Get Selected! for Special Forces: How to Successfully Train for and Complete Special Forces Assessment & Selection [Paperback]

Major Joseph J. Martin (Author), Colonel Ed Phillips USA Ret. (Foreword), Master Sergeant Rex Dodson (Collaborator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2005

Here are just a few things you'll discover in GET SELECTED FOR SPECIAL FORCES: Ø How to more than double your chances of success at Special Forces Assessment & Selection (SFAS) Ø The truth behind common myths about Special Forces Ø How to rapidly prepare for SFAS and enjoy the process Ø The seven reasons why candidates are unsuccessful at SFAS Ø What makes Special Forces the greatest job on the planet Ø What it takes to be a Special Forces Soldier Ø How to solidify your commitment to Special Forces and develop an unbreakable will Ø How to prevent or minimize the effects of common injuries at SFAS Ø How to rapidly toughen your feet to minimize blisters Ø What you can expect at SFAS Ø How to help your family before, during and after SFAS Ø What equipment will improve your quality of life at SFAS Ø What you should read, listen to or watch before going Special Forces Ø The three fundamentals of fitness Ø The six phases of the Special Forces Training Pipeline Ø The seven reasons why candidates fail at SFAS Ø The seven Special Forces Core Values Ø How to reduce or eliminate each failure factor Ø Action Plans to assist you preparing for Special Forces Ø The seven Special Forces Groups, their regional orientations and languages Ø The eight Special Forces Military Occupational Specialties Ø How to stay mentally focused under the most demanding physical and emotional situations Ø A detailed 30 Day Preparation Checklist Ø The history of the Green Beret Ø Special Forces Recruiting Criteria Ø How to find a Special Forces Mentor Ø How to take care of your family while attending the training Ø How to join Special Forces

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Major Joseph Martin is a U.S. Army Special Forces Officer with a distinguished record of service. His assignments include several commands and key staff positions within the Special Forces community. He was the Detachment Commander responsible for starting the Special Operations Preparation & Conditioning (SOPC) Course, which prepares initial entry training soldiers for success at Special Forces Assessment and Selection. Prior to that, he served with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) for three and a half years as a Detachment Commander, Assistant Operations Officer and Logistics Officer. He has operational deployments to Afghanistan, Qatar and Kuwait. He has conducted Special Forces and Counter Narcotics training missions in Honduras, Ecuador and Colombia. He was the Commander of the Military Free Fall School for the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. He also served in the Pentagon as a Special Operations Action Officer and is currently serving as a Congressional Fellow. Major Martin is a graduate of Canisius College, earning a Bachelor s of Science in Business Management. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Special Forces Qualification Course, U.S. Army Ranger School, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the Static Line Jumpmaster Course, and the Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Course. He is a life member of the Special Forces Association (M-9129).

Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Warrior Mentor LLC; 1st edition (September 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975355279
• ISBN-13: 978-0975355275
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > History > Military Science

More About the Author

Lieutenant Colonel Joe Martin is a U.S. Army Special Forces Officer with a distinguished record of service. His assignments include several commands and key staff positions within the Special Forces community.

He was the Detachment Commander responsible for starting the Special Operations Preparation & Conditioning (SOPC) Course, which prepares initial entry training soldiers for success at Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS). Prior to that, he served with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) for three and a half years as a Detachment Commander, Assistant Operations Officer and Logistics Officer.

He has operational deployments to Afghanistan, Qatar and Kuwait. Joe has conducted Special Forces and Counter Narcotics training missions in Honduras, Ecuador and Colombia. He was the Commander of the United States Military Free Fall School for the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Joe worked in the Pentagon as a Special Operations Action Officer and is currently serving as a Congressional Fellow.

