New guys...

[x SF med]

At the moment there is one admin for the group, me, I'm a former 18B and 18D, among other things. Ther is one moderator - @Dead Zeppelin, a current, albeit newly minted 18B.

Introduce yourselves, tell us why you think you've got what it takes, and be prepared for honest answers, or being told you don't need to know that yet.

Drive on.

 

[doggoman343]

Hi, I'm David. I'm enlisting with 19th Special Forces Group to hopefully become an 18E or 18D. I put 18E on my enlistment forces as my primary MOS (in NG SF you do MOS selections as you enlist) with 18D as my secondary selected MOS. If anyone is interested in a little bit of my background, I'm from a suburban town in California and I want to study computer science with a minor in mathematics and Arabic at either UCB, UCLA, or UCSD. I like hiking, mountain biking, reading, and studying offensive cyber security. I think it's pretty hard to say if I'm being honest whether I have what it takes. I don't think anyone really knows until you get there. People can have amazing PT scores and while those certainly increase their chances of being selected, it doesn't guarantee them. D1 athletes and triathletes have failed SOF selection courses. The mental aspect is something that's much harder to train as some people just react to stressful situations horribly. All I can do is do my best by putting in 100% every day, trying to be the best teammate possible, and always being open to learning something new while remembering to stay relaxed, not assess myself, and enjoy the fact that I get the chance to spend a couple of weeks in some beautiful woods. Plus I'm stubborn about always finishing hikes through thanks to my father so that should be a helpful quality.

 

[That_Dude]

Good afternoon everyone. My name is Deaven, I'm 29yo with a wife and two kids. I am currently serving in the US Navy as an Aviation Ordnanceman. My chances of switching mid-contract were diminished last year when the Navy decided to stop letting people put of their contract early. I've been using the extra time (have to wait till November of 2019) to train more. I'm torn between wanting to be an 18C or 18D. I would like the medicine field a lot, but after speaking with a friend on an ODA who said he would go 18C if he were to be enlisted. He said they get to do the fun stuff, and I will always have the chance to pick up 18D when I am in. I can't say exactly why I think I have what it takes because I have never been through the process. I can say that I have a strong heart, a strong will, am motivated, am a good team player, and have a drive to be a part of the SOF community (specifically SF) that I cannot explain. Being the humble, highly trained, motivated, quiet professionals that I see the SF community to be, is why I want to go SF, and no other SOF group. Their main mission in being teacher first, was what cought my eye about SF. "Give a man to fish, he will eat for a night. Teach a man to fish, he will eat for life." The lasting impact that SF can have on communities around the world is the reward. Finally, "De Oppresso Liber." The best motto of any military community I have seen. Ever since I was young, I have stood up for those who can't. To the point that I was almost kicked out of a school district when i was a kid for fighting "bullies." That was before when fighting wasn't as frowned upon. Now, I always try to empower those who may doubt themselves, and try to give advice to those I need.
I would regret not giving SFAS a go for the rest of my life, and have a wife who is EXTREMELY supportive. Fro. This group, I hope to get any answers I may have answered, and to learn from those who have been through the process that I will soon embark on.

 

[x SF med]

@B2G … you're pushing the age limit, you'll be getting close to 31 before you even get a chance at SFAS... stay healthy and keep motivated.

 

[That_Dude]

My Birthday is this month (29th). More than likely, with the extension of OSUT and all, I will be 31 by the time I get to SFAS. To the best if your knowledge, should that be an issue? I know age waiver when I am already in isn't too hard to get, but coming in fresh, I'm assuming would be different? I contacted my recruiter and he said that he doesn't know and won't be in the office for another week or 2. He isn't too up to speed with prior service 18x contracts.

 

[bw10]

Hi All,

My name is Brian. I am 23 years old and a recent college grad (1 year out), currently working as a financial analyst while pursuing an 18x contract. I am not one for desk jobs, but appreciate the experience and opportunities it has afforded me.

Just a little bit about myself: Going into my undergrad school, I anticipated pursuing a career in LE after graduation. However, while I have the utmost respect for all of those in Blue, I ultimately decided that I would like to serve my country/community in a different manner.

