How to Join the SAS Reserves - SAS Reserves Selection and Training | UK Special Forces

How to join the reserve units of the Special Air Service (SAS)

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Title : Don't Cry
Original Music Composer : Vino Ramaldo
Release Years : 2018
Genre : Rap Beat / Hip-Hop Instrumental
Country : Indonesian
Music Status : No Copyright Music & Royalty Free Music (For Commercial Use/Non Commercial Use)

[nacholibre]

It has changed an immense amount over the decades. Selection in the early '80s consisted of a week night intro brief, medical, BFT and kit issue. Then we did insane runs around hyde park with lots of stops for push-ups and sit-ups and back to Duke of York's HQ for nav and weapons training. After three or four weeks of that we hit the hills (still with pretty new DMS boots (God rot 'em!) for those of us right out of civvy street - nasty!). The hill work-up training was all done as a gaggle, at least at the start; the groups thinnned out a lot on the hills and we lost a lot of people in the early stages. There's no bluffing through the mountains! The routes were well-known to most of the lads, especially those who were having a second crack at it. Starting out as a short intro tab from Storey Arms car park, over the Fan, and then to the Talybont reservoir. Only about 15 kms, but it was a shock to the system for those not used to it. More guys lost. The next day we did the forced march to the assault course at Pontralis. Lost more guys due to a fear of heights and one lad who got panicky in the water-filled tunnel. Another one (a Rupert, I think) argued with the staff about the sense of making us do push-ups in the stream for a minor infraction (hands in pockets or some crap). His name was taken and he was gone. Inbetween weekends in wales, we'd be at Duke of York's doing more nav, intro to morse code (which did my head in) and some foreign weapns (AK, Galil, etc.), and there were always some oddball sessions in there like unarmed combat, rope work, or such like. Other than that is was just hills, hills and more hills. You'd be given a grid but not your time to get there, so it was run on anyhitng flat, downhill and, if you had any sense and the fitness to go with it, any uphill grades you could manage. There was a minimums standard that were were never made aware of and after that they were looking for determination and to see who was giving it eveything and who was coasting. Out of 184 applicants in that intake, just six made it. The extraordinarily high failure rate was due to the fact that it was just after the Iranian embassy seige and all the muppets came out of the woodwork. Very different times from now.

[johnnydiamondsmusic]

I had a mate who I served with in a TA Infantry Bn who went for selection. He was very fit but didn’t quite pass 1st selection although he got invited back. Never saw him after that so I guess he got in. He told me it was tremendously hard on another level.I worked with SF guys on occasion. Wish I’d tried but you can’t turn the click back.

[VikingrJesus]

Even attempting SAS training is an accomplishment on its own, says I, a humble civilian, with the dream to get in the military.

[dread]

damn way too old, 57, respect to this great regiment

[alexandermaxwell]

I had the privilege in taking part on the checkpoints on hill navigation and also hunter force. As a regular Soldier who served 38 years. I have the utmost respect for the men that pass selection fir 21. Its far from easy a lot try but a lot fail.

[sandyjack]

Passed selection course for 23 SAS in 1970 at age 18
Looks like there is a lot more Bullshit now.
The experience in the regiment taught me a lot and has had a lot of positive influence on my life but also some negative stuff.
As “they” say If you can’t take a joke …you shouldn’t have joined !
Who Dares Wins

[jimbo]

I'm an old man of 56 now but from 89-91 I had a go at 21 Selection. Back then you had a pre selection weekend at Pirbright. There must have been about 300 hopefulls there. If you passed and they liked you you got attested. I think it was 8 more weekends after that. I got to the end of selection and failed twice on Long Drag. (Timings) I was unusually invited with about another 20 others on another Long Drag after arriving at Battle camp. I failed again. Looking back I didn't fuel up with food enough and used to hit a wall at about 12hours after start. So I did a Summer selection, a winter Selection and an extra Long Drag. All of the selection was held in Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons, Elan Valley apart from week 1 which was in Herefordshire/Welsh boarders training area and Long Drag was held in The Howgill Fells....bet you didn't know that! I still have the map. I had no previous military experience. But, I never VW'd. Our squadron started with about 40 and about 5 of us got to Long drag.

[jimmymc]

Read the "Quiet Soldier" by Adam Bolinger. It's about his experience with 21 SAS selection or phone the Regiment up and go find out for yourself. However, before you do make sure you move quickly over Hills and be ready to commit a lot more time to it than is advertised.

[marcuskingstanley]

If you want to read more about what it takes to join sas reserve read the book "The Quiet Soldier" by Adam Ballinger, i think his name is

[nigelbradshaw]

I once worked with a dude who had been attached to the SAS, a lovely guy and true gentleman but I wouldn’t like to have got on his wrong side

[sunnex]

Everyone in the world is comparing them to the Navy Seals yet hardly anyone is saying how fucking terrifying their uniform is, it's on the same level of coolness as the danish special forces

[ronmatthews]

For a first hand account of joining the SAS reserves read Shoot to Kill by Michael Asher. A no-nonsense memoir of getting through TA selection.

[es]

I remember my Sis & I running the Catterick Tough Ten many years ago & running among lads carrying heavy bergens. We thought they were awesome trotting past us with our mini backpacks. . . . If it weren't for the gammy leg! 🤔😉

[kronk]

In 1986 i answered an add in a local paper then it was off to a try out in Port Glasgow (I think it was 3 miles down the hard shoulder of the motorway and back in the freezing fog at night in what they call summer). After that it was week nights and weekends in the local hills absolutly fucked freezing, soaking wet and abover all starving. I remember eating white bread and mince sannies and couldn't get them down fast enough.

[CYCHIATRIC]

I completed pre-selection training in the 90’s for 21. Unfortunately they’re no longer tasked UKSF. Now it’s long range recon. Also (unless things have changed) the reserves don’t do black work (counter terrorism) only green. So no cool Iranian embassy kit. The pictures on the video are all 22.

[kooljde]

You now are required to do the Regular Briefing and Assessment course (BAC) which You will be assessed up to the same standards as the regulars (Army, Navey, RAF) Only one bench mark.

If you get a Green.. you get invited to Attend Hills attitude.

Once successful you will do a 2 weeks Pre SOPTAC Course to prepare you for attending the 6 weeks SOPTAC course. (Not ran over weekends) you are required to be fully committed .

Continuation training will then start on Badging.

[pointsoflightradio]

Rusty Firmin was 22 SAS attached to 23rd SAS as a PSI. In his book he said "They were trained in a tiny fraction of the techniques that we used routinely and there was simply no comparison between us. It seemed to me that a halfway decent infantry unit – even a TA one – would be able to handle the same role that these two units of TA ‘SAS’ had."

[GIZALARF]

I'm lucky enough to have completed 2 courses of survival with 23 SAS(V).
Great bunch of men 👍

[skylongskylong]

I remember seeing 21 SAS forced to have the SA80 rifle on weekend exercises in the early nineties.
The only difference which I could see from the standard SA80 issued to other army units, was they were camouflage painted chocolate brown, and olive green
They were told by 22 if they ever did deploy, they would issue them M16 a1 rifles from their old stock.
Why were they issued with the SA80 rifles ?
So when British Aerospace desperately tried to sell round the world, they could say SAS used it !

[goodbrian]

Well bois I’m off to join Smoke and find out what’s really in the canister