Which Special Operations Pipeline is the HARDEST?? Ranking easiest to hardest.

[@ValhallaVFT]

Alright so I’ve been informed SQT is considered part of the total SEAL pipeline, not a follow on school like I was under the impression originally, so we’ll add that in and put the duration to 1 year. I’m still not adding ranger school to Rangers, any of the infill platform schools or SOCM for special forces.

[@NYRalltheway14]

Marsoc A&S spends a ton of time in the pool and its brutal. My roommate went through A&S

[@Lukeclout]

Half of CA has to go through SOCM,, now as part of their Q course

[@ValhallaVFT]

@@Lukecloutthey should add a phase about embassy party’s since that’s what they spend the most time doing.

[@ValhallaVFT]

@@NYRalltheway14everything water based is the worst for sure.

[@NYRalltheway14]

@@ValhallaVFT little known fact MARSOC obv has their own instructors for ITC but for selection they have a cadre made up of active duty raiders but also retired seals, SF, etc as civilian contractors

[@SOCOMAthlete]

USAF Pararescue (PJ) training has the highest washout rate in SOF of 90-95%. If you need to be recovered from behind enemy lines, you want the best of the best coming to save your life. “These things we do, that others may live.”

[@Dirkdiggl]

Navy SARCs are better and cooler

[@jeremyfraley6469]

​@@Dirkdiggl they don't even compare lol

[@Dirkdiggl]

@@jeremyfraley6469 they’re replacing PJs for a reason

[@martelprayer416]

​@@DirkdigglI strongly disagree....

[@brucemcdonald6677]

As a former USAF, C130 Navigator I totally agree. USAF PJ’s are the best.

[@Finny14754]

I’m British 🇬🇧 and in our military the catering core is clearly the hardest in our entire military. And I can say this with confidence because clearly judging by the food NO ONE has ever passed it .

[@mikehawkslong5529]

You killed me with that one😂😂

[@RANGER73CPT]

NICE DIG!!!

[@kentakeura1617]

hahaha :D

[@mikeall7012]

In my humble opinion, the French had the best food. Followed by the Australians.

[@ProjectMayhem44]

The beauty of their women and the taste of their food made the Brits the best sailors in the world

[@JBCCT01]

I came from the USMC into the USAF to be a Combat Controller. My world was flipped upside down in one day. I got to INDOC in 1999 and weighed 215 lbs of muscle. For context I am also retired 3 time world champion in Thai boxing. I was in incredible shape, tough, determined or so I thought. In one month I was down to 190 pounds. I can honestly say that I NEVER thought I would be able to perform as many physical and mental tasks in single day with no sleep, food, cold wet and hungry. Graduating was an accomplishment. The lessons I took from that course I carry to this day. Plus, you KNOW you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. Even being completely exhausted, sleep deprived, injured, wet and cold it gets done. KNOWING what you that ability to dig deep and overcome the worst of experiences is super power. USAF CCT/PJ pipeline in the late 90's was and is the hardest qualification of SOF. More than an 85 % attrition rate. Minimum of 2 years to finish if you aren't injured or set back. The indoctrination course (INDOC) was based on BUD's. The first two weeks were prep for Hell Week. The biggest difference is after Hell Week the course got harder, standards higher each week with the same events. You only got two attempts at any event to pass. Period. There was a curfew 24/7 regardless of rank, cannot walk during the duty day. No drinking, driving or porn. If the cadre saw you out in town they would drop you, smoke the shit out of you in front of the world. If you were caught you were eliminated and permantly DQ'd to reapply for integrity violation. The pool session were 4 hours everyday of controlled drowning. It was routine for trainees to pass out during the underwater tasks. The pool is where the majority of trainees quit. Friday pool session was guaranteed to get students to quit. Literally, the cadre would not end the session until someone quit. The cadre were pretty solid. You had a few that were complete cucks but they didn't get to influence much. However, if you were a hard worker, wouldn't quit and had issues they would bend over backwards to get youth graduate if possible. I was hurt. Had stress fractures in my shin and femur. They set me back and put me in charge of the Prep team to get guys ready to start training. This allowed me to heal and continue with training. Class graduations were ridiculous. There several classes that only one person graduated out 100-140 students. Most class size at graduation was 3-5 out of hundred of applicants. Keep up the great work. Good to see operators putting out quality material. God bless! JB

[@ValhallaVFT]

Cool man, thanks for the insight into the Airforce side of the house, obviously working off second hand information so it’s nice when dudes who’ve been through hop in to enlighten us.

[@1anre]

You really did DO the work. Maybe after reading your post, Marines will humbly learn not to shittalk Airforce folks ever again. Any reason you didnt go STO/CRO instead of CCT?

[@joeg5414]

I went through Air Force ATC school back in late 2001. My first day on the tower simulator was on 9/11. But yeah, we had combat controllers in my class. I was really surprised to learn they all had to make it through ATC training on top of everything else. That in itself is tough to get through. I mean, not physical obviously....you know what I mean.

[@Hell_Hound_Actual]

@@joeg5414 Sorry for the slightly long comment, but I genuinely do hope you take the probably 1 minute to read it. Hey, as a former Air Force Special Warfare member (I was in Special Operations Weather Team as a recon specialist / or as they call it today AFSPECWAR SR) I just want to say that regardless of what job someone had in the military, so long as they served honorably and did their job to the best of their ability during the entirety of their service, they get my respect just the same. You don't have to be in Special Operations Forces to be a bad ass in my book. Thank you for what you did as well, because if you hadn't done your job, many of us couldn't have done ours as well.

[@ValhallaVFT]

@@1anre I worked with CCT’s closely throughout my career, easier to make videos on stuff I actually have experience with.

[@AirAmericaInSaigon]

There’s a reason PJ training is called “Superman school”

[@timmybobby4052]

And during their pipeline and after id call them fuckwit pogs

[@Bear230grain]

Because they call it that. Lol

[@smyers820gm]

Yes because they have to train really hard to get up outta that chair 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Vino2Times]

​@@smyers820gmyea you gotta be a troll

[@johnwalker5622]

Rangers don't have a long pipeline but they raise a different breed. The dude joining the military with an option 40 contract will very likely see combat and very soon. After RASP you'll be attached with some serious dudes with a world of experience and knowledge. You'll be tested everyday. It's a hard job to get and very easy to lose. You'll be a 20 year old Specialist on your 2nd or 3rd deployment sitting on a 47 beside a PJ who is 40 and never been to combat because they were just in training the whole time. Ranger pipeline never ends.

[@tomyoung8563]

That’s why I loved it We’re down range while the other guys are still in the school house Might be the ADHD speaking but I’m not sure I could have stayed focused long enough for anything else

[@ShorePatrol762]

Fast track to combat for sure while others spend 3 years in training

[@alfredcasasola]

​@ShorePatrol762 I agree being OJT'd is far superior than being in a school environment.

[@Devinek9john]

@@tomyoung8563 I was a SEAL, and I agree. Rangers typically have more deployments, more gunfights.