While researching opportunities available to me in the military, I came upon those in the SOF community. I had some familiarity with these, but not to the extent necessary to decide on a career in one. After what's been about 2 years of research and consideration, I felt that the SF mission aligned most with what I would like to one day achieve.

Hopeful to prove I have what it takes to be a part of the SF community.

 

[moz166]

Hi All,

My name is Mike, I am a former division 1 wrestler. I was in my sophomore year of school before leaving due to financial reasons and to pursue my plan to become a Special Forces soldier. My plan was to ultimately enlist with an 18x contract after college but that plan has been pushed forward. I am currently in contact with recruiters and have taken my ASVAB, the next step is to take my PST and MEPS and sign my contract.

A little about myself, I grew up right outside of Chicago. I was a wrestler and have been hard worker all my life. I love pushing my body to its limits and when i set my mind to something i find a way to get it done. I am a big outdoorsman, i spent this past summer in Montana working on my uncles property and fishing. While there i was lucky enough to get the opportunity to speak to a couple former SF guys who gave me alot of great advice.

Im currently still training wrestling along with weights, conditioning and rucking. Im excited to sign that contract and get things rolling.

 

[Michael Collins]

Greetings, I'm Mike. I got out of the Marine Corps Reserve in June as Sgt, and enlisted as an 11b in the National Guard. My target is to finish college in about two years and attend a SFRE. I am determined to make it into the SOF community and have the full support of my fiance. Her and my three little girls are my world an she fully understands my why.

 

[JWGen3]

Hey fellas,

My name is John. I'm a 24 year old college graduate currently working in corporate America. All my life, serving our country among the best soldiers our military has to offer has been a dream of mine. It's like an itch that won't go away. After living my life how everyone else has wanted, that itch has gotten pretty unbearable. Thanks to a buddy of mine currently serving as a Force Recon Marine, I've been finally motivated into making the jump.

I was originally pursuing an option 40 contract, but my recruiter, as well as a couple contacts in SOF, think that my background and personality would fit much better in SF. That being said, I'm now aiming at an 18x contract. Until then, I'm working hard on training my body. Mentally and emotionally, I believe I'm there. I've always stayed in great shape and have a strong build - I can tackle pushups, pull-ups, and rucking relatively easily. However, my distance running SUCKS. I'm also looking to get pre-trained in land nav before shipping out. Looking for any advice that could help prepare me for this process.

 

[x SF med]

All, read the post "why do we do this?" and think hard about everything in it.

 

[Shadow1A]

Hello All,

I will make it short and to the point. Name is Frank, 23 years old, wife and 1 son. Infantryman, spent 5 years in the National Guard, and now Active Duty. Was a certified personal trainer, manager of 3 GNC locations, and a general laborer. I have always wanted to go Army SF as a child because I thought they were "the" door kickers, but as I matured I came to realize they are teachers and mentors as well as door kickers. Learning about that was what ultimately made my decision. "Why do you think you have what it takes?" I ask myself the same question every damn day, and honestly my answer changes. Some days I feel like I can crush the world, other days I have that inner voice that asks "why do you do this to yourself? why suffer? why not just do something easier? why don't you take the day off?" The only true answer I have to that is I don't quit. Either kill me or kick me out.

 

[hammerthrow1]

Hey guys,

My name is Bucyrus. I am a 22 year old D2 collegiate athlete, eagle scout, and I have had several internships with various law enforcement agencies including the US Marshalls Service. I have always wanted to serve in the military, and my older brothers were both deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan several times. One was an Infantryman and the other was a chemical guy. Watching them go and hearing the experiences they have had sparked an interest in that just didn't go away. Next week I will be going to MEPS and swearing into the National Guard, and hopefully receiving a REP-63 contract. I am hoping to ship as soon as I graduate, so I have about 6 months to prepare. There are several reasons why I want to do this, and why I honestly believe I will make it. This is going to be a long one, sorry in advance for that, but I think it is worth mentioning.

The first of which is athletically, I am a little bit crazy. We have fall conditioning every year for about two months straight, and it is just hell. I love it in a weird way. One day I pushed myself so far that I puked a little bit. Instead of going to the trash can, I just swallowed it. I wasn't going to be that guy. I honestly think you can push me to the point of where my body just can't keep moving, and mentally I just won't accept it. The only way I don't make it through Selection is if the cadre just don't like me and decide not to pick me. If I have a broken foot, I will find a way to splint it and suffer for the remainder of the three week course.

