U.S. Army Special Forces, affectionately referred to as the “Green Berets,” are one of America’s most elite and capable special operations units. They have been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, but their operational relevancy goes back decades.

Special Forces have a plethora of mission sets. Some of these include Direct Action, Special Reconnaissance, Counter-terrorism, Counter-insurgency, Foreign Internal Defense, Unconventional Warfare, Security Force Assistance, Information Operations, and Peace Operations.

While hardened veterans of SOF will probably chuckle at this video from the U.S. Army, it does serve as a good primer for anyone interested in the Special Forces.

Special Forces training is extensive and demanding. It challenges you physically and mentally. The training pipeline can be 53 to 95 weeks long. The length of training is determined by the specific Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) that a soldier chooses to pursue within the Special Forces community.

Special Forces pull from three different groups: civilians per the 18X program; enlisted soldiers that are active duty or National Guard; and Army officers of the rank of Captain or Captain-Promotable. Each group of candidates must meet different requirements to be approved for entry into Special Forces training.

To learn more about the U.S. Army Special Forces, check out our complete guide.