18A Mentor Request

Dimethylamine

Field Artillery
Verified Military
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Messages
97
Location
Land of hipsters, craft beer, and coffee
Good morning everyone,

Being back from my first deployment with the Guard (been back home for two weeks) has gotten me thinking. I am not entirely content with my career in the National Guard and I am up for promotion to Captain within a year or so, so I want to make my transition to 19th Group. I was wondering if there was a mentor available in Washington state? Any sort of mentorship would help. I can reimburse you for your time in beer. If you like IPAs, I won't judge, we are in the Pacific Northwest.

A bit of background:
I already reached out to a recruiter, and someone from 5/19 got a hold of me if I wanted to put in for SFRE. I asked whether not going to Ranger School was an issue, and he said some of his best ODA CDRs were non tabbed, but I still feel I would need to be tabbed to be competitive, especially not being Infantry.

From my research and own physical assessment,
-I need to still improve my public speaking (as outlined in my last thread)
-Ruck times need to still improve (I did the Norwegian Foot March a couple of months ago, but still room for improvement)
-Run times just need fine tuning (I'm doing a strength program right now)
-Language learning: If I study exclusively on GLOSS for a bit for the DLPT, I can score 1+/1+ on Russian.

Thank you for reading.
 
Sounds like the recruiter was non-tabbed as well as the guy from the 5/19 who was so impressed by his non-tabbed SFODA TLDR's.

Ranger school will advance your career in any given MOS, bar none. If you want to go, GO. Sign the 4187. You're already FA so you've had some tactical field training. RS will give you SUT and a 56 day (or more) gut check.

Public speaking has nothing to do with RS, strength training has nothing to do with run times, 1+/1+ is great for Russian, expect 10th Grp but that's the 500m target. Focus on the 25m - RS.
 
That's what I'm saying.
Sounds like the recruiter was non-tabbed as well as the guy from the 5/19 who was so impressed by his non-tabbed SFODA TLDR's.

Ranger school will advance your career in any given MOS, bar none. If you want to go, GO. Sign the 4187. You're already FA so you've had some tactical field training. RS will give you SUT and a 56 day (or more) gut check.

Public speaking has nothing to do with RS, strength training has nothing to do with run times, 1+/1+ is great for Russian, expect 10th Grp but that's the 500m target. Focus on the 25m - RS.

That's what I'm saying (as in, I agree with you, hopefully I didn't come across saying "Yeah bro, I know."). I don't disagree with his sentiment, but MY sentiment is I probably only have one shot at this, so I might as well make it count and have a tab. He asked if I was willing to learn, and I said yes. The problem with this question is, it's easy for anyone of every motivation to say yes, because who is going to say "No, I'm not willing to learn."

I tried to get a RTAC/pre-Ranger slot with the Infantry unit I supported, but they decided only the infantry people should get slots, despite me passing all the same gates and being the ONLY FA officer volunteering. So, being back with my organic unit, I'm hoping to get a slot through them, but they're not abundant. Also, everyone is sleeping right now because they're either in EUCOM or resting from getting back from deployment, and because my unit only treats their planning as 1 weekend a month. Excuse my attitude, I'm a bit bitter from how things turned out overall, but more wise at the end of it all.

Edited for clarity
 
Last edited:
That's what I'm saying.


That's what I'm saying. I don't disagree with his sentiment, but MY sentiment is I probably only have one shot at this, so I might as well make it count and have a tab. He asked if I was willing to learn, and I said yes. The problem with this question is, it's easy for anyone of every motivation to say yes, because who is going to say "No, I'm not willing to learn."

I tried to get a RTAC/pre-Ranger slot with the Infantry unit I supported, but they decided only the infantry people should get slots, despite me passing all the same gates and being the ONLY FA officer volunteering. So, being back with my organic unit, I'm hoping to get a slot through them, but they're not abundant. Also, everyone is sleeping right now because they're either in EUCOM or resting from getting back from deployment, and because my unit only treats their planning as 1 weekend a month. Excuse my attitude, I'm a bit bitter from how things turned out overall, but more wise at the end of it all.

Have you tried, really tried?

Like as hard as you can, exhausting all available options?

You want to lead a team of SF guys. Maybe not having a defeatist attitude is the first step. If you want to go to Ranger school, figure it out. You are an officer, you should be able to handle the paperwork and requirements to make it happen.

I cannot honestly say I’ve ever met an SF officer without a Ranger Tab but this is just my personal observation. I was in the Q course with an officer who didn’t have one, but he was sent prior to reporting to his team. Every officer I served with had one.
 
I know all my options aren't exhausted. Forgive me and my defeatist attitude, I know it won't carry me far if I continue it.

My first option was to go through the unit I was attached to, but I think that option has been depleted. I even talked to their BN CDR and it didn't lead to anything. The frustrating thing was, there were a number of people that got slots, accepted them, but turned them down, leaving the people that wanted slots in the dust.

My last option is my home unit.
I'll keep talking to my organic unit and ask about getting a slot, because they have given them out to other Artillerymen, just not many. Either way, I have to talk to them about my desire to go to 19SFG, so it'll be a good conversation. Whether they'll see that as me using up a slot that could go to another person staying in the unit, then me moving on...well that's beyond my control.
 
I'm currently with 5/19th out in Colorado. On the topic of Ranger School, it's not too uncommon for guys who pass the SFRE and start training with the SWTD to get a slot. Hell, my current understanding is even support dudes already in the unit (aside from 35P) that want Ranger School have to pass SFRE first as well.

I'd have to ask one of the cadre next time I see them at drill, but I think most of the guys that do take the opportunity to go to Ranger School go about 6-8ish months prior to SFAS.
 
I'm currently with 5/19th out in Colorado. On the topic of Ranger School, it's not too uncommon for guys who pass the SFRE and start training with the SWTD to get a slot. Hell, my current understanding is even support dudes already in the unit (aside from 35P) that want Ranger School have to pass SFRE first as well.

I'd have to ask one of the cadre next time I see them at drill, but I think most of the guys that do take the opportunity to go to Ranger School go about 6-8ish months prior to SFAS.
Wow, that's amazing, I didn't know they did that. I guess I just thought their job was to just prepare you for selection and then send you, nothing more.
 
I met a now retired 18D today at the grocery store. He started a conversation with me and gave me a lot of pointers and advice if I were to attempt the Q Course. I don't know if you're on here or not, but thanks Josh for the pointers and good to have a quick conversation about the military! Hope retirement treats you well!
 
Back
Top