Good luck dude. Don't quit and don't injure yourself and you'll be fine.
Post Progress Reports Here
- Thread starter DZ
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Attended SFAS 03-21, 455 were slotted to show up a few VW* immediately before in processing. I was not selected and didn’t make it passed the 1st week. With this being said I’ll have a go at it in October of this year as I didn’t VW* myself. For those going soon and in the future Godspeed and take pt to heart.
*VW = Voluntary Withdrawn
Ooh-Rah
*VW = Voluntary Withdrawn
Ooh-Rah
Last edited by a moderator:
Don't get down on yourself. You had the heart to show up, which is more than the vast majority of the Army can say. Use the feed back you received to improve your weaknesses and go back and crush it again. I have two close friends who went to SFAS twice, and now they are phenomenal Green Berets.
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- Dec 31, 2016
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BubbaBites111
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- Jun 7, 2019
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- 12
Been a long time since the last post. I did not get selected my first time at selection. I was a non select and given a 6 month return. I learned that it’s important to want to get selected, but don’t forget about your family/support system. Don’t neglect the people who love and support you outside of the army. If you do they won’t be there for long.
I spent the next 6 months getting as physically fit as possible. The AT cadre told the 12 of us who got 6month returne dates “You know what selection is, train for it.” They did not bother us at all, a few details every other week and CQ but they gave us time to do what ever we wanted (COVID era so no formations). To my 6 month returns, don’t loose focus. Be humble, make adjustments and work on what needs work. My two biggest weakness I learned was that sometimes I need to STFU and get better grip strength so I started meditating and rock climbing on top of improving my diet and workout routine. Anyways, stay focused, 2 guys VWed before we went back and 2 more failed the PT test and 2 more got cut at landnav. But the 6 of us who made it to the end got picked up. All the guys who didn’t make it (except 1) from our group of 12 openly spoke about how they didn’t really want it anymore.
At selection I was given the MOS 18D.
I will continue my Q course updates in the days to follow. Advice for the Q, don’t try to get G2 I’ve seen it fuck guys up when they get bad G2. Also it’s more fun to go into certain training phases (sere, sage) without knowing what to expect.
I spent the next 6 months getting as physically fit as possible. The AT cadre told the 12 of us who got 6month returne dates “You know what selection is, train for it.” They did not bother us at all, a few details every other week and CQ but they gave us time to do what ever we wanted (COVID era so no formations). To my 6 month returns, don’t loose focus. Be humble, make adjustments and work on what needs work. My two biggest weakness I learned was that sometimes I need to STFU and get better grip strength so I started meditating and rock climbing on top of improving my diet and workout routine. Anyways, stay focused, 2 guys VWed before we went back and 2 more failed the PT test and 2 more got cut at landnav. But the 6 of us who made it to the end got picked up. All the guys who didn’t make it (except 1) from our group of 12 openly spoke about how they didn’t really want it anymore.
At selection I was given the MOS 18D.
I will continue my Q course updates in the days to follow. Advice for the Q, don’t try to get G2 I’ve seen it fuck guys up when they get bad G2. Also it’s more fun to go into certain training phases (sere, sage) without knowing what to expect.
TLDR20
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- Jan 7, 2009
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Good job dude
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- Sep 12, 2012
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- 12,827
What a fantastic outlook; I wish every member who came here looking for “tips and tricks“ could read what you shared.
Devildoc
Verified Military
That's great, and maybe we'll meet when you are in SOCM or SFMS.
Well done.
Well done! Killer instinct!
BubbaBites111
Unverified
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2019
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- 12
All right as promised, my Q course recap/lessons learned. Mods, If anything in this post is considered G2 tell me and I will adjust.
Post-selection: After selection, you will get placed in a hold unit for guys in the Q. Day-to-day is not too bad, CQ shifts, daily accountability formations, details, and sometimes the cadre will have mandatory morning PT. I call it Q course limbo, you don't want to be here for long. Your time here will depend on when you get a slot to class up to your next phase of training. The cadre in this "phase" manage every student in the Q course, for the most part, they do a good job but they do make mistakes so if you feel like you are getting left behind or not classing up when you should make sure you talk to them. Having a 300 APFT will show them you are motivated to train. You WILL have PT gates to class up so make sure you are staying fit, it blows my mind but you will see guys fail PT tests by a large margin here in limbo. A mentor of mine told me that you should be able to PASS an apft at any time in your SF career, take this advice to heart. Pretty much every phase will degrade your body so use this time to get fit as possible.
