# Looking for a Special Forces Mentor



## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 7, 2009)

First, Let me start by thanking all of you fine men.  You are examples of courage, professionalism and strength, and  i am glad to say that i admire all your achievements and i respect all your sacrifices. We all owe a debt of gratitude, thank you.   I am a currently a  college student working on my bachelors in criminal law.  I aspire to serve my country as a federal agent someday, but right now i look to forward  my career by joining the ranks of the Special Forces.  Like many others, i used to play college football at the Division II level. I played Fullback in college so i am a little bulky.  For close to a year now i have been searching, reading and studying everything that has to do with Special Forces training.  I know it will be a mental and physical battle, but i know that with proper training and good advice from men like your-selfs i can make it.  I ask anyone willing to invest some time to help me, to do so, and i will discipline my mind and body accordingly.   I am built like a Fullback although i gain some wight because i been away from the game. Please feel free to provide me with weight training work outs and running workout in order make weight. I would also like to learn Land Navigation, i live in New York City so, it's hard for me to see forests around here. I believe the Land Navigation phase is going to be the most challenging for me.


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## car (Dec 7, 2009)

Where did you play?


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 7, 2009)

I played at Kutztown University for a year and then i Played semi pro for three more years.


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## car (Dec 7, 2009)

Not making fun.....but where the hell is Kutztown? Gotta be in the northeast.....please educate me. I went to Marshall, a little university in Huntington, WV.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

You hit the nail on the head, it is in the Northeast.  Kutztown is a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania, and Kutztown University is located right in the center of town.  My career was short live, i only played for one year.  If i would have gone to where i was needed, as opposed to where i was wanted, i could have had a better career.  That's one of the situations you only examine after the fact, and when you get more mature.


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## car (Dec 8, 2009)

Welcome aboard!


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

Are you familar with land navigation?


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## car (Dec 8, 2009)

Are you talking to me, or everyone else here?

I can find my ass with both hands....but I'm not so sure about the rest of the Special Operators here......



Laddie, most of us here can find our way home without map or compass......remember to whom you are speaking.


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## car (Dec 8, 2009)

henrymrtnz09 said:


> Are you familar with land navigation?


 
But....what do you wanna know?  It's a skill - ya get it or ya don't.

How can we help you? Many here have navigated thru any terrain you can imagine......


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

It was just a question.  You don't have to a rude about man. just lookin for some advice from experienced operators, but i see you may be wrong person to ask. Good Luck! finding your ass.


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## Muppet (Dec 8, 2009)

henrymrtnz09 said:


> It was just a question.  You don't have to a rude about man. just lookin for some advice from experienced operators, but i see you may be wrong person to ask. Good Luck! finding your ass.


 
WHOA!!!!! You come on here and do this? Our home? As Car said, remember to whom you are speaking! Thats all I have to say, sorry if I am out of line Car.

F.M.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

No, honestly i respect you gentlemen and everything you stand for, and i aspire to join the ranks like yourselfs.  Im not here to disrespect any one, or Car himself for that matter.  I just need to get ready for the storm and i believe you Veterans can help me and anyone else with the same goal suceed. Car and whoever got offended i apologize, but it was a simple question that didn't require the extra comments.


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## AWP (Dec 8, 2009)

henrymrtnz09 said:


> It was just a question.  You don't have to a rude about man. just lookin for some advice from experienced operators, but i see you may be wrong person to ask. Good Luck! finding your ass.



Your situational awareness is poor.


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## car (Dec 8, 2009)

No blood, no foul.

It is what it is......

PMs have been exchanged.

'Nuff said.


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## AWP (Dec 8, 2009)

Land Nav, I never found it to be difficult though some people do. Like car said, you get it or you don't. That isn't a flippant comment. Even really, really easy courses where land nav was involved (PLDC, now the Warrior Leader Course or something and later OCS for me) had blocks of instruction on Land Nav and practice runs. Geting through a land nav course isn't terribly difficult though I cannot speak for the STAR course that SF candidates run (and I doubt the SF guys will answer many questions on it). If you wind up going 18x you'll have opportunities to work on land nav.

One thing about the Army, it will almost always give you the basics to succeed and lan nav is no exception. I wouldn't worry about it to be honest.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

Alright, my situational awareness was poor, i know.  What would have been the proper way to handle this situation?


