How to Join the SAS

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Last Updated: June 30, 2024 Approved

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The Special Air Service, or SAS, is an elite special forces unit within the British Army. To get into the SAS, make sure you meet basic requirements like being 18 to 32 years old. Then, join the British Armed Forces, serve for at least 3 years, and then pass the SAS selection process, which consists of physical and mental tests.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Meeting Basic Requirements

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Become a member of His Majesty's Armed Forces. Outside of the SAS Reserves, the SAS doesn't recruit civilians. To be eligible to join the SAS, you must be an official member of one of the uniformed services of the British Armed Forces — either the Naval Service (comprised of the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos), the British Army, or the Royal Air Force.^{[1]
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- Note that each service has its own enrollment and training requirements, which can be demanding in and of themselves. For instance, the British Army's basic training regimen is 26 weeks long and includes rigorous physical training and tactical exercises.
- Note also that, like other services of the British Armed Forces, the SAS accepts members from countries of the British Commonwealth (like Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, etc.).
Another way to become eligible to join the SAS is to join one of the SAS reserve regiments (the 21st and 23rd regiments) and serve in the reserves for 18 months. Because, unlike the SAS proper, the SAS reserves do recruit from the civilian population, this represents a relatively direct path to SAS status for an applicant starting from civilian status.^{[2]
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Be a healthy male between 18 and 32 years of age. The selection process for the SAS is one of the most difficult military training programs in the world. Its purpose is to test candidates to the utmost limit of their physical and mental abilities. Though rare, it is not unheard of for candidates to die during the selection process.^{[3]
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Research source} Because of the extreme demands of SAS training, only healthy young men in great physical and mental condition are considered.
- Though women have been integrated into the British Armed Forces since the 1990s, they are excluded from most combat-oriented units. Because of this, at present, women are not allowed in the SAS. There are, however, signs that this may change in the near future.^{[4]
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The SAS demands a serious commitment from its applicants. If you successfully complete the selection process, the expectation is that you will remain with the SAS in a devoted role for, at the very least, a little over three years. Because of this, candidates who apply to the SAS must have at least 39 months of service remaining to be considered. In addition, candidates must have a minimum of 3 months experience with their own regiment.^{[5]
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Part 2

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Passing the Selection Process

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When ready, file an AGAI. If you believe you have what it takes to join the SAS and you have a burning, passionate desire to do so, finalize your decision by filing an Army General Administrative Instruction (AGAI). The AGAI states that you are prepared for and have full knowledge of the demanding challenges that lie ahead.
- Once you've made your decision, you'll want to wait for the next selection process to begin. The SAS selection process takes place twice per year — once in the winter and once in the summer. This is true regardless of the conditions: no matter how hot or cold it gets, the selection process moves forward.
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Pass the initial screening tests. As the very first part of the selection process, recruits are taken to the SAS headquarters at Stirling Lines, Hereford to receive a basic medical test as well as the Battle Fitness Test (BFT). The medical test ensures that the recruit meets basic standards for being healthy and disease-free, while the BFT tests the recruit's physical fitness. About 10% of applicants fail one of these tests.^{[6]
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- The BFT consists of a squadded 2.5 km (1.5 mile) run in 15 minutes followed by the same distance run individually in under 10.5 minutes. Those who fail at this point aren't physically prepared to become members of the SAS.
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Complete the Special Forces Briefing Course. Over the first weekend of SAS training, recruits receive detailed instruction on what it will be like to experience the SAS selection process and, afterwards, to be employed as a member of the SAS. During this short phase, the physical and mental demands placed on recruits are not as strenuous as they will eventually be, though recruits do still participate in several hill runs. In addition, recruits undergo a variety of general suitability tests, including the following:^{[7]
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- Compass and map test
- Swimming test
- First aid test
- Combat fitness test
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Pass the Fitness and Navigation phase. After the briefing phase of training, the actual selection process begins. The first phase, which lasts for four weeks, focuses on the candidate's endurance and ability to navigate in the wilderness. Activities during this phase include timed hikes and runs and navigating between rendezvous points on a map. The intensity of these activities grows over the span of the training phase as candidates are made to carry increasingly heavy packs and meet increasingly strict time goals. Candidates are often not informed of the time limit of a given exercise before being assigned it. Major events during this phase include:
- The "Fan Dance", a 24 km (15 mile) hike in the Brecon Beacons (a mountain range in Wales) that takes place at the end of the first week of the phase and serves as a major "weed-out" event.
- The "Long Drag", the culminating test of this phase of the selection process. Candidates must complete a 64 km (40 mile) hike in the Brecon Beacons in less than 20 hours. During the hike, candidates must carry a 25 kg (55 lb) pack, a rifle, food, and water. Candidates are forbidden from using established trails and must navigate solely by map and compass.
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Pass the Initial Continuation Training phase. After passing the physically demanding initial phase of SAS training, remaining recruits enter the next phase, which focuses on combat skills. Over four weeks, recruits receive training in weapons handling (including foreign weapons, demolition, patrol tactics, and other essential battlefield skills.
- During this phase, every recruit that is not already parachute qualified is trained in this skill. In addition, recruits are trained to the British Army Regimental Standard for signalling.
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Pass the Jungle Training phase. Following Initial Continuation Training, recruits are shipped to a location in Borneo or Brunei where they undergo 6 weeks of strenuous training in the hot, humid environment of the jungle. Candidates are divided into four-man patrols, each supervised by a member of the Directing Staff. During this phase, soldiers learn how to live, navigate, and fight in the jungle. Activities include hikes/marches, boat handling, combat drills, camp building, and more.
- Personal care and first aid plays a big role during this phase. Because ordinary cuts, insect bites, and blisters resulting from training can easily become infected in the jungle, it's important for every recruit to know how to care for his wounds.
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Pass the Escape and Evasion phase. As the final stage of the selection phase, recruits participate in a variety of exercises designed to build their ability to survive in realistic "off the grid" combat scenarios. Recruits learn how to move stealthily, live off the land, and avoid capture by hostile forces. Activities include evasion exercises, survival scenarios, and lessons in interrogation techniques.
- The culminating test of this phase is an exercise in which recruits have to complete set objectives while evading capture by a Hunter Regiment of opposing soldiers. Regardless of whether or not recruits are captured during the exercise, they must take part in Tactical Questioning exercises (see below).
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Withstand Tactical Questioning tests. One unique aspect of the final phase of the SAS selection process is the Tactical Questioning portion. Recruits are placed in a variety of physically and mentally uncomfortable positions for 24 hours. During this time, Directing Staff subject them to numerous interrogations, during which candidates must not reveal any significant information. Recruits may only volunteer their name, rank, serial number, or date of birth. All other questions must be answered with "I'm sorry, I cannot answer that question." If any soldier cracks, he fails the entire selection process and must return to his unit.
- While Directing Staff aren't allowed to torture or seriously injure recruits, their treatment is quite severe. Recruits may be, for instance, blindfolded, deprived of food and water, forced to stay in painful "stress positions", subjected to continuous loud noises, and forced into small cages. Punishments may be psychological, as well, and may include verbal abuse, insult, humiliation, trickery, and more.
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Enter Continuation Training. If you successfully make it through the SAS's selection process, you can count yourself among the proud few. Only roughly 10% of candidates make it this far. At this point, recruits are given the SAS's characteristic beige beret with upturned rapier insignia and enter SAS Continuation Training, which is focused on teaching new SAS operatives the unique special operations skills they will need to achieve victory in the world's tensest combat zones.
- Note that, at the end of the selection process, recruits relinquish any rank they may previously have held and become troopers. In the SAS, all recruits have to work their way up from the bottom. However, if a recruit leaves the SAS, he is immediately restored to his previous rank with credit for time served. The exception to this rule is with officers, who retain their rank upon joining the SAS.

