proposal heard by a commanding officer that he hopped a fence to get around guards who wouldn't let him in to pitch his idea. Stirling died in 1990, shortly after being made a knight for his military efforts.
Other
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The British Special Air Service is highly regarded and often feared. Its motto is "Who Dares Wins." Members can also be recognized by their beige berets, which are outfitted with the insignia of a winged dagger.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Photo by Ryn Gargulinski
