World's Most Difficult Military Training

What are the Hardest Military Trainings in the World?

Think military service is a pain in the ass? You can't stand to make a physical effort for more than 30 minutes? You see the military as a bunch of big muscles?

You will discover the other side of the story. Some of you may know of particularly rigorous military selections... In this article we have gathered for you the most terrible ones.

Sensitive souls please, you are going to dive into a parallel world in which Men are pushed to their last limits. French, American, English, discover how soldiers aspiring to reach the elite put their lives in danger just to pretend to become a member of a special unit.

Our selection of the most difficult military trainings

1) Commando training of the Foreign Legion.

Mythical training, the equatorial forest course in Guyana is the specialty of the 3 rd Foreign Infantry Regiment.

The preparation allows the recruits from all over the world to fight against illegal gold mining, which is particularly rampant on the Brazilian border.

The training course corresponds to a week in the middle of the Guyanese jungle in the swamps, under a blazing sun, crawling in the mud, passing obstacles...

The tropical temperatures and the ambient humidity make each activity practically insurmountable: the obstacles full of mud, the mesh that weighs tons because it is soaked with water, the ground that seems to suck our feet, and the muscles tetanized by the repeated efforts.

Real conditions of hell on earth, which continue with races on entire beaches of 4 hours.

 2) Training with live ammunition of the Russian army.

The Russians in general know how to make speak about them. The Spetsnaz in particular are the object of much debate. Their training techniques and even their way of operating are often the object of discord.

But this is the Russian army we are talking about: the officers have set up a training program with live bullets: the soldiers are riddled with bullets (they wear a bullet-proof vest) and have to solve mental tests and then shoot back as accurately as possible in these high stress conditions.

Another exercise requires them to work in a degraded situation since they have to shoot at targets while "civilians - passers-by" are walking in front of them. The goal is of course to simulate an attack that would take place in a public space. 

3rd Extreme March of the British Special Forces

The British SAS is known for its rigorous training. New recruits go through the Death March, a 5-month bootcamp that is absolutely excruciating. Two of their tests are recognized as being the hardest:

The Fan Dance: a 24 km long forced march to the Brecon Beacons. It is not on small roadside paths that the event takes place, but in a mountain range in Wales. The event is obviously eliminatory and is held during the first week of the selection period.

The Long Drag: this is the climax of the selection process. The candidates must travel 64 km in "Brecon Beacons". The time barrier is less than 20 hours to complete the entire course, only during this walk, the aspiring SAS must carry a 25 kg backpack, a rifle, their food, water etc. The rules of navigation are strict: no known trails, only their map and compass.

However, the selection of the English SAS is often pointed out as being too dangerous: a dozen people have died in this event. These two tests are only a step, as the recruits will then receive training on escape and infiltration techniques.

During this period, the instructors will simulate a capture and subject the future soldiers to torture.

4) Hell Week of the American army.

The training week for the recruits of this elite section of the American Navy is not called Hell Week for nothing: only one recruit out of two manages to finish it. Reputed to be colossal, capable of carrying very heavy loads during special operations, these elite soldiers go through an extreme selection process.

The soldiers are subjected to forced marches on vertical dunes for several hours while carrying tree trunks and having to bathe regularly in icy waters. And sleeping for a total of 4 hours during the week.

This is the price to pay to become a member of the very prestigious Navy Seal. In fact, some American recruits who have beaten Hell Week say they have covered 200 miles during that week. That's 322km.

A figure that seems completely surreal... But it must not be so far from reality when you know that the only thing they have to do is to go to eat, which requires them to travel 10 km.

Unfortunately, several recruits have already lost their lives during these military selections: death from cold, drowning, the causes are multiple as the ordeals are harsh.

Our advice

We are aware that these different selection courses can fascinate. These men capable of surpassing their limits, of bringing their bodies into zones of extreme discomfort for such long periods.

This may seem insurmountable for some, but for others it may make them want to. Belonging to a prestigious corps, being part of a close-knit unit...

Nevertheless, we must not forget that before anything else, these men are prepared for a precise objective. Their selections must not become something "folkloric", because it is far from being a game.

At the end of their respective training courses, they will have to accomplish missions with a high degree of danger, where their life will be at stake.