Who Dares Wins
What sets the Special Air Service Regiment apart is their extreme psychological resilience and their problem solving ability whilst under extreme physical exertion. The group of 130 soldiers, comprised of soldiers on the course who most have already served tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor, are subjected to what is thought to be the toughest, most gruelling selection process known around the world. The instructors try and de-construct a soldier down to their bare basic humanity by using techniques such as sleep and food deprivation to strip back a person and see their levels of resilience and and how to react in a cognitive ability.
Potential recruits are assessed on their effectiveness on individual and team tasks with extremely limited rest. Photo: LAC Leigh Cameron
Mental and physical fortitude is tested through stressful situations involving weaponry, physical training, obstacle courses, navigation and problem solving. Only a small percentage of candidates are selected for service in the SAS. Upon selection, successful candidates undergo further training before becoming a member of the nation’s elite Special Forces unit.
SASR played a big role in Afghanistan
Special Operations Task Group soldiers and their partners from the Provincial Response Company – Uruzgan (PRC-U) prepare to depart Multi National Base – Tarin Kot to conduct PRC-U led security operations in Uruzgan Province, Southern Afghanistan. The Australian Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) is deployed to Southern Afghanistan to train, advise and assist their Afghan Partner Units in Uruzgan Province. The SOTG is primarily based in Multi-National Base Tarin Kot but has command and liaison elements in Kandahar and Kabul. It consists of approximately 300 personnel from the 1st and 2nd Commando Regiments, the Special Air Service Regiment, the Special Operations Engineer Regiment, the Special Operations Logistic Squadron and various other services, units and commands around Australia.
The SOTG trains, mentors and partners with Afghan National Police officers from the Provincial Response Company – Uruzgan (PRC-Uruzgan) and other branches of the Afghan National Security Forces, in order to build their capacity and capability to establish and maintain security and stability in the region. SOTG operations are Afghan led in order to build confidence in the ANSF and improve the connection between the local people and the Afghan Government.
See SASR Selection Video Part 1 and Australia’s Secret War
