The use of armed forces at the present stage is marked by the conduct of hostilities in local military conflicts, participation in international peacekeeping and anti-terrorist operations. Successful such missions are carried out with the participation of special operations forces (MTR) - a branch of the military designed to carry out complex missions in the most difficult conditions. This type of troops has already been created or is being formed in all developed countries, in particular NATO member countries.
Based on the results of the analysis of data from open sources, it can be argued that the USA, Great Britain and Germany have the most prepared formations of the MTR. This means that it will be logical to consider the process of recruiting special forces in these countries.
The Special Forces (SPF) in the United States was created in 1952. They were intended for a number of special operations, including the organization of guerrilla warfare and subversive activities on enemy territory. Already in 1983, in order to unite the VSP and psychological operations units, the first special operations command of the US Army was created. This measure was due to the experience gained in the conduct of hostilities in Vietnam.
From the very beginning of the emergence of the US MTR, they worked closely with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), whose tasks also include creating an agent network for conducting psychological treatment of the local population.
Features of the combat use of US special forces determine their composition and training. Selection to the US MTR is carried out exclusively on a voluntary basis and only from American citizens. At the same time, only males who have a military rank of at least sergeant 1 class, who have no restrictions on extending the service life and have no criminal record during the last contract, can be volunteers. A future cadet, before writing a report about his desire to serve in the MTR troops, must undergo a parachute training course. In addition, the following requirements are imposed on volunteers: they must serve in the armed forces for at least 2 years, have a full twelve-year secondary school education, a high IQ (at least 110 points or 100 points if the candidate is fluent in a foreign language), get admission to work with classified documents. In addition, future candidates undergo an initial physical training test - they must swim 50 meters in uniform and boots, push up from the floor 52 times in 2 minutes, raise their torso 62 times from a supine position, run 3,200 meters in sports uniform in 14 minutes 52 p. Test exams candidates pass within 3 weeks.
Persons who have passed the exams are enrolled in qualification courses that function at the MTR school, where they are trained as future special forces specialists.
All cadets undergo a basic training course for the SSO, which is carried out in 2 stages (the first - 13 weeks, training in military registration specialties, the second - 5 weeks, of which 3 weeks are enhanced single training and 2 weeks are already trained as part of the unit) … Further, in three stages, a course of intensive training is conducted - 12 weeks.
All cadets in the course of training are required to attend a course of lectures on survival. In addition, they learn the skills of forging documents, learn the rules of conduct during interrogation and in captivity, learn how to escape from persecution and from captivity. In the course of mountain training, cadets get acquainted with the main means of transportation in the mountains, belaying, working with knots and rope, etc. The result of training from the general program should be the acquisition by the cadet of certain knowledge in two or three specialties provided by the states of the MTR. Upon completion of the advanced training course, cadets, in order to consolidate the acquired knowledge and skills in practice, are sent for further service in the Alpha squadron.
Special Forces of the Land Forces of England are intended to conduct reconnaissance and carry out special measures on enemy territory in peacetime and wartime. The main component of the MTR of Great Britain is SAS (Special Air Services - special airborne service (SAS) of the ground forces. The first SAS units were formed in 1941. In 1941 - 1943 SAS units conducted many successful operations in North Africa.
After the end of World War II (at the end of 1945), these units and divisions were disbanded. However, the command of the British armed forces soon came to the conclusion that SAS-type units would play an important role in possible armed conflicts. As a result, in 1947, The Artist Rifles of the British Territorial Army was reorganized into the 21st SAS Regiment. From this moment, the post-war history of the British MTR begins, which took part in all the armed conflicts that this country waged in the post-war period: in Malaysia, Brunei, Oman, Yemen, the Falkland Islands, Borneo and the Persian Gulf. In 1952, when Great Britain was at war in Malaysia, the now famous 22nd SAS regiment was formed on the basis of the Malay Scouts group.
