Special Air Service Selection and Training
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
The Special Air Service, the SAS, the 'Sass', the 'Regiment', the '22nd'. Call them what you will, but the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment of the British Army, are the elite of the British Army. The SAS, are tasked with various things. In war, they are to conduct reconaicne, deep strike and other various 'secret' stuff. In peacetime, they are generally tasked with Counter Terrorist (CT) role, the Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) role with which they liase with other countries to help the exchange of ideas back and forth. Not only that, they help train the regualr armies of the world and do other very classified activities, which you wont be able to hear about until 20 years or so.
Why would anybody, want to put themselves through hel to join the SAS? Or any elite force for that matter? Myself, I dont know. Perhaps its a will to be the best or a person looking for a challenge, to push himself further, harder and faster. Or it could be those who simply crave action. Whatever it is, its a special quailty which not many posses, and all people want.
Many Elite Forces and their supporters tend to boast that their Training is the toughest. Which, maybe true to some extent. This is because, before the SAS go to train a Soldier to become a SAS trooper, they have to pass 'Selection'. Selection isn't training, it is sheer torture, which all must endure, before going on to be trained. This saves valuable time and money, if you can weed out the people, who cant cut it. It is simple, brutal, and takes no Prisoners.
Selection.
"We dont try to fail you, We try to kill you"
To be first being considered for Selection, you must have at least 3 months experience in your regiment and 3 years at least left on to serve. You must also be able to pass the Basic Fitness Test (BFT). You must file a Defence Council Instruction (DCI), which certifies that you are prepared to be put forward for Arduous duties.
There are two selections a year, one in winter, and the other in summer. The general idea is that you either die from hypothermia in winter, or die from Heat stroke in summer. It lasts for Four weeks (3 build up weeks, 1 test week). Officer's however have only 2 build up weeks to pass the test week.
The recruits first go to Stirling Lines, outside Hereford, to have a medical, and pass the BFT. 10 percent fail here. The rest are issued their equipment that they need for selection. Then they are bussed out to Dering Lines, in Breacon, where Selection will soon start.
Selection is simple. Get from A to B, from B to C etc, within an allotted time. Sounds simple? It is. The only problem is, that A to Z in total is over 10km's away. 10k isn't a long distance, but it is when you are carrying a heavy Self-Loading Rifle, webbing, and a bergen. Another problem is that the distances increase, as do the loads that the soldiers bear. Also, the time you get up is about 4 am in the morning. Also the soldiers are not allowed to use roads, if they do, then they are disqualified. Plus, perhaps the most difficult part of selection, is the Breacon Beacons themselves. Anybody who has walked them, will know how physically exhausting they are. Now imagine 'Tabbing' (Tactical Advance with Bergen) it, on the most difficult routes you can imagine.
After a day or so, the old equipment you have been given is starting to cut into you, giving crippling blisters and sores. The best soldiers, dont give up becuase of this, they go to the Medical Officer at night, and then get up with the rest of the Recruits, ready for another days Hell. In Selection, you are expected to be fit, but also you are meant to be intelligent. Numbed by pain, you'll be given Tasks to do at Rendezvous points (RV's), such as stripping a foreign weapon and then reassembling it.
This continues for 3 weeks, where the recruits manage about 4 hours sleep a night. The next part of Selection is imaginatively called 'Test Week'
Test Week, is basically 6 marches, the first five having to march 17 miles, with 30 kilograms to carry, whilst map reading. However, that's not all. Test Week culminates in the 'Long Drag', a 40 mile march which has to be completed in 20 hours. It is not easy; it is very hard to say the least. People die on SAS selection, even fully-fledged SAS troopers.
Selection also carried out alone. There is nobody, in Selection shouting encouragement. Its just you trying to motivate yourself. This isnt like other forces, which have instructors shouting at you to do better, or Mates encouraging not to drop out. The only person forcing you to go through hell, is yourself. This is because soldiers working in isolation must have the motivation, mustn't crack up. A good example of this is 'Chris Ryan's' 300km Trek to safety in Iraq, which for the most part was Solo.