[@nathanammon4021]

@@Devinek9john thanks for your input I’m still glad you did it.

[@herecomesaregular8418]

Having combat dive school in any pipeline instantly makes it so much more intimidating. I recall a USAF combat dive instructor/cadre saying once "I can take a guy who has never swam, and make him a human fish. I can also take the guy that was raised with a pool, and make him terrified of the water." Obviously he was being a little creative for effect, but the gist was there is no quicker way to get wash-outs than to add the fear of drowning into the mix.

[@stevefowler2112]

I was a U.S. Recon Marine and got sent to a lot of the Spec Ops courses, including Jump school, Ranger School (RASP), Rubber Boat school and HALP/HAHO schools and Pre combat divers school...by FAR the toughest course I attended was the Combat Divers School at Coranado, our class started with 37 and only 7 of the original class graduated (we also had a few pickups). It was a real ball buster...in my case it certainly helped that I had been on the Swim team in H.S. but I think more importantly it helped that I had grown up Beach side in Cocoa Beach Florida and had just always swam/surfed/snorkeled/fished/hunted up and down the central east coast of Florida. I was just very comfortable in and under the salt water.

[@nathanammon4021]

@@stevefowler2112 nice do you think the water stuff in marine recon prepared you for dive diving school. It seems to me that the abrupt entry into dive school would make it that much harder

[@stephanarizona9094]

You should do "Funny Stereotypes" of each SOF Units.

[@robertberatheon4213]

I was a PJ for 20yrs and the biggest mistake we ever made was pulling out of Army SF SCUBA or any army school for that matter. The Army SF guys are some of the best guys around and I appreciate everything I learned from them

[@sukaenacornelius9285]

Although its not special operations forces. I got to work with the Navy rescue swimmers and got to study their training beginning to end. Both versions of the navy rescue swimmers. Both start at same school in Pensacola. I had done part of a study for the eod and divers. And colleagues of mine did buds. We did alot of research. Personally from my perception and observations as an outsider their 2 months air rescue school was extremely difficult. And unlike other programs, you show up and aren’t guaranteed a class. The fittest class up. They get their butts handed to them all day then have to study. Many drop from failing test or medical performance. The instructors are more professional and quite and let the curriculum run it self. Of the men who are able to get into a class, usually only half or much less in winter make it. Their follow on training is like a four year degree worth of learning compacted into a year. They were actually some of the fittest and well spoken men I’ve spoken to. Very handsome men. I think the biggest thing about air rescue in navy, is being able to study ith little sleep and show up the next day prepared. The onset who are truly motivated and want it make it. The ones who don’t study or decide to put sleep over preparing and studying for next day get dropped for test failure or integrity violations. Things as small as stenciling your shirts, water bottles, uniform inspections every morning, and typically a chapter in their publications they must master each day and execute evaluations. As well as just being extremely comfortable in water without panicking. They do do alot of overwatch for the seals when they invade boats as well. And in fact, there was a rescue swimmer a few months ago. Or helicopter crew who just neutralized three huthi rebels who were being hostile. You meet them.

[@kylewalters8651]

Army sf dive school in key west has the best chow hall out of any place I’ve been. Random I know

[@robertberatheon4213]

@@kylewalters8651 seriously, at least in ‘97, it was amazing food. The chef was great. And we could eat more than average.

[@Michael-x6v]

As a Ranger I'd say PJ'S have the toughest and longest pipeline.

[@Frankie1LE]

What about Space Force's Space shuttle door gunner?😂

[@namesecondname4548]

AI needs no pipeline

[@buffewo6386]

The best intro to the PJs is watching The Fat Electrician's video on then... I'm former USAF. If I see PJs in a restaurant & have the money in my wallet, I will pull the wait staff aside and pay for their meals. No question. No need for interaction. These were the people who would die to ensure I got to come back to my family when I flew a mission. With a motto like "That Others May Live" you know they are built different...

[@mitchwiegand8078]

As an outsider with no military experience hearing about our SFs is fascinating. Hearing about your experience is mind numbingly insane. I can't imagine what it's like. I can imagine a minute or two, but constant torture for months on end. God Bless you all. There is none better than the other. You are all fucking Badass!

[@stephenkozlowski5524]

To help shed some light on the MARSOC pipeline. The MARSOC pipeline consists of A&S (Assessment and Selection) 6 weeks consisting of 2 phases , ITC(Individual Training course) 9 months consisting of 5 phases, at which point you earn the MOS Marine Raider. However you can not go to your team without completing language school, and airborne and free fall usually around 7 months for those. Additionally MARSOC is what's called in the Marine Corps as a lateral move MOS only, so you have to be in the Marine Corps for at least two years before you can even start the process but most commonly Marines will attend A&S around 3 and half years in time service.

[@joesgotya9930]

Is MARSOC so-posed to be the USMC version of Green Berets? Like are they dedicated to the same charter of Foreign Internal Defense and Tripple A? Or is there a unilateral aspect to MARSOC like the SEALs and Rangers?

[@JGould-uu4kb]

Finally. Someone with an accurate comment. People forget that not all Special Operations schools are built the same. For example: While it's true that MARSOC is generally structured similarly to SFAS / Q-Course, they do not start language training (up to 6 months in duration) until AFTER they complete ITC--whereas SF starts language training during the Q-Course. Obviously, that alone would contribute to the differences in initial qualification training timeframes.

[@JGould-uu4kb]

​@@joesgotya9930Not exactly. However, they are certainly more similar to Army SF with UW/FID than SEALs, and certainly more than Rangers. Look at it this way when comparing each in terms of priority: * Army SF --- 1) UW/FID (nobody is better), and 2) Direct Action /Special Reconnaissance * Marine Raiders --- 1) Direct Action / Special Reconnaissance (in no particular order), and 2) UW/FID If you are really interested, I'd suggest reading Dick Couch's book 'Always Faithful, Always Forward: The Forging of a Special Operations Marine'. The book is about 10 years old now. Couch is a former SEAL (and CIA case officer) who was embedded with the Marine ITC class through the whole Selection/Training. He has written similar books for Rangers, SF, and SEALs--so he has credibility. He summarizes the following regarding MARSOC 'Critical Skills Operators' (note: that's their offical title; they were not colloquially called 'Raiders' yet at the time of his writing): * Marksmanship/Combat Shooting-Assault ---- he describes the initial training exceeding the other SOF forces He states "a distant 2nd would be the Rangers, and they're the elite light infantry-Direct Action component of SOCOM." So that should tell you something about the Raiders - note: they fire ~900 rounds/per day during their 5-week Direct Action phase, which is crazy--and several of their instructors are former SMU guys). * Direct Action ---- he describes them as being on par with SEALs (but doesn't really qualify how/why) * Special Reconnaissance ---- he states the other SOF units don't come close (this shouldn't surprise anyone.. they were born from the Force Recon companies). * Maritime (Amphibious) Capabilities ---- he describes them as 2nd only to the SEALS (keep in mind their initial amphibious training is similar to Marine Recon, and SEALs as well). Many Raiders go on to the USMC Combat Dive School as well. * UW/FID -----he states they are close to Army SF, but gives SF the edge. The last phase (Phase 4) of ITC is called 'Derna Bridge' and it is modeled almost identically to the Army SF 'Robin Sage' phase which teaches all things Unconventional Warfare (in the book, the Marines had Army SF has instructors). So, hope that helps. MARSOC is a "full-spectrum" SOF force. They do it all.

