What do you need to know about preparing for an ARSOF Assessment and Selection (A&S) and/or joining one of these CMFs?

Starting off with physical prep/PT

#1 Don't do CrossFit (and definitely not PRT) or other crazy weird workouts, yes that even applies to THOR3 stuff. These do not work muscles in the way you will use them as A&S, especially with the seizures that CrossFit likes to call "pullups". THOR3 is more catered for once you have been selected and are in SOF and operating.

Ruck at least 3 times a week. One short and fast, one medium and kinda quick, and one long no slower than 15 min/mile. 50lbs MAX plus 1/2 gal water, and using your own issued ruck. Do not just ruck on roads, tracks, and sidewalks. Camp Mackall has like 1 paved road, so get on those tank trails and the like to get used to gravel and sand. (boots and socks will be discussed in another post). You will not wear headgear. You will have your issued ruck, your issued fighting load carrier/rig/rack, and a rubber duck/fake weapon without a sling. Train as you fight.

Run - be able to run 5 miles in 40 min - again on unimproved roads. Your 2 mi for the APFT will be on a hardball, but the "long distance" run will likely not. Have good shoes so you don't feel every...single...stone.

General upper body fitness - be able to do 6 REAL pullups (min), be able to climb a rope with a 25lb vest on (tip: climbing a rope is more leg than arm), work on your grip strength (aka forearms) - you will need it. Farmers carry are good to add in your prep regimen.

APFT: The APFT at A&S is not actually an APFT, despite being exactly the same. It is a PFA, Physical Fitness Assessment, so some rules/procedures may be changed. They may not tell you your score, they will grade pretty strict. So what does that tell you. PERFECT PUSHUPS!!! The measure of performance for a pushup is NOT your chest hitting the ground. It is your elbow going 90 degrees, so if your chest is bouncing on the ground and your getting told to go lower, bring your arms closer to your body. Situps, ensure you are going high and low enough AND your knees don't flatten out. For the run...just run as fast as you can (duh). This PFA is the first thing the cadre are seeing you do. Getting to your max score and stopping to get up...you just proved that you do the bare minimum and stop. Don't do that, keep going until they say stop.

Your unit does NOT have to give you extra time to conduct PT prep for A&S. Implied task, you need to make the time to prep yourself. Looking across the Army, daily PRT is not going to do it. Be a grown up and get out there and make yourself ready. It's your career, your unit doesn't care about it and doesn't have to help you. A 240 or 250 on your APFT is not going to cut it. Yes, it qualifies you to attend A&S but statistically (yes, we've had people run the numbers), Soldiers with 290s, and 300s have a 90%, yes 90%, chance of being selected.

That's about it for PT prep, at least that we at SORB recommend. Ruck, run, general upper body, and perfect APFT events. Most of the Army now is grading pushups pretty lenient, find the toughest grader and have them assess you.

The legs feed the wolf!!!

I was selected in SFAS and RIP. RIP was a bit before RASP and shorter, but much more intense. Definitely, the hardest course out of Preranger, SFAS, and Ranger School in my opinion.
I disagree with rucking three times a week because rucking is SO impact heavy. I've had a lot of success bringing people from never rucking to rucking twice a week. One for speed, one for weight. As with training for marathons, weight, distance and intensity should never increase over 10% per week in order to avoid injury.

I absolutely agree about socks. I spent $150 on new socks the last selection I went to. That was 2006 and I still have some of those same socks. Socks are worth their weight in gold. While many courses will dictate what boots you wear, socks are all up to you. If your pair of socks costs less than $10 a pair, they're probably crap. Pick the thickest pair. Not those thin hiking pair, but the ones which actually provide cushioning.

Have a "run forever" pace. If you can't run for 10 miles at the same pace, you might not be ready. Selections like to see that you can be consistent and have endurance. You don't have to be fast, you just have to have stick-to-it-ness. No one wants to be walking down the side of a mountain with 100 pounds of gear and a guy who decides they quit. Sure you can run a 5k in 20 minutes... But what happens when you finish the 20 minute 5k and find you still have to keep running an unknown distance with your ruck and kit? Will you keep that pace, or quit to rest?
If I can trust you to run an hour straight at a 10 minute mile pace, at least I can rely on you.

