Archive Thread 8- World's toughest Special forces Selection & Training

[hist2004]

South Africa's
1 Reconnaissance Commando
The 'Recces'

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With the paratroops moving toward a more conventional airborne-forces role, the SADF felt a distinct need for an SAS or Fernspaher type of unit. This need was met by the establishment of a small specialist unit in Durban (1 October 1972) called 1 Reconnaissance Commando. Since then, a number of additional Recce Commandos have been established, in-including a CF element and 4 Recce, based at Langebaan in the Cape and trained for amphibious operations. All have amply proved their worth on operations, and the 'Recces' have earned the admiring respect even of the tough 'parabats' and the bush war experts of 32 Bn.
One of the tasks of the Recce Commandos is that of gathering intelligence on activity in enemy rear areas. The execution of special operations in the enemy rear also falls within their ambit. In general, they could be described as specialists in strategic intelligence, although the war against PLAN insurgents has seen them carry out tactical intelligence-gathering missions. On occasion, they have also been used as an elite combat element, as was the case in operations during 1982 which were aimed at the elimination of two PLAN front headquarters. Normally, however, the superbly trained Recces are too valuable to risk in a combat role despite their undoubted efficiency. As is the case with their equivalents in other countries, they are best employed in a covert observation role. Little has been released about how Recces are organized or how they operate. It has been said, however, that the basic element is the five- or six-man team wherein each member is a specialist some kind. A typical team might include tracker, a navigator, a medic, an explosives expert and a signaler. On the other hand, there have also been occasion references to reconnaissance teams; small as two men operating well inside Angola, which can safely be taken to mean the Recces.

Operational and tactical details are non-existent, which is only natural considering that the Recces must rely always on stealth for the success of their missions and often for their very survival. Broadcasting these methods would be one way of committing suicide. The only information available this regard is that they are trained in the use of boats, and that they do have some armed and modified vehicles among the equipment. Given the thinly populated nature of much of southern Africa, it does not take too much imagination to see them sometimes operating in a style not dissimilar to that of the British Special Air Service (SAS) of World War II.

Both the selection procedure and the actual training of the Recces are very stiff indeed, putting even the Paras and Battalion in the shade. Above all, every effort is made to avoid roughnecks and 'muscle-bound morons.' While the Recce must be very fit indeed, they also need more than an average intellect to carry c their mission. Strong character and a considerate nature are additional requirements for their role: any weakness of character or inability to get along with other team members could all too easily spell the failure of a given operation. The toughness of the selection process is demonstrated by the fact that a typical year may see up to 700 applicants - in themselves a select group - of whom perhaps 45 make the grade. It is also interesting that more than 5 percent of the Recces have their matric, and not a few hold university qualifications in very diverse subjects.

Two selection courses are held each year, prior to which recruiters visit various units to outline the nature and role of the unit and its training programme. They also show films of the process to ensure that there are no false impressions among potential applicants. Potential candidates then undergo thorough medical and psychological examinations and are quizzed about their reasons for wanting to join and what they think they can contribute to the unit. Even prior to this very searching interview, they must pass a PT test which includes:
a) 30 km with normal kit and rifle and a 30-kg sand bag in 6 hours;
b) 8 km in long trousers and boots, with rifle, in 45 minutes:
c) 40 push-ups, 8 chin pulls and 68 sh-ups within a specified time;
d) 40 shuttle runs of 7 m each in 90 seconds;
e) Swim 45 m freestyle.


Those who pass this PT test, plus the medical and psychological examinations, and convince the selection board that they have something to offer the unit, can then enter the three-week pre-selection programme course! This kicks off with two weeks of strenuous PT for eight hours a day to prepare aspirants for the rigours of the selection programme proper. Some lectures on relevant subjects are thrown in with the same purpose. Usually some 20 percent of the applicants drop out during this phase - eloquent testimony to its harshness, given the standard of fitness required even for entry. This is followed by a one-week water orientation programme in Zululand. This tests the candidates' adaptability to water and their adeptness in small boats. Instruction is given in the use of kayaks, two-seater canoes and motor boats. Navigation exercises take candidates many kilometers through swamps, and there is an 8-km race with poles over the dunes --one four-man pole per two men. Candidates are allowed to form up into teams of their choice during this phase and are watched closely for teamwork and leadership; a buddy rating is called for toward the end of the phase. Rations are gradually reduced during the week. Candidates are rated for adaptability, swimming and other water skills, ability to work under difficult circumstances and stress, resistance to cold, claustrophobia, co-ordintion and fitness. At this point another ??'percent drop out.

