What's involved in military direct action and special reconnaissance jobs?

I'm interested in special operations and I've read about direct action and special reconnaissance jobs in the military. Could someone explain what duties these roles include and what the recruitment process looks like?

Direct action (DA) and Special Reconnaissance (SR) are both types of special operations, typically carried out by highly-specialized units in the military such as the U.S. Navy SEALs, the Army's Special Forces, and the Marine Corps' Raider Regiment. They involve taking on demanding, high-risk assignments that often have significant strategic implications.

Direct action missions generally focus on short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions aimed at specific, high-value targets. This could be a mission to capture or eliminate a high-ranking enemy individual, or it might involve sabotaging a key piece of infrastructure. In many cases, DA missions are conducted under the cover of darkness to maintain the element of surprise and reduce the chances of attracting attention from larger enemy forces.

Special reconnaissance missions, on the other hand, focus on acquiring intelligence about the enemy. This could involve moving deep behind enemy lines to gather information on troop movements, defenses, or other key pieces of strategic data. These missions require the ability to operate stealthily, often for extended periods, and a deep understanding of tactics for evasion and survival if detected.

The recruitment process for these roles begins with meeting the minimum qualifications for military service, which includes being a U.S. citizen of a certain age with a high school diploma, having a clean legal record, and passing a physical fitness test. However, the specifics change from branch to branch.

Once in the service, you'd then need to apply for and pass selection to enter into a special operations unit. This is often an intensely rigorous process, designed not just to test physical fitness, but also psychological stability, intelligence, and other less tangible attributes like determination and an ability to work well in a team.

Potential operators who successfully complete selection will go through a series of schools where they will learn everything from advanced firearm techniques to survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) tactics.

Again, specific requirements will vary depend on the branch of service. It's advised to do thorough research and even reach out to a recruiter for more detailed and tailored information.