# Reservist to National Guard Selection...



## Swamp Honky (May 2, 2010)

This seems like a simple question... but I have contacted a NG recruiter, an SF NG recruiter and still cannot get a clear answer.

I am trying to find out if it is possible to attend selection while in the Army Reserves.  I am hoping someone on here knows someone that has done this. When I ask the recruiters they say they aren't sure. 
I want to attend selection at some point, but I am hoping it isnt necessary to switch to NG just to attend selection (Obviously I would have to switch to NG if selected).


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## AbnInf (May 3, 2010)

I know I may be out of my lane here, but I hope this helps. It may not be the the same Company you want to tryout for, but if I'm not mistaken the same holds true for the other Guard Group.

"C/5/19th SFG (A) holds monthly tryouts for entry into the Special Forces Pipeline. To attend you must:

-*Be in the US Armed Forces* and able to collect a paycheck for your attendance. 
-Be a male soldier 
-Be in the grade of E1 - E7 (enlisted)
-Be in the grade of O2-O3 (officer)
-Be eligible for a secret security clearance
-Have a GT score of 107 or higher
-Be able to pass a SF Physical as prescribed by Chapter 5 of AR 40-501
-Have a high school diploma or GED

After you meet the prerequisites contact us at the contacts provided in the thread. 

The purpose of our tryout is assess your fitness for further special forces training. If we decide that you are a suitable for further training, we will send you on Temporary Duty to all the prerequisite courses for the Special Forces Qualification Course. We have a robust stable of SF candidates and we are always looking for more suitable applicants. 

If you have not joined the military and want to get fastracked into Special Forces contact us about the Rep 63 Program. This program is a great opportunity for a young man to enter SF without loitering in the conventional army."


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## shortbrownguy (May 3, 2010)

Swamp Honky said:


> This seems like a simple question... but I have contacted a NG recruiter, an SF NG recruiter and still cannot get a clear answer.
> 
> I am trying to find out if it is possible to attend selection while in the Army Reserves.  I am hoping someone on here knows someone that has done this. When I ask the recruiters they say they aren't sure.
> I want to attend selection at some point, but I am hoping it isnt necessary to switch to NG just to attend selection (Obviously I would have to switch to NG if selected).


 
If you don't want to commit to the NG JUST to go to SFAS, why should they allocate an SFAS slot for you?
Just something for you to chew on.
YMMV.
-SBG sends


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## Swamp Honky (May 3, 2010)

shortbrownguy said:


> If you don't want to commit to the NG JUST to go to SFAS, why should they allocate an SFAS slot for you?
> Just something for you to chew on.
> YMMV.
> -SBG sends


 
What I am trying to avoid is, switching to the National Guard, uprooting myself and joining a new unit. Then I would just be leaving that unit as soon as possible to attend SFAS. I am willing to do this, however, if I can go directly from the Reserves to SFAS, it would eliminate a bunch of unnecessary steps. Also, I would have to wait until my enlistment is up with the reserves. 
My thinking is (and maybe I am wrong): SF needs soldiers, why would they exclude the Reserves and force them to wait until the end of their enlistment, reenlist for the Guard, and then try out for SF?


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## Scotth (May 3, 2010)

Someone still has to pay the bills for SFAS.  Your pay, cost of running the coarse and travel etc.  If your going to SFAS as a NG canidate the NG is paying the bills why would they pay the bills for someone they could possibly get no value from because they are in the Reserves?  If they send you to SFAS as a NG solidier and you pass they get value and even if you fail they still get value because your still going to fill another slot in the NG.

I'm no expert but it would seem to be a pretty reasonable expectation from the NG point of view to want you in the NG before sending you to selection.


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## Swamp Honky (May 3, 2010)

Scotth said:


> Someone still has to pay the bills for SFAS.   If they send you to SFAS as a NG solidier and you pass they get value and even if you fail they still get value because your still going to fill another slot in the NG.


 
Yeah, that makes sense. I wasn't thinking about it from a monetary standpoint.


