Failing Forward: How Not Getting Selected Changed My Life

Kevin Edgerton
Oct 8
3 min read

By Kevin D. Edgerton – Owner, 18A Fitness

Thirty years ago this month, I didn’t fail SFAS in the traditional sense—I was medically recycled. Every metatarsal in both of my feet had grade 4 stress fractures. I hadn’t prepared correctly. Coming from a heavy mechanized unit in the 1st Cavalry Division, I thought I was ready for anything. But I trained with the wrong ruck, ran countless miles on concrete, and ignored the fact that there’s no pavement at Camp Mackall—only sand, roots, and ruts that expose every weakness you have.

That painful lesson taught me more about preparation than any success ever could. My body broke down before my mind did, and that reality hit hard. But it also became one of the most defining moments of my life—one that set the stage for everything I’ve done since, including building 18A Fitness.

The Long Road to the Green Beret

After being medically recycled, I had a choice—quit or rebuild smarter. I chose the latter. Over the next year, I learned how to truly prepare: smarter running surfaces, progressive load management, proper footwear, and recovery that supported adaptation rather than destruction.

A year later, I returned to SFAS and was Selected.

Immediately after Selection, I went to Airborne School, where I broke my left ankle—another setback that required two surgeries and years of recovery. It took three and a half years before I finally made it to the Q-Course, where I earned the coveted Green Beret and the honor of serving as a Special Forces Soldier.

The journey was long and filled with obstacles. But that’s exactly what made it transformative. Failure and recovery became the cornerstone of my growth—as a soldier, a leader, and later as a human performance professional.

From the Battlefield to Human Performance

Those early lessons shaped every mission and leadership role that followed. From serving as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant (18E) to later commanding a Special Forces Detachment (18A), I learned that success in Special Operations isn’t built on perfection—it’s built on resilience, discipline, and adaptability.

After retiring from the Army, I became the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the USAF Special Warfare Human Performance Squadron (SWHPS), where I developed evidence-based systems for training Pararescue (PJ), Combat Control (CCT), TACP, and Special Reconnaissance candidates.

Over seven and a half years, my team’s holistic approach—integrating physical therapists, athletic trainers, dietitians, sports psychologists, and data analysts—reduced injuries among Airmen by 35% and raised selection and graduation rates across every Air Force Special Warfare pipeline.

How Failure Built 18A Fitness

When I founded 18A Fitness, I wanted to create more than a training company—I wanted to create a standard. A place where preparation isn’t left to chance, where future operators and tactical athletes train the right way from the start.

Every program I build today carries the DNA of that first setback at Camp Mackall. The lessons from that pain became the foundation of how I coach, how I teach, and how I lead.

“The mission isn’t about never failing. It’s about who you become after you do.”

My failure wasn’t the end of my story—it was the beginning. It taught me how to train smarter, recover stronger, and build systems that keep others from making the same mistakes.

Final Thoughts

If you’re struggling right now—whether it’s training injuries, rejection, or setbacks—remember this: it’s not over. Sometimes the detour is the best thing that could happen to you.

18A Fitness exists because of that medical recycle 30 years ago. It forced me to learn, adapt, and grow into the leader I am today.

Stay in the fight. Keep moving forward. You’ll get there.

—Kevin D. Edgerton

Owner, 18A Fitness

Retired Special Forces Captain