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3dfxMM
02-08-2005, 18:16
This is my first post here although I have been reading these forums for a while now. My son just graduated OSUT at Ft. Benning last Friday. Two days before he graduated he was informed that he was being switched from his 11B contract to an 18X contract. He had volunteered several weeks before but was assuming that it wasn't going to happen. He was, of course, thrilled to be told this news. He just started BAC yesterday. Since this was sprung on us rather suddenly at his Turning Blue ceremony, I have a few questions that he was not able to answer yet.

He is an E-2. I saw that recruits that come in with 18X contracts are promoted to E-3 after they graduate OSUT or BAC. Does this mean that he will likely be promoted soon?

Is he likely to get any leave between BAC and reporting to Ft. Bragg?

I am asking more for me than for him since he will be told all that he needs to know.

Kyobanim
02-08-2005, 18:26
More than likely it will depend upon what the contract says. But I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will come along with the correct answer.

Congrats to your son.

By your screen name I would guess you're a graphic artist?

Pete
02-08-2005, 18:33
Rest easy and know that when he completes training he will be serving with the best soldiers in the army.

He will get leave when he can, or wants it. I found the life to be so much fun I didn't take my first leave for 2 years.

He will tell you what he can or what he thinks you want to hear. Being new to the life he may try and spare you from worrying by not telling you everything.

Support is the best thing you can give him. If he fails out somewhere along the line he'll need it.

Pete

NousDefionsDoc
02-08-2005, 20:29
1. Welcome to the board.
2. Please fill in your profile.
3. Are you his mom or his dad?
4. You've done all you can do to raise him. I know it's hard but all you can do now is support him. Time to give him to First Sergeant Bobby S. for polishing. Just remember, the edge of that ramp is the last step to becoming a man!

LOL - Did I buy into that recruiting/reenlistment propaganda or what?

At the end of the day, if he makes it, he may be a lot of things. But one thing nobody will ever be able to say about him again is he's "just an average guy." ;)

lksteve
02-08-2005, 20:50
Just remember, the edge of that ramp is the last step to becoming a man!...LOL - Did I buy into that recruiting/reenlistment propaganda or what?

yo' mind's bad...LOL

[/QUOTE]At the end of the day, if he makes it, he may be a lot of things. [/QUOTE]

and, the truth be known, he'll still be one of our sons...just like we were....

Team Sergeant
02-08-2005, 21:00
yo' mind's bad...LOL


and, the truth be known, he'll still be one of our sons...just like we were....

Yeah, and I want to see his face when he finds out his "mom" was doing some intel gathering for him on a Special Forces Website!...... :)

I hope he makes it through the course!!!!! :D

Team Sergeant
(Raised by a pack of wild Nuns)

lksteve
02-08-2005, 21:07
Yeah, and I want to see his face when he finds out his "mom" was doing some intel gathering for him on a Special Forces Website!...... :)
(Raised by a pack of wild Nuns)

assets are assets...and you wouldn't drop a dime on him, would you...?
hell, yes you would... :rolleyes:

a pack of wild nuns...hmmm...so you are the product of a virgin birth?

or were they like the nuns at the Black Angus in San Juan PR....?

Pete
02-08-2005, 21:27
The last time I was in the Black Angus was when the PR first dudes were raising hell on the island. The navy had placed it OFF LIMITS to all military folks. Of course that meant it was the first place we went to when we got to town.

That was also the trip that the HALO team just about burned down the local home of the soiled doves up in the mountains. The HALO guys were having a right good time until the local boys showed up after a day in the fields. They didn't take to kindly to the SF guys hoggin' the girls and a good altercation was just getting started when we drove up in a 2 1/2 ton. The home team's knives were about 2 feet longer than our boy's and they had to beat a hasty retreat out the front door. To slow pursuit a start cluster was fired through the door and into the bar area. The guys jumped into the back of the truck shouting "GO, GO, GO" and we ripped off down the street. The locals quickly turned to put the fires out.

Not a good day for cross cultural communications.

Pete

lksteve
02-08-2005, 21:30
The last time I was in the Black Angus was when the PR first dudes were raising hell on the island.

my most lasting memory of the Black Angus is not appropriate for this thread... :D

3dfxMM
02-08-2005, 23:18
1. Welcome to the board.
2. Please fill in your profile.
3. Are you his mom or his dad?
4. You've done all you can do to raise him. I know it's hard but all you can do now is support him. Time to give him to First Sergeant Bobby S. for polishing. Just remember, the edge of that ramp is the last step to becoming a man!

LOL - Did I buy into that recruiting/reenlistment propaganda or what?

At the end of the day, if he makes it, he may be a lot of things. But one thing nobody will ever be able to say about him again is he's "just an average guy." ;)

1. Thanks.
2. I already did.
3. Dad
4. I know. We have made it clear both in words and actions that we support his decision to enlist no matter where it may take him. It's his life, not ours. That doesn't mean that I am not extremely curious about the whole process. He is my son and I am interested in his chosen profession by extension.

3dfxMM
02-08-2005, 23:22
More than likely it will depend upon what the contract says. But I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will come along with the correct answer.

Congrats to your son.

By your screen name I would guess you're a graphic artist?

Thanks.

No. I used to write MultiMedia software for a company named 3dfx. For a while I used to try and use different screen names on different forums but I have found it to be easier to remember my screen name if I stick to one. It usually means that my screen name makes little sense on any particular forum but at least I can remember how to login to each one. :)

3dfxMM
02-08-2005, 23:24
Yeah, and I want to see his face when he finds out his "mom" was doing some intel gathering for him on a Special Forces Website!...... :)

I hope he makes it through the course!!!!! :D

Team Sergeant
(Raised by a pack of wild Nuns)

I did actually ask him if he would mind if I asked questions and he said he didn't care. He knows that I am an information junkie and that he could never keep me well informed enough.

I hope so too!

That Nun thing is conjuring images that may just haunt my sleep.

NousDefionsDoc
02-09-2005, 15:20
Funny, I'm not seeing a profile filled in. Is it me? Do you guys see it?

Somebody will answer your questions eventually.

lksteve
02-09-2005, 16:10
Funny, I'm not seeing a profile filled in. Is it me? Do you guys see it?



see what? profile? as in PULHEES? oh, that profile...nada...

dennisw
02-09-2005, 16:19
During the last 2 years, I've had two sons in the 18x program. As far as them learning what they need to know I'm not sure if that is entirely accurate. I know one thing, it is an rigorous and prolonged journey. Through the whole process, classes change, are delayed and your son may have down time between each phase allowing for the opportunity to go on leave. Whether he can initially probably depends when his SOPC I class is scheduled to start.

Probably one of the most interesting things about the program its varied aspects contained. From the gig pit and phase II to the academic endeavors in phase three and lanquage training, its a trek to the end.

As an interested by-stander, you have to be as patient as your son. The most precious assets in SF are the people. When your outside looking in you want everything to happen real fast, but it doesn't. As was previously mentioned, you have to provide support and it will have to be over a sustained period of time.

But my wife and I have enjoyed the vicarious journey. Having one hit a glitch in 18c training was tough, but overall its been an interesting ride. I know they are both better men for the experience. The only drawback is having to explain the same acronyms to my wife a hundred times. That can be a tester.

