Dilemma between Army SF officer and Air Force CRO

[Il Duce]

I'd be curious to know the percentage of SF officers who originally branched IN. I would imagine it's high but from my anecdotal experience I know tons of SF officers who originated in other branches. Half the EN LTs I served with back in 03 who are still in are SF officers.

 

[Red Flag 1]

Thank you for the responses. I guess I missed the whole point about why I want to be an officer. I intended on becoming an officer to lead a specific group of troops in a certain job that I desired as well. But in reality, my real reason to become an officer should be to lead troops in general. It's about wanting to help them and setting a pathway for them to success. As for my back up plan if I fail SOF selection or change my mind along the process, I was planning on applying for the IPAP program and further my education to become a physician assistant. Which is after I finish my 4 year contract for the infantry.

I'm not sure why you want to pack four years of a military something, when it sounds like your end point is to be a PA. Why not complete the training and licensure to become a PA. You will have not problems finding a spot in our military as a PA. IMHO, the USAF and you as a PA seem like a good fit.

 

[Etype]

I'd be curious to know the percentage of SF officers who originally branched IN. I would imagine it's high but from my anecdotal experience I know tons of SF officers who originated in other branches. Half the EN LTs I served with back in 03 who are still in are SF officers.

I can only think of two off the top of my head. Come to think of it, I can also only think of two who hadn't been to Ranger School.

I would assume 95% is a safe estimate.

 

[Il Duce]

I can only think of two off the top of my head. Come to think of it, I can also only think of two who hadn't been to Ranger School.

I would assume 95% is a safe estimate.

That seems high to me. There are two long-tabbed officers without Ranger tabs on the ASCC staff I interact with regularly out of maybe 6 longtabs total. I know of at least a dozen SF officers - out of the 30 or so I've met personally - who were not IN. If you said combat arms, maybe. Still, it might be one of those things that's not that applicable for most cadets. If you work hard enough there is an opportunity for Ranger school in almost any branch (now, hasn't always been that way) and the same for SFAS.

 

[8654Maine]

Etype, brother, you nailed it about being an SF officer.

I'm not sure where the disagreement has been.

I loved being an NCO. I loved being a leader.

But, it was nothing compared to the responsibility and pressures that an officer faces. I got to shoot the shit with fellow NCO's and bitch to my Captain.

An officer has a the toughest & loneliest job in the world. He has the burdens of his entire unit. And rarely can he share that burden.

Truthfully, I was too chickenshit to try and be an officer.

A good officer, truly, is very special.

 

[Etype]

That seems high to me. There are two long-tabbed officers without Ranger tabs on the ASCC staff I interact with regularly out of maybe 6 longtabs total. I know of at least a dozen SF officers - out of the 30 or so I've met personally - who were not IN. If you said combat arms, maybe. Still, it might be one of those things that's not that applicable for most cadets. If you work hard enough there is an opportunity for Ranger school in almost any branch (now, hasn't always been that way) and the same for SFAS.

A couple things-

- Were they SF Officers, or enlisted SF who went to OCS?

- Which component command are we talking about?

- 12/30 is grossly higher than what I've ever come across.

- Not having a Ranger tab means you will never be an Infantry or Combat Engineer PL in places like the 82nd, which means you won't hit your year group benchmarks, which means no shot at SFAS. This is how it becomes a bit of a requirement, even though it's not.

 

[Il Duce]

I don't know the background of the officers I've run into without a Ranger tab - they could have been prior enlisted.

Yeah, I think the bottom line on this is I only have anecdotal evidence. When I was a LT I was in MI and EN units - so the peers I know who went SF are from those branches. So, that adds up to I really don't have any kind of good overview - could be 95%, could not. I tried to look it up on the HRC webpage. My branch (MI) posts briefs with breakdowns of a bunch of accessions data - how many branch detailed, size of each cohort year group, etc. I couldn't find anything like that on SF so I'm going to shut my pie-hole since all I can officer is speculation. And, speculation from someone not serving in an SF unit, who has never been SF.

 

[DA SWO]

A couple things-

- Were they SF Officers, or enlisted SF who went to OCS?

- Which component command are we talking about?

- 12/30 is grossly higher than what I've ever come across.

- Not having a Ranger tab means you will never be an Infantry or Combat Engineer PL in places like the 82nd, which means you won't hit your year group benchmarks, which means no shot at SFAS. This is how it becomes a bit of a requirement, even though it's not.

Curious (NOT CHALLENGING YOU).

When did you go through the Q course?

My initial experience supporting SF was the mid-80's and it seemed like all the ODA Commanders in 5th Group were Armor or Mech (Infantry) Officers, had my nuts chewed on for making nasty remarks about Mech Infantry (though I stand by those remarks to this day).

 

[Etype]

When did you go through the Q course?

'08.

I only spent 5 years of my life in the '80s,definitely no time in the military.

 

[DA SWO]

'08.

I only spent 5 years of my life in the '80s,definitely no time in the military.

Thanks for making me feel so.......


old.

Light infantry types seemed to gravitate towards 7th and 10th (1st was reactivated as I left Bragg) with the heavy guys going to 5th (made sense back then).

 

[TLDR20]

Anectodal and off topic, but in my SF company there were 8 officers. 7 were prior infantry and 7 had Ranger tabs. 3 were from West Point, and one had been a PL in the 75th.

 

[DZ]

Alright @DeadZeppelin , please elaborate on your disagreement.

Well I look like an idiot. Normally I stick to lurking and not commenting.

The "disagree" to your comment was a mistake (must have hit the button while scrolling by).

As I don't have anything of value to add to this discussion, I will bow out.

 

[AWP]

The "disagree" to your comment was a mistake (must have hit the button while scrolling by).

With that attention to detail perhaps our nation is better served with you in a Team Room than the Rigger's Shed.

 

[SpongeBob*24]

Talk to these smart AF SOF guys on here......


If I was going to try to be an officer now days I'd go the STO route........

 

[amlove21]

No CRO will be directly saving a life, although helping the mission. What you mentioned about leading troops, yes you will do that as an officer but you will also do that as the premier rescue specialist which is a PJ.

Oh, really? :-/

 

[Etype]

Oh, really? :-/

He sounds pretty confident. What's the big deal?