Should I enlist or should I…?

I get this thread of questioning every week, so I thought an article was in order.

TL;DR - It’s complicated. You need to grow up; 18 year old boys are idiots. But how you grow up has consequences. Every situation is different.

We’ve spent over 25 years deeply studying Special Forces Assessment and Selection. We’ve studied its history from the inception, we’ve tracked its growth and updates, and we’ve seen every part of its execution. We’ve watched thousands of candidates and hundreds of events. We’ve talked to Cadre, Candidates, and leaders. We helped shaped SFAS from the inside and we know exactly what happens...and why. We thought that others might benefit from our understanding.

This is where you start…

BLUF: You get good at doing hard things by doing hard things. The more hard things you do, the less hard they become. But there is a catch, read on to learn more.

The 18X program isn’t broken at all…I just wanted to get your attention.

But, the 18X program isn’t perfect either. Follow along. goes here

This isn’t really a question about the pathways, it’s more a question about the lifestyle.

I’m getting lots of questions about 18X vs Option 40 (and every other option) and of course guys are reading what they want and misinterpreting data. And I’m even seeing guys misciting my musings on other platforms, so I thought a master post was in order so I could save myself some time by just directing guys here.

Let’s start with some simple and clear thesis statements that will drive this discussion.

We’ve published several articles on the challenges and benefits of the 18X program, the comparison of 18X vs Option 40 vs. Option 4, and no small amount of consternation about “gaming” the system to get you both a good shot at getting Selected but also a tenable fallback for if you don’t. Along the way I always get questions about the numbers. goes here

This is everything that you need to know about what to bring to SFAS…and why. We update this list after every class so you’re certain to get the latest and greatest.

This is all of the additional authorized items that you can bring to SFAS. We update this list after every class so you’re certain to get the latest and greatest.

Looking for a gift for the aspiring operator or just looking for cool kit. Here is our list of recommended gear.

I’ve seen these types of questions pop up more and more often recently, so an article is in order. The people want to know and I am a man of the people.

Why Go Back To High School When I Already Graduated College?

As you should. There is no higher station in life than to be an Officer and a Gentleman and there is no higher calling than to wear the coveted Green Beret. Backbone of the Army. Be, Know, Do. Handling the hard technical work in the trenches. That’s what Officers do.

“I want to go SF and I’m trying to decide between Officer and Enlisted. I heard…”

College in the Army is a little weird as it’s almost universally recognized as good, it helps you get promoted, it’s pretty well-funded, but there is no real plan. What usually happens is that you show up to your duty station, Big Sarge (TM) tells you that you need some college, so you go down to the base Ed Center and sign up for classes. Rinse and repeat for every assignment and what you end up with is a bunch of credits that don’t transfer and you get frustrated and just stop…with your 169 useless JST credits and no degree. Nobody has a plan.

The SFRE is a critical first step in getting your Green Beret and offers prospective candidates an absolutely unparalleled opportunity to get directed and unbiased performance feedback across the physical, mental, and interpersonal domains. SFRE attendance isn’t required for active-duty prospects, but after you read this, I suspect you’ll want to make it part of your prep.

We’re all still processing the events at Bragg with 3rd Group. I think most are more than a little embarrassed, fairly pissed off, and likely concerned. The allegations are about as heinous as you can get. Human fucking trafficking?!? The drugs are really bad as well, but human trafficking is just beyond the pale.

Well, the SFAS sacrifices continue unabated. I’m looking over the recent classes data and we’re looking at less than 10% selection rate for ADE since the summer break. A similar bloodletting for Xs and NG. Officers are fairing better, but still below historical averages. Almost 200 guys failed the PRT in the last two classes alone! That’s almost 5x the norm.

When choosing an SFAS prep plan, don't reinvent the wheel...

The best way to fuel performance is balanced whole foods, mostly unprocessed, focused on proper protein intake.

You can’t out-train a bad diet!

Building a powerful grip is a must have attribute. Not just for SFAS, but for life. Your ability to grip your Xbox controller and retrieve Flaming Hot Cheetos doesn’t correlate to high performance. High grip strength correlates to concurrent overall strength, upper limb function, and bone mineral density. At SFAS, grip strength, or lack thereof, is often cited as the primary limiting factor to Team Week performance. I have seen grip strength play a significant role in the Nasty Nick during Gate Week.

Learn the best way to build grip that won’t let you down.

Is Special Forces in Crisis?

No, not even close. SF is in transition, like it has always been, and will likely always be.

A letter, and several videos commentating on the letter making the claim that SF is in crisis have asked us to be honest brokers and just admit that the Special Forces Regiment is in peril, rudderless, and not positioned to meet the needs of the Nation. So, I wanted to be an honest broker and chime in. My honest broker assessment? Knock it off. Your arguments are void of evidence, logic, and merit. And you sound like a bitch.

If you’re on Fort Bragg and have the ability, here are some resources to train land navigation on your own.

tl;dr – individually, NG SF guys are virtually interchangeable with AD guys; at the unit level, NG units are not as good. It is entirely unreasonable to expect a unit that has significant time restrictions to be as synchronized as a unit without those restrictions.

At an organizational level it’s a different story.

I wrote Part 1 and Part 2 over a year ago, and they still hold true. But there’s been a fair amount of discussion lately and a great deal of conjecture, braggadocio, and no shortage of misinformation. And my DMs are suffering from the rhetoric. So, I thought an update would be in order.