3dfxMM
02-09-2005, 17:19
see what? profile? as in PULHEES? oh, that profile...nada...

Sorry for any confusion. I went to edit my profile and all the info I had put in there before was gone. I have since replaced it. I will update it further once I figure out just what really should be in there.

Smokin Joe
02-10-2005, 00:11
Sorry for any confusion. I went to edit my profile and all the info I had put in there before was gone. I have since replaced it. I will update it further once I figure out just what really should be in there.

I'm no admin but your profile looks good to me now.

FWIW, when people say it is a long course they are not joking. I have a buddy who started the pipeline in Mar 03 he is now about half way through language school now. So provided he finishes everything else on time he should be in his group by the end of the summer. However I defer the accuracy of my projected time line to someone more qualified.

magician
02-10-2005, 12:09
Parents....thank you.

CPTAUSRET
02-10-2005, 14:30
Parents....thank you.


S:

Well said!

For parents to support their sons in their endeavor to be the best people they can be, ie SF, is truly outstanding!

Terry

Team Sergeant
02-10-2005, 19:50
S:

Well said!

For parents to support their sons in their endeavor to be the best people they can be, ie SF, is truly outstanding!

Terry

You guys are not going to make me feel bad, I'm still dropping a dime on the guy if he makes it through SF training!!!!!!! :D

CPTAUSRET
02-10-2005, 20:10
You guys are not going to make me feel bad, I'm still dropping a dime on the guy if he makes it through SF training!!!!!!! :D

I notice you stated if, (ie after) he makes it through, so you are cutting him some slack!

Sweet!

Terry

lksteve
02-10-2005, 20:31
You guys are not going to make me feel bad, I'm still dropping a dime on the guy if he makes it through SF training!!!!!!! :D

okay...i'm confused...if a phone call costs something north of $.35, what good does dropping a dime do?

lksteve

Maas
02-10-2005, 20:47
Good luck to your son. He'll be with the best.

I don't remember any nuns at the BA. But that was 92.

;)

lksteve
02-10-2005, 20:53
I don't remember any nuns at the BA. But that was 92.

;)

well, they were sisters of a charitable bent, who could work miracles for small donations.... ;)

3dfxMM
02-11-2005, 09:54
well, they were sisters of a charitable bent, who could work miracles for small donations.... ;)

Is that where the dimes come into play? :D

lksteve
02-11-2005, 09:59
Is that where the dimes come into play? :D

more or less...

3dfxMM
02-14-2005, 17:52
Just heard from my son. It turns out that all of the guys he came in with were put on a one week hold so he didn't start BAC until today. He passed his PT test and sounds really pumped to get things rolling. He said that they lost 100 of the 400 people who started today. 15 of them quit and 85 of them didn't pass the PT test. He was also able to answer one of my questions. He was told that he will not get leave after BAC graduation. He is slated to report directly to Ft. Bragg.

By the way, Team Sergeant, he did get quiet when my wife told him I had posted on here but when she told him that the replies were (mostly) words of encouragement he was ok with it. :)

Team Sergeant
02-14-2005, 18:12
By the way, Team Sergeant, he did get quiet when my wife told him I had posted on here but when she told him that the replies were (mostly) words of encouragement he was ok with it. :)

My "mom" thought Special Forces handed out basketballs, held ping pong tournaments and worked for the USO. (Not that I cultivated that thinking in any way…… :D )

The less "mom's" know the less gray hairs.

I'd wish him good luck, but luck has little to do with what we do.

Team Sergeant

Ambush Master
02-14-2005, 19:27
My "mom" thought Special Forces handed out basketballs, held ping pong tournaments and worked for the USO. (Not that I cultivated that thinking in any way…… :D )

The less "mom's" know the less gray hairs.

I'd wish him good luck, but luck has little to do with what we do.

Team Sergeant

My "mom" thought the same thing and since I was a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, she thought that I was going to be doing "Life Guard" duty with "Special Services" !!! I called home from Benning after my first jump and asked if they remembered the old Flying Boxcars that flew out of Ellington Field. They both said yes and I said, "Well, I jumped out of one today !!" I heard the handset of the kitchen phone hit the counter when my mom FAINTED !!!

Then after SFTG came 5th Group and SOG. It wasn't until Plaster's Books came out that they really knew/understood what I had been involved in.

Take care.
Martin

Parentrooper
02-15-2005, 20:57
The less "mom's" know the less gray hairs.


--------
Hi. This is my first post. Great info here!

I am already a mom with a head full of gray hair.
(I'm also a former Fort Bragg airborne soldier, and I'm very proud my son is an 18X.)

Just glad to be here reading as much as I can to get up to speed.

After some lurking and learning I'm amazed - and somewhat embarassed - how little I really understood SF though I was a reporter/editor stationed at Fort Bragg for 7 years. I'm becoming enlightened, for sure.

lksteve
02-15-2005, 21:08
I called home from Benning after my first jump and asked if they remembered the old Flying Boxcars that flew out of Ellington Field. They both said yes and I said, "Well, I jumped out of one today !!"

a few months after i enlisted, mom and dad went to the commissary at Fort Carson, during B/75IN short stay there...i guess there was a helicopter drop zone nearby and mom looked up as some Rangers were descending under canopy...she looked at dad and said something to the effect of 'thank God he isn't doing that....'

i called sometime that week and dad asked where i was...i told him i was a Benning....doing what, he said...jump school i said..."you're telling your mother" he said...

lksteve

3dfxMM
03-08-2005, 13:22
Well, my son has graduated from BAC and is in hurry-up-and-wait mode at Ft. Bragg. He is supposed to start on the 28th, but I have learned to wait to see what really happens.

NousDefionsDoc
03-08-2005, 13:53
My congratulations to him and you. No matter what happens from now on, at least he'll never be a nasty leg again. :)

3dfxMM
03-08-2005, 15:18
No matter what happens from now on, at least he'll never be a nasty leg again.
He said almost exactly that same thing when we saw him before his bus left for Bragg. :)

Swankskttn
03-13-2005, 18:49
Hi.

First post here, but my husband is graduating BCT next week at Benning. Mid-week he called me asked my opinion about him signing an SF contract. I said yes, of course.

In all my research on military I didnt know tht they took people straight out of BCT, I always thought you had to be at least a SGT to even get into SFAC.

So... my question... IS it normal/usual for recruiting during BCT?
Has there been a more recent insurgence of them recruiting during BCT or has it always been that way?

So... anyhoo, congrats to your son, 3dfxMM. I dont know anything about when my husbands SFAC starts... but I'm assuming March or April.

So I'll be off to his graduation this week, then maybe browsing here more often. Lots of interesting info. Doing some research about SF wives... but not too much info on the net that I can fine. Any help/links would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance....

NousDefionsDoc
03-13-2005, 18:58
Hi.

First post here, but my husband is graduating BCT next week at Benning. Mid-week he called me asked my opinion about him signing an SF contract. I said yes, of course.

In all my research on military I didnt know tht they took people straight out of BCT, I always thought you had to be at least a SGT to even get into SFAC.

