Manning Special Forces in the 21st Century: Strategies for Recruiting, Assessing, and Selecting Soldiers for Special Forces Training

Abstract

Abstract : Special Forces entry-level training (SFELT), also known as the Special Forces (SF) pipeline, is the key to manning SF in the 21st century. The SF pipeline will have to change and adapt if it is to continue to recruit, assess, select, and train (RAST) SF soldiers with the skills, knowledge, and attributes required for SF operational detachments - alpha (SFODA) to successfully accomplish their missions. Failure to develop RAST strategies for the future now could result in a reduction of SF capabilities that cannot be made up quickly. Recruiting, assessing, selecting, and training our entry level SF soldiers to standard in the appropriate skills while leveraging emerging technology as well as maintaining our hands-on, live fire, field training, and warrior focus is the single most important thing that we can do to assure the continued success of Special Forces in the future. Special Forces must determine what factors will affect the future requirements of the force and the impact that those factors will have on SFELT. SF must also capitalize on changes in Army recruiting strategies and be on the leading edge of assessment, training, and adult education technology and techniques in the near term (2005-2020) and will probably have to execute radical change to remain relevant in the long term (beyond 2020). We must lay the groundwork for these changes now. This paper will recommend strategies for improving the SF pipeline. It will focus on strategies and concepts to improve recruiting, assessing, and selecting soldiers for SF training in the future. The future of SF training is beyond the scope of this paper and deserves significant analysis. However, getting the right soldiers, in sufficient numbers, to the training phases of SFELT will have a significant positive impact on the future of Special Forces.