Senior Chief Damage Controlman (DCCS) Brad Thoma, is a recruiting scout and has been assigned to Navy Special Warfare/ Navy Special Operations (NSW/NSO) since 2021, which is when he started at Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Carolina. This is not his first time working alongside those who select the next generation of elite trained soldiers as he had five years’ experience working with Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT), which is a part of the Coast Guard.

DCCS Thoma is from Muskegon, Michigan, and has been in the military for 24 years and decided to step into the recruiting side to be closer to family.

“When I first got to Carlina, I wanted to make sure that I could support the command in its entirety” said Thoma. “It was brought to my attention that I could help out on the Navy Special Warfare/ Navy Special Operation (NSW/NSO) side of things, and I thought to myself, I love to work out, go high speed and push people to their full potential.”

When asked, what are some characteristics you look for when it comes to candidates for the warrior challenge, Thoma said, “A Navy Seal said it perfectly in a meeting that we had at North Carolina State, he said “the difference between being a seal and not being a seal is that he is a common man with an uncommon desire to succeed.” That is it in a nutshell. Of course, you must be physically and mentally fit.”

Before you can get a contract, you must pass the Physical Standards Test (PST), which the prerequisite to see if you have the basic endurance to take on the challenge. The PST consist of 500-yard combat side stroke, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and a mile and a half run, in which you must meet the required numbers. If you pass, you are then considered for a contract. “When you get a contract for the warrior challenge you must have a we not me mentality. The current dropout rate for NSW/NSO is 80% and in the year that I have been here, I have sent out 78 contracts and only had one person finish as a diver. I will get notified about more of them in the coming months” Said Thoma. “If you are not there for the right reasons or to work as a team, it will be difficult to make it out.”

“Whenever I start something, I want to be the best at it. This is the elite, and I want to find the elite and push them, so that they can get the contract that they desire. I wish the person that I am now, would have found the younger me. I know that my journey would have changed and that is what drives me every day. I set out to help those who want to achieve this goal.” Said Thoma.