SAS’s secret mission to f ind posh off icers

WHEN your job involves abseiling out of helicopters, kicking down doors and taking out the bad guys, you might be forgiven for thinking it doesn’t really matter what school you went to.

But the SAS is worried that not enough posh officers are applying to command its operations.

The elite regiment has typically been led by former public schoolboys whose privileged education is believed to instil the leadership skills and poise required.

But it seems working-class officers are increasingly applying to command the crack troops

‘The typical SAS officer is confident, relaxed, bright and unflappable,’ said one of the regiment’s warrant officers. ‘Many of the most successful officers have been to the top public schools, but recently we have seen a number of guys coming forward who just don’t cut it.

‘It’s a shame, but they are just not posh enough. The bottom line is that the officers shouldn’t be speaking like soldiers. We don’t want officers who are shouters or know-it-alls.’

An officer recently failed the SAS selection process because he ‘lacked the sophistication’ to be able to brief Cabinet Ministers on operations.

The Ministry of Defence declined to comment.