Special Forces Teams are among the most specialized combat forces in the Army. They experience rigorous mental and physical training in order to carry out their missions in a quick and extremely effective manner. The Special Forces Weapons Sergeant is a crucial member of this team and must be ready to perform a variety of tasks anywhere in the world on a moment's notice.
Special Forces Soldiers in the Army conduct offensive raids, demolitions, intelligence, search and rescue and other missions from air, land or sea. Special Forces Weapons Sergeants are the weapons specialists. They're capable of operating and maintaining a wide variety of U.S., Allied and other foreign weaponry.
Here are some duties of a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant:
- Going behind enemy lines to recruit, train and equip friendly forces for guerrilla raids
- Clearing mine fields, both underwater and on land
- Carrying out demolition raids against enemy military targets
- Employing warfare tactics and techniques in infantry operations
- Conducting offensive raids or invasions of enemy territories
- Maintaining proficiency with all foreign high-density light and heavy weapons
- Evaluating terrain
- Selecting weapons placements and sites
- Assigning targets and areas of fire
- Reading, interpreting and preparing combat orders
Special Operations Forces have very demanding physical requirements. Good eyesight, night vision, and physical conditioning are required to reach mission objectives via parachute, land or water. Excellent hand-eye coordination is also required to detonate or deactivate explosives. In most instances, Special Operations Forces Team Members are required to be qualified divers, parachutists and endurance runners.
Due to the wide variety of missions, Special Operations Weapons Sergeants are trained swimmers, paratroopers and survival experts, as well as trained in many forms of combat. Training for the Special Operations Weapons Sergeant consists of 44 weeks of formal classroom training and practice exercises. Some of the skills you learn are:
- Physical conditioning, parachuting, swimming and scuba diving
- Using land warfare weapons and communications devices
- Handling and using explosives
- Bomb and mine disposal
Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to work as a team member
- Readiness to accept a challenge and face danger
- Ability to stay in top physical condition
- Interest in weapons and artillery
- Ability to remain calm in stressful situations
As a Special Operations Weapons Sergeant, you're trained to defend against dangerous forces. The skills you acquire during your training as a Special Operations Weapons Sergeant will most certainly prepare you for a future civilian career in law enforcement. People depend on police officers and detectives to protect and defend their lives and property. A Special Operations Weapons Sergeant is perfectly suited for positions such as these. Also, the extensive leadership training you'll receive will enable you to move directly into practically any civilian management position in the corporate world.
Learn more about the relationship between military training and civilian certification requirements.