how to become a green beret

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The Green Berets are the most elite branch of the U.S. Army. They are the special forces of the Army with a number of primary missions. These include: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, and counter-terrorism.^[1] Due to the elite status and importance of the Green Berets, competition to get into this branch of the army is high. Therefore, before embarking on this, keep in mind that the competition is fierce, and you will have to have a long, difficult road to complete to enter the special forces.

1

Be the right age and gender. To qualify for the Green Berets, you must be a man. You also must be between the ages of 20 and 30 years old.^[2]
2

Have good vision. Like other specialized professions within the military, you must have good eyesight to qualify. You need 20/20 vision or very close to it.^[3]
3

Get a high school diploma. This requirement is a basic one for the special forces. You must pass and graduate high school. You don't necessarily need a high GPA; however, you need intelligence to pass the Army's tests for special forces. In fact, the Army prefers that you have at least a year of college, but that is not strictly necessary.^[4]
4

Take and do well on the Army's aptitude test. You take this test upon entering the army, and it measures where your strengths lie and where you would do best in the Army.^[5] To enter special forces, you need 110 or better in the general technical section and 100 or better on combat operation.^[6]
5
Join the Army. You can apply online first, if you prefer, though a recruiter will talk to you after you submit your application. You can also just go talk to a local recruiter in person. You must be over 18 to enter.^[7]
- You'll go to the Military Entrance Processing Station to actually join. That's where your initial physical will happen. You'll also choose a specialty before you actually join.^[8]

1

Do the pre-basic training task list. This list is a catch-all of things you need to get done before entering the Army. It includes items such as setting up direct deposit and creating an Army account. You're also responsible for completing some training, from suicide prevention to anti-terrorism. You may also be responsible for completing some physical training. The full list is provided in the link.
2
Pass the Army's basic physical test. ^[9] This test is given to everyone who enters the Army. Basically, you must do a certain number of sit-ups in 2 minutes and a certain number of push-ups in 2 minutes. The more you do in those 4 minutes, the better. After that, you run 2 miles (3.2 km), which is timed.
- What you need to pass is based on your age. For instance, if you're 18, you need to do 64 push-ups and 72 sit-ups and run the mile in 13 minutes and 42 seconds just to pass.^[10]
- At age 27, you need to do 67 push-ups and 72 sit-ups and run the mile in 14 minutes and 12 seconds to pass.^[11]
- Nonetheless, you need to do better than just passing to enter the special forces, as they are an elite squad.
3

Take Advanced Individual Training. ^[12] This training is basically your vocational training in the Army. It covers everything from engineering to artillery. Your commanding officer can help you decide which one is the right one for you to join the special forces.^[13]
4
Apply for and receive secret security clearance. ^[14] You don't simply apply for this clearance on your own; once you've begun the process for entering special forces, you will apply through the Army.^[15]
- The U.S. Department of State will do a thorough background check on you, after you have provided information on your background up front. You can be denied this clearance for any number of reasons, from having lied on your application or problems with your personal conduct in the past to bad credit and being influenced by other nations.^[16]
5

Apply and enter airborne training. You also need to complete airborne training to qualify for special forces.^[17] Basically, in airborne training, you learn how to jump out of airplanes using parachutes.^[18]
6
Meet the requirements for enlisted applications. If you are enlisted, you must be in the E-4 to E-7 pay grade, though there are some qualifiers for E-7: you must not have more than 12 years Time in Service or more than 9 months Time in Grade. You also must have 3 years left on your Time in Service once you complete all of the special forces training. If you are on assignment, you must get permission from your branch before attending the training.
- The terms "E-4" and up refer to what rank you are. That means that you need to be at least a corporeal or specialist (E-4) to be in the special forces, but you can also be a sergeant or staff sergeant.^[19]
- "Time in Service" refers to how long you've been in the Army, while "Time in Grade" refers to how long you've been at your current rank or pay grade. Promotions are based on both Time in Service and Time in Grade, with automatic promotions coming after certain time periods. Therefore, these requirements force you to be in the Army a certain amount of time before you enter special forces, though part of that time can be waived with approval.^[20]
7
Meet the requirements for officers. If you are an officer, your pay grade must be O-1 or O-2, and you must have done well as an officer so far. You are also required to be in the targeted year group for the Captains' Board. You must have 3 years left on your Time in Service once you complete all the special forces training. Finally, you need either an 85 or better on the Defense Language Aptitude Battery or 1/1 reading and listening score on the Defense Language Proficiency Test.
- O-1 and O-2 refer to ranks, second lieutenant and first lieutenant, respectively.^[21]