So... my question... IS it normal/usual for recruiting during BCT?
Has there been a more recent insurgence of them recruiting during BCT or has it always been that way?

So... anyhoo, congrats to your son, 3dfxMM. I dont know anything about when my husbands SFAC starts... but I'm assuming March or April.

So I'll be off to his graduation this week, then maybe browsing here more often. Lots of interesting info. Doing some research about SF wives... but not too much info on the net that I can fine. Any help/links would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance....


Welcome aboard. Thanks for filling in your profile. Whether they recruit in basic training or not depends on the program of the day. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. They currently are, nothing nefarious and nobody is watching him specifically. Good answer to his question, and since I have now quoted you, we will have evidence in perpetuity. ;)

We don't allow our wives to post on the net. Or have any outside contact at all for that matter. It's an OPSEC thing you see.

Swankskttn
03-13-2005, 19:11
Thanks for the quick reply. Sooo I guess I can't complain later on that I said yes. Dern blackmail! Sigh....

No outside contact?! Good thing I'm a shut-in, albino, living in a shack. : )
I truly understand about OPSEC. Thats why I've steered away from army wives forums that I've seen so far. Not only are the forums full of whining, and Opsec comes into into play.. but so is... uhm... rape and getting killed. I've seen phone numbers, pictures, locations, etc, etc, etc. Ah well I guess most women don't value themselves enough...or something like that.

Well, I'm supposing they have FRG and that kinda thing. Where's my wifely training manual?

Well, again thanks for the quick reply and since I'm just a wife, I'll try not to post TOO much.... : )

Kyobanim
03-13-2005, 19:21
Thanks for the quick reply. Sooo I guess I can't complain later on that I said yes. Dern blackmail! Sigh....

No outside contact?! Good thing I'm a shut-in, albino, living in a shack. : )
I truly understand about OPSEC. Thats why I've steered away from army wives forums that I've seen so far. Not only are the forums full of whining, and Opsec comes into into play.. but so is... uhm... rape and getting killed. I've seen phone numbers, pictures, locations, etc, etc, etc. Ah well I guess most women don't value themselves enough...or something like that.

Well, I'm supposing they have FRG and that kinda thing. Where's my wifely training manual?

Well, again thanks for the quick reply and since I'm just a wife, I'll try not to post TOO much.... : )

Welcome to the site.

We don't allow our wives to post on the net. Or have any outside contact at all for that matter. It's an OPSEC thing you see. Can I get that grandfathered into my marrige license or is it something you have to do upfront?

Pete
03-13-2005, 19:21
Doing some research about SF wives... but not too much info on the net that I can fine. Any help/links would be appreciated. ....

Just some advice;
1.) Get to know the spouse of the soldiers your husband is going through the course with. Once he gets out of training get to know the other team members wives the best you can. SF is not really that big and you will be bumping into them again.

2.) Attend and unit/family support meetings that you are invited to. Get a working knowledge of the unit and the key individuals. This will make you an Army wife, a little green under the collar.

3.) Learn the proper way you contact your spouse in a "REAL" emergency. Doing it the wrong way wastes time and doing it for piddly crap ties up time that can be better used fixing the problem yourself.

4.) Have a life of your own. When he takes off to do his thing do not go into depression and run off to the bars.

5.) Now for the hard part. It's not the going or the being gone that's hard it's the coming home part that's the hardest. He comes home and expects it to be like the day he took off. You've been running things for up to a year. It's a big adjustment time for both of you. If the two of you can slip into a routine you'll be in for the long haul. If not something will have to give or go.

My first wife was a pure civilian at heart and was just not up to the life, amoung other things.

Now go find the other wives and let us get back to guy stuff :D .

Pete

NousDefionsDoc
03-13-2005, 19:28
Pete,
You stay away from my wife. :)

Pete
03-13-2005, 19:57
:eek: Pete,
You stay away from my wife. :) :eek:

I've seen first hand, well not that close, just what hanky-panky between unit members and others in the unit wifes can do. Shock waves bounce around for a number of months. In 21 years I can only recall 3 incidents. One was an officer's wife with an enlisted man and the two others were inter company incidents where a single guy nailed somebodys wife. All caused bad feelings between a number of individuals for a great while. I'd say the knife is still out in one of the cases.

For the spouse of an SF soldier the good news is when the guys take off it really is "The Guys".

Pete

NousDefionsDoc
03-13-2005, 20:50
I don't mean hanky-panky, I don't care about that. I just don't want you ruining her with all that FSG crap. :p

Pete
03-13-2005, 21:17
I don't mean hanky-panky, I don't care about that. I just don't want you ruining her with all that FSG crap. :p

And that's because you have an "Old Hand" at SF life.

The Family Support Group is a wonderfull thing for a young wife not yet wise in the was of the Army. It's true the "old hands" have little need for it and take care of their own business.

We would have a big push for attendance at the FSG meetings when I was a 1SG and SGM. I'd count heads and it was most of the "Old Hands" and new to SF wives who were missing at the meetings. "Old Hands" never bothered the rear detachment except in a life or death situation. They would come through the area once a month or so to pick up the LES and that's about it.

The worst ones were the new to the Army, new to SF, away from mommy for the first time wives. They loved hubby just to much to take the time to go to the FSG meeting and learn all the basic stuff of who to contact, people who can help, etc. The plane would barely be wheels up and the phone calls would start coming into the rear detachment from the new wives. To or three wives calling a couple of times a day can become a real time killer. Then there comes the tear-jerker letters to the poor guy and his head is back home not on the job he's doing. Bad, very bad.

After all that training a new guy is going to do the job. The question for the wife is "Are you going to help and aid him in doing his job or are you going to be a drag and a real moral killer?"

I get a bit worked up on this subject because I've seen the effect a piss poor wife can have on a guy on a long deployment. And when that guy is not working at 100% that means somebody else on the team has to pick up the slack.

OK, I'm of the soapbox and this was not directed at NDD but to the "New Wife".

Pete

Scrappy
03-22-2005, 16:05
When did yall guys find time to get married? and how do you keep it together on the long deployments? I just assumed that was one of things i would have to scrafice to live the SF life.

Pete
03-22-2005, 17:55
When did yall guys find time to get married? and how do you keep it together on the long deployments? I just assumed that was one of things i would have to scrafice to live the SF life.

The answer to # 1 is between trips.

The answer to # 2 is we didn't. The first one couldn't take it so she took another path in life. Much better choice on the second one. Or did she pick me? I'll have to ponder that a bit.

Pete

lksteve
03-23-2005, 23:40
When did yall guys find time to get married? and how do you keep it together on the long deployments? I just assumed that was one of things i would have to scrafice to live the SF life.

when did i have time to get married? i had a short break in service, between the 82nd and SF...my wife was married to me when i went through training group, OCS, Ranger School, etc, etc....how did we keep it together on long deployments...she was a partner, not a dependent...she had things she liked to do and she did them...
SF requires a lot of sacrifice...i don't recommend marriage, but it worked for me...

The Reaper
03-24-2005, 08:34
The Army will issue you all of the wives you need.