If, and IF you pass this, you go onto to continuation training, where it won't get harder, your still on test, but it wont be a physical demanding.
You ask yourself, why is Selection mostly about hill walking and map reading? Well since the SAS conception, they were deemed to be a stragetic resource, not just kick ass tactical soldiers. Nowadays, in large conflicts the SAS is mostly tasked with long range reconasence, which selection tries to recreate.
Training
Jungle training is carried out immediately after Selection. It lasts four weeks, and is very physically demanding. Hot, humid conditions, carrying enough to sustain you for 14 days in the jungle is no picnic. You'll be wet all the time, even out of the water, due to sweating continuously. An SAS soldier will receive all the knowledge he needs to fight in the jungle, and this training is so good, that not one SAS patrol has been wiped out in the jungle.
They all receive comprehensive first aid training, and most are very skilled, especially patrol medics. Medics are usually skilled in most parts of the medical field. Why you ask? Well its not really to do on the SAS members (Trauma training and basic hyginge would only be required), but being a comphrehensive medic is an important part of 'Hearts and Minds' which the SAS has been involved with all over the world. This helps against fiasco's like Vietnam and Afghanistan since the local populos will look at the foreign soldiers as friends, people that protect them. Not like the american GI's in Vietnam, or the total lack of H&M in Afghanistan.
Escape & Evasion (E&E) and resistance to interrogation, is another thing, which a soldier will have to pass. Avoiding capture by swarms of soldiers, whilst surviving off the land for 7 days is bad enough, having to fulfil RV's as well is worse still. If you get captured, then you will be interrogated, and if you break, you fail. All soldier's will be captured, its just how good you are that determines how long you will be captured for.
The final stage is Parachute training, which is a holiday to most of the SAS recruits, but you must pass it, or you will fail. It means making 8 jumps, in full kit, and one at night. Some fail here, but most pass.
Those who survive the Selection and training, are badged, and are now SAS soldiers. It takes this much to be the best in the world. And it takes much more to remain the best.
Bear in mind, that SAS selection has ruined many good mens careers. Broken ankles, crippled knees and other such injuries, which invalid them out of the Armed Forces. The Terrortorial Army SAS Regiments (21 & 23) undergo the same selection, but since of the part time nature of the TA, it is strecth to a years length.
Why would anybody, want to put themselves through hel to join the SAS? Or any elite force for that matter? Myself, I dont know. Perhaps its a will to be the best or a person looking for a challenge, to push himself further, harder and faster. Or it could be those who simply crave action. Whatever it is, its a special quailty which not many posses, and all people want.
Many Elite Forces and their supporters tend to boast that their Training is the toughest. Which, maybe true to some extent. This is because, before the SAS go to train a Soldier to become a SAS trooper, they have to pass 'Selection'. Selection isn't training, it is sheer torture, which all must endure, before going on to be trained. This saves valuable time and money, if you can weed out the people, who cant cut it. It is simple, brutal, and takes no Prisoners.
Selection.
"We dont try to fail you, We try to kill you"
To be first being considered for Selection, you must have at least 3 months experience in your regiment and 3 years at least left on to serve. You must also be able to pass the Basic Fitness Test (BFT). You must file a Defence Council Instruction (DCI), which certifies that you are prepared to be put forward for Arduous duties.
There are two selections a year, one in winter, and the other in summer. The general idea is that you either die from hypothermia in winter, or die from Heat stroke in summer. It lasts for Four weeks (3 build up weeks, 1 test week). Officer's however have only 2 build up weeks to pass the test week.
The recruits first go to Stirling Lines, outside Hereford, to have a medical, and pass the BFT. 10 percent fail here. The rest are issued their equipment that they need for selection. Then they are bussed out to Dering Lines, in Breacon, where Selection will soon start.