Lieutenant Colonel Martin is a graduate of Canisius College, earning a Bachelor's of Science in Business Management. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Special Forces Qualification Course, U.S. Army Ranger School, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the Static Line Jump Master Course, and the Military Free Fall Jump Master Course. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. He is a life member of the Special Forces Association (M-9129).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book out there for SF prep, August 29, 2010

By 

Lyle "L3" (Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Get Selected! for Special Forces: How to Successfully Train for and Complete Special Forces Assessment & Selection (Paperback)

I commend the author for putting together such a well-needed book. I am unaware of any book similar to this one and really, if you followed all the work-up training programs outlined, you would be well prepared for any special operations group regardless of the branch of service (I am a former Marine myself). The only slight exception to this being that if you intend to pursue Marine Force Recon/MARSOC or the Navy's SEALs, you will need to add a significant amount of swimming to your prep program plans in order to be properly prepared for these units' training. Swim training is not really covered in this book as it is not a primary focus for Army SF until much later, after completing training and joining your unit, when you may be assigned to either a SCUBA focused platoon or an Airborne focused platoon where you then receive further advanced training in one of those specialized areas.

This book has some great tips and tricks also, the kind only the salty "old" guys know like how to toughen your feet, etc. before going to the Indoc Course to begin your training. Many of the things discussed in the book, including the mental training and resources to further this and other key elements your success, can be advantageous to the regular infantry trooper or even support MOS's if deploying to the wars in the Middle East. For this reason I think some of you already serving with no or undecided interest in becoming a special operations operator may find the book useful and motivating to buy anyway, because even if you don't want to become one of the highly elite of your branch of service the concepts in this book may put you well ahead of the rest in your unit if you put the advice, positive thinking (essential), and self-training guidelines to use. This could equate to more rapid promotion and more important leadership roles & tasks if you are intending to stay in service a while (not so much for the person just planning to do 3-4 years service for college money, etc. or reservists).

The book is well structured, easy to navigate, and often has important points or advice in bold or in a box to catch your attention if you are looking for a few things you want to know immediately without sitting down to read entire chapters right then and there. The book is backed by many former and present SF soldiers applauding its usefulness and accuracy for improving your chances of making it through the screening and actual training. This says a lot and gives a good feeling of faith and trust in EVERYTHING the good Major has to tell you. By the way the author is the officer who was tasked with creating the prep course for SF candidates, so you are getting advice from the one man you should be taking advice from.

Also of interest to some of you, a good friend & barracks roommate that I served with in the Marines switched over to the Army after our contracts had been completed and immediately volunteered for Army Special Forces, he used this book to prepare. He completed the Special Forces training pipeline (approximately 2 years of training) on his first attempt, even with a broken foot, and earned his Green Beret. He highly recommended this book, and noted that if you follow the work ups programs (ie. rucking with a pack, running, etc.) laid out in the book and are mentally tough, you should be able to complete Special Forces Training. That is about all I think anyone needs to hear and they should be "sold" on the merit, if not absolute vitality of owning this book if you KNOW you want to be an SF soldier.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad, May 28, 2009

By 

Ted Nugent "Been There" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Get Selected! for Special Forces: How to Successfully Train for and Complete Special Forces Assessment & Selection (Paperback)

Very easy to read and understand. Full of useful information to put in your toolbox and keep for what works best for you. Things have changed a bit with "Selection" but it's the basic same course. It's not easy and the whole, "don't quit and you'll get selected" attitude a lot of people have may disappoint you. In a nut shell, to pass the course, make sure you can ruck fast and long, run fast and long, be a good leader/team player and score high on your academic tests. Log and Rifle PT suck!! Good luck to all.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best, June 5, 2009

By 

John Borrego "JP" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Get Selected! for Special Forces: How to Successfully Train for and Complete Special Forces Assessment & Selection (Paperback)

This is a review from an honest to god hopeful SF student. I am currently training for SOPC and SFAS. The book refrains from giving alot of detail about the course and selection which i understand why and do not argue. Up till chapter 10 was mostly motivational speech and recommended reading material. Joe and Rex give some great tips here and there. Do not expect to read crash courses on Land nav or ruck times. Over it was a good book and i do not intend for the review reader to get a negative vibe about the book. I am simply telling you what not to expect. I will read the book several more times. I dog ear'd many pages with useful tips and advice. Also, His 31 day prep plan is really helpful. I will most definitely use it exclusively. If you have ever made a work out plan it is nothing new but it is specific as to what to build up in prep fpr sfas and selection. Good luck student! Worth buying and reading twice. Alot of SF info in regards to family and outside life as well.