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OFFICIALlast verified 2026-10-18

Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) — Kommandosoldat
PFV Phase 1 — minimum standards (Kommandosoldat)

Phase 1 of the KSK selection procedure (PFV) tests interval running, a coordination course, a casualty carry, pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups and sparring, followed the next day by a 200 m swim in combat uniform and a 20 km march with 20 kg. The PFV runs twice a year, in April and October; the minimums below apply to Kommandosoldaten (and the same to Einsatzarzt/Rettungsspezialist), and results feed a ranking rather than a simple pass.

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minimum 7
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minimum 20
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minimum 22
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minimum 2:00
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minimum 2:00
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minimum 7:30
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minimum 210 min

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Pay · free · rates from 1 May 2026

What a KSK commando soldier (Kommandosoldat) earns

Pay grade
Stufe 3 · ≈5 yrs
Gross · Oberfeldwebel (A 7) · Stufe 3 · ≈5 yrs€4,541 per month, before tax
Base pay grows with service — tap a bar
Not included in the total
  • Bonus after passing selection (§ 43a BBesG)€6,000 one-off
  • Bonus after training and posting (§ 43a BBesG)€8,000 one-off
  • Annual bonus after 6 years (§ 43a BBesG)€10,000 – €13,000 per year
  • Foreign deployment allowance, highest level (Auslandsverwendungszuschlag)€153 per day

Basic salary and rank supplements are advance payments (Abschlagszahlungen) under the BMI circular of 3 Sep 2025 until the 2025/2026 pay act is passed, so they may still change. The special forces allowance (§ 23m) is a fixed €1,125 and absorbs post allowances such as team leader pay. Years per step are our approximation of § 27 BBesG.

provisional = official source with a provisional legal status, a secondary source or our own calculation; see the sources.

The test, event by event

EventMinimum
Pull-ups (overhand, from dead hang)7
Sit-ups (30 s)20
Push-ups, hand-release (30 s)22
Coordination course2:00
Casualty transport (approx. 38 m, 2 obstacles)2:00
200 m swim in combat uniform (+ undress in water)7:30
20 km march with 20 kg210 min

Also required

  • Interval test 5 × 1,000 m with progressive limits 4:30 → 4:20 → 4:10 → 4:00 → 3:50 min and 3 min rest between runs ("no placing, just meet it").
  • Close combat: 2 minutes of sparring.
  • Age: up to 32 for enlisted and NCOs without portepee, up to 35 for Feldwebel; officers from Leutnant to Hauptmann (A11). Civilians must first become soldiers; at least 2 years of service.
  • Fitness for Einzelkämpfer training and parachuting (and willingness to jump), fast roping/speed rappelling, stress ECG, security clearance SÜ1 completed / SÜ2 initiated.
Sources:

Questions

Is meeting the minimums enough?

No guarantee: the results of all stations, including the CAT testing, are combined into a ranking (Platzziffer). Phase 2 is the "Härtephase" week, with no public numeric standards; officers also complete a Phase 3.

Are there different standards for other KSK roles?

Yes. Kommandoaufklärungssoldaten have softer minimums: 5 × 1,000 m from 5:10 down to 4:30, a 30 s flexed-arm hang instead of pull-ups, 15 sit-ups and 15 push-ups in 30 s each, the same swim, and a 7 km / 10 kg test march without scoring.

When and how often can I take part?

The PFV is held twice a year, in April and October. Quitting during the procedure ("red card") blocks a new attempt for 2 years. As a civilian sporting goal before joining, the KSK names a 5,000 m run under 22:00, 10 pull-ups, the German Sports Badge in gold and the DLRG lifesaving badge in silver.

Compare with

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