SF Q course question....calling all SF guys...

[Steve1839]

All of my reading, nerding out, and talking to guys from the 80's, and I can't recall a year earlier than '84.

My recollection is that the 18 series was introduced to the enlisted side first, although it must have been in '84, as it didn't happen when I was a detachment commander in '83. September is when I got designated as an 18A...officers didn't have an S suffix, but rather 5G, so as an infantry officer I was an 11B005G. Actually, my duty MOS as a lieutenant was 48E005G, Unconventional Warfare Officer. As they were developing the 18 Specialty Code, that changed. The Foreign Area Officer types didn't like being saddled with SF types.

 

[Machete69]

I know the Q course evolves over time. I think it's evolved, changed, three or four times since I have started working with them 3 yeas ago. What part goes where, in what order, etc.

I was watching the Larry Vickers' podcast on Shawn Ryan and he talked about the old 3-phase course, and no language, which tracks with an old friend of mine who was a SF baby in the course in...83 I think.

For history preservation purposes, what was the course like when you went through?

I went through in 2019. I was a prior service Marine who signed on an 18x Ray contract.

Show up , PT test, standby for PRE-Selection (SOPC/SFPC).

Wait for SFAS date

(Selected) standby for ARSOF BLC slot ( non-x rays go back to their units and wait for orders to start the Q course)

Wait for SFOC (6 weeks) this is when you’re given your actual field team that you stay with until graduation. Field team meaning the same cadre.

MOS, 10 weeks

SERE

TACskills, 10 weeks.

receive beret, wait for language. The end.

 

[The Quartermaster]

You can come in as a PVT with an 18x contract. I know they will get E5 after SFAS before going to a team, but I can't remember when in the pipeline that occurs.

Only ever seen less than a handful under E6.

We had an PFC with us in our group at PLDC in Graf that was sent there after passing and coming back to PCS to wherever SF trainees go to, and got a slot at the last minute. The kid was more mature and more motivated than some of our E-5 type SGT's in our small group that made cutoff before being sent to PLDC.

 

[Viper1]

I know the Q course evolves over time. I think it's evolved, changed, three or four times since I have started working with them 3 yeas ago. What part goes where, in what order, etc.

I was watching the Larry Vickers' podcast on Shawn Ryan and he talked about the old 3-phase course, and no language, which tracks with an old friend of mine who was a SF baby in the course in...83 I think.

For history preservation purposes, what was the course like when you went through?

Selection was 14 days so they could add a couple more SFAS start dates. That was a June 2008.

When I got done with a deployment, and Infantry CCC, Q course began in January 2010. It was four months of language, six weeks of SUT, three weeks of SERE (and if you were in SERE you did three weeks of MOS phase prep), four months of MOS phase, and five weeks of Robin Sage. For officers they tacked on a 3 week detachment leader course at the end, one week spent in DC meeting other government agencies.

I graduated in Feb 2011 and reported to 3rd group that April.

 

[TLDR20]

Selection was 14 days so they could add a couple more SFAS start dates. I was first summer class (in a long time). That was a June 2008.

When I got done with a deployment, and Infantry CCC, Q course began in January 2010. It was four months of language, six weeks of SUT, three weeks of SERE (and if you were in SERE you did three weeks of MOS phase prep), four months of MOS phase, and five weeks of Robin Sage. For officers they tacked on a 3 week detachment leader course at the end, one week spent in DC meeting other government agencies.

I graduated in Feb 2011 and reported to 3rd group that April.

I was summer July 2006.

 

[Viper1]

Ah Nice! Will edit my post

 

[x SF med]

Started with class 12-83, graduated with class1-84, as an 11B 'SF Baby'
Pre-Phase - undetermined time frame, think SFAS, SUT, SOPC, and RIP rolled into one thing, we had a guy who stuck it out for 13 months before making it to Mackall, I was selected in a month.
Phase 1 - OIC, Maj Robert L Howard, Land Nav, Basic skills, team tactics, Survival. Note on Survival, Maj Nick Rowe was setting the POI for SERE, so if you missed a task in survival, you got sent to the 'compound' for some extra love and care from 'Uncle Nick', think SERE C HR on steroids, with the only big rules, no stitches, no broken bones.
Phase 2 - Weapons - mixed light and heavy, advanced tactics
Phase 3 - Robin Sage - Uwharrie Nat'l Forest/Pisgah Nat'l Forest

Language - at Group (I was lucky, I had tested out at 1+/1+ French and 2/2 German), was offered Asian, Cyrillic, or Middle Eastern Language of my choice- stupid me said no.

Special training at Group- NBC Defense (Now CBRN), and 'Heavy Ruck/Glowing Ruck' course

Selected to reclass to 18D- OIC then CPT Warner 'Rocky' Farr.. 52 weeks Bragg/Sam/Bragg

Second class to be tabbed at graduation, went from "S" identifier to 18 Series in 1985

 

[Devildoc]

Started with class 12-83, graduated with class1-84, as an 11B 'SF Baby'
Pre-Phase - undetermined time frame, think SFAS, SUT, SOPC, and RIP rolled into one thing, we had a guy who stuck it out for 13 months before making it to Mackall, I was selected in a month.
Phase 1 - OIC, Maj Robert L Howard, Land Nav, Basic skills, team tactics, Survival. Note on Survival, Maj Nick Rowe was setting the POI for SERE, so if you missed a task in survival, you got sent to the 'compound' for some extra love and care from 'Uncle Nick', think SERE C HR on steroids, with the only big rules, no stitches, no broken bones.
Phase 2 - Weapons - mixed light and heavy, advanced tactics
Phase 3 - Robin Sage - Uwharrie Nat'l Forest/Pisgah Nat'l Forest

Language - at Group (I was lucky, I had tested out at 1+/1+ French and 2/2 German), was offered Asian, Cyrillic, or Middle Eastern Language of my choice- stupid me said no.

Special training at Group- NBC Defense (Now CBRN), and 'Heavy Ruck/Glowing Ruck' course

Selected to reclass to 18D- OIC then CPT Warner 'Rocky' Farr.. 52 weeks Bragg/Sam/Bragg

Second class to be tabbed at graduation, went from "S" identifier to 18 Series in 1985

Thanks.

That timeframe fits when a friend of mine went through (also 18D).

RE: pre-phase, was there a nominal timeframe, such as N% were selected in a month? The history of these things has always interested me.

My father retired from the Marines, most of it in intel. During one of tours in VN he went on what was described as a pretty low-risk patrol with a recon unit. Afterward he was told if he went to jump and dive school he would be a recon Marine (he did neither, just not his jam, he stayed intel). Just an example of why these things have fascinated me, how they've changed over the years.