Green Beret Training
Green Berets are considered to be the most elite of the U.S. Army Special Forces. They are well-trained in various fields, ranging from riding donkeys in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan to fighting drug cartels in Colombia. If you want be a part of this specialized force, apart from being intelligent, you need to have a spotless military career spanning three years. However, a new program enables you to go through the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course (SFAS) without waiting for the three years.
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Preparation for Green Beret Training
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The selection process for Green Beret training is a 24-day ordeal. You will undergo a month-long preparation course that tests your physical abilities as well as your mental capacities. Postgraduate Green Berets are common, and many already are bilingual when they enter training.
In order to get into the course, you must meet the minimum criteria of obtaining at least 260 points on the Army physical fitness test if you are in the age group of 17 to 21 years old. Because the competition is so intense, merely scoring 260 will not help. A perfect score of 300 is will increase your chances of being accepted into SFAS.
After Selection
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If selected, you immediately will be assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for three weeks for training. The first phase of training consists of severe physical training including pull-ups, push-ups, running, swimming, running an obstacle course, rucksack marches and orienteering exercises (which entail map reading and making your way through unfamiliar terrain by using a compass and a topographical map).
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The 'Q' Course
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The next phase of training, referred to as the "Q" course, lasts from six to 12 months depending on your ability. This course tests your leadership abilities and capability to work in a team environment. Because the "Q" course also entails a rigorous regime that starts before dawn and ends after dusk, the stress and fatigue involved during this portion of training are so taxing that many aspirants quit.
Rigorous Regime
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During training, Green Berets are exposed to conditions that resemble scenarios of being captured by the enemy. Mock prisoner of war (POW) camps are staged in which you are treated to the point of breaking down. To help you combat the situation, soldiers receive Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training (SERE) that keeps them a step ahead of the enemy if they are caught. Weapons training, scuba diving and parachuting also are covered during this phase of training.
Life After Training
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There are five Green Beret Groups across the world--1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 10th Special Forces Groups or SFG. Once you have completed training, you are usually assigned into groups with those who both trained with you as well as those who commanded you during training.
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- Photo Credit military helicopter image by Goran Bogicevic from Fotolia.com