You are welcome to test and DX all of the civilian ones you can find until you get it right, for a small handling fee. :D

TR

CPTAUSRET
03-24-2005, 10:41
I lost an 18 year marriage (we waited til the kids were old enough to handle the divorce) because I was solid gone for 11 of those 18 years...It takes a hell of a woman to put up with that, and a smarter man than myself to realize that after being gone for a year or more at a time, a wise individual steps gingerly back into the nest.

While I was gone she assumed all responsibilities, she was father and mother, counselor, judge, and jury, etc, etc. I immediately, and foolishly attempted to usurp my position as head of the household upon my return, and the joyous homecomings would deteriorate into something else entirely.

Terry

3dfxMM
06-04-2005, 23:20
I thought I would post an update on my son's progress. He just finished Phase 1A and is being recycled. He didn't pass the mini-STAR. The next class is in August so he will be in AT status for the summer. They have told him that they will be putting his group through the CLS course as well as some mountaineering training. They will also do lots of land nav and PT. He is still pumped and very motivated. He also informed us that he was promoted to E-3. The best part for us is he gets to come home for a week or so in July. He also got a first hand look at one of his instructor's sense of humor. On one of the land nav exercises his mapcase got ripped off while he was working his way through a draw. By the time he realized it he couldn't find it so he backtracked to take his lumps and get a new one. When he got there one of his instructors was kind enough to draw him a new one with crayons. Once they stopped laughing at him they gave him a real one and he went on to complete the course.

CoLawman
06-06-2005, 14:56
I assume your son was in the SOPC phase I when he had trouble with the mini star. In SFAS the STAR course completely washes you out if you fail after third attempt. So it is great that he gets additional training. That will vastly improve his chances in SFAS. Good luck to your son and to you! Sounds like there is an exodus during the heat of the summer. Hoping my son gets to come home again. Just saw him for a quick two days over Memorial Day.

3dfxMM
06-06-2005, 16:18
That's exactly what we were thinking. It is better that he recycle through SOPC I rather than go on to selection where he would likely not get selected. Now he will be even better prepared when he does get there. He said there is a two or three week window in July where they are allowed to take leave, so I assume this is downtime for everyone involved. He will have the rest of June and then about three weeks after his leave to prepare before SOPC I starts again.

lksteve
06-06-2005, 18:36
It is better that he recycle through SOPC I rather than go on to selection where he would likely not get selected. Now he will be even better prepared when he does get there.you said he just made PFC...unless i'm wrong, that means he's been in the Army almost all year...when i went through SFQC 29 years ago, i was a Sergeant, having been in a leadership position in the 82nd Airborne Division...i had over four years of experience...

this stuff isn't easy...he needs the recycle time to become more familiar with stuff he hasn't done a lot of in his life...counsel patience...

3dfxMM
06-06-2005, 21:15
He has been in 8 months as of today. He said they had to file a waiver to give him his promotion since he hasn't been in a year. As his dad, I'd like to think that between that and them recycling him, they think he will eventually cut it. Of course, I already know how much the Army cares about what I think. :D

lksteve
06-07-2005, 07:35
Of course, I already know how much the Army cares about what I think. yeah...they gave a rat's back about most of my opinion's too...in hindsight, i'm sure i completely disagree... :D

Warrior-Mentor
06-17-2005, 16:21
Hi.

First post here, but my husband is graduating BCT next week at Benning. Mid-week he called me asked my opinion about him signing an SF contract. I said yes, of course.

In all my research on military I didnt know tht they took people straight out of BCT, I always thought you had to be at least a SGT to even get into SFAC.

So... my question... IS it normal/usual for recruiting during BCT?
Has there been a more recent insurgence of them recruiting during BCT or has it always been that way?

So I'll be off to his graduation this week, then maybe browsing here more often. Lots of interesting info. Doing some research about SF wives... but not too much info on the net that I can fine. Any help/links would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance....

Congrats and thanks for supporting your Husband's decision to go SF. It really is a family decision.

As for recruiting SF Candidates in Basic Training, it's a revived program that took about a 20 year break until it was revived a couple months after 9/11.

As for your question about SF Wives, the best point of contact for Spouses of SF Candidates is renee.price@us.army.mil She is the professional Family Readiness Group Coordinator for the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (the SF School House). The other place you can find web help is www.soc.mil - the public web site for the United States Army Special Operations Command.

Warrior-Mentor
06-17-2005, 16:33
Thanks for the quick reply. Sooo I guess I can't complain later on that I said yes.

Well, I'm supposing they have FRG and that kinda thing. Where's my wifely training manual?

Well, again thanks for the quick reply and since I'm just a wife, I'll try not to post TOO much.... : )

There's a couple good books out there...

The Company They Keep, Life Inside US Army Special Forces by Anna Simmons will give you an idea of what to expect.

Married to the Military by Meredith Leyva isn't SF specific, but not a bad reference if you're new to the military.

Get Selected for Special Forces has a short chapter on SF Families as well (www.specialops.org/news.asp#book).

You can also call the USAJFKSWCS FRG Office at (910)396-4455/4453.

Best of Luck!

3dfxMM
09-02-2005, 09:49
I thought I would go ahead and put up an update. My son called to let us know that he is going to selection on Tuesday. He did the mini star Monday night and handled it just fine. I didn't talk to him (his mom did so "real" information is minimal) but from what I could gather he did better than most, maybe all, of his peers. He also completed the final PT test with no problems. You may remember that he had a problem with the mini star the first time through. He said that this time through he was first on most of the land nav exercises, beating the second place person by 45-60 minutes each time. He is pumped about selection. I will try to talk to him later this weekend to get more details about numbers of people going through to selection from his class. He did tell me Monday afternoon that they started with 220 and were down to 120 by then. They even had a guy quit that day after successfully completing the final run at the obstacle course. Hopefully, I will be back on here in a few weeks telling you what MOS and language he has been assigned. :)

CoLawman
09-02-2005, 11:09
Congratulations to you and your son 3D. Sounds like the re-cycle was just what he needed. Success breeds success!

3dfxMM
09-28-2005, 16:32
My son called today to say that he has passed selection! He hasn't been given his MOS or language yet. He said they are shipping them back from Mackall tomorrow. He got the Star on his second attempt. There were 170 selectees out of the 433 in the group. He was told that his aptitude and DLAB scores were all excellent but he is not sure how that will map into a particular MOS and language. He said he lost about 20 lbs the first three weeks when they were eating nothing but three MREs a day but that the last few days of three hots a day has put some weight back on him. We are very proud of him and more than just a little bit relieved. This business of hoping that he doesn't call sucks. :) I think he is planning to call us on Thursday or Friday to tell us more.

Now he can move on to the next target.

Aequitas
09-28-2005, 16:42
Congrats to you and your son! Hopefully I'll be able to say the same thing in november when I return from selection (class 1-06). Tell your son to keep up the good work. We're all behind him on his journey.

3dfxMM
09-28-2005, 16:49
Thank you and good luck to you as well.