1

Take the Special Operations Preparation Course (SOPC). This course is 2 weeks long. You need to have already qualified for special forces training before taking this course, by completing the previous steps. This course will basically train you for the rigorous physical requirements of the Green Berets. You also need to be adept at land navigation. This course is given at Fort Bragg.^[22]
2

Go through Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS). The SFAS course is both a training session and an assessment to see if you're able to move forward. It will test if you are physically and mentally able to deal with what special forces will require of you. In fact, this assessment is the first official part of Green Beret training.^[23]
3

Take the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC). This course lasts almost a year. It trains you in everything from small unit tactics and survival skills to language and culture. One of the primary phases of this course is the Collective Training or Robin Sage training. During this phase, you will be divided into units as you would be in a combat zone and deployed in a the made-up country Pineland, an area in North Carolina. The phase will simulate what it's like to be on an actual mission and can separate out those are not able to cope.^[24]
4

Graduate from the program. If you make it through all the training, you will graduate from the program after SFQC. You will have about a week at the end to phase out of training.^[25]

Add New Question

Question

What percentage of people complete special forces training?

About 15 to 20% make it. It's all about your mental toughness, not as much your physical strength.
Question

Can my vision be corrected to 20/20?

Yes, laser eye surgery can correct your vision.
Question

How long must you be in the army to apply for green berets?

There's a program now that lets you go straight into the program from boot camp, skipping the three year wait.
Question

Do you need to go to college to become a Green Beret?

No, you need a high school diploma. However, you need a college degree to become an officer.
Question

My vision is -1.75 dioptres in my worst eye. Would I still be eligible to apply for Army SF?

Yes, eye problems are fine as long as they are correctable to 20/20, whether that's using contacts or laser eye surgery.
Question

Can I be a Green Beret if I wear glasses?

No, contacts are allowed, but glasses are not.
Question

Will becoming an officer increase my chances of becoming a Green Beret?

No. Officers have a much more limited role on the "A," "B," and "C" Teams. Being an Officer is usually more limited in the field teams than is a Non Commissioned Officer ("NCO"). If you desire to serve more time in the field environment on an "A" Team, being an Officer limits the amount of time you are allowed to serve on the Teams.
Question

Can I become a Green Beret if I can't do push ups and sit ups?

Absolutely not. As a retired Green Beret Officer, I can tell you you're required to have sufficient upper body strength; there are no waivers or substitutes for this requirement. Your Team depends on you as much as you depend on them. The many jobs and requirements demand a strong physical presence.
Question

Can I join the Green Berets if I'm not American?

Benjamin Ottenstein

Community Answer

As long as you're a legal citizen and you are able to meet the rigorous requirements, nationality isn't a problem. You must, however, live in the country.
Question

Can a Green Beret be color blind?

Benjamin Ottenstein

Community Answer

No, as this may inhibit the abilities of your teams in drastic and austere situations. The army looks for soldiers with perfect vision.

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You cannot have had any disciplinary action taken against you, including a court marshal, while in the Army if you plan on entering the special forces.

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To be a Green Beret, start by joining the U.S. Army after you graduate from high school. Once you're in the Army, work towards becoming an officer with a good record so you can qualify to train for the special forces. After you've qualified, be prepared to take a special course that involves rigorous physical activity and navigation skills. You'll also need to spend a year doing a qualification course, where you'll be trained on survival skills, language and culture, and many other topics relevant to being on a mission as a Green Beret. For more information, including how to meet the requirements of the Army's physical fitness test, scroll down!

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