BLC: Everyone who has not gone to ARMY BLC will go to 3 weeks of BLC at camp Mackall. It is the most "relaxed" phase of training. The cadre here will generally treat you how you act. If you act like adults they will treat you as such if you act like children they will treat you like children. Lots of PowerPoint, written papers and physical assessments. Just do what you are told, the right place/time/uniform, and you will be fine. Here you will meet the guys who you will go through the Q course with. When I went we got to use the gym, this is a privilege so keep it clean and put your weights away so you don't screw the next class. Use this time to get yoked.
SOCM/SFMS:
EMT: The first phase of SOCM and for me, it was a gut punch. The information comes at you fast and furious so don't fall behind or you will go through the rest of SOCM playing catchup. The info is a lot but relative to the next few phases it's very manageable. Use this time to develop your routine and build good study habits. I did not graduate college and worked as a bartender for many years prior to the military so I had to learn how to learn. If I could re-do EMT I would develop a solid study group during this phase, but I am kind of shy and I my ego was still a little too big. Your class is going to have other SOF medics who have probably had medical experience/MOS training as a 68w or Corpsman so make friends with them early. Day to day I was still able to have long workout sessions and full nights of sleep. Make sure you go into hands-on tests with enough passing reps to feel confident, that means come in on your off time to get reps. The instructors will never hide the grading criteria from you so you have every opportunity to run passing clinics prior to test day. DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU, STUDY and you will do fine.
Clinical Fundamentals:
This is where the firehose opens. There is a ton of information that will get forced into your brain. The instructors are great and fairly approachable. Study every day and pre-read the material prior to the class. This, for me, was the worst part of SOCM. The study habits that got me through EMT did not work for Clin Funds and I found out pretty quickly. During this phase, I cut out sleep, a healthy diet, and a consistent workout routine. During this phase, I tried to tell myself that I could do it all by myself and still have time to live my life outside of SOCM. Some guys in class will be able to absorb information like a sponge, party on weekends, and still pass every test. I hate those guys (not really). I ended up failing the last test of this phase and had to retest. It was a wake-up call, and the first thing I did after passing the re-test was I reached out to my buddies who were doing well and ask to study with them.
Clinical Medicine:
This is often considered one of the best phases of SOCM. The instructors in this block are world-class and have so much experience and information I really felt honored to be their student. The course info here feels more relevant to the 18D job than the dull fundamentals of the prior phase. You will get a lot more out of it if you did well in Clin funds, if not (like me) you will have to spend more time going back to relearn stuff. Medicine builds off of the basics so make sure you start strong. I started this phase with a great study group. It helped me learn better study habits that the other guys used, also I didn't want to be the dumbest guy in the group so I studied to excel, not just to pass the test. My entire study group's GPAs all went up. I was able to get a decent workout routine and sleep. Once I figured out how to study and a routine that worked for me my stress levels went to a more manageable place and my grades went up. Learn from my mistakes, Don't wait until this phase to ask for help and develop a routine. Another quote from a mentor. "Whatever keeps your blade sharp" what works for me might not work for the next guy, so find out what works for you.
Trauma 1:
This is kind of a breath of fresh air from the academic heavy blocks because it's mostly hands-on. DON'T EASE ON THE GAS. ACLS is the first hurdle of this phase, don't just pass, really understand it and learn it. ALCS will come back to haunt you when you have to go on rotation as a paramedic. Again, the reoccurring theme here is to do what the instructors tell you and get the REPS in for the hands-on stuff. As a tactile learner, the hands-on stuff was easier for me. Get your study group and practice practice practice. This block is where you will see guys getting burned out so keep your classmates motivated.
Trauma 2:
The Hump, the "Filter", the bloodbath... I'm just kidding. Trauma 2 is a test of stress management. If you made it this far you have shown that you can study and are competent. This phase is where you are tested for your ability to actually operate as a combat medic under stress. During this phase, my wife went on vacation with her family for 2 weeks. I was by myself so I was the first one in the classroom every day and the last one to leave almost every day. My routine turned into schoolhouse from wakeup(0530) to 1900, come home and do 100 pushups/sit-ups/squats and a 15-20 minute run (about 40 minutes), shower, eat and cook/prep for the next day then bed around 2200 rinse and repeat until the end of T2. Put in the work and practice with the right people and anyone can pass. GET THE REPS YOU NEED. Other guys in the class told me that I was going to burn out. A lot of guys did a lot less than me and still passed, so find out what works for you. This is the routine that worked for me. This is a stressful block but It is the first one I really felt like a combat medic so try to have fun.