The remaining candidates are then flown to the Operational Area for the final phase of the selection programme. The first week here takes the form of a bush orientation/survival course during which they are taught which plants are edible, which give water, how to get a fire going without matches and how to cope with lions and elephants. The first day of this course sees the candidates stripped and searched for cigarettes, tobacco, sweets and toiletries - only kit and medical items are left to them. They are then given time to build a shelter with their ground sheet; which must be dug in 45 cm and are marked on its neatness, practicality and originality. Rations are further reduced and water is limited to five liters a day per man.

Apart from the survival training, PT stays with them throughout: a typical day might include an hour of PT before a breakfast consisting largely of water; observation tests wherein candidates are given a fixed route to follow on which they must identify and note down ten different objects; three runs over an assault course -- the last with a 35-kg pack, including a mortar-bomb container filled with cement; a five-km run along an gully without their kit, followed by loading up again and carrying a tree trunk back to their camp. During this phase the candidates are evaluated for adaptability; water discipline; bush navigation; fear of the dark, animals and heights; ability to do without food; care of weapons and equipment; memory; powers of observation; leadership; and the ease with which they move in bush. Particular emphasis is placed on the ability to get on with others while under stress. A second buddy rating is called for.

This phase ends in a spate of automatic rifle fire that heralds the next stage which is intended to try the candidates psycho logically to the uttermost - and succeeds Then comes the 'crunch' phase. One morning the men are told that, 'The courseis 51 degrees magnetic. You walk 38 km and your RV is l900 hours this evening at a dirt landing strip. If you make it, you may get some food.' Twenty km along they are met by some of the instructors and allowed to fill their water bottles - while the instructors drink and spill ice-cold soft drinks. On arrival at the RV, each man is given eight biscuits - only to discover that they are contaminated with petrol and totally inedible. Meanwhile, the instructors have a happy barbecue picnic which any candidate can join - if he is only willing to drop out.

Finally, the candidates are put into the bush for five days with a tin of condensed milk, half a 24-hour ration pack and twelve biscuits, eight of which are soaked in petrol. Elephant, lion, and bush fires are among the problems of this final stretch. When they finally get to their last rendezvous, the men are given a new bearing and told there are another 30 kilometers to go. Those who go on find the instructors around the next corner. Seventeen percent make it.

Those who survive the selection programme must then complete and pass the parachute course before being accepted into the Recces. The actual Recce training lasts some 42 weeks and includes tracking, survival, weapons handling, explosives, unconventional warfare, unarmed combat, mountaineering, guerrilla tactics, bush- and field craft, map reading, day and night navigation and signalling. Throughout this training they are also taught how to handle enemy equipment in each of the categories. Physical training naturally also stays with them and, in fact, reaches new peaks in what is demanded and achieved. The final test is a night or two in lion country with rifle, ammunition and a box of matches. The new Recce is now posted to a team in one of the existing Recce Commandos specializing in whatever he proved best suited to during his training. After serving in such a team for a while, members can choose to specialize further in this direction or in other areas like military free-fall parachuting or sea training. The latter includes combat diving, kayak work, small boat handling, coastal and deep-sea navigation and sailing. Given the demands of their selection and training, the Recces will always be a very small group of men, a group that others look up to as examples of the ultimate individual soldier. Envy plays no part in this, for their work is easily as demanding and often as unpleasant as their training. Only a special sort of man would seriously want to join.

Regards & Thanks,
Hist2004

[Ngati Tumatauenga]

Some more Recce info,
taken from www.recce.co.za

General Facts & Figures

South African Special Forces Operators are known internationally by their nickname of "Recces" . This is the abbreviated form of the original name of the Special Forces Regiments - the Reconnaissance Regiments.


In 2002, the South African Special Forces community celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of a Special Forces capability in South Africa.


By the conclusion of the war in Angola in 1988, out of the more than 100 000 persons who had applied to attend the Pre Selection interviews to attempt the Special Forces Operators Training Cycle, fewer than 480 had Qualified as Special Forces Operators. Out of this number, more than 80 Operators were killed in action during the Angolan war.


By the beginning of 2003, fewer than 900 persons had ever Qualified as South African Special Forces Operators - fewer people than have ever successfully climbed Mount Everest. Out of this 900, more than 200 are deceased.


Since the inception of Special Forces in South Africa, retired and serving Special Forces Operators observe the Saint Michael ceremony every September. Saint Michael is the protector and Patron Saint of Paratroopers, (every Qualified Operator is also a qualified Paratrooper), and this ceremony holds a special significance for Operators - especially during times of war.


Throughout its history, the South African Special Forces has been a non-racial entity, and always had approximately equal numbers of black and white Qualified Operators.


