You Can’t Rush Special (Forces)

Politics aside, the United States military is the largest, most heavily funded fighting force in the world. That’s an objective fact. Another objective fact is that since the attacks on September 11th, the Pentagon has emphasized and demanded an increase in Special Operations fighters to fight the War on Terror. Since this new brand of war is less conventional, the future of the American campaign against terrorism requires specialized fighters like that of the Army Rangers and Green Berets, the Navy’s SEAL Teams, and the Marine Raiders and Recon fighters. 

The trouble is the selection process for these teams is notoriously grueling and has infamous attrition rates. There’s only a small few with a special type of commitment to endure and pass special forces selection. In that way, it may seem odd for a government to simply order up more excellence on demand. Is the development of elite players like a dial that can be turned up and turned down at a simple request?

In a recent NPR interview with soldiers of this caliber, the verdict came in: “the Pentagon tried to dramatically increase the number of special operators at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Army Special Forces never made its quota.”

Even the government making special operators a priority and writing a blank check to increase the development of high level fighters couldn’t expedite excellence. We tell this story often behind closed doors at DEUCE. Whether you’re building a team in your career or you’re reflecting on your own development. The road to the top is the road to the top regardless of how bad you want it (and even how much money you throw at it). 

Remember: excellence takes time, it’s through the muck, and most don’t make it. Charge forward regardless. 

 

Logan Gelbrich  

@functionalcoach

11/22/19 WOD

2-2-2-2-2

Weighted Strict Pull Ups

 

5-5-5-5-5

Deficit HSPU

 

Then, AMRAP 12

6 Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups

9 Hand Release Push Ups

12 Burpees Over-the-Box (20)