broke sf soldiers

[terriblet68]

I see allot of SF guys Broke off to the point of not being able to serve on a team anymore. These are good guys and I sense there anguise. Some look as though they are of no use anymore or worthless, but I know this is not so. My question is, are there some preventive things I can do to help me be sucessful as long as possible. I know sometimes injuries happen. What can be done to help prolong injury? Any imput would be appreciated. I am 37yrs old and some say I must be crazy for trying to be with the big boys.

[Eagle5US]

I see allot of SF guys Broke off to the point of not being able to serve on a team anymore. These are good guys and I sense there anguise. Some look as though they are of no use anymore or worthless, but I know this is not so. My question is, are there some preventive things I can do to help me be sucessful as long as possible. I know sometimes injuries happen. What can be done to help prolong injury? Any imput would be appreciated. I am 37yrs old and some say I must be crazy for trying to be with the big boys.
Live hard + play hard = get broken early. My old SGM told me (as a young E-5, new to my first team):
Klap, you are gonna do a lifetime of military service in the next 4 years. The only way to survive it intact is to be in the best physical shape of your life every day.
And really he was right. Strong muscles protecting active joints on weight bearing bones = less injuries. Not NO injuries...but certainly less.
All I got for ya bud...

Eagle

[Kyobanim]

Learn how to properly stretch. At your age your joints will probably be your worst enemy in the stay healthy game. Make the time to do it. Obviously, when you're deployed it's not easy or possible to do it but while you're in training you can. Get up 15 minutes early, do a quick warm up and spend time stretching every joint from the neck to your toes. When you stop for a break use that time to stretch the joints taking the most pounding. Figure out ways to stretch while doing your duties.

10 minutes of stretching at the begining of the day goes a long way, especially when you het that magical age of 30.

[Doc]

Be in the best shape possible at all times. Be careful. Realize that all of the preventative measures in the world won't save you from getting hurt/killed if Lady Luck craps in your MRE one day.

It's not a question of "if" but "when" you'll get hurt in your SF career, BTW.

Do the best you can. Good luck.

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

All good advice! I managed to get a broken sternum and a few cracked & compressed vertebras in my SF duties.

After I retired; however, I went out to check my rural mailbox in front of my house and slipped on some wet grass and fell into a ditch. I managed to break my left femur at the knee joint. I did a great job...the surgeon was picking bone splinters out of the injury for hours.

Then it wouldn't heal so, they grafted some bone from my hip and more from a cadaver. This got infected and the Doctor was thinking, he was going to have to rip it all out and start all over again. So, he hooked me up with a fanny sack computer that gave me timed anti-biotics shots for a couple of weeks or so. It did work and the leg healed. I have lots of metal in my leg now with 14 screws, as well.

The worst part was I was confined to a wheelchair for over a year, before the Doctor would let me walk on it.

The sort of funny side of it was that I had my 120 lb. Rottwiler with me when I fell, he wasn't about to let anybody come near me, as he was VERY protective. The fireman threw me to ropes with nooses and I slipped the over the dogs head on either side of his neck, the fireman then closed the loops and walked him over to a kennel that I have on the side of the house. I was very glad that they were able to do this as I figured if LEO responded they would want to shoot my dog who was only trying to protect me. (Doing what Rotts do the best.) There sure was a lot of pain, whenever the dog moved me, when people came close though.

My wife, retured home and the driveway was full of firecars and fireman who waved her by the driveway....she finally parked in a neighbors driveway and walked over and told them who she was. She than took the dog into the house and followed the meat wagon to the hospital.

Moral to the story: After 200 + Parachute jumps, as well as all the stuff one does in the Rangers, SF and my police career, my worst injury, was after retireing and doing a simple thing like checking my mailbox. So don't think you can't get screwed up just doing simple routine stuff! :rolleyes:

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

Get yourself into the best physical condition you can and work on improving it everyday. Do not be complacent with where you are. I am a little concerned that you seem to be too concerned about getting injured, that is only going to make you tenative about making the efforts necessary to push yourself. That surprises me a little because I thought all you "Gary Owen" cav guys were risk takers. Injury,for various reasons, goes with the territory and learning how to cope with it, minimize the effects, and work through it is part of the price we all have had to pay. However, there is a difference between the stress, strain, sprain, tears, and bruises inflicted in the course of business and injury because of failure to properly prepare yourself for the demands of the profession.

Jack Moroney-recalling the that the tickness of my medical jacket was twice that of my 201 file.

[Pete]

I first thought you were talking about money.

We had a guy in our company who was at home pounding a nail. The head broke off and damn near put his eye out. He had a patch on his eye and looked like a pirate for a few weeks. As posted above it's not only the "on the job" stuff that can put an end to your team time.

The well trained have "Luck" on their side but "Shit happens".

As with others above, keep your legs strong and all your muscle groups as limber as they can be.

[Huey14]

That must be frustrating as hell.

[longtab]

Well half the guys on my team need shoulder surgery and some of us on both shoulders, some have bad backs, bad knees (airborne!), and just general pain. Our surgeon tells us we're just getting too old and workout too hard for our age. But if we don't workout hard we lose our edge. Damned if you do, dead if you don't. Sure we stretch, allow for recovery and such... but we don't get to not train because the enemy IS training constantly.

Lets level the playing field... a team guy in ranger panties against a little-sheet-head in ranger panties. The team guy will win every time. We're far and away stronger, faster, and more skilled in combatives than any little-sheet-head. Your kit may fail you someday... are you prepared to finish the fight?

Oh... and use sunscreen. :D

[Lothar]

**Not a paid endorsement**

Glad this site is online for those of us who are contemplating entering the pipeline. This thread has been very informative and motivating.

As a 30 yr old with several injuries in his past due to football, jumping, rucking and police work I am encouraged to go SF. I used to be concerned that all that scar tissue would hinder my military career in SF.

I have a good friend of mine that went to the Q at 40yrs old and made it. This after a long break in service in the 70´s preceeded by 60+months as a PJ in RVN and Thailand. Another SF friend had to have all of his toes reconstructed when a 4.2 in mortar tube crushed his tootsies. He went to the Q at 31. He made it.

Thanks to all the QPs that recount their experience with stories and information that help us younger guys. This site is the most informative, unbiased, no frills forum on the web for those of us who aspire to become members of a formidable organization such as USSF.

[Team Sergeant]

I am a little concerned that you seem to be too concerned about getting injured, that is only going to make you tenative about making the efforts necessary to push yourself.



Holy mother of .... I hope he doesn't read anything concerning my SF injuries.... :D

I've been broke, burnt, dislocated, and been operated on more times than I care to remember.....

But if you do read about all my injuries you will find one thing that still holds true, I'd do it all again...... Being in SF was worth every painful minute.

Team Sergeant

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

But if you do read about all my injuries you will find one thing that still holds true, I'd do it all again...... Being in SF was worth every painful minute.

Team Sergeant

And that is the bottom line.....please pass the Ranger Candy :D