Federal Military - Applicant in boxing gloves: The KSK is looking for new recruits
After 20 minutes, the first one is out: Rapidly increasing tempo runs over a 1000-meter track are the first station on the long way to the Commandosoldier. In the Graf Zeppelin Kaserne in Calw, west of Stuttgart, soldiers in training shoes are running laps. Commanders and trainers from the Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) are closely examining the applicants. Amidst whistles and shouts, a soldier is called out. He has not met the prescribed running time for the so-called Personalfeststellungsverfahren.
A total of 30 stations lie before the applicants, testing them on heart and lungs, motor skills, and perception abilities under stress and pressure. Psychology and character are also taken into consideration, as well as how the candidates handle their own aggression. This multi-stage procedure is just the prerequisite to begin the two-year Commandosoldier training. The test is not meant to be harsh, but rather insightful.
The KSK is taking new paths with the candidates
"We need soldiers who are not only physically, but above all mentally robust, fit, and alert," says Brigadier General Alexander Krone, the new commander of the KSK. "That's what these stations and tests are all about," he adds.
In the sports hall of the barracks, a course has been set up where the tasks alternate based on skill, strength, and endurance. Reaction speed is tested. Soldiers must identify hazardous areas and safely escort a casualty - a heavy, uniformed doll - through a designated obstacle course. The final station is the close combat station. Professionals test the candidates in boxing gloves and helmets, assessing how they handle punches and react under pressure.
A sergeant (25), paratrooper, has passed the station and is still full of energy. "I have to admit, it was more demanding than I thought, especially because of these intervals," he says. "I didn't expect it to be so intense. The final close combat station at the end is really draining." He has been in the Federal Armed Forces since October 2018 and aspires to be among the best, both personally and militarily. The non-commissioned officer was part of the military evacuation mission of the Federal Armed Forces in Sudan and was on standby for rescues in the Middle East. Most recently, he was in Romania. During the large airborne exercise "Swift Response," the recapture of an airport was practiced.
The weapon system is the Four-Man Commando Team
"Our goal is the silent professional who completely subordinates himself to the mission," says Lieutenant Oberleutnant Andi (44), who leads the personnel recruitment for the KSK. Soldiers can apply, but they are also approached directly if they are top performers in other courses or Lehrgänge. The soldier with his special skills is the focus. "Our weapon system is the Four-Man Commando Team," says the officer. The long-term special training leads to a "self-effectiveness expectation" with the following self-assessment: "I will survive with my training in every situation."
Since 2022, the KSK has focused its efforts on domestic and alliance defense within NATO. Among the tasks are the neutralization of so-called high-value targets of strategic significance and the acquisition of key information. The Commandosoldiers can designate target persons or mark targets from the ground, allowing combat jets to engage them precisely, as was practiced during the Arctic Defender exercise in Alaska.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) met several commando soldiers from Calw. The KSK's responsibilities include the liberation of Germans from captivity, hostage situations, or terrorist threats abroad. Additionally, enhancing foreign partner special forces is part of their mission. The tasks can be quite complex and often go beyond mere endurance under heavy load.
"Carry on, where others give up"
A KSK sergeant major and a commando soldier since 2013 - speaking on the sidelines of the test, he mentioned that they would now focus more on psychology and character. The "Berserker," who can fight autonomously for a long time and overcome obstacles, is still being sought. However, they will look more for teamwork, for the "smart fighter," who is willing to seek solutions instead of getting bogged down in problems.
It's no secret that the KSK is short on personnel. However, it's denied that the test is now easier. "From 100 applicants, only 20 to 25 percent make it through the selection process," says a lieutenant colonel, himself a commanding officer and head of the KSK Training Support Unit for Special Forces Army. It won't be clear until two years from now whether anything significant will change, as the trainings are still ongoing.
He refers to the old system - which included the "Hell Week" with knockout phases for individual tasks without considering the applicant as a whole - as "merciless." "We lost some and let them go, even though they had potential," he says. However, "carry on, where others give up, physically and psychically." Does the instructor recognize the future commando soldier in the applicants? He says no: "You can't tell by looking at them. There are people with an indomitable will."
- The training for the Commandosoldier in the KSK takes place in the Graf Zeppelin Kaserne in Calw, Germany, where soldiers perform laps on a 1000-meter track under the scrutiny of KSK commanders and trainers.
- The KSK is seeking soldiers who are not only physically robust but also mentally fit and alert, as demonstrated in the various stations and tests during the selection process.
- In the final close combat station, candidates are tested with boxing gloves and helmets, assessing how they handle punches and react under pressure, which is a crucial part of becoming a self-sufficient Commando soldier.
- The KSK, based in Calw, West Germany, focuses on domestic and alliance defense within NATO, tasks that include the neutralization of high-value targets and acquisition of strategic information, requiring both endurance and psychological resilience.