The second reason why I think I have what it takes, is I broke my foot twice during track. I was that dude in the weight room hopping on one foot in the gym doing upper body for pretty much an entire year. The doctors told me I needed a screw put into my foot, but I ignored them and insisted that it would heal. After all, I was joining the military after graduation. Guess what, it healed. But I had originally told my mother I wanted to join the military, and she wasn't having it. So when I went to the doctor for the first time my mother offered up to the doc that I had asthma when I was a kid. So the doctor put it on their records. I didn't think anything of it. I later found out that my dad was smoking around me when I was 5 and I was coughing and some doctor said I might have asthma. So when I tried to join last spring, I had to give MEPS the medical records for my foot because I am not a fan of lying, even when it comes to MEPS. So long story short MEPS cleared me for the foot, DQ'd me for asthma, which I don't have.

I went to two pulmonologists, the first one told me I had asthma although when I looked at the test results it showed that I was fine, I didn't react to the drug that they gave me whatsoever. I literally sat down and read medical studies online for like two hours because I couldn't believe what this guy just told me. I called him, and asked him if he would just sign off and argued with him about the results. His words were "Sorry son, you have asthma. I can't let you join the military" So I decided to go to another pulmonologist, who told me I was completely fine, and that the other doctor was an idiot. I just found out that I was cleared by MEPS two weeks ago. This has almost taken me a full year to even get cleared to join the military. If I didn't quit with all that, I doubt I will ever quit when I am in Selection and Q-course. Especially when I have a whole church full of people believing in me and praying for me.

Finally, this might sound cheesy but I think God wires people a little differently than others. I am meant to go do the hard things, my life is not meant to be an easy life. I do not fear death, though I naturally don't want to die yet, and I don't think I ever will. But I have that solid faith that not many have, it will get me through the hard times. When I am alone in the dark, lost and freezing. It is a solid "why". Why do I want to be a green beret? Because I think that is where God want's me to go. If that is where He want's me, I will make it. Someone has to go, and when things get tough I will remember where home is, and who I am doing all this for.

 

[DZ]

Post

Why do you want to be SF, speciffically? It sounds like you want to do something difficult, which is good, but why SF? What draws you to our organization/mission?

Something to remember when you join the military/SF training, and I say this because it seems Hubris may be an issue for you: No one cares what you did or how successful you were as a civilian. Humility mixed with quiet confidence goes a long way.

Professional and Olympic athletes have tried and failed. What you have in your mind and heart are more important than your physical prowess. Though that's not to say physical fitness isn't important.

Good luck going forward. Update us on your progress.

Oh, and Green Beret is always capitalized.

 

[hammerthrow1]

Green Berets go and help train foreign armies overseas, and they fight with them. I think that is a good mission. We get all these people over here in the states that complain about how the military "shouldn't" be over there. My college is super liberal, so I hear it all the time. Going overseas and training other armies to fight their own wars is a very good thing. We get all these guys dying over there which is a damn shame, but I bet there would be a lot more if Green Berets didn't train the foreign armies to fight their own battles. So in a way they are saving lives, by making the foreign armies stronger.

I wanted to join the National Guard. If I was going active duty I would probably have gone Airborne Infantry or Ranger first, then tried for SF. National Guard Infantry doesn't really deploy as much, and I want to deploy. Although there are guys who really know their shit in the infantry, there are also guys coming straight out of high school with mid 30's on their ASVAB. I want to be surrounded by people who challenge me and help me grow. I have nothing to lose by taking that REP-63 contract. Because it is the National Guard, if I do not make it I will be in an infantry unit in Ohio. If I fail the only thing that I lose is a little bit of my ego, but it is better to fail than to not even try.

I will update you guys as things happen. Thank you.

 

[DZ]

Green Berets go and help train foreign armies overseas, and they fight with them. I think that is a good mission. We get all these people over here in the states that complain about how the military "shouldn't" be over there. My college is super liberal, so I hear it all the time. Going overseas and training other armies to fight their own wars is a very good thing. We get all these guys dying over there which is a damn shame, but I bet there would be a lot more if Green Berets didn't train the foreign armies to fight their own battles. So in a way they are saving lives, by making the foreign armies stronger.