18C Dad
09-28-2005, 20:31
Congrats to your son and to you. My son is also in the 18X program. He left Monday to begin Robn Sage. If I remember correctly, my son became an E-4 the month after he completed BNOC (sorry but I don't remember what phase of the training that was in). He has already completed SERE training. Once he successfully completes Robin Sage he will find out what language he "gets" and then will learn where that training takes place. We are hoping he gets Chinese as that would mean he would have language school at Ft. Lewis, WA. We live just outside of Seattle. My son has been home twice since he enlisted in July 2004. We went to Ft. Benning to attend his graduation and turning of the blue. One thing I've noticed when I talk to folks about my son and the training he is undertaking is that they are in awe. Some think he's crazy for volunteering for such arduos training but those that know anything about the military are very impressed. As a country, we have to be very proud of this volunteer Army and the men and women who give up the easy life to take the road less travelled. I think one of the earlier postings hit it right on the head - the best thing you can do is just support your son in any way possible. It seems the SF training has the soldiers pretty busy all the time so we try to help out our son by having some of his bills come to our house and we pay them from his account. We also have sent him a product available at Costco called Zipp Fizz. It's a vitamin and energy formulation that you mix with water. Sorry, I've rambled enough. Again, congrats.

NousDefionsDoc
09-28-2005, 20:46
Nice to see such supportive parents. Very nice. One word of caution, don't expect to get your child back when they come home on leave. They won't be the same, they'll be better. Probably a little quieter, much more confident and mature. They will need to left off a little steam. Put the knickknacks away and board up the windows - like for a hurricane. Don't try to fix them up with dates. Be patient - they belong to the regiment now and it will take you a little while to adapt. ;)

Yes, very nice to see supportive parents. I remember The Leg being supportive as well. Mentioned paying for a psych eval at least a dozen times. The Mother Unit came out for graduation. Threw a BBQ for the whole class - all 13 of us. Bought one keg of beer. I drank it while they went to get the other 12.

18C Dad
09-28-2005, 21:20
Do you have any insight as to how the languages are assigned to SF recruits? My presumption is that it is probably a combination of aptitude and needs of the Army. Would appreciate your thoughts.

3dfxMM
09-29-2005, 06:20
18X Dad,

Congrats to you and your son. We are feeling so proud of our son right now and I am sure that the feeling just grows the farther along they get. We do the same for our son regarding his bills. We attended both his TB/Graduation and his BAC graduation. We got to watch the last two jumps. Of course, anyone who claims they could tell which kid was theirs is fooling themselves. It was at his TB ceremony that we found out he was an 18X rather than an 11B. They had just told him a couple of days earlier. We found out when we saw the rosters with assignments posted on the back of the bleachers at the TB ceremony.

The QPs on this site will have to answer the language question for you but I would guess that your assumptions are correct. It is clear that your son is in the older pipeline. The way they do things now is they are told their MOS and language at the end of Selection. There are other changes to the pipeline that my son has been less clear on. Language training starts right away and continues alongside other training through the pipeline. SERE apparently happens much earlier but when exactly I don't know.

3dfxMM
09-29-2005, 06:35
NDD,

Our son has been at Ft. Bragg since the beginning of March. Believe it or not we already see a difference in the way he carries himself and in how confident he is. A lot of people take this "Oh my god! What will you do? That is so dangerous!" attitude about where he is heading. The way we look at it is that he is going to go someplace dangerous in this world whether he is Airborne Infantry or SF. I would rather see him have the absolute best training and be surrounded by the absolute best soldiers when he gets there than be somewhere where the guy next to him is 18 years old and just left Benning a few weeks before. I really don't get how any parent can refuse to support their child in such a decision. Sure, you can try to talk them out of it if you want but once they sign the papers it's time to support them 100%. Admittedly, this is coming from someone whose son was 25 years old when he went in. I don't know how I would have reacted if he had done so when he was 18. I like to think I would have felt the same but I can never know for sure.

NousDefionsDoc
09-29-2005, 18:18
NDD,

Our son has been at Ft. Bragg since the beginning of March. Believe it or not we already see a difference in the way he carries himself and in how confident he is. A lot of people take this "Oh my god! What will you do? That is so dangerous!" attitude about where he is heading. The way we look at it is that he is going to go someplace dangerous in this world whether he is Airborne Infantry or SF. I would rather see him have the absolute best training and be surrounded by the absolute best soldiers when he gets there than be somewhere where the guy next to him is 18 years old and just left Benning a few weeks before. I really don't get how any parent can refuse to support their child in such a decision. Sure, you can try to talk them out of it if you want but once they sign the papers it's time to support them 100%. Admittedly, this is coming from someone whose son was 25 years old when he went in. I don't know how I would have reacted if he had done so when he was 18. I like to think I would have felt the same but I can never know for sure.
You have a good attitude about it. And yes, I believe you can already see the change.

kgoerz
09-29-2005, 19:10
I joined the Army at age 17, 1982. My parents had to sign a waiver for me to join that young. Was that support or getting rid of me......LOL. I went straight into SF (of course basic and Jump School first) I flunked out the last day of Phase II and did the duffle bag drag to the 82nd Airborne. I always believe this was a fortunate event in my life. I matured for two years in the 82nd Infantry. As soon as I made E-5 I went back to the Q-Course and kicked ass. I like the idea that they are bringing privates back into SF, just hope when they reach an Team they have good mentors/leaders. That will make all the difference.

18C Dad
09-29-2005, 21:05
My son is in week 1 of Robin Sage and I've been trying to find articles or information on it. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on line that I can find. Does anybody have any good websites to suggest?


Please strike that last question and allow me to re-phrase it. This website is a great source of information. Though I've been a member for just two days, I'm impressed with the information I've found so far. Thanks for allowing a parent to gain more information about his son's journey.

I would appreciate any links for more information on Robin Sage or personal accounts from those SF vets who have been there and done that.

Thanks again for the opportunity.

NousDefionsDoc
09-29-2005, 21:15
My son is in week 1 of Robin Sage and I've been trying to find articles or information on it. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on line that I can find. Does anybody have any good websites to suggest?


Please strike that last question and allow me to re-phrase it. This website is a great source of information. Though I've been a member for just two days, I'm impressed with the information I've found so far. Thanks for allowing a parent to gain more information about his son's journey.

I would appreciate any links for more information on Robin Sage or personal accounts from those SF vets who have been there and done that.

Thanks again for the opportunity.
Sure, HERE (www.professionalsolderis.com) ya go.

3dfxMM
09-29-2005, 22:28
I talked to my son tonight. He is going to be an 18C with Mandarin Chinese as his language. He was told that he scored very high on all of his tests. He was the only 18C with Chinese in the whole bunch. They leave on Monday back to Mackall for SUT Prep. No rest for the weary. :)

He said the TACs rousted them out at 22:00 last night. All the guys thought "oh great, they are going to do another cut." When they were in formation one of the TACs pulled his Tahoe up behind them and opened all the doors. They were told to about face and stand at attention. He said that they were all rather confused but then the car stereo cranked up with the "Ballad of the Green Beret". This was apparently their "graduation" ceremony. I suspect it was very moving.

Yoshi
10-01-2005, 19:21
I just want to say to the parents of SF Candidates that your obvious support of, and pride in your sons, as well as the updates you give, is very positive and motivating to me and likely other SF Candidates as well. I am sure that support and pride is infinitely more motivating to your own sons as well. Thank you.

