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SFQC
NOTE: The Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) is
continually
being revamped, so some information may be dated.
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The Army Special Forces Qualification Course
(SFQC) is long and demanding. Although
the length of the course varies according to Military Occupational
Specialty and language it is generally 12 to 24 months long. Most of
the training is held on Fort Bragg, North Carolina or Camp Mackall, North Carolina.
Prerequisites. Must be male, airborne
qualified, medically qualified, physically fit, able to obtain a SECRET
clearance, a high school graduate, and be selected for SFQC from the
Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) course.
Phases of Training. Currently (as of August 2011)
there are six phases of training.
Phase I. Special Forces Orientation Course
(7 Weeks).
Some of the common core subjects include land
navigation, small-unit tactics, methods of instruction, history of Special
Forces, SF MOS overview, Airborne refresher, and cultural training.
Phase II. Language and Cultural
Course (18-24 Weeks).
The difficulty of the language
determines the length of the course. Students are assigned a
language upon graduation from the Special Forces Selection and Assessment
course. Students must attain a minimum of 1/1 in listening and speaking
ability.
Phase III. SF Individual Training (13
Weeks).
This phase concentrates on SF tactical combat skills
and is comprised of individual training,
advanced marksmanship, small unit tactics, training in specialized
equipment, mounted operations, sensitive site exploitation, military
decision making process (MDMP), and
SERE Level C training.
Phase IV. SF MOS Training (14 Weeks).
There are five occupational specialties taught during the Special Forces
Qualification Course. The four enlisted MOSs include Weapons
Sergeant 18B, Engineer Sergeant 18C, Medical Sergeant 18D, and
Communications Sergeant 18E. The officer MOS is 18A. There are two
additional MOSs on a Special Forces detachment - 18F and 180A. The 18F is
an Intelligence Sergeant who attends the 18F MOS producing course only
after having some time on a detachment and attaining the rank of SSG
(E-6). The 180A is a Special Forces Warrant Officer and he is selected
only after several years of experience in Special Forces.
Phase V. SF UW Culmination Exercise or Robin
Sage (4 Weeks).
This phase begins with academic lessons on
unconventional warfare. The students explore the world of guerrila
warfare, insurgency, sabotage, and subversion. Phase V concludes with the
two-week long
Robin Sage exercise that takes
place in North Carolina in the fictional country of Pineland.
Phase VI. Graduation (1 Week).
The students conduct their outprocessing, finalize travel arrangements to
their next assignment, attend the Regimental First Formation (RFF) and the
SFQC graduation. 18As attend the Detachment Leader Course.
See a graphic that displays the six phases of the SFQC posted on the
website of the Special Forces Association.
www.specialforcesassociation.org/inside-the-sfqc/
References.
Books about Special Forces Training by SOF News Book Shop
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US Army
Small Unit Tactics
Handbook
This excellent reference book offers a conceptual overview of
all relevant topics of small unit tactics every soldier ought to
be familiar with in order to be effective on today's
battlefield. The handbook is cateforized into five functional
areas: history, doctrine, planning, operations, and common
skills. Ideal for the Special Forces candidate getting ready for
the "Q" course.
Published by Blacksmith Publishing, September 2015, 542 pages,
by Paul LeFavor.
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News Reports about SFQC.
"Taking De Oppresso Liber to the Streets: Why the US Army's Special
Forces Qualification Course Needs to Become More Urban", Modern
War Institute at West Point, by Sandor Fabian, October 7, 2020.
Facebook for
Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS)
(click on logo to access site)
Videos about
SFQC
February 2011.
SFQC. USAJFKSWCS Facebook
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