View Full Version : My son has stepped into the fire
Guys i haven't posted much lately but this one is worth it.
My son Joe has signed and shipped for the 18x program.
he is at Benning now for basic, Ait , then jump school.
I'm thrilled and nervous, but proud of him. At this point for being a great kid and for taking on the challenge. I told him Soldier 1st, Airborne infantry soldier next, Then god willing with your own strength and courage SF soldier.
One step at a time.
I'll keep ya posted on his progress!
Congrads to Him and Good Luck.....
ZonieDiver
05-15-2012, 12:45
Outstanding! Congratulations to you and your fine son.
mark46th
05-15-2012, 13:30
Good for him! Best of luck!!
Buffalobob
05-15-2012, 17:19
Its a long road.
Congrats for him and you.
No mater how it shakes out it looks like you'll be making at least a few trips to Bragg in the next couple of years.
Ambush Master
05-15-2012, 17:47
Congrats to'ya both!!
If he's in here, PM me with his screen name and, I'll set him up as an SF Candidate!!
Later
Martin
Congrads Dad, know your proud.
Congrads to Him and good luck on the road less traveled.
Congratulation to you both and good luck on his adventure..
Congrads him and you, maybe you get the chance to jump with him at Benning?
1stindoor
05-16-2012, 05:59
Congrats!
Stingray
05-16-2012, 06:53
Good luck to your son, and no matter what happens we thank him for his willingness to serve.
Good luck to dad also, I get more nervous when my kids do stuff then ever when it was me!
Dozer523
05-16-2012, 07:00
It's kinda cool when a Special Forces Soldier goes all "Proud Papa" and stuff.:D
Best of luck to your son.
thanks for all the well wishes-- heheh going all proud papa -- thats funny true tho.
Guess its tougher when you know whats gonna happen or could happen.
Just wishing for him to succeed. But after a 19yrs of raising him and having all the answers i got nothing now. its all on him. Pass or fail , go or no go.
Do they let old retired guys jump with them at Benning or were you referring to a civilian jump some where.
thanks for all the well wishes-- heheh going all proud papa -- thats funny true tho.
Guess its tougher when you know whats gonna happen or could happen.
Just wishing for him to succeed. But after a 19yrs of raising him and having all the answers i got nothing now. its all on him. Pass or fail , go or no go.
Do they let old retired guys jump with them at Benning or were you referring to a civilian jump some where.
They say that "Bloodwings" aren't authorized either... Young McPeak received his wings the same way his father, grandfather and I earned them. :D
You'll have to contact Airborne School in regards to the jump question. They do let active duty jump with the students.
Doesn't look good for you jumping at ABN School. https://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/199th/airborne/guest_jumpers.htm
Ya i figured that!
But Stras as you know me so well a little regulation won't stop me.
We will get his blood wings, what are they gonna do to me ,send me back to special forces for punishment :)
I got enough jumps just watching him will be good enough, its not about me !
We give the kids here plenty of shit but we all know it takes them to keep the future of SF as good as the past was maybe even better.
When going thru the Abn course in '88 we were told the same thing about "no blood wings" by the CO in formation while the 1SG (i think) was leaning out the window behind him looking and pointing at us in formation making "you are going to get them" motions.
When we got pinned.. I remember getting my wings PUSHED into my chest vs. punched, since blood wings "weren't allowed". :eek:
All in good fun. Fond memories of D Co.
Buffalobob
05-17-2012, 06:28
ut Stras as you know me so well a little regulation won't stop me.
We will get his blood wings, what are they gonna do to me ,send me back to special forces for punishment
It's not what they do to you but what happens to him and whether you are willing to be the cause of his getting into trouble. Over the next couple or three years there will be a number of times when you will wish to go and straighten out a TAC or two but have to sit back and let him play the cards that he has been dealt - as hard as it is, it is called being a parent and letting your child grow on up. It's really hard to learn to sit on the sidelines quietly.
It's not what they do to you but what happens to him and whether you are willing to be the cause of his getting into trouble. Over the next couple or three years there will be a number of times when you will wish to go and straighten out a TAC or two but have to sit back and let him play the cards that he has been dealt - as hard as it is, it is called being a parent and letting your child grow on up. It's really hard to learn to sit on the sidelines quietly.
Ya i gotcha but i never said i would do it in front of a black hat, i just said he would get his blood wings-- i'm old but still got some Sf in me duh. LOL
i might even sterilize em first but i doubt it. Anyway he has got basic and infantry training to go first, one step at a time.
I do think watching is harder than doing but i'm a couch potatoe and monday morning QB on this deal for sure.
It's not what they do to you but what happens to him and whether you are willing to be the cause of his getting into trouble. Over the next couple or three years there will be a number of times when you will wish to go and straighten out a TAC or two but have to sit back and let him play the cards that he has been dealt - as hard as it is, it is called being a parent and letting your child grow on up. It's really hard to learn to sit on the sidelines quietly.
