I've decided to join the army.

[Blue]

Yeah well after a lot of thinking I've decided not to join the Navy. I've been researching and reading more and more about Army special forces and decided that's what I wanted; I will be enlisting as soon as my senior year is over. Now my question is should I go in with the 18X contract? or join a regular unit and work my way into special forces. any information will be greatly appreciated.

-Blue

 

[JJ sloan]

Yeah well after a lot of thinking I've decided not to join the Navy. I've been researching and reading more and more about Army special forces and decided that's what I wanted; I will be enlisting as soon as my senior year is over. Now my question is should I go in with the 18X contract? or join a regular unit and work my way into special forces. any information will be greatly appreciated.

-Blue

Hey Blue,

Congrats on your new decision! It was the best thing I could have ever done with my life and I don't regret a minute of it... well maybe a couple of minutes!
My advice to you is simple. Don't go 18X. You will be served greatly by joining the Ranger Regiment first and getting what I would consider the best possible education in tactics possible for an entry level soldier.
I joined and went straight to 2/75 where I served for a couple of years and would not give that experience up for anything. Additionally, you will experience a different level of respect due to your Ranger experience from your SF buddies should you decide to go that route later in your career.

Take it for what its worth and good luck in your future endeavors!

JJ

 

[Blue]

Hey Blue,

Congrats on your new decision! It was the best thing I could have ever done with my life and I don't regret a minute of it... well maybe a couple of minutes!
My advice to you is simple. Don't go 18X. You will be served greatly by joining the Ranger Regiment first and getting what I would consider the best possible education in tactics possible for an entry level soldier.
I joined and went straight to 2/75 where I served for a couple of years and would not give that experience up for anything. Additionally, you will experience a different level of respect due to your Ranger experience from your SF buddies should you decide to go that route later in your career.

Take it for what its worth and good luck in your future endeavors!

JJ

Thanks a lot JJ, however exactly how do I get into the ranger regiments? Is it option during enlistment?

 

[JJ sloan]

Thanks a lot JJ, however exactly how do I get into the ranger regiments? Is it option during enlistment?

Yep,
Just go to the MEPS station and tell them that you want a Ranger contract. Then you will get Ranger written into you signing contract. From there you will go to One Station Unit Training (OSUT) and do your basic and AIT there (13 weeks if I remember right). After that you will go directly to airborne school, get your 5 jumps and report to Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP). Good times!! After you complete RIP you go to your designated batallion. Either in Ft Lewis, Ft. Stewart or Ft. Benning. You generallyspend about a year on average as a youngster before they will send you to Ranger School... Painful but worth it.
You will learn an incredible amount from those guys.
If for some reason you quit or fail... you end up in a regular infantry unit or an airborne unit... same as 18X.
The benefit is that once you take an 18X contract you will have a minimal chance at going to the Ranger Rgt. The opposite is true if you take a Ranger contrat. They cannot stop you from going to SF.

 

[Blue]

Alright thanks for the info, I'm getting pretty excited about this. One more question though, you get language training right? I already speak Spanish fluently and am Learning German. So I wanted to know if they tell you what to learn or if you are able to choose.

-Blue

 

[JJ sloan]

Alright thanks for the info, I'm getting pretty excited about this. One more question though, you get language training right? I already speak Spanish fluently and am Learning German. So I wanted to know if they tell you what to learn or if you are able to choose.

-Blue

No language training in Ranger Rgt. Unless that has changed since I was there. Purely tactics... cool guy stuff. You know, killing and such.
If you already know Spanish you will skip about 4 months of training in the course when you decide to go SF. Then you will be stationed at 7th Group in Florida, by the time you get there.

 

[Blue]

Alright, I'm a native Floridian so I guess it works out lol. Thanks for the info JJ.

-Blue

 

[JJ sloan]

word. Keep your eye on the prize.

 

[Blue]

word. Keep your eye on the prize.

Will do.

 

[Trip_Wire]

Good choice! Go for that 18x! :)

 

[Blue]

Good choice! Go for that 18x! :)

I don't know, I've been mowing it over and it seems like going airborne or ranger first seems to be a better idea.

-Blue

 

[JJ sloan]

I don't know, I've been mowing it over and it seems like going airborne or ranger first seems to be a better idea.

-Blue

NOOO! Airborne and Ranger are two totally different things. There is nothing wrong with airborne soldiers, they hav done great things for our nation. But it seems you are looking for SOF. If you want to be part of the SOF community then don't settle for anything other than what you want! I suggested that you go Ranger, but that is just one guy's perspective. I would further suggest that you contemplate some other opinions and do some real research about this choice, as it is an important life decision.
Take your time and make a calculated decision!

 

[JJ sloan]

There are some highly experienced guys here on this site who will offer you some great advice, take your time and listen before you make a decision.

Besides... I'm sh*%t faced!!

 

[Blue]

Yeah I know I've been researching for a while. I mentioned Airborne because if I don't get a Ranger contract straight away I can get into a Airborne unit and have a better chance of getting into the ranger regiment.

-Blue

 

[JJ sloan]

Yeah I know I've been researching for a while. I mentioned Airborne because if I don't get a Ranger contract straight away I can get into a Airborne unit and have a better chance of getting into the ranger regiment.

-Blue

Actually, while I was in Rgt. you had a better chance of coming there as a new recruit. They didn't like what we called transplants. I don't know how it is now. If you take an airborne contract, generally you will stay there until you decide to go to selection.
If you want a SOF contract, don't settle for anything else, you will get it as long as you qualify. Recruiters will try to make you a light wheeled mechanic in airborne infantry and try to sell it as really cool... They expect you to be a dumbass, that is why this site is here; to help you get where you eally want to go! (And this is where you want to go)

 

[Polar Bear]

Join the Air Force

 

[Boondocksaint375]

Actually, while I was in Rgt. you had a better chance of coming there as a new recruit. They didn't like what we called transplants. I don't know how it is now. If you take an airborne contract, generally you will stay there until you decide to go to selection.
If you want a SOF contract, don't settle for anything else, you will get it as long as you qualify. Recruiters will try to make you a light wheeled mechanic in airborne infantry and try to sell it as really cool... They expect you to be a dumbass, that is why this site is here; to help you get where you eally want to go! (And this is where you want to go)

X2, it isn't the easiest thing in the world to get into Regiment from another unit. Why? I honestly have no clue.

 

[Muppet]

Good luck.

F.M.

 

[FORAC]

Join the Air Force

You knew that was coming. ;)

 

[RSFCowboy37F20]

Im not an expert but the way I understand it is that once your SF you can go to any school you want to Ranger HALO EOD HIHO Sniper DLI provided you pass the DLAB, SEAR ect. they say just make a list and plan on spending the next 2 to 6 years in training go 18Delta if you can get it youll make more money in the civilian sector if you decide to get out.

Bypass

By the way man no one can promise you anything to be a Ranger or a Green Beret is going to be the hardest thing youve ever tried to do your life. Never give up and never quit keep a good attitude and your head on straight give it everything you got dont stop even if you think its going to kill you. A friend once told me to keep a canteen full of water and 1 full of http://www.google.com/url?q=http://...result&usg=AFQjCNGIwD-DO0q2RpMS8D0Iswz-RMlIkw it will help you keep your concentration during the testing you will be exausted and you will still have to think.

Theres a reason they say the best of the best of the best.