The qualifications to enter Delta Force are very strict. Remember when we said that they primarily recruit from other Special Forces Units? Well, take whatever those already elite guys require and double it.
All applicants must be male. (The females of the "funny platoon" are actively searched for rather than applying). They must be between at least twenty-one years old, have served two years within another Special Forces Unit, and score incredibly high on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery tests...just to get their foot in the door (source).
Next is the physical test, sort of a "Rocky" montage minus the music. Push-ups, sit-ups, a two-mile run, an inverted crawl, and a 100-meter swim fully dressed. This is followed by a series of land navigation courses, including an eighteen-mile all-night land navigation course while carrying a ninety-pound rucksack. The physical testing ends with a forty-mile march with a forty-five-pound rucksack over very rough terrain. Oh, and did we mention that there's no food and no sleep allowed? Right....
Okay, so you made it through the physical test...somehow. Now comes the mental portion. Recruits are placed in front of a board of Delta instructors, unit psychologists, and the Delta commander, who each ask the candidate a barrage of questions. They then dissect every response and mannerism of the candidate with the purpose to mentally exhaust the recruit. If you blink at the wrong time, you could be out.
If an individual passes all of these tests, he undergoes an intense six-month Operator Training Course (OTC), to learn counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence techniques, including firearm accuracy and various other munitions training. He is again tested after the training. Then, and only then, can he join the Unit.
But he still joins as a non-operational member until he has proved himself. We know, we know. Life just ain't fair.
Kind of, Sort of, Semi-Related Careers:
FAQs
The notice states that applicants must be in the grade of E-4 through E-8, have at least two and a half years of service remaining in their enlistment, be 22 years or older, and have a Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery GT score of 110 or higher to attend a briefing to be considered for admission.
What is the Delta Force requirements? ›
Delta Force primarily recruits its members from the army's rangers and special forces groups. In addition to a sterling record, candidates for the unit must have at least 2.5 years of service left and have achieved the rank of corporal or specialist (or their equivalent in other branches of service).
How hard is it to get into Delta Force? ›
The majority of applicants to Delta Force will be rejected and most accepted applicants have previously applied. Of all the people in the army, only a fraction of them become Airborne Rangers and Green Berets. Of all the Airborne Rangers and Green Berets, only a fraction of them are selected for Delta Force.
Is Delta Force the most elite? ›
SEAL Team 6, officially known as United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), and Delta Force, officially known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), are the most highly trained elite forces in the US military.
What is the height limit for Delta Force? ›
There is no minimum height requirement for US special forces. The Delta Force takes its members from all the other special force organizations. My company commander in boot camp was a UDT SEAL and he was probably 6'2” and I've met a SEAL that was 5'5” while I was in college.
What is the fail rate for Delta Force? ›
Some estimates place the amount of soldiers applying for Delta Force at 1,700 per year. Out of that number, less than thirty will make it through to OTC. Out of those thirty, another eighteen will drop out before completing their course.
How much do Delta Force get paid? ›
How much does a Delta Force make? As of May 30, 2024, the average annual pay for a Delta Force in the United States is $12,500 a year.
Is Delta Force or SEALs better? ›
Generally speaking, both units are equally capable of executing all specialized missions that JSOC is tasked with. Again, because of DEVGRU's extensive training for specialized maritime operations, they are more likely to receive missions like the rescue of Captain Phillips at sea.
What is the most elite military unit in the US? ›
Army Green Berets — "Special Forces"
Army Green Berets are among the most elite groups in the world, and provide a pipeline to higher units, like the Army's "Delta" CAG, and the CIA SAD. They have about as much street-cred as numbered SEALs and Force Recon, depending on who's doing the talking.
What is Delta Force called now? ›
The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (1st SFOD-D), referred to as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), Army Compartmented Elements (ACE), or within Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Task Force Green, is a special operations force of the United States Army, under operational control of ...
What color is the beret worn by Delta Force? Operators in Delta Force wear whatever beret they're qualified to wear. If a soldier is recruited for Delta while he's in the 75th Ranger Regiment, he'll wear the tan beret. If he's recruited from the Special Forces Groups, he'll wear the green beret.
Has anyone ever been in Seal Team 6 and Delta Force? ›
From Seal Team Six to Delta Force, Master Sergeant Kevin Holland is the only publicly known operative to have served in both units over his noteworthy 20-year military career.
Is there a unit more secretive than Delta Force? ›
Yes there is a unit above Delta Force or DEVGRU. It's called JSOC. It's the higher headquarters in command of those units and thus is literally “above” them in the command hierarchy.
Is Delta Force higher than Green Berets? ›
U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers, otherwise referred to as Green Berets, can work as Tier 2 Operators, or Tier 1 Operators over at the elite tier one unit known as Delta Force.
What seal team was Chris Kyle on? ›
Chris Kyle was born in Odessa, Texas; and grew up near Fort Worth in the suburb of Midlothian. In 1999, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL school and was assigned to SEAL Team 3 were he became a Sniper.
Who is the youngest Delta Force operator? ›
Earl Fillmore was 18 when he left Derry, Pa., for basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. At 24, he became the youngest soldier chosen for Delta Force, part of the Army Special Forces Command at Fort Bragg.
How to train for Delta Force selection? ›
SFOD-D (DELTA) Selection Course Training Plan
- 10-Week, 6x day/week plan includes 2-a-days and long weekend rucks.
- Testing and progressive training for the ACFT.
- Additional endurance work including moderate and easy unloaded runs.
- Including Strength and Chassis Integrity Training.
First off, while we know Delta Force pulls from every branch in the U.S. military, and you don't necessarily need to be in special operations to try out for it, a large portion of them are Green Berets.
