1st GRP MI Support

[BravoOne]

Good morning! Long time no see…

I have recently graduated MI Soldier (35S) with a 3/3 in Hindi who is teaching himself Urdu. He’s really good with languages and is open to learning other languages as well. He took 35S against my advice but now he is wanting to explore options I first suggested to him. I was chatting with him yesterday and mentioned that the languages he is interested in are in the INDOPAC AOR and he should look into trying to go that way. He is willing to volunteer for ABN. Would anyone have some advice or POC for him to get over to SOF support.

Thanks!

 

[BravoOne]

Good morning! Long time no see…

I have recently graduated MI Soldier (35S) with a 3/3 in Hindi who is teaching himself Urdu. He has a B.A in Finance. He’s really good with languages and is open to learning other languages as well. He took 35S against my advice but now he is wanting to explore options I first suggested to him. I was chatting with him yesterday and mentioned that the languages he is interested in are in the INDOPAC AOR and he should look into trying to go that way. He is willing to volunteer for ABN. Would anyone have some advice or POC for him to get over to SOF support.

Thanks!

 

[Marauder06]

Support in an active SF unit is (or at least was, it's been a while) strictly a "needs of the Army" assignment. Tell him to call his branch manager.

If he wants Pacific AOR, he could try USARPAC (I served there too, I don't recommend it) or PACOM (harder because of his junior rank)

 

[BravoOne]

Yes he’s an E-4 with a degree thinking about OCS but I think he’s be better off hanging in there, developing his love of languages while he gets some experience. I’ll let him know to call Branch. thanks

 

[Marauder06]

Yes he’s an E-4 with a degree thinking about OCS but I think he’s be better off hanging in there, developing his love of languages while he gets some experience. I’ll let him know to call Branch. thanks

1st Group will still be there after he commissions, if that's the route he wants to go. Right now all he has to offer is language, which is important but the slots are super limited. It doesn't sound like he's got a whole lot going on that would raise eyebrows and make someone take notice.

Personally (and I've written about it several times here on the site) I don't recommend support troops go to SF units, unless it's the only way to get their foot in the SOF door. It's far better, for many reasons, to go to a unit that has a recruiting process and values its support troops, IMO neither of which SF does.

You never know what might happen, so there's certainly nothing wrong with reaching out and seeing what develops. But there are probably going to be more openings down the road for people with experience and some differentiation (an MI LT who is prior service **and** speaks Hindu and Urdo? Now you have my attention).