It’s 2023 and are you going to do the same old thing? Make a promise to go to the gym more, eat better, read more books. Those are honorable resolutions for the New Year, but why not make a real change. Body, Mind, and Discipline.
What are your goals? Are you a young person maybe wanting to join the military for the first time? Are you in your 30s, 40s or older and never joined, but want to see if you have what it takes in 2023? Or do you just want to test your intestinal fortitude?
There are several programs out there that can help you get in touch with your Special Operations soul and give you a solid push in 2023 to succeed. You must make your miracle happen. Get greedy for it.
You ever carry a telephone pole as a group, or do sit-ups with that telephone pole, oh and you’re laying in the ocean surf doing those sit-ups with the group and the pole? Fun? Maybe not at first but thinking back to why you showed up for this punishment drives you forward. SOCOM Athlete is a program to give you a Hell Day experience to see if you have what it takes for a career in U.S. Special Operations. I have seen firsthand the San Antonio Hell Day two years ago and had the honor to speak with the participants at the SrA Bradley Smith Gym on the Chapman Annex (Air Force Special Warfare Training). The diverse group comes together to get mentorship, learn proper techniques, and push themselves harder than ever before. Check out the SOCOM Athlete website for Hell Date dates across the U.S. (California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, and more).
Jason Sweet is the Founder/ CEO of SOCOM Athlete and served from 2008 to 2014 as an Air Force Pararescuemen (PJ). Jason’s bio of being a two-sport NCAA athlete also helps with the program’s ability to strengthen teamwork and build a winning/warrior mindset. SOCAM Athlete also provides Prep Programs for roles like USAF TACP, USAF PJ and CCT, Army Special Forces, Army Ranger, and Navy SEAL that last 60 or 40 days. These programs go into depth on everything from proper stretches, strength work and ruck marching to pool workouts.
In July, the SOCOM Athlete Team was able to partner up with The Green Beret Project, a non-profit 501c3 that offers at-risk youth dynamic programming after school and on weekends. Their tagline of “We Exist, To win the fight on the front lines of our inner cities” says a great deal about their vision and values. The photo below is from that SOCOM Athlete event, where participants mastered their fear of water, embodied the warrior mindset, and off-course got in some long physical training.
With our departure from Afghanistan and the many years of combat our Special Operations forces saw, many from the community transitioned out and this means we have choices for training companies that can help this 2023 resolution.
18A Fitness is another such company. Kevin “Edge” Edgerton is the founder and instructor, former Green Beret Officer and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the USAF Special Warfare Human Performance Squadron. 18A Fitness has a mission to “help everyone who wants to accelerate and meet their fitness goals, and become the best version of themselves, tapping into their inner warrior.”
18A Fitness offers an invaluable tool where you can train with their online app and trainers can customize your workouts. These programs again cover training for aspiring Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, and USAF PJ, CCT and TACP.
There are catchy mottos behind all these Special Operations teams like, “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday,” “Any Place, Any Time,” “That Others May Live,” “Send Me,” and others that make the hairs on your arm tingle. They are rich in history and tradition. Take this military experience and help it launch your 2023 New Years Resolution.
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