[@joesgotya9930]

@@JGould-uu4kb Yea, I have to admit I wasn’t entirely read up about MARSOC raiders, but reading about their history and evolution as as a organization, i see just pure professionalism. In a lot of ways, id say they are outdoing the SEALs because they’re not feeding into that toxic leadership culture and they understand and respect the FID side of warfare.. They also have common sense understanding of the importance of getting along with conventional battle space owners. Much more versatile organization on so many levels.

[@Defylaws]

A Good friend I train with was a PJ now works with training them. This dude is one of the nicest and most humble bad ass human beings on the planet

[@sof.maniac1522]

All sof guys are nice & humble, It’s a personality thing.

[@mosesnoble5236]

@@sof.maniac1522the training does make you humble yourself, going in as a cocky teenager really gives you a reality check that you really ain’t tuff like that!

[@shannonmanning6166]

After years of relative obscurity, I'm glad PJ's are getting recognized. Any soldiers on any of the above teams are badass, but PJ's are some incredibly driven and capable operators. Former Army medic here, 10th Mountain, and we only heard about PJ's in hushed, reverent tones from SF guys.

[@CarHubTalk]

30th AG is the hardest pipeline in the army.

[@ValhallaVFT]

This actually has some merit to it, that place was a nightmare

[@1anre]

What's that

[@bradenbagby4431]

​@@1anre where hopes and dreams go to die. Its basically where you go to us army Infantryman. It's like purgatory

[@Ty-sq7yi]

I still remember guys spending half as long at 30th AG as they did at their actual training company 😂

[@Matty23134]

@@1anreit’s basic training reception for Fort Moore/Benning, so where people in infantry and armor osut initially report to. Sleep deprivation, waiting quietly for hours in formation just for the smallest things, and power-hungry civilian employees just to name a few things. I’ve heard people say they’d rather redo Ranger School than 30th AG.

[@MeatballMedic]

Air Force Special reconnaissance, formerly special operations weather, actually has a longer tech school with higher wash out rates than pararescue depending on the year. The 5th was the first unit in Afghanistan… but the first person in the country was a special ops weatherman. The story is one of the coolest of the Afghan war.

[@user-cq6dg6ql9j]

One of my buddies went through PJ “Superman” Pipeline. In Indoc, two prior 75th Ranger Regiment guys quit in the second week.

[@crewdoglm]

Cool to see an SF guy vote for the Air Force. (I am retired USAF aircrew.) I have long believed that the PJs have the most brutal pipeline in DoD without being able to prove that. I can tell you that having been AD or CTR for 28 years now, I have never run across anyone from another SOF community who had the slightest negative commentary about CCTs or PJs.

[@jamielancaster01]

Just like a SF guy to leave out Delta!

[@crewdoglm]

@@jamielancaster01 He forgot. 😂

[@trava4156]

“Special teams, special plays, special players!”

[@williamwells6468]

Only one I can speak on with first hand knowledge is the Ranger pipeline. I served with a lot of units from all branches and it may get a lot of heat but I can say the Ranger Battalion has some of the highest standards in the military. Hardest job to get, easiest job to lose. I’m sure I’m bias but I believe we are some of the toughest SOBs on earth.

[@bluestfalcon419]

It’s designed that way. You can take a recruit off the street and get them into Batt in 8-9 months. There are only a few battalions because it’s designed to be a rapidly deployable strike force, so the door must always revolve. The army also wants rangers and ranger qualified soldiers to circulate among the regular army units. This is why regular army loves battalion and why they have a better relationship than with any other army SOF unit.

[@williamwells6468]

@@bluestfalcon419 that’s true. Big army did along with us better. No hate but some units act like they are to good to help the regular guys. We was never like that b

[@Abefroman-lq3md]

Not by a long chalk!

[@EdwardHood]

USAF Pararescue- Even SEALS need heroes

[@jacob6187]

Ranger regiment already coined that phrase

[@DEACONR6155]

Let me guess you weren't one...

[@Xyxesss]

Look at Operation Red wings because it was the ranger regiment who saved Marcus luttrell

[@EdwardHood]

Affirmative- 12 years 1D7X1

[@daviddavis3229]

The boy scouts would come before anything in the Air Force.

[@escabrosa1]

While in Group (many years ago) I worked with other special operations units, mostly with the Seal Teams and STS(Combat Controllers/PJs). Can't say enough about STS. A great bunch of guys.

[@erichuth117]

I was a 80s/90s PJ. SF Combat Diver and SF HALO were part of our pipeline. Those are tough schools especially going through as an E-3 USAF guy. Immediately after the pipeline, I did SF Dive Sup, SF DMT, SF HALO JM and 3 years as a SF MFFI at Bragg. SF MFFI was brutal. Training never stops, I loved it and I miss it. Yes, I got my ass kicked the entire way and I did HALO JM/Dive Sup multiple times… I got to the 24th STS and training switched to “non-stop”

[@na8522]

Okay but we are talking selection courses not schools bud and you don’t do those schools until after selection . Not sure how the 80s were when you went through but that’s not how it works today

[@erichuth117]

@@na8522 read my original post again, Combat Diver course and HALO were part of our pipeline then 1985.

[@afsoccommando]

You made it to the STS SMU, you are a stud. Most have no IDEA what goes on in the compound and the fact you guys had to be better to prove your worth to the other 2 pipehitter SMU's you guys attached to. Not to include your own stand alone missions.

[@lynngrabill1275]

Hey Eric!

[@erichuth117]

@@lynngrabill1275 what’s up brother 😉

[@Aknight292]

I've actually been wanting this type of video.

[@jimm.5424]

As Navy vet, so much respect for all of these units. Watched a documentary on the PJ selection and that looked like absolute hell. Not mentioned is AST's or Coast Guard aviation survival techs. They go through a brutal selection process as well with 50 to 60 percent washout rates. Then onto their secondary training for medical, rescue, etc. Great video though.

[@Jc87134]

Buds+SQT is 14 months if you don’t get injured or rolled.

[@ValhallaVFT]

If I was going to add SQT then I’d have to have done it to all the secondary schools for the all the other SOF units and it would have just made the video too convoluted.

