The Selection: Special Operations Experiment

I started watching this show at the recommendation of some others who were watchig a similar show featuring celebrities. How had I missed this on the first airing? I wish there were more episodes. In the one, 'Man in the Arena' --it was stunning in its simplicity and heart. #11 reciting the creed brought me to real tears. Unexpected ones. His story was...heartrending. I applaud each participant, each leader instructor and anyone else associated with the show.

I want more. Everyone who sees this show wants more. Alas, it looks like the History Channel gave up on it. Why? The participants never gave up. Neither have we. We want more!

The Selection is the American version of a very popular show shown in the UK - SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Each show is filled with challenges, physical and emotional challenges that the recruits must complete or risk being withdrawn from the course. Interspersed are interviews with the Tier One operators who share their experiences.

The format of the show is the exact carbon copy of the UK version, with the challenges, the interrogations and the operators sharing their stories copied from the UK show.

American version without the charasmatic instructors like ant middleton, jason fox, ollie ollerton and mark billingham. Yes the challenges are similar to those of SAS:WDW however i think it is not as intense as they are in thier normal climate. In SAS:WDW the seasons have been in the jungle, desert and arctic warfare conditions. If there is a second season of the selection it would be great to do the different climate, the jungles of south america, the arctic conditions of alaska.

Baby-faced parkour coach Alex Tilmes made this show. What an adorable, mature-for-his-age precious boy! I hope he's finally met his mental and physical match.

The opening of the show explains the show best. It is taking non-military civilians that volunteer to undergo a brief sampling of what U.S. Special Operations Forces go through for their training.

It is not meant to be the real training nor is it to the same exacting standards. People can stop and quit when they want. The instructors can also medically disqualify a person if a medical issue arises that will threaten their life later or if it will keep them from completing later stages of the training.

The tasks folks are exposed to are very realistic. Someone pointed out that having women also on the show is unrealistic and I can say from personal experience that some women can handle it for sure but that does not mean they would be able to handle the real thing when you have to have on not 35 pounds of gear but 200 pounds and up of equipment.

I know of one woman that tried in real life and she didn't get past the 1st phase of selection; but, that like I said was in real life. This is a show with a different purpose and the women on it are doing as good a job as the men.

What I am loving about the show is that it does show how important the mental side is as well as your physical health. Much like an Olympic athlete 90% of it mental.

It is worth the watch if you are interested in Special Operation Forces training or what they may have gone through for training.