# Why do we do this?  Items to consider.



## x SF med (Feb 6, 2015)

Why do we do this?


It’s not for glory.

It’s not to be cool.

It’s not for the money.

It’s not something that’s easy to explain.  We feel we are born to it, we want to be around people who we trust, have the same training, will be there any time we call on them.


If any or all of the 3 “it’s not” items are your motivation for joining a Special Operations unit, rethink joining, because, you will not be a key member of a Team.  Taking the lead, or sublimating oneself to the skill/knowledge of another is a matter of becoming a member of a Team…  Training sets a baseline, cohesion makes an SOF soldier (I personally hate the word ‘operator’ and will refrain from it’s use).

Reliance on self, as a part of a team is counter to much of today’s societal norm, most tend to be either loners or group members, not true team members… due to the ‘everyone is a winner’ socialist line that is so prevalent.  One learns in SOF selection that there are winners and losers, strong and weak, team players and glory hounds – and during any of the selection courses you will probably fall into each of those categories – those selected fall into winner/strong/team player more often than any of the other categories.

Mental, emotional, spiritual And psychological strength are as important as physical strength in one’s career in SOF, and in selection.  Perseverance, recovery, intelligence and ‘mind over matter’ (the situation don’t mind, and you don’t matter) can carry a nominally fit person through, more so than the weak minded ‘stud muffin’ who quails when faced with physical deprivation or harm.  Gym muscles will not carry you through, functional strength and a desire to excel will.

We do this because we love it.  We genuinely care for our brothers in arms, to the point that all it takes is a request for the seemingly impossible to make things happen.

All of the information on preparation is probably too much.  Be in shape, hit your report date, have the equipment on the packing list and go in with the mindset that you will push yourself to the point of excellence in everything. You can over prepare.  Not everyone can be SOF, 1% of 1% of the population succeeds, that is slim odds, and figure that a 40% success rate overall for those that attempt SOF selection is the norm, your chances overall are about 1/10th of a percent of ever attaining a position in an SOF force.  The major disqualifier in these selections is DOR, self initiated failure, or, in the words of Bob Howard, “Not enough fucking heart”.

Do you want to do it because of movies?  Do you want to be a bad ass? Do you want to just break shit?  Are you tying your entire self worth in the endeavor?  If so, you are wrong.

Humility, maturity, emotional/spiritual/psychological toughness, self sacrifice, intelligence, self control, ability to negotiate, Team work, self reliance, physical fitness and the abilty to lead or follow as required are your keys.  Excel, but don’t gloat.  The only person you have to prove anything to in selection is yourself, there are myriad reasons a person may not be selected, but the standards are there for a reason.  There is a reason “Special” is the first word in Special Operations.

Go read “Message to Garcia”.  Go read “Five Years to Freedom”.  Read the citations of Medal of Honor recipients, read the unit histories, ask about the unpublished stuff people have done.  It will make you think about the choice, and the meaning of joining the Special Operations Brotherhood.

We do this, because we really do care.


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## Grunt (Feb 6, 2015)

Simply put...that is an OUTSTANDING post!


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## CDG (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks for posting this.  I really enjoyed it.


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## racing_kitty (Feb 7, 2015)

Well said, brother.


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## x SF med (Feb 7, 2015)

I was asked by a member if I really meant,  "You can over prepare.", or if I meant, "You can't overprepare".  I meant what I typed, you cannot prepare your heart, but you can over prepare physically, or psych yourself out by focusing too heavily on the ego.   If you really want it: be in shape, make sure you have the items on the packing list, be where you need to be at the appointed time, and never quit.

We lost 50% of my Pre-Phase class in the first week - a lot of them were support guys from the various Groups who wanted to get to an ODA...  they failed by over preparing and thinking they had everything dicked...  and failed at the reality of the heart needed for the journey...  and the people that failed through not being prepared - but failing the initial swim test twice was a ticket back to your unit at that time too.  An NCAA swimmer VW'd  at Drowning Creek during the river crossing/rope bridge/raft building because he could not deal with the water temp (I'll let another SF guy explain about Drowning Creek). 

Oh, MAJ Bob Howard was the OIC of Phase I when I went through...  there was no way I was going to quit on a fellow Horned Frog.

So the key thing to take away from my long diatribe above is Bob Howard's statement, "Not enough fucking heart."  How do you prepare for that?


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## 8654Maine (Feb 7, 2015)

Not bad Troll!


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## Marine0311 (Feb 7, 2015)

Well said Herr Troll.


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## Red Flag 1 (Feb 7, 2015)

Well said, Troll!


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## is friday (Feb 7, 2015)

About over-prep: Absolutely. Many of these challenging mil courses from my experience push you to your physical and mental limits regardless of where you are at. You will reach your culmination point and reveal what sort of man you are.


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## Brian C (Feb 7, 2015)

That was an excellent read.  Thank you for posting that.  If I knew how to like your post, I would.


