Snowden's Army record: short

Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY 11:47 a.m. EDT June 10, 2013


Edward Snowden speaks during an interview in Hong Kong.(Photo: Guardian via Getty Images)
Story Highlights


  • Snowden entered Special Forces training in 2004 but never finished
  • "The Guardian" reported that he broke both legs in a training accident
  • Army says he served only five months



WASHINGTON -- Edward Snowden's Army career lasted only five months, from May to September of 2004, according to the Army.
He had enlisted as a Special Forces recruit in the Army Reserve, but had not completed any training, nor had he received any awards, said George Wright, an Army spokesman.
Special Forces recruits are all men and have passed an aptitude test before entering the program. They then take a 14-week course that includes basic training and advanced individual training, according to the Army.
The next step: airborne training followed by four weeks training and assessment. If the recruit passes, the rigorous qualification course follows. This phase includes about three months of intense individual and group training.
The Guardian newspaper reported that Snowden's Army career ended when he broke both legs in a training accident. It's unclear when that accident occurred, and the Army has not released further details of his service.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/10/snowdens-army-career-lasted-only-five-months/2407855/