[@adminbusinessdevelopment6220]

@@ValhallaVFT Hey great video, question though. Isn’t the equivalent comparison SFAS as a selection course and SFQC as a qualification course where you receive your green berets upon graduation? Isn’t Bud/s equivalent being that Bud/s is a selection course and SQT is a qualification course where you receive your trident upon graduation? My point is that SQT isn’t a secondary school if it’s required for the SO MOS designation

[@ValhallaVFT]

@@adminbusinessdevelopment6220 if you want to pretend BUDs is a 6 month selection class and not their qualification course then feel free. Hell week in buds is the typical comparison to SFAS. All these units have courses set up differently.

[@stan3943]

@@ValhallaVFTso isn’t it a bad comparison then by the difference between them, since BUDs isn’t the qualification course?

[@Jc87134]

@@ValhallaVFT agreed buds is the selection course and you still have to pass sqt to earn your trident. I’ll be honest I got an ARI when I was in the navy and they voluntold me to attend Ranger School. I thought that was most miserable course in my entire military career.

[@stevefowler2112]

My "Little Brother" was in Special Forces in the ARMY and I was a U.S. Recon Marine (Battalion, not Force). I was the big Sports star in H.S. in the early 70's mainly because I was just blessed with very good foot speed and athleticism and eye hand coordination. I started at both Safety and RB (making all county at Safety) on a very good varsity football team and played SS on the varsity Baseball team, and swam a partial season on the Swim team and ran a partial Cross Country season (my best 2.5 mile run time was 15:25). I was 6'2" 185 lbs as a Sr. and generally liked my weight about 205 in The Corps though it could fluctuate between 190 and 220 depending on the mission. I ran like a deer and swam like a fish and could hump large loads all day and night...But my brother, who was only about 5'10" weighed 225 and was built like a chunk of iron, could outlast me if we trained to near death...he has/had world class endurance and is now an old world class expedition hiker. We have compared notes many times between the Special Forces pipeline and the typical Marine Recon Spec Ops training courses. I have nothing but respect for the Green Berets, they are all smart tough and capable killers with advanced insurgency and counter insurgency training. I got sent to Jump school at Benning, Ranger school (RASP) at Benning, Rubber Boat school at Coronado and Pre-Combat diver at Pendelton and Combat Diver at Coronado. I also qualified in HALO and HAHO parachute, which in the late 70's was in Whidbey NAS in Washington state. Ranger school was only tough because they didn't feed you, had i been able to eat a few thousand calories a day it would have been fun and a breeze. The only real time i had physical issues was at the Rubber Boat school which was still fun, and then there was Combat Divers school...that was a real kick your ass course...Our class started with 37 and we finished with 7 original graduates and a few pickups (a now recently retired Aerospace Engineer with a large American defense contractor's Missile Systems company.

[@stephenhampton7444]

I had a a highschool teacher that was a USAF PJ from 1989-1996 he was a bad ass dude . Great video tho . He was my highschool teacher in 2006 by the way .

[@Boomer792]

Hardest part about MARSOC selection is not getting out to do AFSOC or SF 😂

[@ValhallaVFT]

I did have two former recon marines on one of my ODAs lol.

[@samwertheimer4848]

Had a MARSOC officer in my SFAS class. Dude was an absolute stud and all around class act.

[@1anre]

​@samwertheimer4848 he gave up his commission to become an 18X or he just transferred to the Army at a lower officer rank?

[@samwertheimer4848]

@@1anre he was inter-service TDY. So still in the Marine Corp but attending the course and then had the choice to switch over the the Army if selected. I think he wanted to drop his commission, but got talked out of it and switched over as an O.

[@RemoWilliams-jg4yb]

The hate continues.....

[@markellis6101]

PJs are rigthfully at top, however, please note each group basically has a different functions. When combined, don't fuck with any USA SF. They can bring it from everywhere, any angle, any direction, and then fight to recover those that did so.

[@user-cc5od3zk4p]

Just had a short doc come across my feed by Black Rifle Coffee Co. (Great coffee) entitled "History of the Green Berets'. Don't know if you've seen this Nate but, it's excellent and it really gives us civilians a concise overview of SFs. Highly recommend. Excellent breakdown of the SF pipeline, thank you for the vid!

[@nvllam4441]

Great channel and great content, keep up the great work!

[@ValhallaVFT]

Thank you 🙏

[@sonnysantana5454]

excluding the animals from delta , the us hair force PJ's part doctor , part frogman and part commando and in the 80's they were smallest elite outfit and they had to learn of medical shit

[@justindelaney9987]

Out of these I went to Airborne school. Then off to the 82nd. We had a SEAL in my class. So of course I had a ton of BUD'S questions. He already had his Trident. He said he had been to jump school 6 months earlier, but he was really cocky and he got into it with a Black Hat, So he got kicked out. He finished up his SEAL Training then came back.

[@ivicahudika3379]

I was enlisted 82nd and later joined the a Navy and became a SEAL. A SEAL buddy of mine got out, got his degree and joined the Army as an Officer. He was in the 3rd ID, then 75th Ranger Regimental Reconnaissance and then 10th SFG , he retired as a Major. I asked him the same question from his experience he ranked the pipelines like this. 1. SEAL 2. SF 3. Ranger Regiment ( RASP & Ranger school) That’s from a guy that went through all three of them keep in mind he went through the SEAL pipeline as enlisted and the other two as an officer.

[@ValhallaVFT]

I actually went to the q course with a former SEAL, and he said the same thing, then he washed out lol, so who knows.

[@ivicahudika3379]

How did he wash out and what was his name?

[@ivicahudika3379]

@@ValhallaVFT My guess was the guy was probably a SWCC or a support guy in a SEAL Team, not an actual SEAL. Can’t see anyone going from the SEAL Teams to SF unless it was something like Steve Mueller who got commissioned in the Army and then went that route. Let me know what his name was and I’ll check the data base if that washout was an actual SEAL.

[@nathanammon4021]

@@ValhallaVFT I’ve been impressed with all the SOF units for different reasons. It seems like the difficulty of training or lifestyle balances out. I’ll say this you guys ware off on people in a good way. I got to work for a Vietnam era marine and later I learned my other boss was in SF. It made sense now looking back because everything we did was timed. If we weren’t told outright we knew it was implied. I was very proud of being able to keep up with guy. He was in his 50s and it seemed like his whole being moved a hundred miles an hour. My dad was a sergeant detective and I’ve known how to get along with service people usually when you’re kinda the black sheep you just keep your mouth shut and keep up. Those guys were my all time favorite people to work for. They were tough but fair. We went through probably 100 people in just over a year. I told a coworker once we don’t have a turnover rate we have an attrition rate. When you give people even just a little bit of mental discomfort they brake keep in mind we were civilians we weren’t pushing logs up hills but we were expected to work as a team. It got to a point that he didn’t have to tell us anything if we got a guy that wasn’t pulling his weight we broke him in our own way. This was only when he deserved it we didn’t bully people for no reason. I’ve been biased toward green berets since looking into sf after working with those guys. I’m pretty sure Robin Sage is the most genius training program ever designed.