In the days to follow I will continue my lessons learned/recap on my Q course experience.
Post-selection: After selection, you will get placed in a hold unit for guys in the Q. Day-to-day is not too bad, CQ shifts, daily accountability formations, details, and sometimes the cadre will have mandatory morning PT. I call it Q course limbo, you don't want to be here for long. Your time here will depend on when you get a slot to class up to your next phase of training. The cadre in this "phase" manage every student in the Q course, for the most part, they do a good job but they do make mistakes so if you feel like you are getting left behind or not classing up when you should make sure you talk to them. Having a 300 APFT will show them you are motivated to train. You WILL have PT gates to class up so make sure you are staying fit, it blows my mind but you will see guys fail PT tests by a large margin here in limbo. A mentor of mine told me that you should be able to PASS an apft at any time in your SF career, take this advice to heart. Pretty much every phase will degrade your body so use this time to get fit as possible.
BLC: Everyone who has not gone to ARMY BLC will go to 3 weeks of BLC at camp Mackall. It is the most "relaxed" phase of training. The cadre here will generally treat you how you act. If you act like adults they will treat you as such if you act like children they will treat you like children. Lots of PowerPoint, written papers and physical assessments. Just do what you are told, the right place/time/uniform, and you will be fine. Here you will meet the guys who you will go through the Q course with. When I went we got to use the gym, this is a privilege so keep it clean and put your weights away so you don't screw the next class. Use this time to get yoked.
SOCM/SFMS:
EMT: The first phase of SOCM and for me, it was a gut punch. The information comes at you fast and furious so don't fall behind or you will go through the rest of SOCM playing catchup. The info is a lot but relative to the next few phases it's very manageable. Use this time to develop your routine and build good study habits. I did not graduate college and worked as a bartender for many years prior to the military so I had to learn how to learn. If I could re-do EMT I would develop a solid study group during this phase, but I am kind of shy and I my ego was still a little too big. Your class is going to have other SOF medics who have probably had medical experience/MOS training as a 68w or Corpsman so make friends with them early. Day to day I was still able to have long workout sessions and full nights of sleep. Make sure you go into hands-on tests with enough passing reps to feel confident, that means come in on your off time to get reps. The instructors will never hide the grading criteria from you so you have every opportunity to run passing clinics prior to test day. DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU, STUDY and you will do fine.
Clinical Fundamentals:
This is where the firehose opens. There is a ton of information that will get forced into your brain. The instructors are great and fairly approachable. Study every day and pre-read the material prior to the class. This, for me, was the worst part of SOCM. The study habits that got me through EMT did not work for Clin Funds and I found out pretty quickly. During this phase, I cut out sleep, a healthy diet, and a consistent workout routine. During this phase, I tried to tell myself that I could do it all by myself and still have time to live my life outside of SOCM. Some guys in class will be able to absorb information like a sponge, party on weekends, and still pass every test. I hate those guys (not really). I ended up failing the last test of this phase and had to retest. It was a wake-up call, and the first thing I did after passing the re-test was I reached out to my buddies who were doing well and ask to study with them.
Clinical Medicine:
This is often considered one of the best phases of SOCM. The instructors in this block are world-class and have so much experience and information I really felt honored to be their student. The course info here feels more relevant to the 18D job than the dull fundamentals of the prior phase. You will get a lot more out of it if you did well in Clin funds, if not (like me) you will have to spend more time going back to relearn stuff. Medicine builds off of the basics so make sure you start strong. I started this phase with a great study group. It helped me learn better study habits that the other guys used, also I didn't want to be the dumbest guy in the group so I studied to excel, not just to pass the test. My entire study group's GPAs all went up. I was able to get a decent workout routine and sleep. Once I figured out how to study and a routine that worked for me my stress levels went to a more manageable place and my grades went up. Learn from my mistakes, Don't wait until this phase to ask for help and develop a routine. Another quote from a mentor. "Whatever keeps your blade sharp" what works for me might not work for the next guy, so find out what works for you.
Trauma 1:
This is kind of a breath of fresh air from the academic heavy blocks because it's mostly hands-on. DON'T EASE ON THE GAS. ACLS is the first hurdle of this phase, don't just pass, really understand it and learn it. ALCS will come back to haunt you when you have to go on rotation as a paramedic. Again, the reoccurring theme here is to do what the instructors tell you and get the REPS in for the hands-on stuff. As a tactile learner, the hands-on stuff was easier for me. Get your study group and practice practice practice. This block is where you will see guys getting burned out so keep your classmates motivated.
