The United States Military has a number of schools that provide advanced or specialist training courses to their trained soldiers (i.e. soldiers who have completed basic training). Below is a selection of these courses, their pass rates and average number per course.
- Army Rangers: 1 in 3 (358 per course)
- Air Force Pararescue: 1 in 10 (124 per course)
- Marine Recon: 1 in 2 (65 per course)
- Special Forces Diver: 2 in 3 (53 per course)
- Marine Sniper: 2 in 3 (31 per course) (300ish at any one time)
- Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (Basic): 1 in 4 (46 per course) (600ish at any one time)
- Army Sniper: 1 in 2 (43 per course)
- Air Force Combat Diver: 2 in 3 (28 per course)
- Army Sapper: 2 in 3 (41 per course)
- Special Operations Aviation Regiment: 2 in 3 (42 per course)
- Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (Advanced): 2 in 3 (27 per course) (700ish at any one time)
The Army Sapper course is, currently, the only course open to female soldiers. The above courses range in duration from 5 weeks to 12 weeks.
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It is also useful to note that military courses, such as those above, do not operate on a 9-5 basis. For some of the these courses personnel will be working around the clock with ‘generous’ doses of sleep deprivation, either in the field or in barracks.
The above pass rates are a composite of the US military documentary series ‘Surviving the Cut: Season 01 (2010) and Season 02 (2011)’. I have just finished watching all 12 episodes and would thoroughly recommend them.
All of the above courses are 12 weeks or less, with the exception of Air Force Pararescue. This course is over 2 years in duration, and the pass rate above reflects the ‘start of course’ selection phase designed to weed out participants in a very gruelling process.
After this initial selection process personnel move onto a 2 year comprehensive training package, including advanced paramedic skills, and it is rare – as stated by the documentary – for personnel to ‘drop-out’ during this period.
I’m showing my ignorance now, 12 weeks seems a short period of time for some of those courses?