How Can I Prepare For SFAS? (Part 3)
Everybody Else
This group seems to often focus on two key aspects…telling us what you do and asking if you can do things while still serving. Your civilian accomplishments don’t really mean anything. Your degrees, your licenses, your titles, and your collegiate athletic endeavors don’t really mean much. They are an important part of your past and might give you valuable experience, but in and of themselves they don’t mean much. It actually seems weird that many of you seem to include them in your dialogue. It won’t make a difference with your recruitment (even if your recruiter tells you it does), your peers will think its awkward if you keep reminding them, and the cadre certainly won’t care. Only your performance matters.
Because of your experiences many of you come into the process with a little baggage…or hardware. Unlike the CGs Unwaiverables there seems to be an endless option of ETPs (Exceptions to Policy) for all sorts of medical hardware, conditions, and limitations. About the only thing that I’ve seen never get a waiver is a heart condition or a TBI. Everything else is a matter of ‘it depends’…it depends on your specific condition, how diligent your recruiter is, and the exigencies of your medical screener. Your best bet is to just find a recruiter that you can trust and give him what he needs to put your packet together completely. This is true for young guys trying to navigate the ADD meds limitations to old guys trying to figure out how many screws they need to have removed. You can check out Medical Fitness Standards for some good specifics, but you only get to yes if you put in your packet. Nobody can really predict how it will go so there really isn’t much value in querying randos. Submit your packet. Shoot your shot.
There is no real age limitation (I’ve seen guys in their late 40s at SFAS…not successfully, but they were there), but the odds of success decrease significantly the longer you wait. Males likely hit their peak fitness in their mid-30s, but SFAS is unique in that there is almost no time for recovery. I’ve seen teams go hard for 20 hours, get 30 minutes rest, then right back on your ruck for another 20 hours. You don’t control your rest, your nutrition, and your load management. Older guys just don’t adapt well. So don’t wait too long. For some of you older guys you might realize that this ship has sailed. No big deal, everyone serves in their own capacity. You might be interested in this post about some civilian equivalent SOF training opportunities.
