Summer, Spring, or Winter Selection? If you’re trying to time your arrival to Special Forces Assessment and Selection, I’ll help. Spoiler Alert: Winter or Spring.

My neighbor’s tulips are coming out already, and it’s only the beginning of February. By that I mean, the winter selection moving’s forward are not going to be as bad as previous ones. More important, the spring selection is going to be crazy hot. I mean so hot that the entire program will go on at night. In training, when it’s dangerously hot the training schedule flips. The activities occur in the afternoon and night. But, the North Carolina heat is still intense.

Knowing what you know about the climate and the south – why on earth would you choose the summer? The same standards are going to be applied. The Spring is beautiful, it’s cool, and it’s easier to move freely without being too cold or too hot. However, the winter could host a miserable storm that ruins your day, and the summer might drain you of everything you’ve got. I went in the spring, and I’m happy I did. No one loves the cold, truly, and no one loves it when it’s so hot it’s uncomfortable just walking on pavement (in shoes).

So, the decision is easier for you – less foliage in the spring and summer to boot – you can see further at night. That’s critical to spot your next stake during the STAR course. That and your sense of health should urge you to push for the spring selection class.

Featured image courtesy of USAJFKSWCS

This article was originally published on SpecialOperations.com