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

Thank you for the short and sweet answer. That's all i needed.


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## AWP (Dec 8, 2009)

henrymrtnz09 said:


> Alright, my situational awareness was poor, i know.  What would have been the proper way to handle this situation?



Let it roll off your back like water off a duck and then maybe rephrase your question. You can't get rattled and you allowed one comment on the Net to do that. What if he'd said that to your face? If he was one of your training cadre? You can take a comment or two without damage, you'll have to. SF guys are highly critical of everything, including each other.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

I was most concerned with the Land Nav phase, because it's one of the first phases after the selection process and at this phase is where many trainees have the most difficulty, according to the books i have read.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

Okay  i understand what you mean by situational awareness now.


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## car (Dec 8, 2009)

henrymrtnz09 said:


> Alright, my situational awareness was poor, i know.  What would have been the proper way to handle this situation?


 
You could never know, henry.......aploogies. Truly!

I can be a bitter, mean, sonofabitchh....and I'll eventually learn to spell......

That doesn't mean that I don't warmly welcome you  to the site.

'Nuff said.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 8, 2009)

Thank you i admire your leadership.


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## txpj007 (Dec 8, 2009)

henry-

First things first...check your ego at the door.  You played college ball...great thats awesome but it aint gonna do anything to impress anyone on here.  Second, no one is going to spoon feed you how to make into any SOF career...not that that is even possible.  There are tons of sources on here for selection school/ Q course/ BUDS...whatever your flavor.  There are forums for physical fitness, fieldcraft/ tradecraft, which would be where to go for your first two questions.  Do the research, put in the effort, break yourself and be humble.  Then once you've done everything that you can of your own accord repeat...do more research, put in more effort, destroy yourself and be humble.  Then when you hit a road block where you need advice and experienced answers think your questions through and fire away.  We always need more good guys in the service no matter where you are used and we welcome you.  If this little lecture from myself or the post on here so far hurt your feelings you may wanna work on growing some thicker skin or reevaluate why you want to be here.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 15, 2009)

Thanks for the after action reveiw.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 15, 2009)

*Thanks for the advice.*

Sir, thank you for reviewing my post, i appreciate your constructive criticism.  I am a humble person, i believe in chain of command, i belief in unity(One team one mind.) and i believe in respecting others.  If i came accross as being egotistical, believe me, i am the total opposite of that.  I don't need to be spoon fed, i just came here to learn from the best in the business, and-to learn from the  men who have been through it all.  I was justing seeking a little advice in other to keep preparing both, mentally and physically in order to perform to the best of my ability.  I have evaluated, time and time again, my reason for wanting to join the Special Forces.  I want to be part of a team that serves a greater purpose and bring out the best in one another.  Your words did not offend me, they only motivate me to keep on getting better and to reform my character.   I am here to learn and grow.


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## olsarge59 (Dec 17, 2009)

All right Henry you thinking to much on this stuff and need to just do it.  
Provide the following-
First off what is you hieght and weight??
How many push ups can you do in 2 minutes?
How many sit ups can you do in 2 minutes?
what is your time on a 2 mile and 5 mile run?
Can you carry a 50 pound backpack 12 miles in 3 hours?
Answer these questions then we will see if you can even show-up and be an 18X.


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## henrymrtnz09 (Dec 29, 2009)

These are the answers for the abouve questions.

My height is 6'0 and Weight is 248 lbs
How many push ups can you do in 2 minutes? Push ups- 70 push ups within two minutes.
How many sit ups can you do in 2 minutes? Sit ups- 60 within two minutes
what is your time on a 2 mile and 5 mile run? 2 mile - 16 minutes, 5 mile run- 46 minutes
Can you carry a 50 pound backpack 12 miles in 3 hours? I haven't done a 12 miles march with a lb backpack, but i don't back down a challenge.
Answer these questions then we will see if you can even show-up and be an X". 

p.s These numbers may not be satisfactory or good enough, but believe me, i am working hard to improve in all fields.


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## 18C4V (Dec 29, 2009)

I would say download the SFAS prep book and follow the program, join an orienteering club, buy the "Get Selected" book, watch the Discovery Show "Two weeks in Hell". 

Oh yeah and start PTing.


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## QC (Dec 30, 2009)

A basic fact regarding land nav. You can get by, map only. Compass only is difficult.

