Questions about PAST changes

[Valorness]

So last time I met with my recruiter to talk about the PAST and set up some stuff he mentioned that the PAST changed. He said that all requirements are the same, but you don’t have to pass the test to be selected. Just have to get close for them to select you. He also said if you were selected while not passing it that you will be trained until you pass it. I have yet to find anything about this on the forum or through Google and was wondering if anyone could give some insight if this is true or if he was just blowing smoke.

 

[CDG]

Why would this even be in your thought process? Are you aiming for just getting close enough?

 

[Valorness]

No sir, I am aiming to pass it with flying colors and am going to keep training until I am positive I can. I knew this issue would pop up in the thread but I found it interesting that they would change this and have never heard of something like this happening before. I am only interested if it is true and to see if my recruiter is only blowing smoke to try and have me sign up before my planned time.

 

[amlove21]

Yeah that doesn’t make any sense.

You need a PAST issued by a Battlefield Airman, meeting the minimum standards that are well known and easily google-able. If you don’t meet those standards you aren’t getting in. Pretty simple.

Now, I don’t know if you’ve mistook what your recruiter told you or if he means into a DEP training program meant to prepare you for Indoc or BA Prep or whatever. I suggest you talk to him in the plainest language possible. Better yet, talk to a Special Operations Recruiting Liaison (SORL) or ask your recruiter to make contact with one.

Bottom line- the information as you’ve described it here is not accurate.

 

[Valorness]

Yeah that doesn’t make any sense.

You need a PAST issued by a Battlefield Airman, meeting the minimum standards that are well known and easily google-able. If you don’t meet those standards you aren’t getting in. Pretty simple.

Now, I don’t know if you’ve mistook what your recruiter told you or if he means into a DEP training program meant to prepare you for Indoc or BA Prep or whatever. I suggest you talk to him in the plainest language possible. Better yet, talk to a Special Operations Recruiting Liaison (SORL) or ask your recruiter to make contact with one.

Bottom line- the information as you’ve described it here is not accurate.

Thank you! That is how i thought it worked for everyone who takes the PAST for their respective field. Maybe he was talking about a prep/training program I'll have to ask him. I was only quoting what he told me in person, and then later on the phone when I asked again to make sure I understood what he said.

I may take your advice and contact a SORL anyways; it was just that the information I was given sounded very inaccurate, even if the information didn't matter since I wouldn't have to worry about it if it was correct.

 

[Fl_Ag]

@Valorness, according to the 24 SOW website, if you're pursuing enlistment as a PJ, CCT, or SOWT, you need to e-mail " 24SOW.RAS.org@us.af.mil" and they will put you in touch with a SORL responsible for your geographic area. I don't know the process for pursuing enlistment as a TACP. A friend of mine who previously worked recruiting is deployed but if necessary I can reach out. He's helped me guide high school and college friends of mine through enlisting.

I've heard too many stories of folks getting jerked around and fed misinformation by recruiters. I would highly encourage you to take @amlove21's advice. Not even just in regards to your original question, but in terms of having the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Edit: Clarification that I am neither in SOF nor recruiting. Speaking from personal experiences.

 

[Valorness]

@Valorness, according to the 24 SOW website, if you're pursuing enlistment as a PJ, CCT, or SOWT, you need to e-mail " 24SOW.RAS.org@us.af.mil" and they will put you in touch with a SORL responsible for your geographic area. I don't know the process for pursuing enlistment as a TACP. A friend of mine who previously worked recruiting is deployed but if necessary I can reach out. He's helped me guide high school and college friends of mine through enlisting.

I've heard too many stories of folks getting jerked around and fed misinformation by recruiters. I would highly encourage you to take @amlove21's advice. Not even just in regards to your original question, but in terms of having the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Edit: Clarification that I am neither in SOF nor recruiting. Speaking from personal experiences.

I have heard the rumors of recruiters jerking people around too which is why I asked. I will definitely contact a SORL in the near future as you both have suggested.

 

[Fl_Ag]

Good call. Follow up on here with the answers to your questions so others in the same situation may be able to find their answer in the future. Crush it!

 

[Valorness]

Good call. Follow up on here with the answers to your questions so others in the same situation may be able to find their answer in the future. Crush it!

I will! I'll post the answers to my questions plus anything else I feel is helpful after I'm in contact with a SORL.

 

[Crimson]

@Valorness, according to the 24 SOW website, if you're pursuing enlistment as a PJ, CCT, or SOWT, you need to e-mail " 24SOW.RAS.org@us.af.mil" and they will put you in touch with a SORL responsible for your geographic area. I don't know the process for pursuing enlistment as a TACP. A friend of mine who previously worked recruiting is deployed but if necessary I can reach out. He's helped me guide high school and college friends of mine through enlisting.

I've heard too many stories of folks getting jerked around and fed misinformation by recruiters. I would highly encourage you to take @amlove21's advice. Not even just in regards to your original question, but in terms of having the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Edit: Clarification that I am neither in SOF nor recruiting. Speaking from personal experiences.

Just a heads up. The 24th SOW website has some contact information that appears to be outdated or just ignored altogether. In fact this has been touched on in another thread (not saying you should have seen it). Direct contact to a special operations recruiter or someone trustworthy?

@Valorness I spent all of 2017 working with an AF recruiter to go CCT and what he told me was that it is your local recruiter who puts you into contact with a SORL. However, in the Fall of 2017 the Air Force stood up a new recruiting unit who are to specifically recruit for Battlefield Airmen Positions. Your local recruiter should be able to put you in contact with the BA Recruiter for your area. That is what mine did for me. This was my experience, I hope that it helps. Battlefield Airman Recruiting Squadron

 

[Valorness]

@LouCar22 Thank you for the info. Both post were helpful and now I'm starting to think that my recruiter was talking about what the second form was about (The BA prep). The BA prep sounds very closely to what he was describing and maybe he was oversimplifying it by just stating that the PAST has changed.

As for the first forum, I am glad that you mentioned this before I had the chance to e-mail the 24th SOW website tonight. I will instead contact my recruiter again on Monday to see if he was talking about the Prep program and to have him contact me with a BA recruiter so I may answer the rest of my questions.

 

[Poprocks]

it’s a program that the navy seals do with their new recruites before basic training. My recruiter said that they added this program because of the high attrition rate with the Battlefield Airmen jobs, it’s a training session held twice a week after you pass the P.A.S.T, it’s mandatory you go once a month, he also said the P.A.S.T itself might be modified to become more difficult to.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

it’s a program that the navy seals do with their new recruites before basic training. My recruiter said that they added this program because of the high attrition rate with the Battlefield Airmen jobs, it’s a training session held twice a week after you pass the P.A.S.T, it’s mandatory you go once a month, he also said the P.A.S.T itself might be modified to become more difficult to.

@Poprocks - you are way out of your lane here.

Going forward please limit your advice/comments to topics that you have direct 'subject matter expert' knowledge on. Information from your recruiter to you does not qualify. To add...Navy SEAL's should be capitalized.

 

[amlove21]

@Poprocks - you are way out of your lane here.

Going forward please limit your advice/comments to topics that you have direct 'subject matter expert' knowledge on. Information from your recruiter to you does not qualify. To add...Navy SEAL's should be capitalized.

Agree here.

@Valorness feel free to contact the BARS as informed earlier, it's the right call.

 

[Poprocks]

@Poprocks - you are way out of your lane here.

Going forward please limit your advice/comments to topics that you have direct 'subject matter expert' knowledge on. Information from your recruiter to you does not qualify. To add...Navy SEAL's should be capitalized.

@Ooh-Rah roger that