# Off to 18x, some motivation for my peers



## WanaB (Oct 30, 2017)

Hey everybody,

I'm a prior service Marine shipping out now for Army Special Forces as an 18x.
I wanted to share how possible it is to prepare yourself for this.

When I started preparations, I had just gotten out of the Marines (almost 2 years ago). My 3 mile run (Marine Corps PFT) was at about 26:40.
My 2 mile run (APFT) was at 15:45 and I could do 51 pushups and 60 sit ups.

I had done one 5 mile run and I finished in about 50 minutes.

I used a series of Stew Smith workouts (I bought the 16 week Army Ranger and Special Forces preparation booklet, which I would do over and over again), as well as some Military Athlete and Horseman stuff I got from a member here through @TLDR20 a few months ago which I would highly recommend.
Also, I signed up for a series of 10 triathlons in my local area (The Wisconsin Tri-Series, plus a few extras).  3 were last year, 7 were this year.
Nothing concurs a fear of running like 10 triathlons.
The first 5 triathlons, I finished and was happy to do so. The 2nd to last one I placed 2nd, and I won the last one in my age group.

Now, through discipline and motivation, my scores are as follows.
2 miles in 12:40-13:00, it fluctuates depending on the terrain.
100 Pushups easy
90-100 situps routinely
*and my favorite*
5 miles in 34:20

I am not one of those naturally gifted athletes thats always shined on the pt field. I was the young Marine that was scared to PT with officers because I didn't want to get smoked.

My friends, challenge yourself every day to become better than you were yesterday, and it will happen.
I don't mean to brag, I assure you that isn't my intention.
I tell you this because when I was a terrible athlete, I read another users post about how his scores had improved and it gave me faith and the discipline to see myself improve as he did. I hope that my post does the same for you.

Anytime I was struggling with something, I punched it into the search bar and found a huge amount of information on my subject.
*This website is a goldmine.*

Thanks to everyone for the help that you didn't know you were giving me.
I look forward to updating you guys with tales of my success at selection in the coming months.

Semper Fidelis, Semper Paratus, and Semper Vigilans


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## runtime_error91 (Oct 30, 2017)

how did you like the horseman workout?


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## Michael Collins (Nov 18, 2017)

What was the process like for you I have a goal of doing the same thing. I think my gt score is only a few points to low for the program though.


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## One for Chesty (Jan 22, 2018)

WanaB said:


> Hey everybody,
> 
> I'm a prior service Marine shipping out now for Army Special Forces as an 18x.
> I wanted to share how possible it is to prepare yourself for this.
> ...


Hey Man I'd appreciate any insight you could give on your first steps upon reenlisting into the Army, what was your experience with OSUT, Airborne, etc. I'm a prior 0331 going 18X and this post is motivating, appreciate it and hope you're killing it in selection right now.


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## WanaB (Jan 22, 2018)

So, right now I’m only in airborne hold. When I got to OSUT they put me in a prior service barracks and we got treated very well. After inproccesing at 30th, me and a group of 3 other prior service Marines were inserted into a company that was in their 8th week of training. The criteria for getting inserted is this, you must have been USMC or army, and you must have been out of the military no longer than 3 years. Otherwise you will stat day zero. 

OSUT is easy as cake. Just your minimal infantry training. The prior service guys were treated very well (all things considered) as long as we did what we were supposed to do. 

If the prior service guys, 3 are E-4 and one was E-5, all of us are 18x and we were the only 18x guys in the company. One of us was infantry, the rest of us were POGs. It doesn’t matter here, because we all have the same goal now. 

If you have any questions man just shoot me a message and I’d be happy to help any way that I can, but I’m just not that far in the pipeline yet


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## WhiskeyMike (Jun 22, 2018)

Any update @WanaB ? I reenlisted for another 4 in the Corps just before you made your original post so I don't have hopes of going 18x in the immediate future but your post motivated the shit out of me just to be a better Marine. I'll be the first to tell you my PT ain't what it used to be lol. Curious to see how the journey is going for you though


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## DROD (Aug 3, 2018)

Update us @WanaB I'm curious to see where you're at in the process now


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