DEVELOPING THE HUNGARIAN 2ND SOF GROUP’S MANNING STRATEGY—DEVISING AND IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND RETENTION PROCESSES

This thesis sought to present the manning challenges that affect the Hungarian Special Operations Forces development, especially in the case of its main combative element—the 2nd SOF Group—using the recruitment, assessment, selection, training, and retention (RAST-R) framework. It also aspired to identify ways and means to revise and improve this framework, with the view of increasing the number of members, and then finding, training, and retaining the right SOF operator talent. To that end, this thesis conducted a comparative research of the Hungarian and six international countries’ SOF-related RAST-R strategies. The analysis revealed that SOF recruits members effectively through the use of media, but decisive success is gained when active SOF members conduct face-to-face meetings. The assessment, as part of the pre-selection procedure, brings more possible recruits if it is conducted offsite, where potential talent could be found. The standards and requirements for joining and selecting are not—and cannot be—decreased to boost the number of candidates to maintain quality above quantity. The organizational culture is a key part of the employer brand that eventuates the sustainable RAST-R cycle. The thesis recommends feasible approaches to improve the 2nd SOF Group’s RAST-R processes in terms of the SOF organizational culture development, the research-based targeted recruitment, and the necessity of pre-selection.Captain, Hungarian Ground ForcesApproved for public release. distribution is unlimite