[@MountainVisions]

​@@ValhallaVFTyou said it yourself, water is a great equalizer. The Airforce ironically is basically water based, just not sand based like the SEALs/SWCCs. But very similar otherwise. I did watch an interview not too long ago with a PJ that hated land based stuff, loved the water. Said he got sick on the runs. Could do the pool/water con all day. I guess occasionally you get a guy like that who is meant for it.

[@LA-ep2nr]

They are all hard, but I have to admit, AF PJ school is the hardest. “These things we do, that others may live.” Hooah!!!

[@joshcopeland1151]

these things we do, that others may live. Hooyah*

[@FiveInchTaint]

@@joshcopeland1151 It was Al Pacino saying it.

[@TommyBombadillio]

The PJ pipeline is also a one shot chance. Unlike courses like BUDS, there are no do-overs.

[@thebowtiechaplain3399]

Love your shadow boxes in the background. Very cool. I wish I could have had a mind to go into SO when I first joined

[@WILDJaegerVeteranAdventures]

for 6 years. SF for 8 years. Did Combat Diver and the Long Walk (Finished but Non-Select). I agree that anything dealing with water will get rid of 90% of candidates off the top. Anyone can walk all day and suck up months of pipeline training. Take away a persons ability to “breath”… Good bye comes real fast.

[@enriquep.-cz2xx]

I agree. Those guys were very young going through SF Dive and Ranger when I was going through my own pipeline. They kicked ass at PT.

[@lt.spears1889]

Air Force PJ’s don’t get the respect they should, SF Operators know and understand how difficult it is, but most especially civilians are clueless, thanks for the respect

[@gordonallen9095]

They don't call Pararescue training "Superman School" for nothing.....

[@DEACONR6155]

Dude stfu...hell Ranger school is harder than that shit

[@hypoluxa]

I think you got the PJ in the right spot. I worked with the some CCT's in my career, and their selection pipeline is 2 yrs long essentially, before they don their beret from what they shared. Side-note on PJ's, There's a good docu on Amazon that I watched that covers their selection process. It's intense. Having to know all of the SOF combat tactics etc, then also having to be a highly trained EMT.

[@Patriotx-gx4ce]

I came to US in 1996 as refugee from Bosnia after civil war age 18. Joined US Army as 11B and did my time at FT Benning and went back to my state as National Guard. One of few units that has a tab as part of their unit patch. Specialized in Mountain warfare and I 'll leave it that. Full time for 9 years and they called us "nasty girls"))) in boot camp(yeah about that). Well during deployment we were land owners small COP with certain Airborne unit and more specialized, under it kind off. Active Army colonel cried when he awarded some of our soldiers as we have absolutely decimated enemy in our AO and stirred the Hornets nest, also lost few guys. 9000ft of elevation was its own challenge. My unit did better than all active Army units previously and that's why we were awarded Unit Silver Start amongst others. Since I joined when I was 28 I always felt I needed something more and after medically getting out due to injuries and listening to Tier 1 guys and their mindset i knew I should have been 18X vs 11B. Anyway always above others with courage skills maturity and would have fit in great. Regret it still but it is what it is. As a foot soldiers and 11B what I did and s**** I went through would not change it. Loved it and also got trained to DM and 11C, rolles I won medals for. Scored best on DM test etc... Very seldom does anyone talk about infantry and always forget we are the main force that clears bad guys daily vs certain operation at certain times while in between ops they Sun bathe, shower with Oekleys on and drink "green beans" coffees. Even as 11B we have done operations at night out of shinooks etc. Saved some Dust 1 Navy guys...)

[@SoldierDrew]

Infantry is where the rubber meets the road during combat. Infantrymen are spending months out behind enemy lines, often getting no resupplies, measuring combat time in years and not in missions. Special Forces and Special Operations guys get to return to the rear after their mission to shower, play video games, grab hot chow, hit the weights, rest up before next mission. Infantrymen aren't going back to the rear echelon to rest, get hot chow and shower. Everyone sleeps on the Infantry but more medals of honor and more decorations for combat come out of infantry units. Infantrymen are truly Embracing the suck down range. And right now, Russia & her allies declared WWIII. Trench warfare will be the face of WWIII and it'll be more Infantrymen going into that meat grinder than any special operations or S.F. group brothers.

[@Cholby217]

Who cares if you weren’t SOF it’s just a title, infantry boys get the fuck after it, harder mission than special operations day in day out

[@JacobAndJamal]

Pararescue for sure. Occasionally people from other SOF communities try to transfer to PJs and some don’t make it, despite previously making it through a prior pipeline …

[@meece5352]

The SWCC pipeline is roughly 8 months (including CQT). While not as long as BUDs (12 months with SQT), it also includes some of the same challenging evolutions - including water evolutions (not including diving). kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHuQeWuDpdljasUsi=skUJ07llLQDomsZ6

[@nathanammon4021]

Yah apparently they made it harder maybe more sophisticated

[@Devinek9john]

SWCC should have got a mention for sure. They had PSY OPs but not SWCC? Sure everyone can agree BUDs is a little harder, but SWCC is no joke.

[@nathanammon4021]

@@Devinek9johnit actually has a pretty high attrition rate I’m still curious as to why he didn’t include AF special recon I thought their pipeline was part of the ccts and para rescue. It seems all these units have some kind of time a like hell week or selection even the coast guard has some kind of special operations.

[@Devinek9john]

@@nathanammon4021 If we are going by high attrition rates, the navy Nuke program for nuclear engineers has a high attrition rate. Attrition rate doesn't equal difficulty, just like Tier status doesn't equal training either, but thats another story.

[@nathanammon4021]

@@Devinek9john yes I know it has to do with funding I only mentioned attrition rate because you compared it to buds as a comparison. I’m impressed by all of it. I probably wouldn’t last a day in any of it. The engineers I had know idea wow that’s interesting. I still think it’s weird he snubbed the AFs recon guys. Cheers

[@ericb.4358]

Likely Delta Force is psychologically the most difficult.They take applicants from EVERY branch of the US military. The Army Rangers, Marine Raiders are similar in difficulty and duration. Marine RECON is a bit more difficult with more water borne components. Army Special Forces often takes applicants from Ranger applicants. NAVY SEAL training is tough but SEAL Team 6 is even more difficult, taking only from SEAL teams those members who've been proven in combat AND chosen by DEVGRU itself. My neighbor was an Air Force Tactical Air Control operator in Afghanistan. He saw action with British SAS, US SF and Navy SEALs.

[@MeatballMedic]

Pararescue has the most in depth mental health exam out of all the military branches.

[@parkermcgrade594]

you need to start adding Special warfare combat crewmen on these videos

[@82drumhead]

I remember in Basic Training like 4 or 5 dudes went to what I remember as was like the INDOC tryout for PJ school. So maybe they were just going to see if they could just make it into the training pipeline after our flight graduated. But if I remember they went like after a few weeks of training. This was in 2005 so my memory may be a little hazy as to the exact details and it may be different now. Regardless, the all came back lol. I seem to remember them saying the water confidence stuff was just unreal and they had to tread water for like hours or something. I know it was Air Force basic haha but our entrire flight got some sort of an award for PT and those guys were the dudes that were smoking everybody else in sit ups, push ups, run....ect. Nothing but respect for all these folks that go through these SO pipelines and what they do. Unreal stuff. I was an Aerial Gunner and our training was pretty cool. Nothing like this stuff.