Trauma 2:
The Hump, the "Filter", the bloodbath... I'm just kidding. Trauma 2 is a test of stress management. If you made it this far you have shown that you can study and are competent. This phase is where you are tested for your ability to actually operate as a combat medic under stress. During this phase, my wife went on vacation with her family for 2 weeks. I was by myself so I was the first one in the classroom every day and the last one to leave almost every day. My routine turned into schoolhouse from wakeup(0530) to 1900, come home and do 100 pushups/sit-ups/squats and a 15-20 minute run (about 40 minutes), shower, eat and cook/prep for the next day then bed around 2200 rinse and repeat until the end of T2. Put in the work and practice with the right people and anyone can pass. GET THE REPS YOU NEED. Other guys in the class told me that I was going to burn out. A lot of guys did a lot less than me and still passed, so find out what works for you. This is the routine that worked for me. This is a stressful block but It is the first one I really felt like a combat medic so try to have fun.
In the days to follow I will continue my lessons learned/recap on my Q course experience.
BubbaBites111
Unverified
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2019
- Messages
- 12
Had some other thing going on but not to worry, my recap of the Q.
Trauma 3:
Once you get to T3 most of the guys and gals will be happy to have gotten their go in T2, be happy, celebrate with your boys, and get ready for the next phase. T3 was the most fun phase for me, you now have a little more time to work out and chill at the end of the day. If T2 was proving that you are capable of being a Combat medic then T3 is showing you HOW to be a combat medic. The cadre here treat you like a teammate and are approachable. Don't forget your place and slack off because they will not hesitate to "recalibrate" you. the things you learn in this block are a reflection of the things you will be doing as a SOCM. I have heard things have changed though since I have been through this course.
CLINICAL ROTATIONS:
This is where you put your knowledge to the test. you will go to a major hospital (or two) where you will get to do real medicine and treat real patients. The more willing you are to get out of your comfort zone the more cool things you will get to do. You will scrub into surgeries, You will do life-saving interventions on dying patients and it will be very fast-paced and very intense, but you are one of the most trained medics in the military and you got your boys with you. It took me about 2 days to put myself into situations that I was uncomfortable in and I am so glad that I did. I got to do 2 chest tubes, an amputation, I remove a bullet from a person's leg, I scrubbed into multiple orthopedic surgeries to realign fractured bones and screw in plates, I delivered a baby, and assisted a C-section. I Push more Narcan than I can remember and did sutures until my hands cramped. Once I realized that Confidence speaks more than words in some situations all of the doors opened. Don't forget this you are here to get as much experience as possible so when your buddy gets shot down range it won't be your first time in a real-life situation where you have to use your medical skills.
-story time- When I did my first chest tube it was me, a few medical students, and 2 resident doctors on the floor. The attending called on one of the residents to get ready to do a chest tube and said that I will get the next one, all of a sudden the head of surgery came in and said "Where is the SOCM?" i raised my hand and he said, "get ready you're doing this one!" I got ready and I did the procedure. this doctor was in the army reserves as a surgeon. later he pulled me aside and told me that those residents have 4 years to do all the chest tubes they want and I only have 30 days, then he said "When it's me who gets shot down range you are the one that will be operating on me" That moment really stuck with me.
NRP:
Study your ass off, and pass. They will give you the resources. This is the last thing to do to finish SOCM.
Hopefully, I will do the rest of the Q review by the end of the weekend.
Trauma 3:
Once you get to T3 most of the guys and gals will be happy to have gotten their go in T2, be happy, celebrate with your boys, and get ready for the next phase. T3 was the most fun phase for me, you now have a little more time to work out and chill at the end of the day. If T2 was proving that you are capable of being a Combat medic then T3 is showing you HOW to be a combat medic. The cadre here treat you like a teammate and are approachable. Don't forget your place and slack off because they will not hesitate to "recalibrate" you. the things you learn in this block are a reflection of the things you will be doing as a SOCM. I have heard things have changed though since I have been through this course.