I wanted to join the National Guard. If I was going active duty I would probably have gone Airborne Infantry or Ranger first, then tried for SF. National Guard Infantry doesn't really deploy as much, and I want to deploy. Although there are guys who really know their shit in the infantry, there are also guys coming straight out of high school with mid 30's on their ASVAB. I want to be surrounded by people who challenge me and help me grow. I have nothing to lose by taking that REP-63 contract. Because it is the National Guard, if I do not make it I will be in an infantry unit in Ohio. If I fail the only thing that I lose is a little bit of my ego, but it is better to fail than to not even try.

I will update you guys as things happen. Thank you.

Good response.

 

[Sgustafson1027]

Hi all,

My name's Sam. I'm an 18 year old who recently Enlisted in the NEARNG as a 35F. I'm in the process of finishing my senior year of High School, and am waiting to ship for Basic and AIT. In the meanwhile, I am drilling one weekend a month as a part of the Recruit Sustainment Program. Upon returning home, I'll be attending college and taking part in the SMP program, so as to commission on Active Duty when I graduate. It's my goal to become an 18A.

My dad is retired Air Force Special Operations. Growing up, I had the opportunity to meet people from every part of the SOF community. As a kid, I couldn't really understand who they were and what they did. As I got older, I got to spend time with some of those friends, several of whom are retired Green Berets. Seeing the quiet professionalism that each of them displayed, and the drive each of them have to succeed has left a significant impression on me. The fact that the Green Berets go into other countries and train people with little to no real experience, but who possess a passion for their country, and turn them into an organized fighting force willing to fight to better their country amazes me. Their willingness to insert themselves into foreign cultures and fully immerse themselves in it for the sake of their country and mission astounds me, and I want to be a part of it.

On top of the unique mission, I want to be a part of the Green Berets, specifically as an Officer, because of the opportunities to serve with and lead men who are cut from a completely different cloth. I want to be surrounded by guys who are the real "go-getters"; guys who will do whatever it takes to accomplish the task at hand. You could argue that this mentality can be found anywhere in the Army, and while that is true to a degree, I choose to believe that it is personified in the Quiet Professionals of the Green Berets.

 

[hammerthrow1]

Update on the REP-63 Contract.

I just got back from MEPS last night. I scored a 92 and 129 GT on my ASVAB, but because I had that Asthma waiver I am ineligible for a contract with Airborne in it. The SF recruiter told my recruiter that the waiver would be okay but it seems like he was wrong. Therefore, I am unable to go straight to Airborne school, then SOPC and SFAS after OSUT.

Also, my vision in my left eye is 20/70, while my vision in my right eye is 20/17. Because my left eye is 50 points below normal, they scheduled a consult for me in about a month and they temporarily DQ'd me. The doctor said that they do not think it is correctable and they think I might have a lazy eye. Otherwise, I had a good physical and it is good for two years. If that is the case I will be able to swear in the same day of the consult.

My recruiter told me that he will try his best to get me a job in the 148th infantry regiment, because his old boss works there. He said they get guys who screw up and they get dropped from drill and training, but are still a part of their force because they need to keep up their numbers on paper. He said that he would give his old boss a call and ask him if he is about to fire anybody and get me that infantry slot that the other guy had. So basically I will replace someone. I may have to wait a couple of months to swear in but this seems like a good idea.

The reason for this specific unit is because they deploy a lot more than a lot of national guard units and half of the guys are ranger qualified and most of them are really solid dudes. They have a really solid history and they have a bunch of Purple Hearts a few guys who earned the Medal of Honor. They are deploying in 2020 so if ship to basic in the summer I may be able to go on that deployment, then try out with the 19th group after I get back assuming I meet the eyesight standards.

Although this situation sucks, it may have been for the best. I think I could make it through SFAS and the Q course, but I will be very green. I will have a college degree and some experience working with a federal agency and some experience leading small group of throwers. That's it. With this new route I may have a chance to get some regular infantry experience before I go to SFAS and become a Green Beret. This means I will bring more experience and maturity to the Regiment after a year or two of being an infantryman.

