Want to appreciate Special Forces even more? Watch Discovery's Surviving the Cut.

[LeeH]

Found a Discovery Channel series on Netflix that shows what it takes just to get into the training programs for various Special Forces schools. Holy cow! I remember when I was in the Navy and they asked if anyone wanted to try out for SEAL training. We were told not to go unless we'd hoped to become a SEAL all along and prepped for it. The test to get into the pre-training was brutal and if you did make it that far, odds are you'd wash out of SEAL candidate's course.

Watching Surviving The Cut on Netflix made me happy I never tried to make it as a SEAL. I was young an tough, but no way would I have had what it takes.

[Tishabet]

Watched an episode based on your recommendation, wow! My dad graduated from Ranger school and Airborne school so I watched the episode about the Rangers, looks every bit as tough as my dad describes. Fwiw the episode really emphasized the importance of your buddy in Ranger school, worth noting that from my dad's entire Army career (West Point grad, Ranger and Airborne schools, years in SE Asia in the early 60s) the only person who I can personally name from any of it is his Ranger buddy, Ben.

Free to watch on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video if you are a Prime member.

[sand_man]

Great show. I'm fascinated by US special ops. forces. The price of admission, let alone the training IF you make it, are not for the weak....THAT'S FO SHO! The SEAL, Recon, Ranger, Airborne, Sniper (to name a few) are nothing short of machines!!!! Amazing how far they push themselves. True grit! I guess that could be said for just about anyone in the military, but definitely applies to the elite. RESPECT!

[GH85Carrera]

I was at a club board meeting at a friends house. He showed us his home office. On the wall was a certificate and some mementos that made it obvious he was a Ranger.

I had know him for many years and I he had never mentioned his military service. Typical of the breed, no Hollywood type braggart, just quiet service. I thanked him for his service.

[IROC]

My nephew graduated from the Special Forces Combat Dive School this past summer (as a college ROTC member). I've talked to him about it quite a bit. Brutal stuff. He said that many guys would simply "lose the will to live".

There's no way I could do it. He said he actually enjoyed it. He said he couldn't keep the smile off his face.

[jhynesrockmtn]

My son will be commissioned in May and in Ranger school sometime late next year. He found out he got infantry a few months ago. Scares the *&^% out of me. He went through Airborne 2 years ago and that sounded bad enough! After Airborne I came home and he was watching a documentary about Ranger school and told me that was his goal.

[LeeH]

This scene made me want to throw up. Walking across that bridge, so high in the air? I think not!

[porsche4life]

I guess something is broken inside me... That didn't look that bad, but heights or water don't bother me...

[allaircooled]

Sometimes I wish I would have thought about doing it early on and at least tried for it. I wasn't really interested when I enlisted but later on in life the interest grew.

[matt711]

I didn't think heights bothered me until I watched the ground fall away through the door of a C-130 on my first jump at airborne school. Of course at that point it was too late to worry about it...

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

I guess something is broken inside me... That didn't look that bad, but heights or water don't bother me...

same - some people just have an urge to push themselves - the directions can vary

my understanding is that for SF they are all at the level of physical condition BEFORE the training starts & it is really about mental toughness

there are all sorts of levels inside each unit - for example, if a SEAL wants to be on ST-6 that is a whole different level, selection, and training; then some from each SF unit may go on to CIA

[Rot 911]

It helps to be young and dumb. Class 4-84. I'm the guy in the third row up, just left of the middle, birth control glasses with the goofy smile.

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

It helps to be young and dumb. Class 4-84. I'm the guy in the third row up, just left of the middle, birth control glasses with the goofy smile.

Whoa, that's freakin' awesome!

[porsche4life]

It helps to be young and dumb. Class 4-84. I'm the guy in the third row up, just left of the middle, birth control glasses with the goofy smile.

Much respect curt! Even if you are wearing BCGs.

Thanks for your service!