For me, I think the thing that had the biggest impact was my contributions during team week. Be the last to sit down and the first to stand up during breaks. Recheck and retie all lashings.

Equipment:
#1 You need good boots. Do not use the issued ones. They are built to be as cheap as possible and last a year until your next clothing allowance. Spend the money and invest in your career. Oakley, Rocky, Danner, Nike, etc... Get them broken in, don't just unbox em when you pack to fly to Mackall. They need to be well broken in and you feet used to them. Remember, at LEAST 2 pairs well broken in.
How to break in boots: fill your bathtub, put on 2 pairs of your thick socks (see below(yes 2)), put on your brand new "high speed" boots and lace em up good, now stand in the bathtub. Reach down and rub the water into the boots, they need to be completely soaked, your feet should be soaked. Stand there for at least 15 min to ensure its wet enough. Get out (drain the tub, don't screw your roommate), wear them the rest of the day (don't do anything crazy), just doing normal weekend stuff, walking around the house etc... Once they are dry, take em off and boom they are formed to your feet. Take off those socks and let your feet dry. Now you may begin to use them for rucking, start small and listen to what your feet tell you. Eventually your boots will be g2g as you continue to ruck in them

#2 Socks, like boots, spend the money. Fox River, Darn Tough, or Smartwool. If you wear issued socks to A&S, I'm sorry but you're dumb. Bring lots, you'll thank me afterwards when your feet aren't hamburger and other candidates are in the shack of shame because they are literally on a FLIP-FLOP profile.

#3 Your ruck. You will bring your issued, crappy MOLLE ruck. That is what's required so everyone has the same stuff. That being said, you know all those holes and straps on the ruck? Use them. Size that thing to you, get it perfectly sized. Know what all the adjustments do. There are literally straps that shift the weight more onto your shoulders after your waist strap and shoulder straps are tight and set. Know how to pack that ruck too. You are given a weight that is has to be, how you get that weight is on you. Heavy stuff like a ziploc bag full of gravel (hint) should be high and close to your back, not on the bottom tugging you backward. Ever see a lever work (simple machine)? There ya go. Also, make sure your water (1/2 gal minimum) is balanced with the rest of your ruck. Balance is also key to not ruining a shoulder on mile 16, or tripping and falling and landing badly - now you're a med drop needing a nose job or wrist reconstruction.

#4 packing list - you will get a packing list. FOLLOW IT!! If it's a required item, dammit bring the required item, you deserve to be dropped day 1 because you didn't follow a simple instruction, so bring your summer sleeping bag too! Additional authorized items - Bring em!! They are on that list for a reason. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Still #4 DO NOT TRY AND SNEAK UNAUTHORIZED ITEMS INTO THE COURSE!! Don't try to outsmart the cadre and sneak a can of dip or what not. Not only are the cadre assessing you, but the other candidates are (peer evals anyone?). If you're cheating, you're not a team player and your team will rate you last, explain why, and you will be NEVER TO RETURN ARSOF, as in dropped from the course and you cannot try any A&S. So don't do it, it's 10 or 24 days, you can survive without your phone, and hey maybe you can quit that nasty habit at the same time.

#5 Uniforms. You will bring at minimum 4 sets of OCP/Multicam with engineer tape sewn on the following spots...over the name tape (as in covering the velcro), each shoulder, each pant cargo pocket. Yes it must be engineer tape, yes it must be sewn. Go to the sew shop off post and pay for it to be done or else you'll be doing it by hand on day 1 if you want to be in the course. Depending on the course you are attending you may also need a 5th normal/garrison uniform. So don't be cheap and whine about money to spend on this stuff. Get a Star card, give up booze for a month, and remember you're making the $5 per diem while in the course. Are you going to let a little cash interfere with your career? Did you not hear your ARSOF recruiter tell you how much extra money you'll get once in these MOS'?