The Selection Process to Become Delta Force

AI Translated Image

AI Translated Image

AI Translated Image

Recruitment is open to the entire military—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and even the Coast Guard. Compared to the US Navy's SEAL Team 6 (DEVGRU), which only recruits from within the SEALs, you could say the talent pool is massive.

The basic requirements are as follows:

Rank E-5 (Sergeant) or above, minimum 2 years and 6 months of service, 21 years or older, Airborne qualified, at least 2 combat deployments, and no criminal record or disciplinary actions. Also, you basically need a high ASVAB (military entrance exam) score. (It’s middle/high school level stuff, but it's used to filter out the many meatheads in the US military.)

To meet those conditions, you usually have to be in your mid-to-late 20s. That’s why most applicants are special ops veterans who’ve been around the block—Rangers, Green Berets, CCT, Marine Raiders, Navy SEALs, etc. Some even finish their service, re-enlist in the Army, and apply specifically for Delta. This process is called 'Selection.' It happens twice a year, in spring and fall, somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains for about a month. The first phase tests physical strength, endurance, and mental fortitude as follows:

1. Basic PT Test - Inverted Crawl (crawling on hands and feet with belly facing up) + Sit-ups + Push-ups + RDJ (Run Dodge Jump) + 2-mile run + 100m Combat Swim (swimming in full uniform, boots, and jumpsuit).

2. 18-mile (28.9km) ruck with a 40-45 lb (18-20kg) pack, to be completed in under 4 hours and 30 minutes. (You basically have to run 7km per hour to make it.)

3. Individual Mountain Land Nav - They drop you off 320km away in the middle of nowhere via helicopter with just a map and a compass. You have to find your way to the extraction point alone.

4. Forced March - Separate from the 18-mile marathon, you do daily marches of 7 to 40 miles (11-64.3km) with a 40-45 lb pack at various speeds. (According to many testimonies, the weight keeps increasing and the target time keeps getting shorter. On the final day, they reportedly covered 40 miles/64.3km.)

5. Stress Interview: A panel of psychologists, the Delta commander, and experienced old-timers grill the applicant to see how they respond under mental pressure.

Over 90% of candidates—including those elite special ops guys—fail this Selection. Those who pass undergo a 6-month Operator Training Course (OTC), where another 30-40% are dropped. Only those who survive until the very end are qualified as new Delta Force operators. This number is incredibly small—sometimes you can count them on two hands, and some classes have graduated with only a single person. The difficulty is absolutely insane.