AF Spec War Assessment and Selection

The Air Force Special Warfare selects, trains and equips only the elite; those who are best and brightest. To weed out the untrainable or unworthy applicants for enlisted Pararescue, Combat Control, or Officer positions in special reconnaissance careers like a combat rescue officer (CRO), they created an intense course to test their skills: AFSPECWAR Assessment Selection Course (A&S).

From a one-sided fight to the most difficult experience of your life, A&S will push you harder than anything in your whole life. If you buckle under pressure and are unwilling to put forth effort or show mental fortitude when things get tough then this is not for you because only those that truly want it can handle what we throw at them here. There may be some bumps along the way but staying focused on goals and showing physical endurance while maintaining an elite standard will make all other experiences pale in comparison; if these qualities resonate with how YOU feel about yourself too then prepare yourself mentally both physically as well by coming down ASAP!

A&S Prep Course

The A&S Preparatory Course is designed to prepare candidates for the rigors of assessment and selection. Applicants should be expected to complete multiple PT standards before branching off into A&S, including: 

• 3x 25m underwaters in full uniform at a 3:00 interval
• 20 meter mask and snorkel recovery
• Bobbing sequence
• Treading 4 minutes with hands in water.
• Operator Fitness Test

A&S Details

AFSPECWAR A&S Schoolhouse. Medina Annex

The Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) A&S is located on the Medina Annex of Lackland Air Force Base, TX. The course trains Pararescue, Combat Control, Special Reconnaissance and Combat Rescue Officers together in one class. Non-prior service candidates coming straight from basic training will attend a prep course that teaches them important skills such as water confidence techniques before beginning at AFSPECWAR's main facility for 8 weeks to learn tactics among other vital lessons needed to excel in their respective fields during the actual program.

A&S is a four-week long program, and students will be expected to have taken AFSPECWAR Prep's conditioning and training course with success before Day 1.

Field Phase candidates can expect to endure 2.5 weeks of tough training in rugged, outdoor conditions with limited amenities like hot showers and beds. Training includes surface swimming, water confidence drills for cold-water rescue specialists, grass & gorilla drills that simulate rough terrain movement under fire from multiple rounds; it also consists of running and rucking as well as calisthenics which are exercises done on the ground or against an object such as a tree or wall. 

Following the field phase, candidates will have a chance to clean up and be administered tests. Instructors will also take this time to compile all of your relevant information before selecting you as someone who meets our desired career attributes. You'll then receive either an enlistment for Pararescue, Combat Control or Special Recon-based on how well you performed during training.

***TACP and TACP Officer candidates do not attend A&S primarily due to the fact that they are exempt from a water confidence requirement.***

AFSPECWAR Assessment and Selection does not have a graduation PT test standard. Instead, they assess trainees on values such as teamwork, selflessness, attitude or integrity before selecting them based on career field standards to meet the expectations of military life. A variety grading system is used to judge these values including an assessment for one's own levels of fitness and their moral standings which are likely to be graded highly by cadre staff members if they align well with the AF Spec War culture.

Post Assessment & Selection

Trainees will undergo rigorous training in their chosen career field, including dive school, jump (airborne and freefall) schools and survival skills. The AFSPECWAR pipeline is designed to combine various skills from the different careers into one streamlined program so that trainees can excel at what they do best without having to struggle with any of the other technicalities or duties required for a given role.