[@powellcpr8747]

PJ's are the only DOD medics that earn the National Registry Paramedic license. As a Paramedic with a Paramedic degree, this school was very tough.

[@michaeldbhawker3556]

Many 18 deltas go to med school after dude. Pjs medical training is but a fraction of Sof medics.

[@powellcpr8747]

@@michaeldbhawker3556 The SOF medics are some of the best around. Still, with the PJ'S getting their NREMT-PARAMEDIC license afterwards makes them the best and true paramedic for the DOD. Paramedic school is a two or four year degree and you need to keep above 80% on all tests or you get kicked out. My paramedic class started with 23 students and 18 months later 11 graduated. I worked at the FD with a SF medic from the 5th group, he said that paramedic school was tougher, however, he learned about dentistry, veterinary care and basic surgery as an SF medic. I would agree that the SF medics are better than a SEAL medic or corpsman. Being a NREMT-PARAMEDIC gives you a bigger scope of practice and more medication that you can give.

[@FCSOWMD]

@@michaeldbhawker3556pjs are sof medics

[@perniciousreaper4393]

@@michaeldbhawker3556 that's because PJ's focus more on extracting personnel from denied areas or non-permissive environments. Their medical training is only intended to allow them to stabilize injured or wounded personnel to prepare them for exfil.

[@MeatballMedic]

Straight out of tech school, yes. Many medics are paramedic certified.

[@JohnnyYuma405]

I went through security police training at Lackland AFB back in the 80’s. The PJ/CC initial training was there also. There were a handful of guys that got washed out of the PJ selection and wound up being put into the security training class. We’d run 2 miles every morning and those guys were fast as f***. There were a few of us who were distance runners in high school. We smoked everyone except these guys. I asked them if they were distance runners before joining the AF. None of them were were really in any sports. They just got fast from weeks of trying to keep up in first part of the PJ school.

[@vettevegas]

I remember them running everywhere they went at Lackland, all with one hand on a long 3" diameter braided rope. "WTF are those badasses" I wondered. Then went back to thinking about chasing tail again. 😂

[@BlueMax717]

I feel like you hit the nail on the head on with this. Everything you said is pretty much spot on and I think everyone in SOF would rank these the same. I have no clue how things are in 2024 and some of the changes that have happened but I always used to say Rangers were the easiest SOF group to get in to but the easiest to get kicked out of.

[@pwilsonkelly]

I was an instructor in the Jamaican Navy dive unit. I trained JDF SAR and Special Forces marine troop members in dive school and I can say with certainty that water work made any special operations training course THAT much more difficult. If anyone was going to fail, it would be during pool phase.

[@arnesmith3122]

Marsoc pipeline is about 11 months to complete. There is a good kick in the nuts like what hell week is, you see a huge wash out during the period. The pool and open water slays folks too.

[@nathanammon4021]

I haven’t been able to find anything on it if they have like a hell week I’ve heard parts of Marine recon is simple to buds

[@arnesmith3122]

@@nathanammon4021 it’s not a “hell week” but it’s an event that happens during the pipeline that washes a good portion of the class out. It last two weeks. Also the program is very heavy in the water.

[@nathanammon4021]

@@arnesmith3122 I’ve read some stuff on different military units it’s seems most have some kind of week with the purpose of getting people to quit. I think there are some police units or units outside of DOD that do that kind of thing to. The only thing I can find on Recon is they do something at the end of each month where they run them non stop. If one training regiment is better or harder I don’t see why they don’t just copy that.

[@JGould-uu4kb]

That's correct. It's called 'Raider Spirit' and it takes place at the end of the 'Small Unit Tactics' phase. It generally goes 9-11 days, ~ 200 miles of foot movement, with something like < 10 hours of total sleep. Unlike BUD/S which is a true selection program at that stage of training with its infamously gruelling 'Hell Week' being a PT hazefest, 'Raider Spirit' is more "tactically / operationally" -based. The candidates are many times traversing difficult terrain for 12 or more miles carrying full gear, ~ 120 lb. rucks, and frequently carrying eachother and/or being tasked to carry extreme weights (e.g., 300 or more lbs.) --in whatever form that takes--as a team. Based on everything I've read/heard, it's apparently a blend of the SEALs' 'Hell Week' and a particular phase of the Army SF Q-Course (the latter of which I'm not as familiar with). Re: Raider training, check out the 'Urban Valor' podcast w/ Don Tran. Great interview, and he discusses much of what I mentioned above. There was also another video w/ 2 former SEALs (one is Stew Smith) who corroborate the details mentioned above---including Selection (A&S Phase 2) having elements of 'Delta' in it (note: the Marine candidates have to sign an NDA as it is classified).

[@nathanammon4021]

@@JGould-uu4kbthat’s very interesting I wonder how they’ve come about deciding what goes into these events. I know it’s not a complete art and science. Do the branches get together and take from each others training Regiment. Do you think it will end up being just one big commando force.

[@Hero322]

Makes total sense. Never really knew what the Air Force guys jobs were. Great video, but wish Dev and Delta could have been included.

[@OlSandyCheeks]

Having been through BUDs and currently awaiting to go SF and having quite a few team buddies on Army side. After knowing what most training entails. I can assure you the water based evolutions at BUDs are NOT that bad at all. OC8 in second phase is the only super shitty thing I would say.

[@jeebugorn]

i concur with your assessment. the only pipeline i was not familiar with was MARSOC. ive not done any, just an army grunt but worked with a few of the special operations guys. but im retired now, but every now and then i'll talk to a kid at the gym or doing BJJ that wants to be an operator, and i steer them to Rangers as the "easiest" aka the gateway Operator. can go SF if you want from there, or feed into Delta if it strikes your fancy. and for Air Force, 2 groups that should not get shit from anyone are the CAS pilots and their Special Operations guys.

[@l4c390]

The Assistant Secretary of Defense Office for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (SOLIC) publishes a 5 year roll up of training statistics. The difference in eventual graduation rates between all of the training pipelines (SEAL, AFSOC, SF, MARSOC) are within a couple of percentage points when you include the entry assessment.

