The Special Forces Tab is a service school qualification tab of the United States Army, awarded to any soldier completing the Special Forces Qualification Course at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Liberty, North Carolina. Soldiers who are awarded the Special Forces Tab are authorized to wear it, as well as the green beret for the remainder of their military careers, even when not serving in a Special Forces command.
A non-special forces qualified paratrooper with the 11th Special Forces Group wearing green beret with the 1st Special Forces Regiment DUI and unit recognition bar, c. 1967
United States Army Special Forces selection and training
The Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) or, informally, the Q Course is the initial formal training program for entry into the United States Army Special Forces. Phase I of the Q Course is Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS). A candidate who is selected at the conclusion of SFAS will enable a candidate to continue to the next of the four phases. If a candidate successfully completes all phases they will graduate as a Special Forces qualified soldier and then, generally, be assigned to a 12-men Operational Detachment "A" (ODA), commonly known as an "A team." The length of the Q Course changes depending on the applicant's primary job field within Special Forces and their assigned foreign language capability but will usually last between 56 and 95 weeks.
Special Forces soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), conduct shoot-house training at Fort Carson in September 2009.
Candidates in SFAS class 04-10 participate in logs drills in January 2010.
A Canadian soldier participates in a timed march alongside US Army soldiers during the Special Forces Qualification Course. 2009, the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center accepts students from allied nations.
A Special Forces candidate conducts a pre-mission rehearsal with Army ROTC cadets role playing guerilla fighters during Robin Sage.