Yoshi
(26 days to OSUT)

3dfxMM
11-29-2005, 10:20
Just a quick update. My son has completed SUT Prep, PLDC/BNCOC, and left yesterday for Phase II. He gets three weeks of Phase II, two weeks of Christmas Exodus, and then the last two weeks of Phase II. He gets one day off after that and then he is off to SERE.

3dfxMM
02-03-2006, 20:29
Yet another update. My son has now completed Phase II and SERE. He dropped twenty one pounds in the last seven days but says that he doesn't feel bad, he is just more cut. I only talked to him for a few minutes but he had nothing but good things to say about SERE. He said the "graduation ceremony" was very moving. His mother got to talk to him longer but of course she doesn't always ask the same questions that I would nor does he always tell her the same things that he tells me. :D He starts a two week language prep course on Monday. He found out that his language school is not at Ft. Bragg but he doesn't know when he will be going. He is currently slated to start his MOS training in early April so presumably he won't be going to language school before he finishes that.

Team Sergeant
02-03-2006, 20:47
Yet another update. My son has now completed Phase II and SERE. He dropped twenty one pounds in the last seven days but says that he doesn't feel bad, he is just more cut. I only talked to him for a few minutes but he had nothing but good things to say about SERE. He said the "graduation ceremony" was very moving. His mother got to talk to him longer but of course she doesn't always ask the same questions that I would nor does he always tell her the same things that he tells me. :D He starts a two week language prep course on Monday. He found out that his language school is not at Ft. Bragg but he doesn't know when he will be going. He is currently slated to start his MOS training in early April so presumably he won't be going to language school before he finishes that.

SERE in January, a wonderful experience!

:rolleyes:

TS

Glad to see he made it......

3dfxMM
02-04-2006, 10:15
I think that he is just glad that he made it through ok, albeit a littler lighter. Maybe his run times will improve now. :)

SSG Lockert
02-08-2006, 11:42
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE PROMOTION. THE PROMOTIONS WILL COME VERY FAST IN THIS PIPELINE. HE WILL MORE THAN LIKELY BE AN E6 WITHIN 18 TO 24 MONTHS.

Warrior-Mentor
02-08-2006, 17:37
You have a good attitude about it. And yes, I believe you can already see the change.


NDD,
You're right. When we trained the 18Xs in SOPC, the instructors and I noticed a big difference in the way they carried themselves on Day 1 of SOPC versus after they completed SFAS. It was noticable in their tone of voice, posture and projected confidence. Very rewarding to see the such a significant and noticable change in such a short time.
JM

NousDefionsDoc
02-08-2006, 18:17
We see it in as little as 6 weeks, especially in the way they handle their weapons. It's beautiful to watch.

3dfxMM
05-16-2006, 09:28
Back for another update. My son is now approximately halfway through the 18C MOS phase. He had two weeks of language before he started. He does the 18C stuff Monday - Friday and has language class on Saturdays. They are now taking two weeks off from the 18C course and are taking language classes full-time. He is doing well in all the subjects up to this point and is still very excited. Once he finishes the 18C course he will have approximately four months of language school left and then Robin Sage. By that time I hope I am making arrangements to go to his graduation. :)

Warrior-Mentor
05-16-2006, 12:51
What's his take on the Language Training intermingled with the other SF specific training?

Is it working, or just a mish-mash of topics thrown at him?

3dfxMM
05-16-2006, 15:08
He says that it is good in the sense that he is getting some familiarization with it and he is able to use the Rosetta Stone software to work on pronunciation and recognition. The downside is that it is hard to spend much time outside of the language class working on it due to the workload of the 18C classes. At the end of the current two week language burst they will take the DLPT. I suspect that it is being done as an assessment of how well the new system is working. He certainly doesn't expect to pass it after only 25 or so days of instruction.

Another nice thing that happened about the time he started the 18C course was that he was promoted to E-4.

3dfxMM
07-28-2006, 16:57
Here I am with another update. My son completed the 18C course a couple of weeks ago. He has been waiting to hear how they are going to handle the scheduling of the rest of his training. You may remember that he was in the first group to undergo the new pipeline. Well, due to scheduling constraints they are essentially shifting him back to the old pipeline. He has about a three month hold before he goes to the last Robin Sage session of the year. After he successfully completes that they are going to PCS him to Ft. Lewis for six months of language training. I assume, but don't know for sure, that they will then send him back to Ft. Bragg for a few days for graduation. If this schedule holds up it will have taken him approximately two years and nine months since he entered the Army to complete his training. The biggest holdup was getting recycled in SOPC. Normally that wouldn't have been such a big holdup but his class was the last one before they shut down SOPC for the summer so he had to wait until the end of the summer to do it again. So far all is good. He will get there eventually. :)

dennisw
08-08-2006, 15:37
I'm not sure if this topic has been covered previously, but are there restrictions as far as communicating with folks who are deployed? Can you set up a skype account or does all communication have to go through channels provided by Army? Has anyone had any luck using webcams and something like msn messaging? Any technology that doesn't require oil, is stretching my limitations.

Eldest left recently, youngest leaving in near future. I would like to get a head start on obtaining a system that works effectively, if that's possible.

Thanks.

3dfxMM
09-15-2006, 15:07
Leave it to the Army to keep me on my toes. My son is not going to Robin Sage this year. He and a dozen other guys are being moved to Ft. Lewis to attend language school. The movers picked up his belongings today and he and his wife leave tomorrow to drive to Ft. Lewis. He does not have a start date for language school. He is being assigned to HHC, 1st SFG (Abn) and has to report there later this month. I have no idea when he will be sent back to go to Robin Sage.

gtcrispy
09-15-2006, 22:05
Wow thats pretty interesting. Thats the first time I've heard that happening but I guess it falls inline with Robin Sage being the final phase of Q-Course now. He'll be arriving when the overcast drizzly days begin. Excellent :)

3dfxMM
09-15-2006, 22:51
He implied that it is a very new situation. I think it just happened to be one of those details that they hadn't quite figured out. He and his wife are both pretty excited to be heading out that way. It would be nice if he had some idea when he would start his class but it really doesn't matter. He will be there until he finishes whether it starts in a couple of weeks or in a couple of months. He may be setting a record for longest pipeline for a non-18D, though. He is about to hit the two year mark for TIS and he clearly has at least seven or eight months to go. :)

How is life treating you out there, gtcrispy?

gtcrispy
09-16-2006, 09:05
How is life treating you out there, gtcrispy?

Life is good. I've been able to spend time seeing friends and family because of the downtime. It also didn't rain for about 3months so I defintely took advantage of the nice weather which I missed for 2years.

Go For Broke
09-18-2006, 17:03
Wow thats pretty interesting. Thats the first time I've heard that happening but I guess it falls inline with Robin Sage being the final phase of Q-Course now. He'll be arriving when the overcast drizzly days begin. Excellent :)

Ahem...I believe that the fridge is on the ground floor, to your right as you enter your team room door...:D, unless they have moved it to the second floor since I left. I recommend Henry Weinhart.

gtcrispy
09-18-2006, 17:06
Ahem...I believe that the fridge is on the ground floor, to your right as you enter your team room door...:D, unless they have moved it to the second floor since I left. I recommend Henry Weinhart.