Selection is simple. Get from A to B, from B to C etc, within an allotted time. Sounds simple? It is. The only problem is, that A to Z in total is over 10km's away. 10k isn't a long distance, but it is when you are carrying a heavy Self-Loading Rifle, webbing, and a bergen. Another problem is that the distances increase, as do the loads that the soldiers bear. Also, the time you get up is about 4 am in the morning. Also the soldiers are not allowed to use roads, if they do, then they are disqualified. Plus, perhaps the most difficult part of selection, is the Breacon Beacons themselves. Anybody who has walked them, will know how physically exhausting they are. Now imagine 'Tabbing' (Tactical Advance with Bergen) it, on the most difficult routes you can imagine.
After a day or so, the old equipment you have been given is starting to cut into you, giving crippling blisters and sores. The best soldiers, dont give up becuase of this, they go to the Medical Officer at night, and then get up with the rest of the Recruits, ready for another days Hell. In Selection, you are expected to be fit, but also you are meant to be intelligent. Numbed by pain, you'll be given Tasks to do at Rendezvous points (RV's), such as stripping a foreign weapon and then reassembling it.
This continues for 3 weeks, where the recruits manage about 4 hours sleep a night. The next part of Selection is imaginatively called 'Test Week'
Test Week, is basically 6 marches, the first five having to march 17 miles, with 30 kilograms to carry, whilst map reading. However, that's not all. Test Week culminates in the 'Long Drag', a 40 mile march which has to be completed in 20 hours. It is not easy; it is very hard to say the least. People die on SAS selection, even fully-fledged SAS troopers.
Selection also carried out alone. There is nobody, in Selection shouting encouragement. Its just you trying to motivate yourself. This isnt like other forces, which have instructors shouting at you to do better, or Mates encouraging not to drop out. The only person forcing you to go through hell, is yourself. This is because soldiers working in isolation must have the motivation, mustn't crack up. A good example of this is 'Chris Ryan's' 300km Trek to safety in Iraq, which for the most part was Solo.
If, and IF you pass this, you go onto to continuation training, where it won't get harder, your still on test, but it wont be a physical demanding.
You ask yourself, why is Selection mostly about hill walking and map reading? Well since the SAS conception, they were deemed to be a stragetic resource, not just kick ass tactical soldiers. Nowadays, in large conflicts the SAS is mostly tasked with long range reconasence, which selection tries to recreate.
Training
Jungle training is carried out immediately after Selection. It lasts four weeks, and is very physically demanding. Hot, humid conditions, carrying enough to sustain you for 14 days in the jungle is no picnic. You'll be wet all the time, even out of the water, due to sweating continuously. An SAS soldier will receive all the knowledge he needs to fight in the jungle, and this training is so good, that not one SAS patrol has been wiped out in the jungle.
They all receive comprehensive first aid training, and most are very skilled, especially patrol medics. Medics are usually skilled in most parts of the medical field. Why you ask? Well its not really to do on the SAS members (Trauma training and basic hyginge would only be required), but being a comphrehensive medic is an important part of 'Hearts and Minds' which the SAS has been involved with all over the world. This helps against fiasco's like Vietnam and Afghanistan since the local populos will look at the foreign soldiers as friends, people that protect them. Not like the american GI's in Vietnam, or the total lack of H&M in Afghanistan.
Escape & Evasion (E&E) and resistance to interrogation, is another thing, which a soldier will have to pass. Avoiding capture by swarms of soldiers, whilst surviving off the land for 7 days is bad enough, having to fulfil RV's as well is worse still. If you get captured, then you will be interrogated, and if you break, you fail. All soldier's will be captured, its just how good you are that determines how long you will be captured for.
The final stage is Parachute training, which is a holiday to most of the SAS recruits, but you must pass it, or you will fail. It means making 8 jumps, in full kit, and one at night. Some fail here, but most pass.
Those who survive the Selection and training, are badged, and are now SAS soldiers. It takes this much to be the best in the world. And it takes much more to remain the best.
Bear in mind, that SAS selection has ruined many good mens careers. Broken ankles, crippled knees and other such injuries, which invalid them out of the Armed Forces. The Terrortorial Army SAS Regiments (21 & 23) undergo the same selection, but since of the part time nature of the TA, it is strecth to a years length.
