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WASHINGTON — Edward Snowden’s Army career lasted only five months, from May to September 2004, according to the Army.
He 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 of 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.
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