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## surgicalcric (May 3, 2010)

MSG Aaron Edwards, 20th Group Recruiting NCOIC
(205)471-6462 or aaron.edwardsjr@us.army.mil

Tell him James D sent you his way...

He will answer whatever questions you have as they relate to attending SFAS from the AR, transferring to the NG, etc.  He is a straight shooter and will give you the answers to the questions you ask whether you want to hear them or not.

That being said, I will echo what my Brother stated above.

Crip


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## Diamondback 2/2 (May 3, 2010)

When I was in the USAR and looking at the same route, you enlisted into the ARNG and were assigned to 19th/20th SFG and would attend SFAS train up drills. Once they felt you were ready you would get orders to SFAS. If you did not show anything they were looking for you were State wide (your state). That is how it was in 2007 when I looked into it, it might have changed since then (I have heard C 5/19 is still doing the train up drills for SFAS).

As for attending SFAS while in the USAR, I know of one soldier who did SFAS while USAR  I think he was going through AD SF recruiters and looking to enlist AD. Not sure if he contracted first or after SFAS, but he got his orders while deployed to Ft Hood in the USAR.


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## shortbrownguy (May 5, 2010)

Swamp Honky said:


> What I am trying to avoid is, switching to the National Guard, uprooting myself and joining a new unit. Then I would just be leaving that unit as soon as possible to attend SFAS. I am willing to do this, however, if I can go directly from the Reserves to SFAS, it would eliminate a bunch of unnecessary steps. Also, I would have to wait until my enlistment is up with the reserves.
> My thinking is (and maybe I am wrong): SF needs soldiers, why would they exclude the Reserves and force them to wait until the end of their enlistment, reenlist for the Guard, and then try out for SF?




Here is my thinking. If a person is not willing to go to the hell and back just for a shot at attending SFAS, they are not what we need. If a couple of roadblocks and some extra time is going to sway you from your ambitions, you may want to look at a different career path. Selection starts the day you decide you will do anything it takes to get to SFAS, and ultimately graduate from the SFQC. SF is not a way of life for the partially committed.
My Brothers deserve nothing less...
-SBG sends.


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## Swamp Honky (May 5, 2010)

shortbrownguy said:


> Here is my thinking. If a person is not willing to go to the hell and back just for a shot at attending SFAS, they are not what we need. If a couple of roadblocks and some extra time is going to sway you from your ambitions, you may want to look at a different career path. Selection starts the day you decide you will do anything it takes to get to SFAS, and ultimately graduate from the SFQC. SF is not a way of life for the partially committed.
> My Brothers deserve nothing less...
> -SBG sends.



This is true. However, in MHO there is a difference between doing what it takes and taking the path of least resistance. There is no point in swimming across a river, if you can find a bridge to cross it.
I am by far from half-assing my way to selection. I have worked my ass off ever since I left active duty. I have worked my way into one of the best International Affairs programs in the country. I spent an additional year studying Arabic in Egypt. I am learning everything I can about foreign politics, culture, economics, why we fight, how we fight and what it takes to win in a counterinsurgency environment.
I fully understand I am nothing until I pass SFAS and and graduate from SFQC. My intent is to make myself into the best asset I can become before I even step into selection. 
My original question above was not to find an "easy" way into SF, but instead make sure I waste as little time as possible and take the most direct route possible. 
I am getting my degree because if I become an operator, one day I will find myself with broke knees and a sore back. Then I can pull the degree out + experience and hopefully help keep the bullshit away from the gen of young bucks so they can do their job.
While I am ranting, I want to thank the staff and everyone else here who takes time provide solid advice and deal with us wannabees


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## AWP (May 5, 2010)

Let us know what the NG recruiter says. It will be good knowledge for the board.


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## ReptileRC (Sep 3, 2011)

OK, so it's been well over a year Swamp Donkey... What did you find out, what route did you take, what did you do when you got there (if you got there) and what was the outcome?  Time to follow up man.  Reptile


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