I recently read a book called Fearless. It is about a guy named Adam Brown. He got into the Navy with Felony drug charges and was addicted to hard drugs. He became a SEAL against all odds, then got on DEVGRU with one eye. If all that can happen to a man, then it can happen to me. I will not give up, and I will fight for what I want until there is not a single thing I can do about it. However, if I am barred from going to SFAS because of my eyesight then it is out of my control. It simply means I will become a excellent infantryman.

Thanks for the support and I will keep you all updated.

 

[Zvedza]

Hi,

I'm 23 and pursuing a REP 63 contract with the FL ARNG. I've spoken and met with my recruiter to start the process and my packet and application have been completed. Will be taking my ASVAB relatively soon and will earn the contract this up coming summer followed by MEPs in mid-August. Current schedule is to start OSUT in Jan 2020 and begin the pipeline.

Always thought about enlisting in the army and all that etc., but in the past 2 years i finally starting getting serious about doing this and started doing some research on it to see if this was something i wanted to pursue. I've gotten a lot of helpful resources from books/online and a GB i can talk to on Facebook, which has helped tremendously.

In terms of fitness I've been weightlifting for about 8 years, but i'm still pretty skrawny'ish at 5'10 180lbs. My cardio, specifically running, was heavily neglected until i found out my 2 mile was garbage and the 5 mile seems insurmountable. Since then i've had a friend help me with my running and have been following a lot of workouts geared towards SOF recently to help with that.

My main reason to want to go this route is to join an extremely special brotherhood, not a day goes by i don't think about being part of the elite and surrounded by people who are leagues above everyone in every category and are just A+ type people. Another reason is that i want to give myself the hardest challenge ill face so far, it honestly gives me purpose to do all these workouts and to constantly challenge myself. Lastly, the mission of the Green Berets gives me an amazing opportunity to go out around the world to help people and constantly gives me the challenge of doing so much with so little.

I appreciate being able to be here to learn more about SF and will update here as i go.

 

[jsdunn]

How is it goin' everyone. I am a Field Artillery Officer looking to join the SOF community, specifically SF. I generally love the conventional side of the Army, don't really have any issues or gripes dealing with property or soldier issues or whatnot, but I am looking to make a larger impact than what I have made already.

I never considered going SF until I sat down and listened to an 18A convey his thoughts with his team sergeant, and from that point on I was sold. He was in a similar position that I was in when he was a senior LT. He didn't mind conventional Army but wanted to have a larger impact and do something more meaningful so he decided to go SF, so pretty much everything he said piqued my curiosity. Due to that chance encounter i've been committed to constructing a packet, getting an SFAS slot, and making progress towards joining the community. My YG window JUST opened at the start of this year, so I am building as strong a packet as I possibly can and then dropping it no later than the 1st week of March. The only reason I am not dropping it right now is because I working on my run for the packet PT test. Currently, I am a super average runner. I consistently score low 15 minute 2 miles, but I would like to have at least a 13:30 before I put the packet in. I am extremely confident in the rest of my overall fitness. I can handle a sub 3 hour 12 mile ruck pretty easily, max the sit ups and push ups, regularly weight train (squats, deadlifts, bench, overhead, cleans, etc), and pull-ups are absolutely no issue.

If possible, I would love to meet an 18A local to me (JBLM) so I can sit down and buy this guy lunch while picking his brain about team life and career progression after team time. Alternatively, I would love to sit down with any 18 series soldier, there's just a few questions I have that I don't know they'd be able to answer (though i'll certainly give it a shot). Further, there's an old proverb - "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another man" and I firmly believe if I develop a relationship with someone in the community it'll aid me in becoming the best possible candidate that I can become.

Look forward to talking with y'all.

 

[ShipsTaxKilo]

My name is Mike. I’ll soon be out of the Marine Corps after serving four years on active duty as a grunt.

I decided when I was a kid that I wanted to join the military and REALLY make a difference in different parts of the world. I didn’t get a chance to do that here in the Corps but I know that there are folks who make a difference on a daily basis so I’m attending a SFRE in a few weeks to hopefully get my chance at doing the same.