CLINICAL ROTATIONS:
This is where you put your knowledge to the test. you will go to a major hospital (or two) where you will get to do real medicine and treat real patients. The more willing you are to get out of your comfort zone the more cool things you will get to do. You will scrub into surgeries, You will do life-saving interventions on dying patients and it will be very fast-paced and very intense, but you are one of the most trained medics in the military and you got your boys with you. It took me about 2 days to put myself into situations that I was uncomfortable in and I am so glad that I did. I got to do 2 chest tubes, an amputation, I remove a bullet from a person's leg, I scrubbed into multiple orthopedic surgeries to realign fractured bones and screw in plates, I delivered a baby, and assisted a C-section. I Push more Narcan than I can remember and did sutures until my hands cramped. Once I realized that Confidence speaks more than words in some situations all of the doors opened. Don't forget this you are here to get as much experience as possible so when your buddy gets shot down range it won't be your first time in a real-life situation where you have to use your medical skills.
-story time- When I did my first chest tube it was me, a few medical students, and 2 resident doctors on the floor. The attending called on one of the residents to get ready to do a chest tube and said that I will get the next one, all of a sudden the head of surgery came in and said "Where is the SOCM?" i raised my hand and he said, "get ready you're doing this one!" I got ready and I did the procedure. this doctor was in the army reserves as a surgeon. later he pulled me aside and told me that those residents have 4 years to do all the chest tubes they want and I only have 30 days, then he said "When it's me who gets shot down range you are the one that will be operating on me" That moment really stuck with me.
NRP:
Study your ass off, and pass. They will give you the resources. This is the last thing to do to finish SOCM.
Hopefully, I will do the rest of the Q review by the end of the weekend.
BubbaBites111
Unverified
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2019
- Messages
- 12
Sorry, I have had a very busy year since my last post.
SFMS- the workload from SOCM to SFMS is going to relax quite a bit, possibly because at this point you have honed in your method of studying. The 4 phases are more in-depth aspects of different areas of medicine that you will have to know as an 18D. The instructors are great and have a full wealth of knowledge. If you made it through SOCM you should make it through SFMS. once you get assigned patients during SAR understand that you will have very long days with very little sleep.
SERE- Oh boy, this was my favorite phase of the course. The first week is a fun week of outdoor training learning to live off the land, if you are into the outdoors this will be a lot of fun. I am not going to go into detail about the rest of this course, just remember that this is a very hard course to fail. Make friends and have a good attitude. Remember that it IS an Army school and everything they do is for a reason, some guys forget that.
SUT- This is the Phase in which you learn tactics, briefs, and the things that we think of when we think about Military operations. A lot of guys make the comparison to Ranger school, although I am not tabbed so I cannot speak on that. This Phase is going to suck, long movements, heavy rucks, and high-stress situations. But all those times when you were learning your MOS skills and thinking "I just want to run and gun" you will get plenty of that. If you are a higher-ranking guy or officer you will be taking higher positions in your platoon leadership. Just remember that you really have to be a team player during this phase. it's easy to be cool and level-headed when you are full and well-rested but after days of almost no sleep and little food, your temper will be very short. You don't earn your GOs you earn the GOs for the guys next to you. As an 18x this is really the first time you will be put in a position of leadership, so be decisive, take control, and commit to the decisions that you make. I had some very experienced guys on my team, seek their advice but remember that YOU are the guy in charge, not them.
Robin Sage- This is the phase where you learn UW and get to partake in one of the coolest most in-depth, choose-your-own adventure, roll playing experiences, well, probably in the world. For the most part, I was with the same team I had during SUT so we all were very comfortable with each other by this point. The biggest difference between this phase and SUT, for me, is that you will be put into situations that do not have right answers, and your morality, MOS, Tactical skills, grit, and leadership be tested. The Infil for this phase during the CULEX was probably the worst movement that I have ever experienced in my military career and the first time during training that I had to treat real-world injuries. For me, it was very high-stress and complicated, but it is that way by design. You have to do your best and stick to your guns. I remember thinking that I need to do what I think is best, if the Cadre don't like it then I am not what the regiment wants and that is ok. Luckily it worked out for me. But this is that last thing you have to do before you get your long tab, so enjoy it.
Language- When I went through this was after graduation. This is not a hard phase. there are short languages and long languages. Even though you have a new hat and a little heavier shoulder, don't forget that you still need to pass this before you are operational. The guys I saw who did not pass this phase just didn't put in the work or got in trouble with drinking/women/etc. Stay focused and start getting ready physically to show up to your team ready to hit the ground running. The studying is long and you probably will feel stupid at times, but the system works. Don't get fat. Don't do it. They also usually offer a predive class that you can attend before class in the morning and you will go to SFCD before you PCS to Group. Talk to the cadre once you finish about taking some leave, most guys take 2-3 weeks. Enjoy it because your next stop is being the new guy on an SFOD-A.
