ARTICLE
4 minute read•Jan. 11, 2022
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.
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FAQs
Both are elite, both formidable, but each with a distinct set of skills shaping their missions across the globe. Green Berets weave into foreign communities, building alliances and training guerrilla forces. Meanwhile, SEALs strike from sea to land with precision you can bet on when it counts most.
What are the 7 branches of the military? ›
The Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard are the armed forces of the United States. The Army National Guard and the Air National Guard are reserve components of their services and operate in part under state authority.
What is the hardest Special Forces to get into in the US military? ›
The most elite special operations forces in the U.S. are known as the Green Berets, and while that alone is enough to spark debate, there's great reasoning behind it. Training includes harsh mental and physical undertakings, including the school that's widely regarded as the hardest: Combat Diving.
What is the hardest military branch to get into? ›
The hardest military branch to get into in terms of education requirements is the Air Force. The military branch with the toughest basic training is the Marine Corps. The hardest military branch for non-males because of exclusivity and male dominance is the Marine Corps. What is the smallest military branch?
Is it harder to be a Ranger or a Navy SEAL? ›
However, the SEALs have rigid physical and mental requirements to begin training. While the route to SEALs training is more direct than for the Rangers, each training is more intensive. To be considered for SEALs training, candidates must meet a series of strict physical criteria and pass several tests.
What are the deadliest Special Forces in the world? ›
Top 10 Dangerous Special Forces in the World
- Joint Task Force 2 – Canada.
- Polish GROM, Poland.
- Snow Leopard Commando Unit, China.
- Sayeret Matkal – Israel.
- Gruppo di intervento speciale (GIS), Italy.
- Alpha Group – Russia.
- Navy SEALs – The United States.
- MARCOS – India.
U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers, otherwise referred to as Green Berets, can work as Tier 2 Operators, or Tier 1 Operators over at the elite tier one unit known as Delta Force.
Are Green Berets trained killers? ›
A 5th Group Green Beret must be brilliant, subtle and lethal. He must speak at least one Mid-East language and be deeply immersed in cultural training and critical thinking. Trained killers with nuanced minds. The Green Beret is the living embodiment of what the military calls “full-spectrum mission operators.”
What is the easiest military branch to get into? ›
What branch of the United States military is the easiest to get into? Academically, the Army or the Marine Corps. Would argue that since Marines need to know stuff about the Navy in addition to the Corps, however, that the Army probably is easier. Physically, the Navy or the Air Force.
Has anyone been in all 5 military branches? ›
Button has served in all five branches of the military. Bob Button calls his military career... He joined the Merchant Marine in 1945 (while under age) to fight in WWII, then used his credentials there to join the Navy.
Air Force Combat Controllers
These guys are independent operators, like Marine Recon, except with more air assets. They are experts at stealth insertion well behind enemy lines and are often just a disembodied voice for other ground troops, like SEALs, as they provide air support coordination.
What is the most elite military unit in the world? ›
Full List
- The Navy SEALs.
- The Immortals.
- The Brigade of Gurkhas.
- The Knights Hospitaller.
- The Special Air Service.
- The Green Berets.
- The Varangian Guard.
- The Hashishin.
Originally Answered: What does the 'E' in the Navy SEAL stand for? Navy (SEAL) is an acronym for SEa, Air, and Land which are the environments they are trained to operate in. So in the case of the E its simply incorporated into the word sea.
What is the most prestigious military unit in the world? ›
United States Navy SEALs are perhaps the finest special operations forces in the world. The competitive standard to even be considered for BUD/S training is to swim 500 yards in 10:30, 79 push-ups, 79 sit-ups, 11 pull-ups, and a 10:20 1.5 mile run. That's just to get in.
Is Delta Force better than SEALs? ›
Generally speaking, both units are equally capable of executing all specialized missions that JSOC is tasked with. Again, because of DEVGRU's extensive training for specialized maritime operations, they are more likely to receive missions like the rescue of Captain Phillips at sea.
What is the rarest US Army rank? ›
The title General of the Armies has only ever been held by two individuals, George Washington and John Pershing. In active service, the rarest rank is Sergeant Major of the Army, as there is only ever one at a time. In the US Army, it depends on how you look at it.