Haha good call. You are correct. :D

Team Sergeant
09-18-2006, 18:28
Ahem...I believe that the fridge is on the ground floor, to your right as you enter your team room door...:D, unless they have moved it to the second floor since I left. I recommend Henry Weinhart.


LOLOLOLOL damn how'd I miss that!

18C Dad
09-18-2006, 20:47
.........He and a dozen other guys are being moved to Ft. Lewis to attend language school. The movers picked up his belongings today and he and his wife leave tomorrow to drive to Ft. Lewis.

I can't recommend an area for your son and wife to live during their time in Washington as I've never lived in that part of Western Washington. That being said, if it were me, I would probably look south of Fort Lewis - perhaps the Lacey or Olympia area. I don't think I would look in Tacoma. My son lives in University Place and it seems to be a pretty decent area. Be prepared for high rental rates compared to many areas of the U.S. On the plus side it's a beautiful state with many outdoor activities and some of the most diverse geography in the U.S. Everything from Pacific Ocean coastline, rain forest of the Olympic Peninsula, Puget Sound, the Cascade Mountains, the desert of the Tri-Cities, orchards and other crops of Central Washington and pine forests of Eastern Washington. You're also real close to British Columbia and that's a nice weekend trip. Let me know if you make it over here for a visit. We'll figure out a way to get together.

18C Dad

3dfxMM
09-18-2006, 22:20
Thanks for the info. They aren't too set on any one place just yet. Of course, they are getting some conflicting information but that always happens when you ask a lot of people where the best place to live is. They are both looking forward to being there. He will hopefully find out when he can get into a class shortly after he gets settled and checks in.

LongWire
09-18-2006, 23:56
He may be setting a record for longest pipeline for a non-18D, though.




Doubtful............Very Doubtful!!!!!!!!


Oh I'll take a Henry's, I miss the Hell Outta Lewis!!!!!!!!!!


:D :D :D

3dfxMM
09-19-2006, 08:04
Now I am curious. Does anyone here know what the longest stay in the pipeline has been? I guess I should amend my earlier statement to point out that I was including the 18X pre-pipeline portion as well so calling it the pipeline was incorrect.

Surgicalcric
09-19-2006, 10:10
Now I am curious. Does anyone here know what the longest stay in the pipeline has been? I guess I should amend my earlier statement to point out that I was including the 18X pre-pipeline portion as well so calling it the pipeline was incorrect.

Before TR, TS, NDD or any of the other guys chime in, it isnt me. lol

I recall a story, from a meeting at the GB club a few months back, of a guy who had been in the SFQC something like 9 years. I dont so much think he was trying to graduate as he was trying to sham.

Other than that I know of one guy whose a Delta who it took nearly 4 years and he wasnt an 18X.

Maybe one of the QP's know of someone else...

On another note, best of luck to your son. I know of a Delta who is headed out to Ft Lewis in a few weeks for the same thing, then he will be back for Sage.

Crip

x SF med
09-19-2006, 12:13
Jeez- 9 yrs? even 4 yrs? Back when the earth was young, even as a Delta a long stay was 2 yrs - average, I think was 6-9 months. There must have been a lot added to the course. QRQ, may I borrow your avatar, I feel very Pleioscene at the moment, get me my cane, or a walker....

Go For Broke
09-19-2006, 16:49
Thanks for the info. They aren't too set on any one place just yet. Of course, they are getting some conflicting information but that always happens when you ask a lot of people where the best place to live is. They are both looking forward to being there. He will hopefully find out when he can get into a class shortly after he gets settled and checks in.

Gentlemen,

FWIW, I think that he / they would be able to adjust to almost any place out there. South to North - Olympia, Lacey, DuPont, Yelm, Stillicum, Tacoma (certain sections), Puyallup, and even Federal Way are all good places from what I remember / last saw in Jun '06. The only place I would NOT recommend is Tillicum, while it is cheap and convenient to post (and the hospital)...it is not...the safest place to live. Really IMHO, it comes down to what they enjoy - "city" life, "suburban" life, or "country" life and the respective amenities / hassles associated with each. I know of people who even live further out ( ~ 45 min) in the Orting / Graham / Kapowsin area. Olympia / Lacey / Tacoma are more of the "city" life. DuPont, Stillicum, Fed Way are more "suburban". Puyallup seems to cross the two. Yelm, Orting, KPOW, and Graham are more "rural" but even they have at least one Starbucks shop :D (not to mention the plethora of coffee shops in that region).

I am assuming that he is PCSing there, make sure that he gets his 10-days Permissive TDY, so he can find a good place. While they are fairly lenient WRT breaking leases, you need to have orders in hand reassigning you to a new post / conventional deployment. It would be a shame for him to get into a 1-year lease in a dump.

Hope some of this helped.

V/R,

3dfxMM
09-19-2006, 22:33
That should help some. He definitely plans to take his Permissive TDY time so they can find a place. Thanks.

3dfxMM
10-05-2006, 12:18
Thanks, everyone, for the information. I don't know to what extent any of it was weighed when decision time came, but it was nice for them to have some info. My son and his wife are safely landed in Olympia. Their HHG arrived yesterday. My son has completed his in-processing for Ft. Lewis, 1st Group, and language school. He has a few light days and then starts language school next week. He is also already scheduled for a jump. They both love the area. Thanks again for the help.

3dfxMM
02-18-2007, 11:26
I'm back for another update. My son has a couple of months left of language school which is going well. He went before the E-5 board in early December and just found out he made the March list which I believe means that in a couple of weeks he will be an E-5. There were four of the guys in his language class that went for it and made it. We are quite happy for him.

Gypsy
02-18-2007, 15:37
Congrats to your son!

Hipshot
02-18-2007, 19:03
:cool:
Congrats on your son making Sergeant.

Genghis_Don
02-21-2007, 09:27
Congrats to your son! Have you told him that it doesn't really count till he makes E-5 the second time? lol.

Not speaking from personal experience but with 16 years in Big Army I daresay that SF and Ranger Bat are the last true bastions of the NCO Corp in the Army. Everywhere else it has become quite watered down.

My hat's off to him and here's to a long and illustrious career

3dfxMM
04-18-2007, 19:26
My son took the DLPT on Friday and passed it with a 2/2+. He gets on a plane tomorrow to go to Ft. Bragg for Robin Sage. Inching ever closer. :)

3dfxMM
05-26-2007, 20:59
Yet another update. My son called this afternoon to let me know that he has successfully navigated the Q. He just came out of Robin Sage and will graduate next Thursday/Friday. He was Team Sergeant for his ODA. He said all of his counseling sessions were very positive and he was ranked first on his team in his peer reviews. He doesn't know any specifics about his assignment yet. He said he probably won't find out anything until he gets back to Ft. Lewis.

I will be in Fayetteville from Wednesday through Saturday night. I would be honored to buy any of you a drink should the opportunity present itself. My only specific plans are to attend the First Formation and the graduation ceremony, take my son and some of his friends to dinner at least once, and trips to both museums. My wife has already given me instructions for what to get her from the SF Museum gift shop. :)

Once again, I want to thank all of you for your help and insight into what my son was, and will be, going through. It has already been quite a trip and in a very real sense it is only just beginning.