That's pretty much my little recap of the Q course. I wrote this because coming through this forum helped me. I would like to give back. Remember to have a good support system outside the military and I HIGHLY recommend a hobby that relaxes you, working out doesn't count. Team life is going to be fast and demanding, so keep in mind that everything in the Q is for a reason.
SFMS- the workload from SOCM to SFMS is going to relax quite a bit, possibly because at this point you have honed in your method of studying. The 4 phases are more in-depth aspects of different areas of medicine that you will have to know as an 18D. The instructors are great and have a full wealth of knowledge. If you made it through SOCM you should make it through SFMS. once you get assigned patients during SAR understand that you will have very long days with very little sleep.
SERE- Oh boy, this was my favorite phase of the course. The first week is a fun week of outdoor training learning to live off the land, if you are into the outdoors this will be a lot of fun. I am not going to go into detail about the rest of this course, just remember that this is a very hard course to fail. Make friends and have a good attitude. Remember that it IS an Army school and everything they do is for a reason, some guys forget that.
SUT- This is the Phase in which you learn tactics, briefs, and the things that we think of when we think about Military operations. A lot of guys make the comparison to Ranger school, although I am not tabbed so I cannot speak on that. This Phase is going to suck, long movements, heavy rucks, and high-stress situations. But all those times when you were learning your MOS skills and thinking "I just want to run and gun" you will get plenty of that. If you are a higher-ranking guy or officer you will be taking higher positions in your platoon leadership. Just remember that you really have to be a team player during this phase. it's easy to be cool and level-headed when you are full and well-rested but after days of almost no sleep and little food, your temper will be very short. You don't earn your GOs you earn the GOs for the guys next to you. As an 18x this is really the first time you will be put in a position of leadership, so be decisive, take control, and commit to the decisions that you make. I had some very experienced guys on my team, seek their advice but remember that YOU are the guy in charge, not them.
Robin Sage- This is the phase where you learn UW and get to partake in one of the coolest most in-depth, choose-your-own adventure, roll playing experiences, well, probably in the world. For the most part, I was with the same team I had during SUT so we all were very comfortable with each other by this point. The biggest difference between this phase and SUT, for me, is that you will be put into situations that do not have right answers, and your morality, MOS, Tactical skills, grit, and leadership be tested. The Infil for this phase during the CULEX was probably the worst movement that I have ever experienced in my military career and the first time during training that I had to treat real-world injuries. For me, it was very high-stress and complicated, but it is that way by design. You have to do your best and stick to your guns. I remember thinking that I need to do what I think is best, if the Cadre don't like it then I am not what the regiment wants and that is ok. Luckily it worked out for me. But this is that last thing you have to do before you get your long tab, so enjoy it.
Language- When I went through this was after graduation. This is not a hard phase. there are short languages and long languages. Even though you have a new hat and a little heavier shoulder, don't forget that you still need to pass this before you are operational. The guys I saw who did not pass this phase just didn't put in the work or got in trouble with drinking/women/etc. Stay focused and start getting ready physically to show up to your team ready to hit the ground running. The studying is long and you probably will feel stupid at times, but the system works. Don't get fat. Don't do it. They also usually offer a predive class that you can attend before class in the morning and you will go to SFCD before you PCS to Group. Talk to the cadre once you finish about taking some leave, most guys take 2-3 weeks. Enjoy it because your next stop is being the new guy on an SFOD-A.
That's pretty much my little recap of the Q course. I wrote this because coming through this forum helped me. I would like to give back. Remember to have a good support system outside the military and I HIGHLY recommend a hobby that relaxes you, working out doesn't count. Team life is going to be fast and demanding, so keep in mind that everything in the Q is for a reason.
Devildoc
Verified Military
Where did you do SOCT? What did you like? Dislike?
BubbaBites111
Unverified
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2019
- Messages
- 12
I went to Montana, there was a former 18D, now PA at the IHS hospital and he was great due to the fact that he would walk through a case with us, and after we gave a plan, he would give us consideration if we were to come across the same case in an austere environment that lacked things like imaging. Also, we had pretty much free range to go about the hospital and get to participate in procedures etc. but we mostly stayed in the ER. I think going to the site with someone who actually wants to do more medicine is also a big part of it. I heard some guys are pretty checked out and don't want to do a whole lot.
Congratulations and thanks for the update!
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