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Monday, March 11, 2002
By Amy C. Sims
NEW YORK — "Simply the best." That's been the
matter-of-fact description of the Army's elite Green Berets force
since its inception in 1952.
Eligibility for the fabled group had been
restricted to already enlisted Army personnel since 1988. But in
January the Army resurrected rules that allow civilians to apply
directly for special forces upon enlistment.
Recruiters are charged with finding 400 civilians
to join the prestigious force by October, and hope to achieve that
goal ahead of schedule. Seventy-nine civilians had signed up for the
force as of March 7 and with the mission almost a fifth complete,
recruiters are hopeful the quota will be filled by July.
"It's not hard to find candidates who are willing
to try," said Captain David P. Connolly, an Army spokesman. "It’s a
great opportunity if you’re motivated enough, want a mental and
physical challenge and want to be one of the best soldiers around."
Officials decided to re-open the Berets to
civilian recruits following years of declining overall numbers in the
Army and the retirement of several senior Green Beret commanders
before Sept. 11.
Maj. Robert Gowan, who called the Berets "the
best soldiers in the world," said, "We need to man the force and still
maintain a standard of quality, well-trained people."
The group, which has roughly 7,700 members
deployed around the world, has certainly had its successes in the war
on terror. Special forces like the Berets have seen extensive military
action in Afghanistan, infiltrating deep into enemy-held territory,
linking up with anti-Taliban forces and directing air strikes.
Meeting the group's lofty standards isn't easy.
Civilian recruits must undergo an average of more than 80 weeks of
intensive, demanding military training, in addition to meeting the
usual top-quality Army enlistment criteria. The training program takes
two years, with a minimum enlistment term of five years.
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| AP |
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| Army Chief Warrant Officer Stanley Harriman
stands with his family. Harriman was killed in Afghanistan. |
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Candidates must be male U.S. citizens, aged 18 to
29 years old, with a high school diploma. They must also be able to
pass a security clearance check, qualify for airborne training and
score at least an 85 on a defense language aptitude test.
Despite all the qualifications and risks
involved, Connolly said the task of finding 400 civilians recruits is
just a "drop in the bucket" of the 79,000 recruits the Army is charged
with finding by October.
But confidence runs high. The Army met its goal
last year with 75,855 soldiers, 55 more than the target of 75,800.
Army officials said they would rely on
traditional recruiting policies to bring in the new personnel, and
don't see the need for any special recruitment drives. "We’re using
the same methods ... like going to high schools, and developing
relationships within their communities," Connolly said.
Anyone interested in knowing more can visit
www.Goarmy.com,
where prospective soldiers can chat with recruiters. "It’s just like
walking into a recruiting station," said Connolly.
"People that pursue a career in special forces
are highly committed and want to be a part of the best," said Gowan.
"It’s a very exciting lifestyle. You travel a lot, and meet people
from all over the world," he said. "There is an allure of being in the
special forces that calls to people."
Or, in the words of a Green Beret at last week's
memorial service for Chief Warrant Officer Stanley Harriman, who was
killed during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan: "You don't choose
special forces, special forces chooses you." |