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## pl3a$3di3 (Feb 16, 2015)

Holy shit

    Not trying to fluff you up. But you could probably delete 90% of the "prep threads" now and make a shortcut link to this.  well done


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## Ethan_S (Mar 13, 2015)

Very good post sir.


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## Etype (Mar 22, 2015)

Fucking fuck yeah!


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## x SF med (Jun 21, 2015)

Bump for all the new people that want to be SOF.


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## CoalTrain (Jun 21, 2015)

Out of everything i've read on this site about SOF prep this is by far the most meaningful, now back to PT.


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## BellRinger5984 (Jun 21, 2015)

Thank you for this post.


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## Randall (Jun 28, 2015)

This is golden advice.


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## DozerB (Jul 10, 2015)

Golden words of wisdom. Thanks for the advice.

A good friend of mine in the 0321 community/ a former BRC instructor once told me, after I asked him the best way to get better in the pool: the best way to get better in the pool is to "fucking swim." Ahh, the extremely high-tech, professionally engineered "just fucking swim" workout. I dig it.

Keep the excellent posts coming good Sir!


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## x SF med (Aug 3, 2015)

Bump for the newest group of hopefuls...
And another piece of advice-
Find and read *General Colin Powell's Rules for Life*, no link, no help except to let you know they were probably published before you were born but are very important to your mental preparation for the journey you have chosen.

Read your Rudyard Kipling, Kim would be the first book I pick up by him if I were you.
Read, War at the Top of the World


Be a well rounded individual, familiar with many things, expert in a few and competent at a lot more, you never know what knowledge will come in handy.  Part of being well rounded is excellent social skills, tailor your approach to your audience.

Keep your mouth shut and let your actions prove your strength.


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## x SF med (Dec 11, 2015)

All mentor Program Wannabes, this is bumped for you... then re-read the new members begin here thread  and the entire special Operations forum with big attention to The Special operations Selection and Preparation and SOF mentor program threads.  A lot of you hopefuls are failing on attention to detail and situational awareness...  and posting your  'second intro' in a specific area so the mentors can evaluate your desires.

Here is an exerpt from someplace else that is key - the 5 Special Operations Truths, with a little commentary: LINK


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## x SF med (Jan 14, 2016)

Bump for new people.


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## x SF med (Jul 6, 2016)

Bump for the newest batch of SOF hopefuls.


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## x SF med (Mar 5, 2017)

Bump.


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## suaveflooder (Mar 7, 2017)

Fantastic post!!  Thank you for this!


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## The Dane (Mar 10, 2017)

Awesome post! Some really great points. Thank you.


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## Viper1 (Mar 10, 2017)

For all the candidates, here is a perspective of a guy who's been a civilian for a year+ and is now going back into service.

You may not realize it now, but you are drawn to SOF because you already have the innate talents, attitude, and "energy" within you. Selection, qualification courses, and team life will give you the technical skills and hone the intangibles.  Freeing the oppressed is *already in your nature*...you just need to learn how.  This is why you shouldn't quit...it is within you. It just needs to be stoked, honed, and sharpened. 

The learning never stops, the journey isn't over until you pass on from this Earth. The donning of the Tan Beret, Maroon Beret, Trident, MARSOC insignia, Green Beret is not the end, hell it isn't even the beginning. It is another step in the journey you started long ago with your decision to explore your interest in SOF.

For me, when I donned the Green Beret, I realized I was a Green Beret *for* *life*. You are called to a higher place, a higher responsibility.  It is your family, it will always be your family, and you must accept who YOU truly are within that family.  

Without going into detail, I left Active Duty because I was at war in two places at once. I was at war with myself for years, while training and going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Many of you may not experience war with yourself but some of you will. This is a guarantee: fighting those "two wars" simultaneously will destroy you unless you focus on one war at a time. Here is a hint: *fight and win the war with yourself first because it is the harder of the two. *Let that sink in.  

After being gone for a year+, I finally intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually accept who I am. Why God (or whatever Higher Power you choose to believe in) put me here. I no longer live in or act out of a place of fear. I no longer ask God to leave me dead overseas (I put lives at risk by asking such a thing), rather I am thankful I am healthy enough and unencumbered enough to serve my brothers and my country.  The process to return to active duty is long.  I am a patient man.  Army Reserve mobilizations whet my appetite for now. It was a Reserve mobilization overseas that led me back.  

We want you to succeed. Go forth and kick ass.


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## The Dane (Mar 10, 2017)

Viper1 said:


> We want you to succeed. Go forth and kick ass.



Things like this really motivate me to push on and succeed. Thank you for everything you guys do for us. We won't let you guys down.


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## x SF med (Mar 10, 2017)

Viper1 said:


> For all the candidates, here is a perspective of a guy who's been a civilian for a year+ and is now going back into service.
> 
> You may not realize it now, but you are drawn to SOF because you already have the innate talents, attitude, and "energy" within you. Selection, qualification courses, and team life will give you the technical skills and hone the intangibles.  Freeing the oppressed is *already in your nature*...you just need to learn how.  This is why you shouldn't quit...it is within you. It just needs to be stoked, honed, and sharpened.
> 
> ...



