Reviews

I have dreamed of a career in Special Operations since I was really young. These events are life changing, I’ve completed 4 so far and I can see the lessons I learn there affect my everyday life as much as my drive to further pursue this career path. The instructors are the real deal professionals and the whole day is motivating. I would highly recommend the full weekend package and to put out as much as possible because that’s how you get the most out. Definitely will be attending more in the near future!

I’ve always struggled to figure out if I had what it takes to pursue a career in spec ops, and this program changed that for me. Talking with the instructors who have been in my shoes before, and making it through obstacles that seemed impossible gave me my answer. If you can make it through one day of hell, you can do it again. And when self doubt consumes you, breath, realize that you just have to give it your all and never quit.

Hands down the coolest prep program out there! I’ve done two events now at 16 and it’s given me a huge insight into what to expect at selection and that you can push through anything using your mind. If your considering special operations 100% give this a try. The evolutions and stories you’ll hear throughout the day create a life changing experience.

Another fulfilling Hell Day completed. If you seek a path into special operations SOCOM Athlete has invaluable insight and mentorship on what it will take to become one. Come test your resolve and witness firsthand what its physical and mentally demanded from you to be among the elites. This program has shown me my weaknesses and simultaneously strengthened my will and faith. Truly a life changing experience.

Completed my 2nd Hell Day event. This was my first Hell Day event on Red Team as well as the first Hell Day event in temperatures close to Hell itself though. Learned even more technique and tricks to make my life a little easier when getting smoked, which I thought that I had already learned most of the small tricks you needed… I was wrong, you can never stop learning because there is always more to learn, and more to teach. I swear by these events with all my DEV buddies back home, it will spotlight your weaknesses and your strengths, as well as show you how your mind will respond when things get tough.

This is one of the best ways to see where you are in your prep for special operations. I believed my training was flatlining and this hell day showed me exactly what I need to work on. The carde had such a wealth of knowledge and was able to answer the questions that I had for weeks. 10 out of 10 would do again.

I highly recommend SOCOM Athlete. I only attended the Saturday Hell Day, but it absolutely smoked me in the best way possible. It exposed my strengths, highlighted my weaknesses, and gave me a realistic taste of what special operations training is like. My biggest advice: don’t show up unprepared. You’ll still suffer, but you’ll get so much more out of the experience if you’re physically ready. If you’re serious about special operations this is 100% worth it.

I attended yesterdays hell day on 6/13/2026, I want to thank the NSW instructors and Mr.Sweet for hosting this amazing event.

I actually performed horribly, evolutions and exercises that I’ve done a million times for 3 years were now something that I couldn’t complete.
My internal trauma of needing approval that I never received from my parents, peers, myself froze up my body.
The needing to belong. The backpack full of trauma from everything that happened to me hit all at the same time, the instructors became the jury and the evidence to prove that all my hard work and long hours after working my day job of logging my times meant nothing because of how I performed. My failures there became a burden I carried throughout the entire day, add that on top of all the severe trauma I endured as a child and it made my body lock up and my heart could never stop beating intensely. It didn’t matter how many kind words the instructors gave, or the other students gave, it was deeper than the surface and even I couldn’t touch it.
The double edged sword that I used for so long that got me through incredibly difficult situations and persevered to become an amazing athlete also became the thing that made me look like the worst athlete to have ever existed. I trained the athlete within me for so long but not my mind.

I wouldn’t have discovered this deep internal wound with so much armor around it unless it was at a course like this, it was life changing for me.

For reference I swim with a coast guard rescue swimmer applicant at my local gym and I’ll swim 5,000 yards next to him, i run with 2 18x candidates who want to join the army,
While they don’t do the 48-60 miles and swim the 10-12 nautical miles; I help them weekly with the stuff they need for their own pipeline.
I’ve ran with them, swam with them, lifted with them etc.
If you told them, told the people around me who’ve seen me complete these things in exceptional times that I was the slowest runner with the worst push ups, sit ups and pull ups then they would’ve looked at you crazy.

Regardless it was very amazing event with students who put out and try their hardest.

I also want to thank Mr.Sweet for sharing his personal story with us.
I resonated with him a lot when he was telling us.

My brother tried to murder me when I was 9, from the beginning of my birth I’ve been told by my parents that I should’ve died in Vietnam and I should’ve never been born.
I grew up with no food, starved as a child, with a deadbeat alcoholic dad and a narcissistic mom.
By the time I was 10 I’ve been shot at before and I’ve had a lot of my friends get murdered by being in the wrong places at the wrong time.
I was bullied extensively growing up because I had no loving parents.
I got arrested at 11 with two felonies.
I’ve gone through hell and back with my mental health.
I grew up with a chip on my shoulder naturally, but I didn’t know how much my wounds would come up in a place like this. Nobody would’ve known my story as they stood next to me, a lot of people would’ve gone the other direction if they had my circumstances  but I chose to make the choice of wanting to be the present dad, friend and person I needed as a child.

For my people who come with a lot of internal baggage, a lot of severe childhood trauma like me, believe me when I say that it will reveal wounds in you that you would’ve never known until you went.

For me, it was a wake up call to train my mind, to truly heal from my trauma or it’ll take away the things I truly care about.

I’m eternally grateful that I discovered this now than later in my life when a lot more was on the line.

This event unshackled the handcuffs and chains of my trauma because I no longer wish to carry this baggage forward with me on this journey.

It freed me and I’m so thankful for that.
For those who were there and are reading this, it’s David.