Today the British Army has three Special Forces Regiments (21st, 22nd and 23rd). The 22nd regiment is fully manned, while the 21st and 23rd are cadre and are part of the territorial army. The recruitment of personnel in the SAS is also carried out on a voluntary basis from military personnel of all types and branches of the armed forces of the country, including female military personnel. In addition, there is a practice of recruiting the Gurkha, the military personnel of the Kingdom of Nepal. Volunteers who decide to serve in the MTR units must have a rather serious motive for serving in the SAS and the corresponding moral and psychological endurance, their state of health must meet increased medical requirements, in addition, they must be in good physical shape, be able to study the disciplines of combat preparation, proactive and self-confident, as well as have the skills of being in long-term isolation and working in a small team. The age limits are 22-34 years for officers and 19-34 for other categories of military personnel. Also, the candidate must have good characteristics from the last duty station and be a trained specialist.
The British CAC uses the most impressive screening tests in the world to test its candidates. They were specially designed in such a way as to check the physical and moral preparation of the candidate as much as possible, to bring the recruit to the limit of complete exhaustion, since this is the only way to determine whether a candidate is suitable for service in the CAS. The selection process is thought out in such a way that those who do not fit are weeded out as soon as possible.
The pre-selection course lasts 4 weeks and consists of several marches, during which special forces candidates must show their good physical endurance, the ability to accurately navigate the terrain, ingenuity and perseverance in achieving the goal.
Before the start of the exams, candidates are given a week so that they can gather strength and prepare for the tests. Therefore, during the 1st week, military personnel pay increased attention to training crosses, increasing their distance every day. Further, all candidates undergo a medical commission and pass a physical fitness test: a normal combined arms test, which includes a group march with full gear at a distance of 2.5 km (time spent no more than 13 minutes) and a single cross at the same distance (no more than 11, 5 minutes). Anyone who did not pass the medical examination or did not meet the standard will not be admitted to further tests. Further, having received weapons, uniforms and equipment, candidates are sent to the training base of the training center in the mountains of South Wales, where they pass the entire selection course.
The first three weeks are called adaptation, and the fourth is the control, while for the candidates from among the officers, the control is the third week, and during the fourth ("officer week") their abilities as leaders are tested.
The selection begins with a 10 km march as part of a group. Each carries a backpack (18 kg) and a rifle (4.5 kg). The first week ends with a 23 km march, which must be covered in no more than 4 hours 10 minutes. During the second and third weeks, single marches are held for the same distance. Candidates must show the ability to navigate the terrain with and without a map, go to certain points. They are forbidden to walk in a group, as well as to move on roads and use transport. The control week provides for the implementation of 6 single marches over very rough terrain, the length of which is consistently increasing from 25 to 28 km, and the weight of the backpack (excluding weapons) from 20, 4 to 25 kg. When a candidate arrives at a checkpoint, he is given different tasks: to disassemble and assemble an unfamiliar sample of foreign small arms, to describe the characteristic details of the terrain through which he passed, etc.
The final (sixth) march he carries out with a backpack weighing 25 kg for a distance of 64 km. This distance must be covered in no more than 20 hours. In the selection process, attention is paid to each individual candidate, and not to a group of 120 people on average. At the same time, each volunteer should rely only and exclusively on his own strength, since the instructors will neither help nor hinder him in anything, they will only provide him with the necessary information and monitor safety during the route. None of them, under any circumstances, will give the candidate a sign from which it would be possible to understand whether he is doing the right thing or whether he fits into the standard of the time.
In total, about 200 people apply for each selection course, and 140-150 military personnel are selected. The dropout rate at all stages reaches 90%, i.e. 12-15 people are selected and sent annually to undergo basic training, including officers.
As the positive aspects of the selection course for the English SAS, it should be noted its simplicity, it does not require significant financial costs and the use of a large number of personnel.
Physical activity allows you to select the most worthy for further service in the SAS. Candidates who successfully complete the selection course are sent to the training center for a basic training course, where they will face even more challenging tasks. The training course takes place in 3 stages (24 weeks): the first stage (14 weeks) - learning the basics of conducting special operations and conducting reconnaissance. The second stage (six weeks) - tactics, methods of sabotage and reconnaissance, mine and subversive training, fire training, communications, survival in extreme conditions, behavior in case of capture, medical training, preparation for warfare in the jungle. The third stage (four weeks) is airborne training (for those who do not have paratrooper qualifications).