Ma Deuce... all I have to say to you is; Yeungling, pockets, seared animal flesh and goodbyes that formed a family.  You know how to get in touch, brother.

A few others will understand this post, most will not, don't worry if you don't.


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## Baron (Sep 28, 2017)

thank you troll. I'm saving this piece to help motivate me through RASP.


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## x SF med (Sep 29, 2017)

Baron said:


> thank you troll. I'm saving this piece to help motivate me through RASP.



I thought about editing this, using my mod powers, but thought I'd drop the mod hat and speak plainly as me, and give you a short lesson in some of the informal board nuances and accepted norms.

1. When addressing me using the familiar moniker "Troll" it is capitalized to differentiate me from internet trolls. Please respect this.

2. Those who do use the familiar moniker (if you'll look, and check a few profiles) are for the most part long time members, SOF, military, and although it does not appear in the profiles friends or chosen family.  Sorry, you have 2 posts and are a complete unknown to me; there fore I find the familiarity a little off-putting.  Should you care, at some future time, wish to address me using "Troll" because others have done so, please use the conventions shown by those others who have used that name.

3. We are a familiar group, but we are also a bit hierarchical, due to our military bent.  This is not a high school lunch room, sometimes it can seem that way, but it's not.

4. Since it's fairly obvious that I am once again a moderator on this site, it begs the question - Would you address a teacher, or counselor at your school by a nickname used by others if you had not been invited to do so?

I'm not trying to give you a hard time or shame you, I'm trying to teach you a little something before you decide to enlist.  Protocol is important in the military, it will be enforced and if it needs to be enforced, you will definitely NOT like it.

Drive on, go do teenager things.


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## Devildoc (Sep 29, 2017)

x SF med said:


> I thought about editing this, using my mod powers, but thought I'd drop the mod hat and speak plainly as me, and give you a short lesson in some of the informal board nuances and accepted norms.
> 
> 1. When addressing me using the familiar moniker "Troll" it is capitalized to differentiate me from internet trolls. Please respect this.
> 
> ...



That is a great piece of mentoring. Honestly, I wish when I was his age someone took the time with me to help me navigate some of the nuances of communication.  Another good example of why this place is so great.


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## Red Flag 1 (Sep 29, 2017)

[QUO


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## x SF med (Oct 7, 2017)

Red Flag 1 said:


> This ^^^^  should be a sticky.



A more thought out version of it is...  in the Introduction Thread, imagine that....


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## x SF med (Mar 28, 2018)

Bump for the latest batch of new people.


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## x SF med (Jul 3, 2018)

It's summer, new arrivals...  bumped for you.


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## x SF med (Aug 8, 2018)

Bump


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## x SF med (Jan 6, 2019)

Bump.


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## DocCallahan (Jan 6, 2019)

I re-read this everytime it gets bumped, a great humbling reality check.


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## Haldex (Jan 6, 2019)

Thank you for bumping this. It was strong reminder, and a lesson, that I personally needed and I hope other wannabes read it as well.


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## x SF med (Feb 16, 2019)

Once again... bumped for the newest members.


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## Baron (May 8, 2019)

x SF med said:


> I thought about editing this, using my mod powers, but thought I'd drop the mod hat and speak plainly as me, and give you a short lesson in some of the informal board nuances and accepted norms.
> 
> 1. When addressing me using the familiar moniker "Troll" it is capitalized to differentiate me from internet trolls. Please respect this.
> 
> ...


@x SF med It has been quite awhile since I have been on this forum so I apologize for: 

A) not acknowledging your response to my post sooner

B) Making a poor initial impression on this forum. 

However, All my time spent on this forum since then has been spent reading and gathering as much information as possible. I am still very new to the Army, as I am only in the beginning of AIT as a 68W, but I have come a long way since then. 

Thank you for the response, as I am sure my mistake has showed others how to correctly address individuals here. 

Now I have another question, if it is not too late for redemption. As an aspiring SOF medic, what is expected of me to do here as a medic in training in order to get to SOF? 

I understand that my question is vague, but being at the beginning steps of the Army, it seems like theres only so much I can do here besides get a good PT score and GPA in class, but I always ask myself, what more can I do than that? Again, @x SF med, I extend my apologies for my inappropriate etiquette.


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## Hungry_Dog (Sep 18, 2019)

I have read the OP tens of times now, as well as Viper1's addition, and it never fails to stoke the flame.


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## Butthead (Sep 18, 2019)

This is the ideology people need to apply to their lives everyday. Special Operations or not.


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## sgtcoxjb (Jan 4, 2020)

Excellent advice, thank you!


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## x SF med (Apr 4, 2020)

Bump for new arrivals.


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