68W in 160th SOAR

Stingray01

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Apr 18, 2020
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Hello everyone,

I had some questions pertaining becoming a 68W in 160th SOAR.

How tough is it to be accepted as a 68W to go to green platoon? How long would one have to work as a 68W in a regular unit before you would get the opportunity?

And lastly, I have heard that new 68Ws in 160th have to work in the clinic for a certain amount of time before they are sent off to SOCM, Flight School, and SERE, etc. Does every 68W eventually get to work as a Special Operations flight medic?

Thank you in advance!
 
... Does every 68W eventually get to work as a Special Operations flight medic?

Thank you in advance!

Like every other SOF unit, the answer is probably a resounding NO. Just due to TO&E. The best get the chance to get to the schools and then the open slots, many will stay at the hospital or TMC. Expect 2-3 years of proving yourself, crushing schools, PT, and duty assignments, then having the chance to get qual'd as a SOFM. The attrition rates at the schools you stated are very high, many get the chance and fail.

Not to burst your bubble, just a dose of reality.

Read the thread "why do we do this?"
 
Like every other SOF unit, the answer is probably a resounding NO. Just due to TO&E. The best get the chance to get to the schools and then the open slots, many will stay at the hospital or TMC. Expect 2-3 years of proving yourself, crushing schools, PT, and duty assignments, then having the chance to get qual'd as a SOFM. The attrition rates at the schools you stated are very high, many get the chance and fail.

Not to burst your bubble, just a dose of reality.

Read the thread "why do we do this?"
Thank you for the response x SF Med. I appreciate it!
 
Former Night Stalker here, but I was 35-series not 68-series, and it was ~15 years ago.

My advice to the OP: go out and earn it. Hit up the recruiter, be the best Whiskey you can be, apply as soon as you're qualified and as many times as it takes.

NSDQ.
 
Former Night Stalker here, but I was 35-series not 68-series, and it was ~15 years ago.

My advice to the OP: go out and earn it. Hit up the recruiter, be the best Whiskey you can be, apply as soon as you're qualified and as many times as it takes.

NSDQ.
Thank you for the info Marauder06. I’ll definitely take your advice to heart!
 
I'll also add this: I've been in a lot of really great units in 25+ years in the Army. But in my experience, for individuals like us in support MOSs, there is no other unit that has the combination of mission, esprit, budget, training opportunities, care for people, and acceptance of non-operational career fields than the Night Stalkers. When I was a Night Stalker, I was a Night Stalker. I wasn't a "red hat support bitch" like I was in other SOF units.

The 160th is a great unit and I am proud to have been a small part of it for a very short time. I would have stayed longer if I hadn't gotten promoted out of the unit.
 
I'll also add this: I've been in a lot of really great units in 25+ years in the Army. But in my experience, for individuals like us in support MOSs, there is no other unit that has the combination of mission, esprit, budget, training opportunities, care for people, and acceptance of non-operational career fields than the Night Stalkers. When I was a Night Stalker, I was a Night Stalker. I wasn't a "red hat support bitch" like I was in other SOF units.

The 160th is a great unit and I am proud to have been a small part of it for a very short time. I would have stayed longer if I hadn't gotten promoted out of the unit.
Also the family support is second to none. I went into the United States Air Force flight crew enlisted started as a little master ended up as an aerial refueling operator. Spent many years in a KC-135 but my pinnacle was ARO for Air Force special operations command in the MC130J Commando. The newer version The commando 2 is an awesome aircraft but that was after my time
Anyhow my best buddy went in and ended up with the 160th and a wife and three young ones and he said his wife was so impressed with the way they took care of family. She was able to go to online college at home while taking care of the three young ones and everything was just expedited, repairs to the home, if they needed to extend payments on loans or bills or utilities I mean just everything was cut right through the red tape. They had meetings where they got other SOC families together and had barbecues and events for the children.
 
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