The Character of Special Forces

Personality and character strengths of elite military personnel

The mention of special forces conjures up images of warriors, clad in black, tip-toing through the night on secret and risky missions. This sensationalised view of these elite units often underplays the breadth of skills that they possess. Many are experts at operating in desert, jungle, polar, mountain and maritime environments. Competencies range from jumping out of aeroplanes and exiting an immersed submarine, to well developed interpersonal, cultural and language skills.

Selection processes for entering special forces are known for being testing and pushing candidates to their limits. The intention is to see what a person is made of and their ability to withstand and counteract stress. This approach raises questions about the people that make it through and what separates them from the everyman. In the video below we explore research on special forces ranging from World War 2 through to the present day. Although not in abundance, there is some research on these secretive units. Learn about early selection processes for clandestine work in the Special Operations Executive and Office of Strategic Services, to the role of personality, hardiness and character in modern day US and Australian SF personnel.

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