Are the instructors monsters? Will the "skinny" man handle the selection? What is the road to special forces really like?
A few years ago, only a representative of uniformed services could become a soldier of special forces. Now the road is also open to civilians. It is enough for them to pass a series of tests and exams. It is not easy and only a few succeed, but as a reward you end up in a world that many can only dream of.
"It doesn't look very spectacular at first," says a former Special Forces soldier, who asks to be called the "Windmill". - Candidates bring the documents, we register them, take them to the pot and organize the first test.
Officers serving in Krakow say that it is not important to pass all the tests 100%, but the way in which you pass them. They pay attention to whether the candidate gives his / her best or is only content with developing a standard. The key aspect is whether he can collaborate with other test participants. During the entire recruitment process, applicants have no idea what is assessed and what can be fired.
As "Naval" recalled, former GROM commando and author of the recently published book "Zatoka":
Those who did not run three kilometers in time and those who did not jump are gone. The result of the hand-to-hand fight was probably not taken into account so much, because my sparring partner is still with us. Instead, they threw a guy who jumped beautifully from the springboard, but on the head instead of on his feet. He wasn't listening, so he's not with us anymore .
All soldiers emphasize that heart matters more than skills. These are usually ground in the unit.
When recruiting, sometimes the heart is more important than skills. The photo shows the joint exercises of the U.S. Navy SEALS and GROM.
Often only half of the candidates remain after the first physical test. However, the real challenge awaits them at the next stage.
- For many, meeting a psychologist is much more difficult than physical tests. They last many hours and there are no appeals from them - says "Wiatrak". - Only after that does the proper selection begin - he adds.
Up
In the book "Dogs Bite The Last", "Naval" mentioned that in the 1990s the selection was a mystery. Today, thanks to the greater openness of the army, it is sometimes possible to look behind the scenes in selecting future "specialists". But until recently it was like this:
In Legionowo there was not much to talk to about the selection, so how do I get ready when I don't know anything about it. I have to start from completing the equipment. Unfortunately, Lubliniec has prepared me nothing for such trips. There you got a tray with some useless things, because, for example, what I was doing for hell? My mother-in-law, through acquaintances in Lubliniec, got me a backpack, a sleeping bag and a compass. I received these things together with the information that almost no one passes the selection. But what is going on there and what it looks like, nobody knows or they don't want to talk.
The article was inspired by Navala's newest book titled “Zatoka. GROM in the waters of the Persian Gulf ”(Bellona 2017).
In the mountains, instructors only set tasks and observe their execution. They assume that the candidate has to deal with it on his own. He is not obliged to wear all the equipment he is entitled to. If he wants to sleep on the bare ground without a sleeping mat and a sleeping bag, it's his choice. In the morning he has to be ready for the task. The only restrictions were always on extra food. Candidates were only allowed to eat what was assigned to them.
Everyone equal
- Everyone has a number. There are no surnames. There are no steps. Everyone is equal and has the same chances - says "Motorynka", who once served in the Special Forces Command. - It all depends on the candidate himself. And from the doctor - he adds after a while.
During the selection in the mountains, the doctor may at any time decide that the candidate is not suitable for further competition. There is no appeal against his decision. Just like the decisions of the instructors. These, in turn, have a whole lot of ideas on how to discourage students. This is the case with every training. First they teach, sweat, breathe a moment, and then turn the students' lives upside down.
During training, sweat is squeezed out of recruits to prepare them for anything. But how do you prepare to meet a goat on a smuggling ship? The photo comes from the Navala book titled "Zatoka" (Bellona 2017).
Surprise at night, when we almost fried the snails - “Naval” recalled - a rain of military firecrackers rained down on us, shooting was heard around, heavy cannons thundered. We were given two minutes to stand ready for the night march. The task was as follows:run three kilometers on time. Begin by crossing the river and run towards the lights. And then the question was asked:is anyone giving up? Two boys staggered out.
Initial training
After a week of selection in the mountains, usually only 1 out of 10 candidates remain. For the lucky ones who pass the training, this means a change in almost everything. They enter their newly adopted surname on the admission form and receive a new registration number. Soon after, they also get a specific nickname. Sometimes they have several:in the unit, outside, for friends, for family.
- Sometimes it makes life difficult - laughs "Motorynka", whom I know under at least three pseudonyms. It is similar with other commandos.
During the initial selection, up to 9 out of 10 soldiers were eliminated from GROM. The photo comes from the Navala book titled "Zatoka" (Bellona 2017).
- I haven't been with the company for a long time, but I still don't flaunt it. I don't have a Facebook account, I don't pose for photos. A little out of habit. For years I was gone - he says.
After completing all the formalities, the initial training begins, which is the way to the combat squad. The instructors attach great importance to the safety rules and proper preparation of exercises. It gets very serious at this point.
After the shooting course, they organize another training for us. There will be VIP security classes. First, in the lecture hall, we watch demonstrative films on which pedestrian lines are drawn, on vehicles and the assigned role for each of the security guards. Only those who have completed the shooting course are allowed to take part in the practical classes. In this course, there is no room to pull someone else's finger off the trigger. We start working together in pairs and in a group. These activities are very connected. We often switch functions. You have to know how to behave when you are on top and how to behave when you are an adjutant, which is the closest to the VIP.
GROM soldiers practice shooting on such equipment. Photo from the 16th anniversary of the formation.
However, it does not matter if it is VIP protection, room cleaning or climbing. After the basic course, each soldier must be able to do the same. You can always count on older soldiers to share their knowledge and experience with the fry. They explain why you should take these gloves and not others, what you need an additional carabiner for and what you can make with a pomegranate pin or disinfectant pads.
The farther into the forest, the more curiosities and training courses available:the basics of battlefield rescue, SERE, climbing, diving, ballistics, sapper and psychology courses. During the basic training, the operator of special forces should learn all the specialties that are in the unit. Later, it is time for specialized instruction.
Specjalsi
- Most often, everyone has two specialties - says "Windmill". So there are divers-sappers or snipers-rescuers. "Naval", which ended up in the watershed, writes in "Zatoka":
Diving is one way to covertly get to the scene of a special group. In our job, a hidden approach to the opponent, so surprise, is the key to success. During the training, we must not only learn to dive perfectly, but also fight in all this diving equipment.
Diving exercises are an important part of training GROM soldiers. Photo from the 16th anniversary of the formation.
Training at sea is not easy at all. Like any other in the Special Forces. Naval recalls that the selection was what it looked like for a reason. He writes:
Dry suits used for diving arrived with us. The courage test that we had to pass in Bemowo, in the form of a descent from the tower by an American train, is a triviality compared to what awaits us here. The instructors gave us a jump from the side of the tanker into the glacial Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a piece of cake, but the distance to the water surface is considerable. (…) It is impossible to go under the water, because the air it contains keeps on the surface like a yellow rubber duck floating in a bathtub. When jumping, you need to keep your legs together and hold the "jewels" in your hand so that nothing breaks off when you hit the water. When you start to hear the air whistling in your ears, you are really flying from above.
- There are no half measures in the company - says "Wiatrak". - What we learn in training, then repeatedly practice to use the skills later in the performance of tasks.
- Sometimes they are much more demanding than what we experienced on the training ground - he emphasizes at the end.
Buy the latest Navala book from empik.com:
