SAS Selection & Training

[requiem]

Enjoy

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

[A.J.Sawyer]

Thanks, watching it now

[the.ultimate.maverick]

Some thoughts on the videos:

The initial intrerrogation shown is unlikely as using the stress position puts the interogee back into a 'safe' zone as the student has been in that position or others for the last few days and is aclimitised to it. Interogation is supposed to be a strong change from this. Also the use of eye contact by the interogator is crucial to sucess as he will be the only other human face the student sees, apart from another interrogator. Shouting is not used as it will give the student belief in himself that he is 'winning' the battle and the interrogator is running out of ideas.

Upon entering the selection process, many do not discuss previous regiments and in fact often keep their cards close to their chest so as to not give any other student an upper hand.

The initial selection in Brecon is more phyiscal than mental and in fact contact with the DS is rare as it is meant to simulate an isolated combat role, without the benefits of regular contact with superiors/other units. Often during this excercise students come under attack and must evade/supress the attacking force. normally, this is done by jeeps moving in on a troops overnight position and forcing a rapid and early movement for the students. The video also glazes over the different stages of Brecon and seems to concentrate on the long drag - 40 miles, 55lb bergen (food/water not included) in under 20hours if weather is good. This means that distances often work out to be more than 4km/h, as this does not factor in rest/eating times. I would say after this you have 40 left in summer and 30 in winter. Orienteering is also tested during this phase.

Pistol use shown was hideous - SAS are never instructed to fire square on to a target it leaves far too much of your self exposed and takes too long to get into.

Jungle training is more than a month - depending on circumstances it can last up to 6 weeks.

The weapons used do not include the L85/M16, the former is too heavy and neither are used by SAS as a general rule.

The purpose of E&E exercises is not principally about the evasion, as that is mostly down to experience and previous training, the real test is interrogation and a psycho-analysis of students. It is true to say that if you finish the 7 days or whatever the span of the trial is -you will be interroated harder than the people that finished on the first day as you made the hunter force look stupid. On that note, the hunter force tends to be elite dog handling units, gurkhas and paras, this was not clear in the videos.

On top of that DS are never used as interrogators as they appeared to be in that interrogation sequence.

Students are not strung up either, as stress positions are changed hourly/bihourly so that all of the body suffers. Also, string means that the student will tend to keep in the position and the interrogators prefer it if a student falls out of a position so that they can use force to put him back in position and break him down further. Furthermore, exterior and interior prisoner placement is used to disorientate more, darkness is kept throughout to disorientate the student. White and brown noise is also used.

During interrogation that student would have failed (more than likely) for answering too many questions and deviating from his list of responses (he said "Can't do that"). Physical abuse is often used also. Interrogation is also often performed by more than 1 man/woman as this gives the interrogators more power and more tools to use (playing student off against other interrogator - good cop/bad cop - changing interrogation methods). As mentioned previously, shouting and breaking of visual would not be used. when offering a contract, food and drink would be offered as well, and also the interrogator would try to appear more friendly not conforontational. On top of this, interrogation can take place before E&E starts, and the student is led to believe a non-army unit has taken him - in the past Irish groups were impersonated to make interrogation more frightening and realistic.

With regards to train track test, the students have to try and escape, not simply lie there.

EDIT: I think this was probably done by people who are obsessed with the SAS with no personal experience - a lot of what they say seems inaccurate and plain contradictory. The 'SAS troopers' interviewed look far to young/weak and I would expect they failed selection at some point and have guessed the rest. A lot of specifics are blurred or ignored, specifics that could safely be revealed under the OSA.

[mrmong]

read immidiate action by andy mcnab, has about selection and stuff

[the.ultimate.maverick]

*refrains from full McNab rant*

It is enough to say that accounts by anybody who sees it fit to make profit from writing about the SAS and combat experience, should be seen as highly suspect and ought to be taken with a good ton of salt

[Fullforce]

Originally Posted by the.ultimate.maverick

*refrains from full McNab rant*

lolz.

I've been reading Bravo Two Zero, and I trust Mav's opinion. But its still a very good book, very detailed and stuff. I'm only really at the beginning though.

[~WPN~callum247]

Originally Posted by the.ultimate.maverick

I think this was probably done by people who are obsessed with the SAS with no personal experience.

How do you know all of that stuff you typed then?

[the.ultimate.maverick]

Just using deductive reasoning and my experience with different forces as well as personal experience of other selection procedures

[trogdor1289]

To begin with aren't SAS troopers not meant to say anything at all about the SAS.

[Deuce6]

Originally Posted by the.ultimate.maverick

Just using deductive reasoning and my experience with different forces as well as personal experience of other selection procedures

Yea if your in a good unit, sometimes you get selected by the upper echelon guys to help out. I did a lot of work with all types of SOCOM units in Iraq. And I got to ask alot of questions. Very cool stuff.