Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about
Joining National Guard Special
Forces
Can I join the National Guard Special Forces with no prior
military experience? Yes. As a Special Forces candidate you are
guaranteed the opportunity to be assessed and selected for Special Forces.
This doesn't mean that you will be selected - just that you will be
provided the opportunity. The active duty component offers the
"18X" program that allows an individual with no military
experience to join the Army and attend the selection program. The
Army National Guard has a similar program called "Rep 63"
that follows the same process.
If I have no prior military service what training will I
receive prior to the Special Forces Qualification Course?
You will go through your initial Basic and Advanced Individual Training
(AIT) at Fort
Benning, Georgia. These two courses are combined and are called
Infantry One Station Unit Training (OSUT). OSUT is 14 weeks
long. After OSUT you attend the thee-week long
Airborne School or "jump school" at Fort Benning. From Fort Benning
you will travel to Fort Bragg and attend the Special Operations
Preparatory Course (SOPC) and Special Forces Assessment and Selection
Course (SFAS). If selected in SFAS you then start the Special Forces
Qualification Course (SFQC).
Who attends the Special Operations
Preparatory Course? 18X and Rep 63 Special Forces
candidates. Prior service Special Forces candidates go straight to SFAS.
If I don't get selected in SFAS what
happens next? If you are active duty you return to your parent
unit. If you are an "18X" you are reassigned based on your MOS and
the needs of the Army. If you are National Guard you return to your
unit and may be afforded the opportunity to attend SFAS a second time.
If not, then you will be reassigned to a National Guard unit within your
state.
If I don't pass or complete SFQC what
happens next? You may be provided the opportunity to
"recycle" or re-enter training at some point in the SFQC pipeline.
If not then active duty Soldiers will be reassigned to another unit / post
based on your MOS and the needs of the Army. If you are National
Guard you may recycle or you will return to your unit where a decision
will be made to re-send you to SFQC or to reassign you to another National
Guard unit within the state.
If I have prior military service what training will I receive
prior to the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC)? At
a minimum you will be screened for the prerequisites prior to attending
SFQC. The local NG SF unit will likely hold a "try out" session where you
are administered a physical fitness test. Some units hold a 2-3 day "try
out" testing your leadership, land navigation skills, physical endurance
and motivation. If you don't have an applicable Army MOS then you
may attend Advanced Individual Training (AIT). You will also attend
Airborne School, the
Warrior Leader Course (WLC), and SFAS.
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
Yes, no waivers.
What is the minimum GT score for Special
Forces? You must have a GT score of 110 or higher. No
exceptions or waivers. If your score is lower you should go to your
local Army
education center to study and retest to obtain a higher score. There
are online study guides and books that can be purchased to help you
increase your score as well.
How can I prepare for the ASVAB?
Click on this
link to learn more about the ASVAB.
How hard is Special Forces training?
The training is demanding, long and comprehensive testing your intellect,
physical condition and motivation. It is as hard if not harder than Ranger
School or Combat Diver Qualification.
Do National Guard Soldiers go through the
same Special Forces training as active duty Soldiers? Yes,
there is no difference in the training.
Once SF qualified how much do I train?
You are required to train one weekend a month and a minimum of two weeks a
year. However, the vast majority of National Guard Soldiers train
much more than two weeks a year.
I am a security contractor that works
overseas for extended periods. Can I still serve in NG SF?
Yes, but you need to work the details out with your team sergeant and
company SGM. Any period longer than 3-6 months is pushing it and you have
to "make up missed drills and training". While working as a
contractor overseas in a war zone is great experience you still need to
work as a member of an ODA to be a functioning member of that team.
What do I make in pay for a weekend as a
National Guard member? It depends on your rank and how long
you have been in the Army. The following link brings you to an
explanation of
Guard Pay.
When do I attend Special Forces Advanced
Urban Combat (SFAUC)? You will go to to SFAUC training once
you have completed the Special Forces Qualification Course and are
assigned to an Operational Detachment "A" or ODA.
Does the National Guard have Combat Dive
teams? Yes, both NG SF groups have a number of Combat Dive teams
located across the country and conduct maritime operations and dive
training on a regular basis. These NG SF Combat Dive teams undergo the
same training, use the same equipment, and conduct their requalification
to the same standards as their active duty SF Combat Diver counterparts.
Learn more at
National Guard Special Forces Combat Divers.
Other Web Sites with FAQs about Special Forces
FAQs - Army NG Special Forces
https://www.guardsf.com/faqs
National Guard FAQs
https://www.nationalguard.com/guard-faqs
To add information, correct information, or report
broken links on this page please contact the webmaster at:
info@nationalguardspecialforces.com
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