The most highly decorated Special Forces Operator to date is a black Operator from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment, who was awarded the Honoris Crux Gold in 1980.


Despite the fact that Special Forces Operators are held to a much higher standard than the rest of the military when it comes to the awarding of medals, the South African Special Forces Operators is still the most highly decorated military entity in South Africa in respect of Bravery Medals since the end of the Second World War.


All South African Special Forces Operators are highly qualified in all aspects of Land, Airborne and Seaborne skills, tactics, operations and deployments; and are able to and have Operated in virtually all possible terrain and climatic conditions.


Special Forces Operators usually wore beards because they were unable to shave during their deployments. Shaving would waste precious water, and the enemy would be able to smell the shaving cream or soap if it was used. The beards also helped with camouflage of the face for both black and white Operators, as the sun would not reflect off a beard like it would off a shaven face. Similarly, the long hair as seen in some photographs of the Recces is as result of the long periods the Operators spent behind the enemy lines on operations, where they could not cut their hair.


During war, Operators could expect to be physically deployed in actual operations against the enemy - primarily behind enemy lines - for an average of 9 to 10 months per year. Many Operators did this for 10 to 15 years.


During war, the average weight of kit carried by Special Forces Operators is 60kg to 80kg. For long-distance deployments or Small Team operations, the average weight of kit carried is 100kg. The heaviest kit carried by Small Teams or Long deployment Operators is 130kg.


An unofficial form of achievement within the South African Special Forces is when an Operator has completed a " Gunston 500" - named after the Surfing Championship. In the South African Special Forces context, a "Gunston 500" entails conducting an operation behind enemy lines, where one walks for 500 kilometres or more with full kit. Many Operators, and most who took part in the Angolan war, have completed at least one or many " Gunston 500's" .


During the Angolan war, 95% of all Special Forces operations were carried out behind enemy lines - over distances of anything from 10 km to 2000 km behind the enemy lines.


During reconnaissance of enemy targets and fixed positions, Special Forces Reconnaissance Teams usually comprise 2 to 4 Operators. They conduct reconnaissance on enemy bases from direct line of sight positions right on the edge of the bases, and would penetrate inside the bases. These bases comprised and can comprise anything from several hundred up ten thousand plus enemy soldiers.


During the Angolan war, Special Forces Reconnaissance Teams who entered into contact with enemy forces during reconnaissance missions, or during infiltration or exfiltration, had to conduct Escape and Evasion to escape capture or death. The distances over which E&E was applied in such situations - on foot - has varied from 20 km to over 1000km.


Historically, more than 55% of all Operators were at one time or another Wounded in Action - some on multiple occasions. Very often, they dressed and treated their wounds themselves, and seldom left the field or operations for treatment.


The South African Special Forces have the highest statistical Killed in Action ratio of any South African military unit since the battle of Delville Wood during the First World War. During the Angolan war, an Operator had statistically only a one in five chance of long-term survival, due to the nature, frequency and number of operations which they conducted.


The first South African soldier Killed in Action at the beginning of the Angolan / former South West Africa war was a Special Forces Operator, and the last South African soldier Killed in Action at the end of the Angola / former South West Africa war was a Special Forces Operator.


During the entire Angolan war, the total strength of all the Special Forces Regiments combined was never more than 200 to 250 Operators at any one time, due to their Killed in Action and Wounded in Action statistics, retirements and resignations.


Special Forces Operators have never had equal of superior numbers to the enemy when attacking enemy fixed positions, and have always been heavily outnumbered in all their engagements.


During the Angolan war, amongst the Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces against which South African Special Forces Operators worked were Russians, Ukrainians, East Germans and others. Also present were Cubans, North Koreans, Vietnamese, and various other Soviet-aligned forces. These included Regular Army, Air Force, Navy and Special Forces elements of these forces.


During the later stages of the Angolan war, the Soviet Union diverted much of its war materiel meant for Afghanistan to Angola - including the most sophisticated Russian arms outside the Soviet Union itself. Angolan airspace became classified as the most hostile airspace in the world, with the Soviets having total air superiority for virtually the whole war. This meant that Special Forces Operators never had the possibility of re-supply, support or evacuation on the majority of their operations, and once they were in, they were completely and utterly alone until they returned.

[Yeoman]

now that was a good read
that's just bloody crazy. I knew the south africans were hardcore, but bloody hell, that's insane.
amazes how little I know of any army outside of canada's, england's, and the united states.
thanks for the read
Greg

[UkrainianAmerican]

DAMN!
That makes John Rambo look like a sissy school girl.