[@nathanammon4021]

I read that the attrition rates are very close

[@jc1840]

Love the video and the channel bro, you present it well. Was just curious where you’d put Coast Guard PJs (I know, I know but still… 😂), SWCC and 160th SOAR? Thanks bro, appreciate the work you’re doing 🤙

[@GoDawgz90]

Honestly, CA and PsyOps didn't fully understand their roles 5-6 years ago. They are not a kinetic force. Unfortunately, when people think of Special Operations, they often envision DA anti-terrorism missions. Even GBs aren't as kinetic as most people assume; their pipeline typically provides the most combat experience they'll get in their careers. However, CA's greatest strength lies in their ability to operate autonomously and their freedom of movement. They work in 4-man teams, sometimes in pairs. Their selection process lasts 8 days (considered easy), followed by a 22-week pipeline plus language training (4 or 6 months). SERE school is also required, and you must attend airborne school before being awarded the 38R/S MOS. If your goal is to kill bad guys, consider joining the police force or becoming a Ranger. Given the current global landscape, the next major conflict will likely involve near-peer, large-scale combat operations. Whatever career path you choose, strive to be the best at it. Good luck.

[@jasonbourne1119]

I think people put too much stock into which one is “harder” They should look into which organization is smallest. They are all arguably very “hard” but which one is the most competitive to actually make it in? That is the question they should be asking in my opinion . Great video!

[@SSgtBlueUSMC0369]

As a Marine Grunt and PMC who worked with almost every one listed on here and a few others I agree with this. I’ll be honest, I thought I was pretty damn good and frankly I was when I left the military because I had been around and done some shit. When I got into the contractor game and went up against everyone else listed above the Green B’s and AirForce dude always gave me a run for the money and it’s chapped my ass if I don’t beat them on the range bit it was all good fun for sure. Honestly I was humbled by how good the AirForce guys really were. My Green B’s and SEAL’s and Bat boys were to be expected frankly.

[@Paddy-McNasty]

Are SF guys pissed that there has not been a proper A-team reboot and in the movie they made them army rangers ?? (Because I am)

[@sirloin9348]

Weirdest part is they keep calling them rangers and say they're in the 75th, but when it shows them in dress blues, they're wearing SF patches with Ranger TABS. Just like the rest of the flick, it doesn't make sense. Love that movie tho

[@sirloin9348]

And no, I'm not pissed and don't know anyone who is. We're used to getting shafted when it comes to PR. At least we have solid snake

[@danthelowblood2653]

@@sirloin9348 Solid snake was foxhound 😐

[@sirloin9348]

@@danthelowblood2653 recruited from army sf. I really hope I'm not confusing my fictional super soldiers tho lol

[@sirloin9348]

Is why the 3rd game is even called snake eater

[@samuelhong6758]

Hey big fan of the channel! you should make a video on special operations with the best missions.

[@ValhallaVFT]

Ohh. That’s an interesting one. Thanks for the idea.

[@ginotedeschi4385]

I don’t know if you’ve mentioned them before but, Navy SOIDCs go through the 18D short and long medic course and also go through dive school, sere, jump, basic reconnaissance course, field med course and what not in their initial pipeline. Curious on how you would rank them!

[@Devinek9john]

That's a special add on school, Every PJ has the equivalent of medical training as a medical super star in the SEAL teams.

[@ginotedeschi4385]

@@Devinek9john I think it used to be an add on school, apparently there are no SARCs anymore, all new candidates in the pipeline go straight to IDC school

[@GeorgeJansen]

USAF PJ/CCand Navy Seals, a person must be willing to literally give their life to graduate. Awesome audio books out there ❤❤❤

[@Stiq_912]

Lol Civil Affairs Officer here 👋🏾. Hes not lying lol. CA is pretty easy but I enjoy it. I’m also a 1811 on the civilian side. Yes, for one of the 3 letters.

[@joehoward9905]

I have been through " urban combat school" . I met a " Mac-V-Sog Green Beret and Green Beret " trainer in the Streets of Miami . His name was " CM" . This was in 97 . CM was in charge of Miami City Mission Security. CM was very professional and diplomatic in the hood of Overtown Miami like the Green Beret are known for. One day in Overtown I'm walking by the mission and I see " CM " flipping two knives while a dude is sitting on the block with twenty " Piranha Cuts " on his arms. I walked past him and said good work. CM noticed how smart I operated in the old school streets of Miami. CM noticed I was a lot like the guys he trained with.

[@RANGER73CPT]

I'm new to your channel, good stuff!!!

[@batjackjohnson252]

SARC - Over 95% Attrition in 32~36 months. Both combat dive ie 90% Attrition & 18D is 95%+ are required

[@pauldavis-hh7ud]

you missed Special Warfare Combat Crewman!

[@danielnemecek1798]

SWCCs do the same training as SEALs

[@VileGlory]

@@danielnemecek1798 Not quite. SWCC doesn't go to BUDs. They have BCS.

[@jeremey1423]

I was out of the Corps by the time MARSOC was implemented so I can’t speak to that. I can say the Basic Reconnaissance Course in Coronado pushed me to the edge. I blacked out in the pool early on. We did a brutal run, fin, runs on a cold days in choppy water. Boat drills sucked. The term “sugar cookie” gives me flashbacks. However, after Amphibious phase, it was a relief to get back to the field. It was still intense, but for an infantry guy it was more manageable.

[@ValhallaVFT]

I’ve seen the recon course, it looks super shitty. Reminds me of team weak in SFAS.

[@andrewperlmutter8854]

Marsoc generally pulls from recon and are seasoned operators at the time

[@marklauts]

1. AF PJ 2. Navy Seal 3. AF CCT/TACP/SR 4. Army Green Beret 5. MARSOC 6. Army Rangers

[@philipheppner1851]

Navy Seal in No. 2... lol

[@user-gd4so4iq1d]

Buds, two mile ocean swims and 4mike timed runs every week. Hell week as well. Being cold wet and sandy the whole time through selection.

[@danm.bagley5030]

I'm an old-timer. Never went to any kind of assessment. Went to ranger training and special forces as an enlisted and then as an officer. Special Forces was more academic, and the Rangers was an ass-kicker. I served in the 5th and the 75th in Vietnam as enlisted and as an officer in peacetime. Really have nothing to compare with other branches.

[@ratlips4363]

CCT...got out in 1973! Love your comparison

[@haltorne6647]

I know you have already been informed about SQT but for SEALs you also missed: Indoc/pre-BUDS/mini BUDS/SOAS/Warrior Challenge which is also before BUDS depending on officer or enlisted. Then of course BUDS and SQT but what is relatively new (I believe it was around the 2000s) is that jump school is now embedded into the pipeline. This is mentioned in the SRS recent podcast with Captain Brad Geary who was the Commanding Officer of all of NSW Training.

[@nathanammon4021]

I think it used to be you could stay in underwater demolition or join a seal team. The UDTs were actually a job along with the seals they eventually just disbanded but the UDTs were a thing even after Vietnam I think. I don’t know how much there was to demolish. I suppose they did surveys of the coastline and special recon.

