Company command time before SF

[Redleg834]

I ask this question out of curiosity and for a little career guidance:

Did you have the opportunity to take a company command before joining SF? Would you say that experience made you a better team leader? Or after all the training in the pipeline does it even out in the end?

[CDRODA396]

There was a time, many moons ago, when SF sought out post company command officers...this hasn't been true for many, many years.

There simply isn't enough time in a Captain's timeline for SF to feel they get effective utilization out of someone that doesn't come over as a senior Lieutenant or just promoted Captain (at the end of your first assignment).

I don't keep up with year groups, but you can call the SORB and they'll tell you what year groups are being recruited right now and when future year groups will be targeted. Once your year group is passed, the door is closed. Again, this is all based on ensuring SF gets the maximum amount of utilization out of you as a CPT, given the investment SF is going to make in you, and the amount of time you'll spend in selection, CCC, SFQC and Team Leader time.

So, unless you are offered a command as a Lieutenant, as a Captain, I wont say impossible, but it is most unlikely you could squeeze a 12-18 month command in and still be accepted to try selection.

[Redleg834]

I wonder if that applies for National Guard as well?

[CDRODA396]

I wonder if that applies for National Guard as well?

Now that I don't know. You can call the SORB, or SF Branch, they'll definitely know. Good Luck

[Dive08]

I was offered a pre career course command in Afghanistan as a kind of carrot to stay with the unit and 'delay' my attending MCCC and the Q Course. However, what CDRODA396 said is right on the money. There simply isnt time enough (active side) to do both, so I denied it and went the 18A route.

[Redleg834]

I appreciate the responses to my question. I was lucky enough to get a battery command as a 1LT in October last year, so this question has been answered for me in a way. I hope others benefit from this post. If I time it just right I think I may be able to finish my command and still have a shot at SFAS. We'll see.

On a side note (for NG), can anyone say how much time between drill periods a team leader puts in for drill prep, on average? As a battery commander I am averaging 15-20 hours per week of Army work at home (unpaid of course), and I'm curious how that compares to a TL. It does not really affect my desire to join SF, I'm just curious.

Redleg

[abc_123]

You will have no where near the amount of Big Army administrivia to deal with. The Btm handles a lot of that and interacts with higher. Not saying that there won't be Army work to be done on your own time/dime, but it's not like you have a horde of privates, and all the armory stuff that you have to worry about as a commander of a CF ARNG company occupying it's own armory.