[ShadowNeo]

amazes how little I know of any army outside of canada's, england's, and the united states.

Just nitpicking here but the British Army is not solely Englands - it is the United Kingdom's, that is including Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Personal annoyance of mine, being a Scot, when people refer to the British Army as England's army .

[hist2004]

Hey guys, if you think their selection & training is tough, how about this on
an "average" operation in enemy territory...


A Small Team, (2 Operators), or a Team, (12 Operators), would do this. In such an operation, a Reconnaissance Mission would be undertaken on an enemy strategic position – on a military position or a military complex in a (for example, in Angola).



Firstly, one would have to infiltrate. This would entail walking to the target area -

In enemy territory all the way.
In a war situation, with enemy soldiers and forces (very good and highly trained ones) all along the route - constantly searching for us.
With potentially hostile local population all over the place, who would instantly inform the enemy soldiers if we were detected.
With the enemy having complete air superiority, and having helicopter and helicopter gunship patrols frequently.
With no possibility of any support, resupply or evacuation by ground or air.
Carrying all food, water, sleeping equipment, military equipment, and ammunition - of a quantity that could last for weeks.
Meaning that the weight of one's rucksack - excluding webbing and weapon/s - would be 60kg to 80kg - or in some cases 100kg. (As an educational exercise, just try to walk normally - or lift - a rucksack weighing 80 kg).
Walking in over 300km to 400km or more - inside enemy territory.


Infiltration would be long and arduous, moving mostly at night, conducting anti-tracking, lying up in hides in the day, avoiding all enemy forces and local population - all the while carrying this killing weight, navigating accurately through the bush or through mountains, crossing crocodile-infested, deep and fast-flowing rivers (not by bridge), coming across lions and other dangerous animals, eating and drinking hardly anything to conserve rations, tolerating all weather conditions from freezing to frying and from tropical rain to no water at all, never speaking, never cooking, never making noise, always doing anti-tracking, always alert - all the while aware that if you were compromised, you were on your own, and however far you were in - so far you would have to get out - without any help, and with the full and mighty force of the enemy hunting you.



At the target area, one would have to get into a hide right at the enemy position - which could be a base harboring thousands of enemy soldier. “Right at” the enemy position meaning right in direct sight of the base with the naked eye. One may also have to move around to various hides at various points around the enemy base, all the time making maps, notes, records, assessments, etc. On various occasions, the reconnaissance would entail penetrating right inside the actual enemy base to conduct reconnaissance.



Once enough information had been obtained, one would have to exfiltrate - all the way back - on foot, with all the obstacles and challenges that one had faced on the infiltration. The only difference would be that one may be running low on water and food - and could not -without extreme danger of being compromised - take food from fields or go to rivers / waterholes for water, as these are they are routinely busy or watched.



If one was compromised on the infiltration or exfiltration, the enemy would deploy hundreds or thousands of men between the contact point and the border - by plane, by helicopter, by vehicle, on foot from their forward bases. They would form huge interdiction lines cutting off direct escape routes, and would conduct hundreds of patrols, and have standing ambushes all over the place. Their aircraft and helicopters would fly all over the area - searching. Also, they would get onto your tracks - and chase you - running you down with teams and teams of fresh men, changing when they got tired so that they were always fresh while you got tired. Trying to force you into their ambushes in front of you, with stopper groups deployed at the sides to prevent you from escaping to the side.



One would have to survive such a situation, applying Escape and Evasion techniques - sometimes over hundreds of kilometers - running, lying up & hiding, passing stealthily through enemy positions, or staying in cover while they walked right over you, or entering into contact (a firefight) with enemy forces - never stopping, never sleeping, and never giving up.



If one of your colleagues was killed or wounded, you would carry him out with you. If you were all wounded, those who could still walk would carry those who could not.



If and when you managed to escape and get back over the border, you would rest up for a short period, and start all over again with another operation, time and time again, year in and year out.



This is what a Special Forces Reconnaissance operation entails. There are many and various other examples of reconnaissance tasks that are even more arduous than this example - which is a relatively standard example.

Regards & Thanks,
Hist2004

[SAS Britain]

What you said sounds desirable but completely stupid and unrealistic. There is no way a full grown man can carry a rucksack of 80KG, The capacity of a British army Bergen is 120lbs, it is known to be the best military rucksack in the world. Also about that 300/400km TAB behind enemy lines it simply sounds insane and not possible. My mates father is an operative of the 23 SAS TA company. He would laugh at you for saying the **** you said. Simply pathetic and unrealitstc. South Africans are tough but not that tough.

[Swedish_Marine]

Wow that´s a really impressive story, i didn´t know a man could carry that much for that long, damn. I can´t compete with that one.

