I applied to 21 SAS and undertook British Army preparatory training in 2015–2016. I did not attempt or pass SAS selection. This hub brings together the original application diaries, what I can substantiate about my training, and the preparation questions readers most often ask. Current rules always come from the Army.
Contemporary diaries first; the retrospective chronology ties them together without replacing them.
21 SAS is part of the UK's Special Forces Reserve. This is a civilian applicant's history of recruitment and preparatory Army training, not an operational account and not a claim to have served as an SAS operator. I have retained my original diary posts alongside a dated retrospective account so you can see the difference between what I wrote then and what I understand now.
I went through the application process, spent time around the reserve training pathway and undertook Alpha, Bravo and holding-troop training. In June 2016 I chose not to continue towards selection. The newer linked articles explain that decision plainly; I haven't rewritten stopping as passing, or described preparatory courses as UK Special Forces selection itself.
Before the later stages of my British Army preparations I travelled to Georgia for privately arranged training with someone introduced to me as a former Georgian special-forces sniper. That was neither UK Army training nor an official Georgian special-forces course. The original two-part story is linked below, with a clearer historical overview and explicit limits on what the available records verify.
Most visitors arrive asking what 21 SAS is, what the reserve fitness test involves and what the selection stages are. Those standards change, so I link to the Army's own recruitment pages rather than repeat numbers that may be out of date. Start with Part 1 of my application diary, then Part 2, then the published selection stages page and the free prep guide.
Begin with official recruitment information, establish a sustainable aerobic and strength base, and build gradually with qualified guidance if you are not experienced. My ultramarathon background provides useful lessons in consistency, pacing and recovery, but an ultramarathon result is not an SAS selection credential. Avoid jumping into extreme load-carrying or deprivation training on the strength of a blog post.
First-hand experience, accurately described
This section is an account of an applicant's journey, not an SAS operator's account. It draws on my contemporary notes and historical correspondence, with the distinction between my own experiences and current Army requirements made explicit.
I travelled to Georgia for private training with a man introduced to me as a former Georgian special-forces sniper. It was my own arrangement, not official UK or Georgian military training.
Read the full accountI went through the recruitment process and undertook Alpha, Bravo and holding-troop training. My published account begins with the application and ATC Pirbright.
Read the full accountI informed the unit that I did not want to continue towards selection and arranged to return my kit. I did not pass SAS selection and I have never claimed to have served as an SAS operator.
Read the full accountMy 200-mile Winter Downs finish is recorded independently by the race organiser. Endurance experience is relevant to preparation, but it does not qualify me to certify anyone's readiness for military selection.
See the race resultMy experience dates from 2015–2016. Selection processes, eligibility and fitness criteria can change; use official Army guidance for current rules.
Visit the official Army sourceI applied to 21 SAS and completed preparatory British Army training in 2015–2016, but did not attempt SAS selection or serve as an SAS operator. My private Georgian training was a separate experience. Military requirements belong to the Army, not to this independent personal website.
The Army Jobs SAS Reserve page says it accepts applications from people without previous service. That does not mean a civilian proceeds straight to SAS selection: the Army describes basic military training, initial trade training and experience before a candidate can attempt it. The recruiting team determines the appropriate pathway.
Read the application overviewAs checked in October 2026, the Army Jobs role page advertises an 18–48 age range, with more specific ages for applying and different conditions for serving personnel. A separate October 2025 Army article gives a different selection-start age. Do not treat either headline number as individual eligibility advice: check your circumstances directly with the Army.
Compare the published entry rulesThe current Army Jobs page lists a briefing-course assurance march, a swim test, aerobic activity and strength/conditioning assessment. It also displays separate general Reserve entry measures. These are different contexts, not a single universal pass score. Obtain the current detailed standards from recruiters before planning training.
Read the preparation considerationsThe Army requires basic and initial trade training and further experience before attempting UKSF Reserve selection. My 2015–2016 Alpha and Bravo training belongs to the preparation and Army-training side of that distinction; I did not attempt or pass SAS selection.
Read the first-hand chronologyThe Army Jobs page lists 21 SAS recruiting regions around London and the South East, Wales, the M3/M4 corridor, East Anglia and the South West; it lists 23 SAS in the Midlands, Scotland and northern regions. These are broad areas, not a promise of a nearby vacancy or a current parade-night address.
Explore the official regional listNo shortcut should be assumed. The Reserves are a military service commitment in their own right, with demanding training and the possibility of deployment. My original diary repeated the 'back door' language circulating in forums at the time; it is not an official description of an entry route.
Understand the actual pathwayPublished sources
Primary source for the role and the five publicly described phases; checked 15 October 2026.
Official route to the latest unit advice; checked 15 October 2026.
Official regiment information; use the Army for current recruitment, not my historical diary.
Dated official magazine article. Some eligibility wording differs from the Army Jobs role page; confirm with recruiting.
The Army Jobs listing and the October 2025 Soldier article use different age wording. That is a reason to ask the recruiting unit, not to pick the most convenient figure. These references are checked as of the date above, not monitored automatically.
What the stages are, what I was training to before I applied, and how I'd build the twelve weeks before a selection weekend. Written from my own application, free, no pitch.
Applying to 21SAS Part 1
Applying To The SAS Part 2 (ATC Pirbright)
Preparing To Train With A Former Georgian Special Forces Sniper In The Mountains Of Tbilisi (Part 1)
Preparing To Train With A Former Georgian Special Forces Sniper In The Mountains Of Tbilisi (Part 2)
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