Oh, and welcome BTW.


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## fox1371 (Jan 1, 2010)

here we go...


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## RAGE275 (Jan 2, 2010)

That two weeks in hell show is awesome


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## Manolito (Jan 2, 2010)

I sure wish somebody had told me what was at the end of the navigation course at warner springs.


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## kagespartan (Nov 21, 2011)

Okay. I'm a new guy so I have read through this particular discussion and others and I was hoping that I could get in contact with someone for a private message about RASP and SFAS. These questions are not seeming to be answered in the forums I have searched through, granted the MWR only gives me 20 #$#% damn minutes, so I was hoping I could get into contact with RAGE275 (suggested to me in my intro) or anyone else willing to help me with a few particular questions or to offer me a chance for their guidance (maybe even willing to entrust some of their expertise in a mentorship) as I pursue a spec ops path. 

I have made an introduction in the forum and if I screwed this up I apologize I'm trying my best with the limited time I get to adhere to the rules here so please bear with a FNG as he navigates this badass site. Hopefully I won't get flamed too bad. Please know in advance I deeply appreciate all help and will look for every opportunity to open my mind and shut my trap. Thanks in advance. 

/Kagespartan


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## surgicalcric (Nov 21, 2011)

If you have a question ask it on the open board so others after you can learn.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 21, 2011)

surgicalcric said:


> If you have a question ask it on the open board so others after you can learn.


 
I second that idea.  If your questions are legit, you should have no fear of being flamed.  Moreover, no one person on the site is an expert in all aspects of SOF, more heads are usually better.  Think about what you want to ask, do your research, and post up.


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## SkrewzLoose (Nov 21, 2011)

You also might want to read
http://www.shadowspear.com/vb/threads/trying-to-g2-a-course-will-not-be-tolerated.11872/

Just to CYA before you post/PM.


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## kagespartan (Nov 27, 2011)

SkrewzLoose- No that was not my intention whatsoever. Why would I want that anyway? You wouldn't even be worth the position you get because you didn't earn it. 

Well my question concerns RASP. Obviously it has changed since RIP  but I was wondering if anyone had any kind of current information about the ability to attain such a contract during today's Army situation? My leadership has advised me to seek SFAS as my goal but I really want the tan beret. However the recruiter my PSG talked to said it would be almost impossible to get me that contract already being in the infantry. I feel like smoke is being blown up my ass because in all honesty me and PSG don't get along great, I am not disrespectful or anything...never have been  but he plays favorites and I beat some of his "boys" in PT and events we have done and every time he accuses me of cheating or saying I didn't go all the way down on pushups or I skipped part of the 2 mile course. He just mentors himself to certain people and if you're not in that group well you get to learn the same things the hard way. 

I'm not whining I hope I didn't come off like that. I sure as hell respect him...he's done 5 combat deployments and knows a lot more than me. But my 1sgt asked me the other day if my PSG told me what he learned and I said yes but the way he talked was more like I had a chance of getting one instead of no chance as my PSG told me. 

Just looking for a clear answer. I'm not going to try to walk around my PSG's back and find out information from Company or Battalion or Brigade.. That just leads to trouble I don't want. I don't feel its wise to go over your chain of command for things. But I do want this information because I want to do this and I am kind of at my wits end. Thank you all in advance. 

/Kagespartan


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## Etype (Nov 27, 2011)

Henry,

There's a broad range of ages, body types, etc that make it. It's already been said, 5 miler, 12 mile, ruck and PT test are the prime measuring sticks, however, also make sure you can climb (everything- ropes, ladders, obstacles in general) and carry things. The key point is, you have to do all these things and BE ABLE TO DO THEM AGAIN TOMORROW, AND THE NEXT DAY- for however long selection is. A skinny marathon runner who puts up a 2:30 12 mile time is no good if he is too broken off to do anything tomorrow. I'd say being on the bigger side is an advantage, since strength is the most persistent physical attribute- meaning, it has a longer expiration date than endurance. You know you are big and strong enough to do it, so all you have to focus on is endurance and minimal maintenance work on your strength. There are hundreds of programs, resources, etc that will get you to where you need to be.

Don't worry about land nav, you get a little BS class in basic that will at least introduce you to the principals. In selection you get a day long block of instruction and then get led around by the instructors so you can see how it looks- it's more than enough to get you through.


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