No no that´s Bull S*it. I´ll tell you a little anecdote of mine. When i was in the service we carried a Berghaus Trident and it´s packing volume was 110 liters. When packed in it´s basic state it weighed in at about 40-45 kilos. Plus loadbearing gear, ammo, helmet and your weapon. ( I can´t help but thinking about the poor bastards that was in for 10 months who later on had to do the same thing with supportweapons ) And in addition to this we carried cammo-nets and one radio/squad. With the radio and cammonets it would weigh in at about 60 kilos, but that bag with the radio circled around in the squad so everybody carried it at some point ( we switched after 1 hour ). I was very fit back then but those 60 kilos litterally killed me. We walked for about 9 miles with the big pack ( metric miles, 1 mile = 10 kilometers ) and 4 miles with our combat-pack ( the side pouches on the Berghaus sack connected togehter ) and when we came back to the regiment to be issued the green beret i was closer to death than being alive. Many of us had received injuries to the bones in their feet ( stress fractures ) because of the weight of the pack and those were bigger guys than me. And the best part is that there are units in the Swedish armed forces that has conscripts who have done worse things than that even.

My point is that carrying up to 80 kilos for 300 - 400 kilometers is humanly impossible without collapsing, especially during the extraction part of the operation. I have read Bravo 2 Zero and mr McNabb tells that when they inserted they carried about 90 kilos of gear but they only walked for 2 miles and they even had to take a couple ( two? ) of turns to get the gear in place.

[grendel]

re. the heavy bergens/rucksacks carried by the Recces:

Wouldn't it have been wiser to utilise caches (sp?)? If I'm not mistaken, Rhodesia's legendary Selous Scouts used them during their raids into neighboring Zambia, Mozambique & Botswana.

[hist2004]

Guys, I didn't live the article, I just posted it. Thanks for all the info about
how much weight a trooper can carry...but my guess is he meant 80 pounds not kilograms.

Regards &Thanks,
Hist2004

[SAS Britain]

I train almost daily with huge weights. I pack about 50kilograms into my rucksack and do a death march across uneven terrain. I would also like to point out that 1mile is not 10kilometers. Her is the exact difference, 1 Mile=1600meters, 1 kilometer is 1000meters. I do about 10 kilometers running with my water and assault boots, Balaklava, and combat level 3 armour, weighs 6KG. I recomend you buy soma armour lads, cos you can get very fit by jogging with it. Also I ignore pain eg, Shin split(Extremely painful) and impact drops(Jumping from a height with weight. I never stop, so to speak. I take breethers within about 3 minutes of marching for about 1 second to get my breath back, it is almost impossible to breath while carrying weight, simply because it digs into your shoulders and compresses your chest and shoulders down into the lungs.

[hist2004]

SAS Britain,

May I ask what your impressions were of the Recce Pre-Selection. I have
read extensively of the SAS selection and that of the US Delta Force. Both
are obviously difficult in the extreme with only a small percentage of individuals being able to meet the required standards. The Recce standards appear to even exceed the above selection courses. This is
only my opinion...not the final word.

Regards & Thanks,
Hist2004

[Scrim]

Man I hate death marches, its immpossible to breath when your dead.

[Argyll]

I train almost daily with huge weights. I pack about 50kilograms into my rucksack and do a death march across uneven terrain. I would also like to point out that 1mile is not 10kilometers. Her is the exact difference, 1 Mile=1600meters, 1 kilometer is 1000meters. I do about 10 kilometers running with my water and assault boots, Balaklava, and combat level 3 armour, weighs 6KG. I recomend you buy soma armour lads, cos you can get very fit by jogging with it. Also I ignore pain eg, Shin split(Extremely painful) and impact drops(Jumping from a height with weight. I never stop, so to speak. I take breethers within about 3 minutes of marching for about 1 second to get my breath back, it is almost impossible to breath while carrying weight, simply because it digs into your shoulders and compresses your chest and shoulders down into the lungs.

Fan-Dance?
If your going for selection,don't over do the physical side of it,just coz you can tab for days with the kit,it's also about doing it with sleep depravation,also during the hours of darkness,the terrain ain't as easy when ye canny see ****!
The Jungle phase seems to be more the important phases these days,anyway good luck

[El'Potato]

I would also like to point out that 1mile is not 10kilometers. Her is the exact difference, 1 Mile=1600meters,

Well I can tell you that swedish_marine was talking about a swedish/nordic or even perhaps a metric mile (don't know if there's such a thing as a metric mile) but in Sweden a mile is 10km. Not more, not less.