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.

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.

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.