Former Israeli Army vet curious about SF enlistment

[ODgreen]

Hello everybody.

My name is Joe and I'm 34 years old. I immigrated to Israel from Oklahoma when I was 19 and served two and a half years in an infantry brigade as a Negev gunner. To make a long story short my career as a professional chef has hit a brick wall because of COVID so I figured I would challenge myself and have begun contemplating what it would be like to join an SF unit in the US military. I saw that their enlistment age is 35, although it says that this can be waivered. I read here and elsewhere about older guys in their 40's killing it, so I'm not concerned about that.

I have stayed in good shape and have been following developments in warcraft and keep myself semi-literate in the things I learned and am still learning. I was motivated enough to drop everything and fight for Israel out of idealism, but now I am more motivated to get into the craft of professional warfighting and be amongst skilled people who take it seriously.

I'm willing to do what it takes until they say "fuck off", so what do you guys think? Do I have a shot at joining an SF outfit? It's either that or the Foreign Legion.

Happy New Years everyone.

 

[Intel Nerd]

Bottom line: talk to a recruiter.

For what it's worth one of my first squad leaders and now good friend and mentor started out in the Golani Brigade and fought in the Second Intifada before coming back stateside, did a stint in the Rangers and 11B before switching to MI.

Otherwise, a recruiter will be able to tell you the answers to these questions, but some things to consider are potentially getting issues with securing a clearance unless you renounce foreign allegiance and all that. My understanding is that US policy is fairly forgiving for involvement in Israel, but that'll be up to Army CAF (clearance facility) and the ever changing laws.

Only thing stopping you minus an injury would be you.

Additionally, why French Foreign Legion? Unless you wanna go to the Sahel and join in the French's Afghanistan then I would steer clear (also your intro indicated you know Hebrew and Arabic and not French).

 

[ODgreen]

Bottom line: talk to a recruiter.

For what it's worth one of my first squad leaders and now good friend and mentor started out in the Golani Brigade and fought in the Second Intifada before coming back stateside, did a stint in the Rangers and 11B before switching to MI.

Otherwise, a recruiter will be able to tell you the answers to these questions, but some things to consider are potentially getting issues with securing a clearance unless you renounce foreign allegiance and all that. My understanding is that US policy is fairly forgiving for involvement in Israel, but that'll be up to Army CAF (clearance facility) and the ever changing laws.

Only thing stopping you minus an injury would be you.

Additionally, why French Foreign Legion? Unless you wanna go to the Sahel and join in the French's Afghanistan then I would steer clear (also your intro indicated you know Hebrew and Arabic and not French).

Copy that, I'll go and speak to a recruiter.

That's cool that you had a Golanchuk for a squad leader. I'm sure he told you about how Golani are a bunch of knuckleheads, lol.

I have no qualms renouncing my Israeli citizenship because I can always get it back whenever I want, providing I don't join ISIS or something and stay in polite society. Problem solved.

I would join the Foreign Legion to get EU citizenship, of course! I lived in Italy for a year after college and love the life there. Throwing lead at Islamists in the Sahel is just as good as throwing lead at them in the Middle East, also!

 

[Deleted member 11415]

@ODgreen Hey! I had a great experience working with the Israelis, even if it was briefly. They left a huge impression on me and I'm basically a fangirl for life, now. I just had a great experience with them. Your writing style made me grin because you sound like the Israelis and it makes me happy! Haven't heard slingin lead in a while Anyway, good luck on your endeavors!

 

[ODgreen]

@ODgreen Hey! I had a great experience working with the Israelis, even if it was briefly. They left a huge impression on me and I'm basically a fangirl for life, now. I just had a great experience with them. Your writing style made me grin because you sound like the Israelis and it makes me happy! Haven't heard slingin lead in a while Anyway, good luck on your endeavors!

Thank you! That's so awesome to hear. :) We get a lot of hate from many corners so it's always encouraging to get props where props are due.

Of course Israelis also feel entitled to your chips, kneepads and cell phone if you don't hide them. A bunch of little commies, for sure.

 

[Deleted member 11415]

chips, kneepads and cell phone if you don't hide them. A bunch of little commies, for sure.

As a previous, unintentional, known, bic lighter thief (me), this makes sense about why the Israelies and I get along. The saying went, If you shake her upside down by her ankles, a huge pile of lighters will instantly appear.

We get a lot of hate from many corners

That's too bad. Stupid is gonna stupid, though

 

[ODgreen]

As a previous, unintentional, known, bic lighter thief (me), this makes sense about why the Israelies and I get along. The saying went, If you shake her upside down by her ankles, a huge pile of lighters will instantly appear.


That's too bad. Stupid is gonna stupid, though

I met a Finnish woman in some dark tavern in a little Czech town when I backpacked across Europe before the army. She had just gotten out of the Finnish Army and had her lighter attached to a yoyo looking thing on her belt so that people wouldn't take it. To this day, she is the only person who ever beat me at chugging beers.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

I met a Finnish woman in some dark tavern in a little Czech town when I backpacked across Europe before the army. She had just gotten out of the Finnish Army and had her lighter attached to a yoyo looking thing on her belt so that people wouldn't take it. To this day, she is the only person who ever beat me at chugging beers.

I think I saw that episode of Friends and watched Indiana Jones the other day, too!
<NOT calling bullshit on your story, just making the pop culture references that instantly came to mind>

 

[ODgreen]

If this Finnish lady was cast in Friends, there would be lawsuits.

 

[Deleted member 11415]

She had just gotten out of the Finnish Army and had her lighter attached to a yoyo looking thing on her belt so that people wouldn't take it.

A lighter leash! A BIC Bungee! A Fire Friend! An incendiary icicle! a spark string! All jokes aside (the word "joke" is used loosely) retractable lanyards for lighters definitely make their money back. Forgot about those mammajammas.

 

[ODgreen]

I think I saw that episode of Friends and watched Indiana Jones the other day, too!
<NOT calling bullshit on your story, just making the pop culture references that instantly came to mind>

The umlauts in her last name alone are extremely intimidating. When she says it, it sounds like some pagan warrior summoning the gods of old.