[@HawaiianBro808]

There's a whole history behind UDTs. You learn it in BUD/s prep. Basically, it goes UDT's are the precursors to SEALs and SWCC going back to WW2. SEALs were formed in Vietnam to be inserted deep into the Jungles, whereas the time UDTs mostly stayed manning the boats, diving, or shoreline demolitions. After Vietnam UDT teams were disbanded, some stayed with boat units to establish the precursors to modern Special Boat Teams, but majority UDTs transitioned to the SEAL teams due to the dive emphasis. There are some rare Vietnam era frogmen we call them "Bullfrogs" who have been UDTs, Boat teams or modern SWCC, & SEALs they have the right to have those warfare pins. A legendary Bullfrog is Captain Peter Wikul, (SEAL/UDT/SWCC) he was part of UDTs in Vietnam era, Boat Teams, SEAL Teams and later helped establish command Special Boat Units 12 & 20.

[@thecrustyoldcolonel]

​@@HawaiianBro808Pete was an interesting man to work with.

[@BrianHilleary]

My understanding is that what used to UDT is now just Navy EOD. Still gotta do the BUDS type training but focus is heavily into how to blow up and disarm.

[@vedder10]

Do you think that when Army SOF didn't have the 18X contract the quality of SOF soldier was better or the pipeline itself sorts it out? I ask because having a soldier who has time in and must make the rank of sergeant before applying for SOF would seem to me to add a level of maturity that SEALs don't have.

[@ValhallaVFT]

18X, in some type of form, has been around since my dad went through the course in ‘69. I think the pipeline handles it on its own.

[@marksmusicplace3627]

160th SOAR. 5 week green platoon assessment course to enter. shortest and easiest next to rasp

[@ValhallaVFT]

Interesting, is that for crew/support? I can’t imagine that’s how it is for the pilots.

[@marksmusicplace3627]

@@ValhallaVFT anyone enlisted, warrants and officers must go through the green platoon selection process before allowing to get into regiment

[@marksmusicplace3627]

@@ValhallaVFT I may be incorrect and may only be selection and assessment for enlisted

[@usernamealreadytaken770]

@@marksmusicplace3627Yep. Officers go through a different selection process than enlisted. From what I was told by an officer who was in support, the support officer selection isn’t too physically demanding and instead is much more mentally demanding since there’s lots of questioning and psychological evaluations.

[@Archangel2400]

Thank you for the insight. Very informative.

[@oldnatty61]

Air Force doesn't get the cred they deserve.

[@matthewotis3594]

Ask Wil Willis.😂 Loved his show taking on other sof units.

[@michaelscriver699]

You find muscles you didn't know you had once you are in the water

[@Ky1k]

Boot camp, specwar prep school, buds, sqt. Those are primarily the things you must accomplish to earn seal.

[@TonariusG]

From an outside perspective, I find it funny how much ego is involved between all the branches. Further proved in the comment section lol.

[@rmarli17]

I'm looking at 18x, spec forces marines, or CRO/TACP/SPECRECON in the AF, but as you mentioned, the water has me nervous. Here's the catch, I'm 33 and prior enlisted (4yrs AF) I've got no strings attached and I'm ready to challenge myself.

[@KevinDiazx11]

Make a video about your experience working with CCT and maybe bring an old cct teammate already retired to talk about cct

[@ValhallaVFT]

I could do a good video on that. I have some cool and hilarious stories. All the CCTs I’ve worked with are still active though so can’t do that yet.

[@KevinDiazx11]

@@ValhallaVFT it be cool to heard those stories 😂

[@mathieumintz1694]

Two things, I think it would be interesting if you also added in the navy SWCC program since again it is all water all the time, and also, I think it would be an extremely fascinating video if possible to make (I don't know how available the data is) if you could do one purely based on the numbers. For example on average X number of people start training in any given year, Y drop out, and the community is approximately Z members strong.

[@TheSWATGeek]

Would you put SWCC in there as well? Or would that be more aligned with the 160th or other AF spec ops?

[@HawaiianBro808]

SWCC pipeline is somewhat similar to BUD/s go through BUD/s Prep together, split off SEALs will go to BUD/s, SWCC goes through BCS both first phases are very similar smoke sessions weed out the weak especially after "Hell Week or the Crucible for (SWCC)". However, around the second phase, SEALs will go through the Dive portion while SWCC will go through a phase that has some water survival elements but no diving & focuses more on the boats. But again, SWCC is focusing on boats in final testing evolutions while SEALs focus on diving. Once both finish respective pipelines, BUD/s or BCS both go off to respective training to learning to being more of an "operator" SQT (SEAL Qualification) and CQT (Crewman Qualification).

[@ValhallaVFT]

Here you go, this comment has way more insight than I could have given.

[@ronb3934]

We can all agree that coming out the closet is the hardest thing to do. It's so hard that an entire month is dedicated to it.

[@ValhallaVFT]

Well that’s who the real heroes are so I agree with you 💯

[@ronb3934]

@@ValhallaVFT haha

[@asparadiseburns7861]

😂😂😂

[@asparadiseburns7861]

Ya, these schools ain't shit compared to that...😂😂😂😂 shits so fucked up now

[@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941]

Ba-Dat-Dat-TAH!!!

[@Sean-bn2cf]

My sense of it is that while RASP is shorter, it is very intense. In addition, their Battalion life seems much busier and more intense than other units mentioned. Would be interesting to compare pipelines plus their experiences in units from 1-3 year mark. I bet the Rangers would go up in ranking and SEALs downward.

[@Deepblue31]

Buds is 6 months long yes however, you have 2 months of buds prep to get through then another month of Indoc or (BO nowadays) where many drop between the 2 before day 1 phase 1 of bud/s. A class will start with roughly 220-280 students and 140-180 will maybe see day 1 of 1st phase (sometimes less). Many fail to see those 3 extra months prior to bud/s. Indoc alone took 30 from my class (winter Indoc). Bud/s prep just has exit standards; while indoc(BO) is where bodies start breaking down due to doing many buds evolutions (boats on heads, o course, pool evolutions, may have some 1st phase instructors pop in to give some beat downs etc). Then of course you have SQT (another 6 months) after bud/s which is a kick in the nuts itself - only attrition that happens is due to some injuries but physically you’re doing evolutions just as hard if not harder than bud/s itself

[@davidbright8978]

There a good book that covers raider selection. Also the marines general require you to be in the service for one enlistment. While the navy allows you to join out of boot camp.

[@KevinJohn556]

Looking back I wonder if I could have done one of the AF SOF courses but I was too focused on becoming a civilian cop. Ended up doing security forces reserve and went right into police academy when I got home.

[@kevinthegrizzly5074]

It all boils down to 2 things: 1) How bad do you want it & 2) What can you contribute to the SOF community. 👊🏾🪖🇺🇸✝️

[@toasterpastries5811]

I don't want it and I can't contribute that much to the SOF community.

[@beanotherbrick]

I can make some mean potato de dauphinoise.

[@Jenga_Henga747]

I cook a mean steak and can crack some funny jokes around a campfire

[@kool4209]

Slaves obey your earthly masters.

[@adamkahn8645]

Im surprised you didnt cover the SOWT pipeline for the Air Force, but i guess they really share the same pipeline as PJ's and CCT's.