U˳S˳ service members already serve their country as part of one of the finest fighting forces the world has ever seen˳ Some special operations units have even higher standards than the general force˳ Learn what it takes to pursue a career in the elite forces — whether you’re a prospective recruit or a currently enlisted service member˳
Army Special Forces: Rangers, Night Stalkers and Green Berets
Do you have what it takes to join the elite Army Rangers of the 75th Ranger Regiment? Maybe you’d rather be a Night Stalker in the Special Operations Aviation Regiment or possibly a Green Beret˳
Generally, soldiers in any of these units:
- Are U˳S˳ citizens
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Qualify for secret security clearances
- Hold General Technical Scores of about 110 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
- Meet or exceed fitness requirements˳ Expect pullups, pushups, timed runs and 10-mile marches carrying a 45-pound rucksack˳ And, lots of swimming˳
You can request assignment to an Army Special Forces unit when you first enlist˳ A recommendation to attend the Special Operations Preparation Course depends on your ASVAB results and how you perform during basic and advanced individual training˳
You can also join after you enlist or become an officer˳ You’ll generally need three years of honorable service before qualifying˳
Marine Corps and Navy special operations forces: Raiders, Force RECON and SEAL teams
First, the Marine Corps has two primary special operations forces: The Marine Raiders and the Force RECON units˳ As part of the Special Operations Command, the Marine Raiders run small lethal teams to eliminate targets˳ Force RECON units are run by the Marine Expeditionary Force Commander, and their primary goal is information gathering in dangerous territory˳
To join either the Raiders or the Force RECON units, Marines usually need to:
- Be a U˳S˳ citizen
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Swim very well — with and without fins — as well as run, jump and climb˳ The Raiders have a free fitness app for both iPhones and Android phones you can use to prepare˳
- Be able to get a secret security clearance
- Graduate both boot camp and the School of Infantry
- Have three years of honorable service, if transferring after enlistment
Then, there’s the Navy’s elite force, the SEAL teams, which accomplish missions from air, land and sea˳
You can apply to become a Navy SEAL as a civilian, a Navy sailor or even as a service member from another military branch˳ Both new recruits and active-duty military candidates must pass a battery of physical, technical and psychological exams˳ Once they qualify, future SEAL team members spend years in training before they deploy on missions˳
Air Force Special Tactics teams: pararescue specialist, combat controllers and weather forecasters
Enlisted Air Force airmen can serve on Special Tactics teams, some of the most elite forces offered by the Air Force˳
You can become a Federal Aviation Administration-certified air traffic controller as a combat controller, coordinating air traffic in remote and hostile environments˳ Special operations weather forecasters serve with both Air Force and Army Special Operations units to make weather reports and predictions˳ Finally, pararescue specialists rescue stranded aircrews from the most extreme conditions˳
Airmen in each of these jobs generally:
- Are U˳S˳ citizens
- Have at least a high school diploma or GED
- Complete years’ worth of specialized training after basic training˳ Special ops weather forecasters spend 61 weeks in training before they deploy, while combat controllers train for 35 weeks˳
- Be extremely comfortable with heights˳ All members of Air Force Special Tactics teams must be able to parachute˳
There are additional requirements for each of these specialties˳ Pararescue specialists must also be scuba divers, for example, and special ops weathermen must have high Electronics ASVAB scores˳
If you’re interested in pursuing a military career in the elite forces, ask your commanding officer about next steps — and start preparing yourself now for one of the toughest challenges you’ll ever encounter˳
Learn more about all the ways Military OneSource is your connection to information, answers and support to help you overcome challenges, reach your goals and thrive˳