NousDefionsDoc
05-26-2007, 21:14
"A drink?" ROTFLMAO!

3dfxMM
05-26-2007, 21:30
I didn't say I would limit the size of the drink. :)

Please amend my earlier offer to be "drinks". Sorry if I offended anyone but I am glad that I was able to amuse NDD.

Gypsy
05-27-2007, 08:12
Congrats to your son, 3dfxMM!

Roycroft201
05-27-2007, 23:26
Please pass my congratulations along to your son. You and your wife have every reason to be very proud.




RC201

Go For Broke
05-28-2007, 15:06
Congratulations to your son. He will have fun out at the 1st, I know I did.

Please pass to your son, 祝贺绿色贝雷帽。现在是时间赢得它

V/R,

Matta mile
05-28-2007, 17:41
Congratulations !
Enjoy that drink!!!;)

3dfxMM
05-28-2007, 18:10
Congratulations !
Enjoy that drink!!!

Thanks for the kind words and thanks for rubbing it in. :)

NousDefionsDoc
05-28-2007, 18:13
Please tell him "Well done" for me.

You are rightfully proud. You did well raising him.

Roguish Lawyer
05-28-2007, 18:22
Congratulations!

3SoldierDad
05-28-2007, 18:41
I'm a father of five with three kids in the army - one has just become a candidate for Special Forces training and is at CLT now.

I’d be interested in interacting with other parents via this forum on our sons’ activities and progress.

I’d like to give you all a thumbnail on my son, Jon, who chose to become an 18 X-Ray last September. This is his story - However, I'd be interested in getting the play-by-play from some of you other parents and family members on your own sons experience through the pipeline, the Q-course, and onto their team. I don't know much, but I've read perhaps a dozen books on SF and have trolled long and hard on the net for the best information on the SF journey. To help you - this site is the quintessential source for learning about and understanding the SF community - including the journey your sons have just begun.

If there are any parents out there that want to reach out to another parent with a son on the same journey feel free to private message me.

Here's a Cliff Notes version on one SF candidate's story...

My kids grew-up in a very conservative home. We are evangelical Christians - we did home-school, home-church, and for years we never had a television in the home – Jon was born in Costa Rica in 1985 while my wife and I were self-supported missionaries down there. We were from a Plymouth Brethren background, and until 2003 I was a pacifist. We have Veterans in the family, but we were not in anyway military. Others have noted, however, we have a kind of warrior ethos in our home – I’m Irish-American, was a fighter as a kid, and was captain of my high school’s wrestling team - And, as a Dad I ran "a tight ship." We are a competitive family - all of us make commitments with our whole heart…My wife and I are centered on the principal of what matters is what we do – I think that has somehow translated to the kids. Nevertheless, I really had nothing overt to do with getting my sons to go Army.

My first son in the military was Ben two years ago - he’s 24 now. My third son, Mike, was the second to join and he did so right after he turned 17 (He was just deployed to Iraq as a combat medic). Jon was the last and is really the most unique guy among all my kids. He’s scary smart – ASVAB 99, GT 142, DLAB 135, 167 IQ and VERY independent - totally alpha male. He rubs a lot of people wrong, is easily misunderstood, and by all accounts until I saw him after selection has always been a smart-ass…As you will hear later, he has changed a lot. Prior to joining-up Jon did a couple years in College, had a couple short-lived girl-friends, and started working – He felt like his world was without any challenge, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, he was wandering in circles and admitted his life seemed without purpose – from 18 years-old to right before he joined-up Jon became grouchier and grouchier – He was like a caged lion looking for something to devour. The suburban life can be tough on boys who are yearning to be a knight for our times and slay dragons. I’m reminded of a quote I saw here at PS a week or so back…

"It has been my experience that superior people are attracted only by challenge. By setting our standards low and making our life soft, we have, quite automatically, and unconsciously, assured ourselves of mediocre people." - from The Ugly American .

Jon had little respect for what he saw going on with himself and his peers – As he told me he felt himself going soft, like his life was in a rut – He said, he saw himself and his peers “as punks.” Meanwhile, my other two sons were encouraging him to check out the Army. Both boys had done well on their entrance tests, and they told the recruiter that he hadn’t even met their "smart brother." The recruiter was a bit incredulous, and told my sons he didn’t believe they had a smarter brother – certainly not a better rounded brother. Jon’s very competitive - His brothers related the recruiter’s doubts about him. Somewhat on a dare, Jon went in and took the ASVAB – When the results came back the recruiter said Jon’s scores were “off the charts” and among the highest he had seen in a long while. At the urging of his brothers, Jon sat down with the recruiter to explore possibilities. He asked Jon what he wanted to do - The recruiter said with his scores he could do whatever he wanted. Jon inquired, “What does the Army need and who are the best?” The recruiter said “The best are the Army’s Special Forces - The Green Beret.” The recruiter said they were “the tip of the spear on the war on terror.” He cautioned Jon that intelligence wasn’t enough, however – The recruiter related how he himself had endeavored to make SF and had voluntarily withdrawn. He said, “Special Forces is called 'special' because it is for special men only" – He said, "You can’t test in." You have to earn it – and even then you can fail" – he added for emphasis - "And, most fail.” The recruiter said he could give him any job except the Special Forces job, but he did say he could get Jon a shot at getting selected for Special Forces with an 18x contract.

Well, that was the challenge Jon needed. He didn’t want to be a part of a club that would take just anyone. And, he wanted to go where he was needed - where he could be the best with the best - where he could be the tip of the spear.

Part II - OSUT/Airborne/SOPC/SFAS ...From suburban punk to changed man.


Three Soldier Dad...Chuck

CoLawman
05-29-2007, 20:07
Congratulations to your son and your entire family 3D!

3dfxMM
05-29-2007, 20:34
Thanks. I will finally no longer have to wonder what you and others were feeling when your sons graduated. It has been a whirlwind few weeks for our family. Our daughter graduated from college a couple of weeks ago and we were only back from that about a week when we got the "official" word from our son. Unfortunately, the timing sucked since he couldn't go to her graduation and she just started her job so she can't get away to attend his. I will just have to take plenty of photos. :)

3dfxMM
06-02-2007, 07:08
Well, it's official. Both ceremonies were awesome and I am very glad I did not miss them. He reports back to Ft. Lewis on Monday where he hopes to find out to which Battalion he is assigned. He made the Commandant's list but I am not clear what that means other than only the top 20% of graduates are eligible and he had an asterisk next to his name in the program. :)

I did manage to put a couple of dinners and more than a couple of beers into his buddies who had no family attending. After hearing you guys, I am pretty sure that I got off light with just a few beers for his buddies.

blustr18b
06-02-2007, 09:52
Congratulations 3d! Post some photos if you can!
Blustr18b

Team Sergeant
06-02-2007, 10:33
Congratulations 3d! Post some photos if you can!
Blustr18b

Photos are fine as long as they show "no active duty" Special Forces soldiers..............;)

TS