The youngest person to pass SAS selection and join the British Special Air Service is widely considered to be John 'Lofty' Wiseman, who achieved this feat at just 18 years old in 1959, joining from the Parachute Regiment. While other figures like Johnny Cooper joined at 19 and Floyd Woodrow at 22, Wiseman holds the record for being the youngest ever to complete the rigorous SAS selection process.
In 1959, at the age of eighteen, Wiseman became the youngest person ever to pass selection for the SAS, joining from the Parachute Regiment, which he had joined a year earlier. He went on to serve in the SAS for 26 years, rising to the rank of Sergeant Major.
The Special Air Service, or SAS, is an elite special forces unit within the British Army. To get into the SAS, make sure you meet basic requirements like being 18 to 32 years old.
Johnny Cooper joined the SAS at just 19 years old, making him the regiment's youngest member.
21 & 23 SAS processes applications from male and female applicants, with no previous military service. Applicants must be no older than 47 years 6 months for those with no previous military experience when applying to join the Army Reserves (AR).
Opportunities exist for members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to serve in Australia's Special Air Service Regiment (SASR); invariably known as either the SAS or 'the Regiment'. The route into the SASR for all ADF personnel is via a highly structured and formal selection and training process.
SAS soldiers' pay ranges from less than £25,000 a year to around £80,000, depending on their skills and rank. This compares with a basic £13,000 for privates in other regiments.
BEAR GRYLLS OBE, has become known worldwide as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Grylls went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, as part of 21 SAS Regiment.
Paddy Mayne's reputation in the SAS: how his legend was born
Paddy Mayne went on to lead a series of successful desert raids in Africa, helping to build the SAS's reputation as an ever-present threat to the enemy's tail, while becoming an inspiration to the tough ex-commandos serving under him.
In the past, women have been able to work with the SAS after transferring from separate units, although until now none have attempted the entire selection process.
There are about 500 active SAS soldiers. Special Air Service insignia. The SAS is a secret organisation. Its members often do not tell anyone except close family that they are in it.
Who can travel unaccompanied. Our unaccompanied minor service is required for children age 5-11, and optional for those age 12-17. We welcome children age 5–17 on flights within Scandinavia and age 5–15 on European and most other flights.
Lieutenant-Colonel 'Paddy' Mayne is a legendary figure in the history of the Special Forces. A celebrated sportsman with a turbulent character, he played a vital role in the early successes of the Special Air Service (SAS), becoming one of its most important commanders.
ABOUT THE YOUNGEST GREEN BERET: TERRY MCINTOSH. DOB 01.16. 1950.
Officer cadets (at Sandhurst): £34,676 per annum
Captain: £52,815 per annum. Major: £66,240 per annum.
Neither SAS nor SBS is definitively "more elite"; they are equally elite but specialized, with the SAS focusing on land/air and the SBS on maritime/amphibious roles, both part of the UK's UK Special Forces (UKSF) and sharing the same rigorous Joint Special Forces Selection process, with SBS adding extra maritime training like swimmer-canoeist skills. Think of them as the Army's and Navy's top-tier counterparts within the same elite special forces framework.
In the 2022 BBC TV series SAS: Rogue Heroes, the failure of the Derna raid and its betrayal by Brueckner are depicted in one of the episodes.
It was at Lake Comacchio overnight on April 8/9, 1945, that a courageous young officer, Major Anders Lassen, became the first – and, to this day, only – member of Britain's famous SAS regiment to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).
Bear Grylls Adventure at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre closed in December 2024 after six years. Merlin Entertainments – who ran the centre for thrill seekers – blamed "commercial challenges" and the lasting financial effects following the Covid pandemic.
On completion of training they are considered to be ready in most respects to deploy to any trouble spot the World over. Amphibious specialists. Extreme Cold Weather Warfare specialists. 43% of the 'badged' manpower in the UK's SF (SAS, SBS & SRR) belong to the Royal Marines.
TV adventurer Bear Grylls says his faith in Jesus changed him “from the inside out” and he encourages people to give Christ a chance just as he did. He wrote a recent column for British newspaper The Times titled: To be fully understood, the Christian faith must be tried.
Command / HQ Element
An Australian SAS soldier's salary starts with standard ADF pay scales, but escalates significantly with allowances and rank, with entry-level Special Forces Operators earning around $103,000+ annually plus benefits, while experienced personnel receive substantial bonuses, field allowances, and higher pay, making total compensation vary widely but generally exceeding standard Army wages, with potential for much higher earnings with promotions and deployment.
For AFPS 05, your pension is 1/70th of your final pensionable earnings multiplied by the years and days of service. For example, if your final salary is £45,000 after 25 years' service, your annual pension would be: £45,000 x 25 x 1/70 = £16,071.