I remember the British SAS guys taking shots at our Green Berets by saying something along the lines of, "American special forces can't operate without a Burger King and a street lamp nearby" which I thought was telling of their own capabilities.
All time best story I ever remember hearing though of a SpecOps unit was regarding the Russian Spetznaz (sp?). Those guys get selected by being blindfolded in a room for a period of time, then viciously assaulted by an unknown, unseen assailant, then as a final option, given a choice of being stabbed with a knife in the side or having their arm wrenched behind their back until it's broken. Choosing either and coming through it with the least amount of "display of pain" warrants selection for training after healing up. Failue to agree to either or acting too hurt rules you out.
I also remember in the same recount of a Spetznaz operation where in a hospital, unarmed, a single Spetznaz soldier killed 20 armed guards/soldiers with little more than a scalpel and the weapons acquired from the fallen. In another story, the Spetznaz, after the Iranians hijacked a Russian airliner and killed several passengers, they were dispatched to the hometown of the hijackers where they killed their entire families, to include pets, poisoned the local water supply and burned their houses to the ground, then played the video tapes of it all to the captured hijackers before killing them for their crimes. That's some hardcore shizzle.
US Military I'd have to guess that Delta Force is the premier "not secret" force, although I've heard rumor of a more elite, unknown group of soldiers that belong jointly to the CIA and the Pentagon that conduct covert operations you'll never hear of. BTW, Delta Force was once led by the new Army Chief of Staff, a guy I would not want to meet in a dark alley alone or with 10 other friends of my own even. I have a fellow MP friend who's a former Special Forces soldier (yes, for real, I've seen his offical records) and he said that in the final portion of their training, an exercise commonly referred to now as Robin Sage, they have to parachute down to their LZ, then march with all their gear better than 25 miles back to base camp for graduation. He said that Gen. Schoomaker, the new Army CoS met them half way and actually helped carry some of their gear as well as any soldier who was having a hard time, this, in addition to their own gear they brought out with them. He said the guy was close to his 40's then, helping to carry the gear of these 19-25 year old guys nearing completion of their SpecOps training.
All time best story I ever remember hearing though of a SpecOps unit was regarding the Russian Spetznaz (sp?). Those guys get selected by being blindfolded in a room for a period of time, then viciously assaulted by an unknown, unseen assailant, then as a final option, given a choice of being stabbed with a knife in the side or having their arm wrenched behind their back until it's broken. Choosing either and coming through it with the least amount of "display of pain" warrants selection for training after healing up. Failue to agree to either or acting too hurt rules you out.
I also remember in the same recount of a Spetznaz operation where in a hospital, unarmed, a single Spetznaz soldier killed 20 armed guards/soldiers with little more than a scalpel and the weapons acquired from the fallen. In another story, the Spetznaz, after the Iranians hijacked a Russian airliner and killed several passengers, they were dispatched to the hometown of the hijackers where they killed their entire families, to include pets, poisoned the local water supply and burned their houses to the ground, then played the video tapes of it all to the captured hijackers before killing them for their crimes. That's some hardcore shizzle.
US Military I'd have to guess that Delta Force is the premier "not secret" force, although I've heard rumor of a more elite, unknown group of soldiers that belong jointly to the CIA and the Pentagon that conduct covert operations you'll never hear of. BTW, Delta Force was once led by the new Army Chief of Staff, a guy I would not want to meet in a dark alley alone or with 10 other friends of my own even. I have a fellow MP friend who's a former Special Forces soldier (yes, for real, I've seen his offical records) and he said that in the final portion of their training, an exercise commonly referred to now as Robin Sage, they have to parachute down to their LZ, then march with all their gear better than 25 miles back to base camp for graduation. He said that Gen. Schoomaker, the new Army CoS met them half way and actually helped carry some of their gear as well as any soldier who was having a hard time, this, in addition to their own gear they brought out with them. He said the guy was close to his 40's then, helping to carry the gear of these 19-25 year old guys nearing completion of their SpecOps training.
It all depends on the definition of "elite". If you want to talk about "most exclusive" or "hardest to enter" than you might be talking about Air Force pararescue which has a failure rate in the high 90th percentile. If you want to talk about combat capability for direct action missions, than it would be USA Rangers. If you want to talk about counterterrorist, it would be either the SEALs or Delta Force. Further, some of those capabilities will change on a day-to-day basis depending on who is available for the mission and what kind of day they're having. When you reach a certain level, the differences become rather academic.
Just wanted to point out one thing regarding the above. The training most certainly DOES involve mental harrassment as well as combat training.
Just wanted to point out one thing regarding the above. The training most certainly DOES involve mental harrassment as well as combat training.
I've heard that part of PJ training is that they put you in a pool and physically drown you, pull you up and bring you back to life...they then ask if you want to go back in the water...you say no, bye bye...you say yes, welcome...
Schadenfroh
Elite Member
- Mar 8, 2003
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BrunoPuntzJones
Lifer
- Feb 24, 2001
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Troo, troo.
PJs are dropped behind enemy lines to extract wounded soliders, downed pilots, etc., you bet they are combat trained. Of the lists I've read the PJs is definately the most comprehensive. Each is a medic, not just one guy in a group of 12 that drop in. IMO, the most respectable job of the "elite", and probably the most respectable in the world.
ThePresence
Elite Member
- Nov 19, 2001
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Babbles
Diamond Member
- Jan 4, 2001
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PJs seem to be some of the more interesting of the lot. Not as famous as their Delta, SEAL, Ranger cousins, but just as important. Not only are they fully trained medical professionals there to save life, they are also trained to be combat effective to take lives away.
Hell of a combination.
Hell of a combination.
all three named has just about the same type of training. I would say the Navy Seals have it the hardest though. No scientific research to back that up though, just my own knowledge 
glenn1
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2000
- 25,383
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There are several "unofficial military units" out there. Many of them are involved with combat support functions and can be thought of as "CIA lite." They'll typically get used for missions suitable for neither overt military personnel nor a CIA field agent. Cache emplacement in denied areas is a classic example of a mission they would perform.
No, it isn't. The water training for PJs is brutal -- there's a video floating around that follows PJs through the first phase of training. It might be The Discovery Channel or something like that, can't remember.
Anyway, their water course is vicious because it has to be given their mission. PJs are routinely called to rescue people in the worst of conditions from the water and MUST BE PREPARED to be on the verge of drowning and still accomplish their mission, ie., rescuing the downed pilot or stranded boater. Since we're talking horrible wave conditions in possibly freezing water, the more comfortable the PJ is at swallowing water and being constantly dunked and short on air, the more likely he is able to survive the mission.
They can afford to be selective since there are not a great many of them around. They number in the hundreds, not the thousands.
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