I properly inserted the wings into his chest in the formation.
When told that TRADOC didn't allow blood wings. The young 2LT was informed that "I don't work for TRADOC". :D
Do they let old retired guys jump with them at Benning...
Nope - only those on status or whose command approves 'permissive' jump status (w/o authorization for jump pay, of course) and approval of the MCE.
Congrats and all the best for your son's success.
Richard :munchin
Cool Breeze
05-17-2012, 12:12
That's great brother. I was a LandNav instructor at SOPC/Phase 1A for the 18X program 02-04. I really enjoyed working with those kids. Make sure you tell him to let the cadre know he is a legacy. He's get smoked extra hard the first day, but once he makes it through the "welcome to SFQC" first day, they will keep an eye on him.
When he gets to LandNav tell him to, PLOT EVERY POINT THREE TIMES, before he heads out on an azimuth and distance.
Best of luck to you boy, hope he makes it through.
They say that "Bloodwings" aren't authorized either... Young McPeak received his wings the same way his father, grandfather and I earned them. :D
You'll have to contact Airborne School in regards to the jump question. They do let active duty jump with the students.
Doesn't look good for you jumping at ABN School. https://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/199th/airborne/guest_jumpers.htm
Where is the young mr Mcpeak these days haven't heard an update lately ?
That's great brother. I was a LandNav instructor at SOPC/Phase 1A for the 18X program 02-04. I really enjoyed working with those kids. Make sure you tell him to let the cadre know he is a legacy. He's get smoked extra hard the first day, but once he makes it through the "welcome to SFQC" first day, they will keep an eye on him.
When he gets to LandNav tell him to, PLOT EVERY POINT THREE TIMES, before he heads out on an azimuth and distance.
Best of luck to you boy, hope he makes it through.
Thanks
Funny Story a few years back i was out on the lake fishing my son went into the woods hunting by himself. I got a cell call a few hrs later he was lost and didn't know how to get out. I had to go find him. He saw a really nice buck but didn't dare shoot it as he had no idea where he was. He never went in the woods again without a compass and took my instruction on land nav alot more seriously after that. Plot twice even three times saves , walking twice or three times // Good advice.
Where is the young mr Mcpeak these days haven't heard an update lately ?
just had a daughter born in the last 6 months.
Did Ranger School just after ABN School. Like Father and Grandfather.
Should be headed to SFQC in next 8 months.
Scimitar
05-18-2012, 00:15
That's great brother. I was a LandNav instructor at SOPC/Phase 1A for the 18X program 02-04. I really enjoyed working with those kids. Make sure you tell him to let the cadre know he is a legacy. He's get smoked extra hard the first day, but once he makes it through the "welcome to SFQC" first day, they will keep an eye on him.
When he gets to LandNav tell him to, PLOT EVERY POINT THREE TIMES, before he heads out on an azimuth and distance.
Best of luck to you boy, hope he makes it through.
LOL,
I learnt that one the hard way, my very first Land Nav FTX and I hadn't slept for 24, I "measured once cut once" and took a rather forgiving Major shadowing me on a very long stroll completely out of bounds. :D
So for future notice 360 - 122 does not = 138. :rolleyes:
S
Cool Breeze
05-18-2012, 06:59
Thanks
Funny Story a few years back i was out on the lake fishing my son went into the woods hunting by himself. I got a cell call a few hrs later he was lost and didn't know how to get out. I had to go find him. He saw a really nice buck but didn't dare shoot it as he had no idea where he was. He never went in the woods again without a compass and took my instruction on land nav alot more seriously after that. Plot twice even three times saves , walking twice or three times // Good advice.
That's awesome. I bet he is a land nav stud now. I still have our basic and advanced land nav MSPP. If you think it will help him, PM me and I will shoot them to you.
Cool Breeze
05-18-2012, 07:11
LOL,
I learnt that one the hard way, my very first Land Nav FTX and I hadn't slept for 24, I "measured once cut once" and took a rather forgiving Major shadowing me on a very long stroll completely out of bounds. :D
So for future notice 360 - 122 does not = 138. :rolleyes:
S
HAH!!! Great stuff. Dozens of times I would have a stud come back to the TOC and tell me that the point was not there. Really... where were you looking for it? They show you the wrong grid and you ask them to plot it in front of you. Every time you get the "oh shit, I plotted wrong" and if they had followed instructions they would have found their mistake before the left instead of busting draws for 2 hours trying to find the engineer stake in the wrong grid.
You don't know how many times we would come up on a stud in the middle of a field with that blank look on their face. Show me where you are on the map. Then they show you a grid that's about 5k from where they actually are. What was your azimuth? Then you look at their compass and they were using mils. Even though you stressed USE DEGREES NOT MILS, said it repeatedly in the classroom.
For the record, when I went through SFQC in 87 I had to retest both day and night land nav. Passed both the retests and the rest is history. :D