Is SAS Selection Actually Getting Harder?

About this video

A former SAS member discusses the selection process and the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London. He explains that SAS selection has remained unchanged and focuses on endurance, maturity, and self-reliance rather than raw speed or strength. He recounts his experience during the six-day siege that culminated in the assault on May 5, 1980, describing how the operation unfolded and noting that the event put the regiment on the map for counterterrorism.

Key takeaways

• The guest states that SAS selection has remained the same over time because changing it would prevent new members from being accepted by veterans who completed the original process.
• According to the guest, SAS selection is an endurance test that requires older, more mature soldiers (average age over 30 operationally) who can make independent decisions and maintain themselves over extended periods, unlike younger airborne troops.
• The guest recounts that during the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege, his team waited six days before receiving authorization to assault, ultimately killing five terrorists while one was captured, and notes the operation established the SAS’s reputation in counterterrorism.

Episode details: published May 23, 2026 · 37.1K views · 21:39 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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