As part of the selection process into any military program, letters of recommendation are just as important as physical fitness tests, grades and leadership experience. When seeking entrance into special operations programs or officer programs — service academy, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), Officer Candidate School (OCS) — the type of letter of recommendation matters.
Many advise getting letters of recommendation from members of the organization or community you seek to join: former officers, SEALs, explosive ordnance disposal/divers, ROTC grads, etc. However, not everyone has access to these relationships and sources of information. Here is a question from a young OCS-to-BUD/S hopeful concerning the best letters of recommendation to help with the application process:
Stew, I currently have a letter of recommendation from a professor who knows me very well, and another from a former manager who can speak strongly to my leadership and work ethic. I am going for a slot to go to OCS, then BUD/S training. I do not know any Navy SEALs or any Special Forces members. Does it make sense to reach out to a SEAL for a letter of recommendation and an interview, or is it better to rely on the recommenders who know me better? Thanks, Jack.
In my opinion, it is always best to find people who have known you for years to write a letter of recommendation for you. As a coach, I often write letters of recommendation for candidates who have taken fitness tests for various programs that require them. These students/candidates are people I have known for several months and in some cases several years. As a former member of these selection boards, I will tell you that board members prefer letters from teachers, coaches, managers or preachers. While it is a bonus if you know a member of the group you seek to join, it is not necessary. The board realizes that not everyone knows a member of a special forces program, but everyone has a teacher or coach in their lives who really knows them.
Some students will seek out members of the Teams and ask for letters of recommendation after a brief meeting/interview. This is an option, but sometimes board members will call other interviewers (whom they know) to get a verbal understanding of the candidate. If that mentor states he met him for only 30 minutes and then wrote a letter of recommendation, that letter, though legitimate, may not carry as much weight as a letter from a high school or college teacher or coach.
One of my own standards for writing a letter of recommendation is that the person must train with me, take a fitness test, and answer a wide range of questions about who they are and why they want to join this group. After this, I consider the length of time I have known the candidate and how I have watched him/her grow into the young adult they are. These types of letters provide the selection board with more information than a quick interview and a recommendation letter — though getting an admiral, general or high-level official to write a letter is never a bad thing, especially if they have known you for years.
There is more to the entrance process into the military and its special programs than just fitness testing. These programs are competitive and require top-notch fitness testing such as the Navy Physical Screening Test (PST) as well as college grades, athletic history/experience, community service and leadership experiences. Usually, the only people who know about these elements of your life are those teachers and coaches who were there to watch you grow into the person you are today. They write the best letters of recommendation.
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