Special Forces Communications Sergeant (18E)
Combat Army MOS Information

Posted Friday, November 25, 2005

• Enlisted
• Active Duty
• Closed to Women

Special Forces Teams are among the most specialized combat forces in the Army. They experience rigorous mental and physical training in order to carry out their missions in a quick and extremely effective manner. The Special Forces Communications Sergeant is a crucial member of this team and must be ready to perform a variety of tasks anywhere in the world on a moment's notice.

Special Forces Soldiers in the Army will conduct offensive raids, demolitions, intelligence, search and rescue and other missions from air, land or sea. Special Forces Communications Sergeants can operate every kind of communications gear, from encrypted satellite communications systems to old-style high-frequency (HF) Morse key systems. They also have serious computer/networking skills.

Some of your duties as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant may include:

• Organizing, training, advising and supervising Soldiers in the installation, utilization and operation of communications equipment
• Establishing and maintaining tactical and operational communications and communications equipment
• Planning, preparing and assisting in the communications targets portion of area study
• Supervising the communications functions for special operations or missions

Requirements:

Special Operations Forces have very demanding physical requirements. Good eyesight, night vision, and physical conditioning are required to reach mission objectives via parachute, land or water. Also required is excellent hand-eye coordination to detonate or deactivate explosives. In most instances, Special Operations Forces Team Members are required to be qualified divers, parachutists and endurance runners.

Training:

Due to the wide variety of missions, Special Operations Communications Sergeants are trained swimmers, paratroopers and survival experts, as well as trained in many forms of combat. Training for the Special Operations Communications Sergeant consists of 60 weeks of formal classroom training and practice exercises. Some of the skills you'll learn are:

• Physical conditioning, parachuting, swimming and scuba diving
• Using land warfare weapons and communications devices
• Handling and using explosives
• Bomb and mine disposal

Helpful Skills:

Helpful attributes include:

• Ability to work as a team member
• Readiness to accept a challenge and face danger
• Ability to stay in top physical condition
• Interest in medicine and science
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations