2 Weeks in Hell

This Discovery Channel documentary offers an insider's look at the selection process for the U.S. Army Special Forces Green Berets, an elite unit trained in guerilla warfare, sabotage, and subversion, whose members frequently must fight in challenging urban quarters, blend in with the locals, and operate in isolation for long periods. 2 Weeks in Hell introduces the “Special Forces Assessment and Selection” team—comprised of combat veterans—who gather in the backwoods of North Carolina to conduct a “crash course in pain” for potential recruits (50 percent will simply wash out, while some of the others just won't be selected). For soldiers operating deep within hostile territory, the mind can be the greatest enemy, and they must deal with sleep deprivation and phobias like fear of heights and tight spaces. Participants are shown confronting a grueling obstacle course and enduring a nighttime navigation exercise in which they're shadowed by specialists with night vision goggles (sleeping or taking shortcuts guarantees instant elimination). One of the most important tests is “team week,” an ordeal meant to increase leadership and cooperation skills. Maturity, resourcefulness, improvisation, and thinking outside the box are valued, and macho types are not ensured success. Accompanying the “you are there” footage, interviews with recruits and leaders offer reflections on the mission, career hopes, and the inevitable pain of rejection. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Rees)