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.