Part 3

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Preparing for Training

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Start exercising every day. The most immediately apparent aspect of SAS training is that it is likely more physically demanding than any other experience you've had thus far. Candidates are expected to run or hike for hours (during the "Long Drag", for up to twenty) through tough terrain on a regular basis. Candidates are also expected to carry heavy loads, scale difficult peaks, and perform many other physically challenging tasks. For the best chance of making it through the SAS selection process, try to devote serious time and energy to getting yourself into tip-top shape before beginning.
- Cardio training is an absolute must. Many of the toughest challenges during the selection process, like the "Fan Dance" and the "Long Drag", are endurance-based. This means that a strong focus on cardio training, especially running and hiking, is one of your best bets for having a strong advantage during training. In addition, spending lots of time performing these activities will get you used to the feeling of spending all day outdoors. See How to Add Cardio to Your Workout.
- While cardio training is very important, you won't want to neglect strength training. SAS candidates are expected to have the strength to carry heavy packs on long treks in the wilderness and to be lethal in combat, among many other responsibilities. A thorough regimen of strength training exercises balancing lower body, core, and upper muscle groups can help you achieve the level of strength you'll need. See How to Lift Weights.
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Mentally prepare yourself for the rigors of training. Some recruits who are natural-born athletes still drop out of the selection process due to the mental stresses involved. SAS selection and training requires your total concentration even during times of great physical exertion. For instance, recruits are expected to be able to navigate their way through vast stretches of wilderness with nothing more than a map and a compass even when completely exhausted. Without mentally preparing yourself for what may very well be the most stressful events of your life, you may find that your efforts are wasted.
- Precise instructions for how to mentally prepare can vary from person to person. Some may respond well to concentration-improving exercises, while others may favor meditation. Regardless, everyone can benefit from having very realistic expectations of the selection process. It's not a gung-ho, Hollywood-style macho exhibition — it's an intensely demanding experience for which very few are truly prepared.
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Find an inner drive to excel. The SAS is not for candidates who struggle to find inner motivation. The grueling selection process weeds out all but the select few candidates who have an intense, burning passion to become some of the greatest soldiers in the world. For instance, in a practice that is uncharacteristic of most military training programs, SAS Directing Staff do not shout encouragement or insults at candidates as they complete their long marches. It's entirely up to the candidate to find the inner strength to succeed. If you have any doubts at all about joining the SAS, you may want to reconsider.
- Though some candidates are allowed a second chance at the selection process after failing, this is not necessarily guaranteed. After two fails, candidates are barred for life from attempting again.
- As you prepare for training, keep in mind the official SAS motto: "Who Dares Wins". By attempting to join the SAS, you are making a significant risk (or "dare") — that the time and effort you put into preparation and training won't be in vain. With the right inner drive, this risk becomes slightly smaller — if you want the prize, you'll push yourself to the absolute limits of your ability to get it.

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What is the entry level of education required?

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There is no entry level of education, but there are other requirements to apply.

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Can I join SAS if I am 19 years old with an o-level result?

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With or without grades, you are eligible to join the SAS as you are within the age bracket.

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Can I join the SAS after being in another military group, for example, the U.S. Marine Corps?

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As long as you have gained British citizenship and lived in the country for five years, then yes.

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