The first phase of the basic training course ends with "capture". At the same time, methods of escape at different stages (after capture, during convoy and from the place for prisoners), behavior during interrogation, exit from the blocked area, while combing the area, methods of dealing with service dogs are studied. When conducting practical exercises on teaching the rules of conduct during interrogation, special attention is paid to the fact that the servicemen do not disclose classified information, in particular, do not tell about the tasks, composition and location of the patrol. They have the right to speak only their first and last name, military rank, personal number and date of birth. It cannot be otherwise: SAS must always be sure that “its people” will not “split” under strong pressure and will not betray their comrades.
Otherwise, such a soldier is expelled from the SAS and sent to his former duty station. The techniques and tools used by the CAS in these trials are mostly classified, but it is well known that the process is physically and mentally exhausting. However, it provides an opportunity to identify the internal weaknesses of the candidate. Of course, no physical torture is used here, but at the same time, there is an abundance of tricks that border on real mental torture. Experienced investigators and instructors do their best to get the recruit out of psychological balance and break him without even touching him with a finger. Not infrequently they also use such methods: they place the "prisoner" near a source of white noise, which, due to a sufficient sound power, can destroy the metal, handcuff him to the rails of the used railway track, douse the cadet with gasoline, leaving him near an open hearth, etc. Those who have passed the test pass tests in the disciplines passed. In case of successful passing of the test, the cadet is sent to the training center in Brunei, where they undergo a six-week training course for combat in the jungle. During the lessons, special attention is paid to the ability to navigate in closed terrain and to practice survival skills, fire training in conditions of limited visibility and at close distances, as well as tactics of actions as part of a group during reconnaissance, organizing an ambush and in case of hitting it. The second stage ends with multi-day exercises, during which the cadets must demonstrate in a group all the acquired skills and abilities. Recently, there has also been training in urban and desert warfare.
After returning to the training center, all cadets who do not have the qualifications of a paratrooper are sent to undergo the final stage of basic training - an airborne training course at the air force base. For four weeks, candidates undergo a ground training course and carry out eight jumps with forced opening of the parachute from a C-130 aircraft from a height of 300 m. The second and subsequent jumps are performed with a cargo container and weapons, and the eighth - at night. Upon completion of the basic training course, servicemen are assigned to one of the platoons of the SAS company. Regardless of the previous rank, all recruits in the CAS receive the rank of private, although they receive cash support at the level of their previous salary. Despite the fact that they are enrolled in the CAS, the entire 1st year is considered a probationary period for candidates, during which they can be fired or leave on their own at any time. During a 12-month probationary period, they undergo additional, in-depth training in their specialty in the group and in the specialization of the platoon (parachute, amphibious, mobile, mountain).
Each of the four members of the group has their own specialties: medic, demolition, radio operator and translator. In the future, they study at least two more specialties that ensure the universal training of SAS military personnel.
In 1996, in the German armed forces, on the basis of the 25th airborne brigade, a special operations command was created, which united all the MTR of the Bundeswehr.
The selection of military personnel in the MTR of the German ground forces - Kommando Spezialkrafte (KSK) is carried out from among the personnel of the Bundeswehr. The age of the candidate must not exceed 27 years for officers and for non-commissioned officers - 32 years. The age limit for service in KSK is 38 years. The selection stage and the basic training course for candidates in the KSK lasts three months and are based on the methods of the British CAC and the American Delta group.
After completing a three-month basic course, fighters are sent to the KSK special forces for a three-year special training course. No other special forces in the world have such a long training program. It includes reconnaissance and sabotage, rifle, airborne and medical training, communications training, as well as training in operations in the mountains and winter conditions at the training center. During the three-year period of study, the cadet mainly gets the opportunity to thoroughly study several military specialties.
CSR personnel undergo training and exchange experience in the anti-terrorist group of the German border guard - Grenzschutzgruppe-9, as well as in NATO training centers for the training of commandos and special operations units of other countries. Only after the successful completion of a three-year course of special training, the personnel of the German special forces are given the status of "ready for battle."
