Special Forces: 18X Program

by: Kimberly Davis

The decision to become a Green Beret is a large one and should be well thought out.  Green Beret’s are an elite and highly trained group of individuals who have worked hard to be where they are.  Many different qualities are required of a person in order to make it through the arduous tasks put before them.  Special Forces training requires maturity, motivation, self-discipline, and most importantly dedication in order to succeed.

Special Forces Recruit (18X) Initial Training

The road to becoming a Green Beret begins with basic training.  The Special Forces Recruit (18X) will be sent to Ft. Benning, GA where he will go through specialized infantry training.  After the first nine weeks of initial infantry training, he will then begin his Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for infantry as well.  After successful complete of both basic training and AIT, a soldier will graduate and get a spot for Airborne school.  Airborne school lasts three weeks and is also done at Ft. Benning, GA. 

Basic Training (Infantry Training Brigade): 9 weeks- Ft. Benning, GA

Advanced Individual Training (Infantry Training- AIT): 4 weeks- Ft. Benning, GA

Airborne School: 3 weeks- Ft. Benning GA

Special Operations Preparation Course (SOPC): 

4 weeks- Ft. Bragg, NC

• This preparation course is designed to get 18X’s ready for Special Forces Assessment & Selection (SFAS).  It is not part of the qualification course and only one week of SOPC is required for an 18X to go into SFAS.  While most 18X’s receive the full four weeks of SOPC, the number of weeks they end up training can be less depending on when the soldier arrives at Ft. Bragg, NC to begin training.

Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC)

The Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) consists of a number of training exercises that are vital for a future Special Forces soldier to have.  There are five phases to complete before a soldier graduates and is awarded the Green Beret and the Special Forces tab.  The approximate length of training for the SFQC varies depending on what the soldier’s language and MOS assignment are.  MOS training will take place during Phase III and language training comes next during Phase IV.  All training for the SFQC will be at Ft. Bragg, NC. 

Phase I- approx. 3 weeks

Special Forces Assessment & Selection (SFAS): 3 weeks

• After successful completion of SFAS, soldiers are given their language and their military occupational specialty (MOS) assignments.  The different MOS assignments are discussed during Phase III and the languages are discussed during Phase IV.

• If a soldier is not selected to continue onto the next phase of the SFQC, he is either sent to another duty station to serve in either an infantry or Airborne unit (18X) or he is sent back to his original duty station (prior service).  Regardless of whether or not the soldier is prior service or an 18X, most men receive an invitation to try out for Special Forces again at a later date.

Phase II- approx. 13 weeks

• Common Leader Training (CLT): 2 weeks

• Special Operations Preparation Course II (SOPC II): 3 weeks

• Small Unit Tactics (SUT): 5 weeks

• Survival, Evasion, Resistance & Escape (SERE): 3 weeks

Phase III- approx. 9 to 48 weeks (depending on MOS assignment), 2 weeks of assigned language training

The MOS assignments are given out after a soldier successfully completes the SFAS course.  Although some men are given “wish lists” where they are able to verbalize which MOS they prefer, the actual assignment is given according to how well certain tasks associated with certain MOS’s were performed during SFAS.  Prior test scores are also taken into consideration.  The Special Forces MOS’s and length of training for each are as follows:

• Weapons Sergeant Course (18B): approx. 9 weeks

• Engineer Sergeant Course (18C): approx. 15 weeks

• Medical Sergeant Course (18D): approx. 46 weeks

• Communications Sergeant Course (18E): approx. 15 weeks

• Language Block I: 2 weeks

Phase IV- approx. 8 to 12 weeks (depending on language assignment)

A soldier’s language assignment is given out after successful completion of the SFAS course.  Like the MOS assignments, test scores are taken into consideration when an assignment is made.  The languages and length of training for each are as follows:

• Category 1- Spanish and French: 8 weeks

• Category 2- German and Indonesian: 8 weeks

• Category 3- Persian-Farsi, Russian, and Tagalog: 12 weeks

• Category 4- Arabic, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese: 12 weeks

Phase V- 4 weeks

Unconventional Warfare Culmination Exercise/Robin Sage Course

• The Robin Sage exercise allows a soldier to utilize all of the skills acquired from the qualification course, the MOS training, and the language training.

Special Forces Regimental First Formation & Graduation

Once a soldier completes all five phases of the SFQC, he along with his family is invited to attend a graduation event in which the history of the Regiment will be explained.  In addition to this, he will be a part of the formal issuing of the Green Beret.  The coveted Special Forces tab will also be awarded and the soldier will receive an assignment to a unit. 

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