The Hostage Rescue Team: Part 2: The Crucible of Selection

FBI agents hoping to earn a spot on the Hostage Rescue Teamfederal law enforcements lead counterterrorism tactical teamrelinquish their names when they report for the grueling selection process held at Quantico, Virginia each year. During two exhausting weeks of tests and drills that purposely induce physical and mental stress, candidates are known to their evaluators only as selectees, and the only thing that distinguishes them from one another is an identifying color and number worn on their clothes. It is all part of the process that helps evaluators choose the very best individuals for one of the most demandingand rewardingjobs in the FBI. The process is designed to identify individuals who will perform the best in a crisis situation, said FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyce, a former HRT operator. The point is to break you down to see how you perform under stress. When you dont get a lot of sleepsometimes going on one or two hours a dayover a period of time, its going to break you down pretty quickly. On the first day, candidates are roused well before dawn for physical fitness tests that include running, swimming, and stair-climbing with a 55-pound vest and 35-pound battering ramall with little rest between activities. The first day is the easy day, said Special Agent John Piser, a former HRT operator who runs the selection process. Punishing runs while carrying heavy gear, along with drills carried out in high places, cramped quarters, and other unforgiving circumstances are the norm during selection. Being in peak physical condition is critical, but candidates must also perform well on firearms tests and during complex arrest scenarios. Equally important is showing good judgment, thinking on your feet, and being a team playerdespite being sleep-deprived and physically drained. You can be the fastest person in the world, the strongest person in the world, or the smartest person in the world, Joyce explained, but if youre not willing to be a part of the team, you dont belong on HRT. In addition to being able to work with others, evaluators are looking for other core personality characteristics such as loyalty, leadership, and discipline. And during the two-week trial, selectees have no idea how they are doing. Qualifying for the Team FBI agents interested in joining the HRT must first spend at least three years as field investigators. You have to prove yourself as an FBI agent first before you come here, said Special Agent John Piser, a former HRT operator who runs the selection program. In 2006, to enlist more candidates, the Bureau established the Tactical Recruiting Program (TRP), which recruits individuals with tactical experience from the ranks of law enforcement and the military to fast-track them for HRT eligibility. TRP recruits follow the normal process to become FBI agents, but instead of spending three years in the field before being eligible to try out for the HRT, they are eligible after two. Still, Piser said, the selection process operates in a vacuum. It doesnt matter who you are or what you have done previously. If you dont perform well at selection, he explained, you arent going to make the team.