What Matters...

[aricbcool]

Preface
I got to thinking tonight about the last 8 years of my life and how I ended up here, with goals towards SF. So, I wrote a little bit, sort of to sort things out and set some things straight for myself. If the following is inappropriate for this site, please remove it, with my apologies...


What Matters, or Why Becoming SF is not the only Reason for Living, and Serving.

When I was 17, the world was a different place. Clinton was in office. The last prolonged conflict was Vietnam. Serving in the military did not mean going off to war. In fact, there were no wars. There were no worries for that matter, and nothing but endless fun to be had. (Or such were the sheltered delusions I had…)

Back then I lived off of action movies. Not war movies mind you, but shoot ‘em up action movies like Delta Force, Terminal Velocity, and Rambo. Charlie Sheen was one of my favorite actors, and Navy Seals, one of my favorite movies.

My dream, the sole reason I lived and breathed, was to be a Navy SEAL. Why? Partly because of the Naval heritage of my family, mostly because Navy SEALs were the coolest, most dangerous and high speed unit in the world. If I became a Navy SEAL, I would have the most exciting, adventure filled life in the world. This at least, is what the entertainment industry, my main source of input, had me believing.

To further my goal, I would play paintball and First Person Shooter video games, and watch action movies. I nearly memorized a documentary on Navy SEALs that I had taped off of the Discovery Channel.

Something happened in the time between then and now…

I grew up.

I think that 9/11 did it. Actually, 9/11 was more the icing on the cake of my road to adulthood.

Since the age of 17, I’ve been married for nearly 7 years. I have two beautiful children, a college degree, a house and a steady career. More importantly, I have a new perspective.

Some things haven’t changed. It is still one of my goals to become an elite warrior one day. As I struggle through the long road to my bachelor’s degree, I still look to the stars, dreaming of a day where I can wear the Green Beret. But more often, and more importantly, I dream of the day that I will wear a uniform.

At 25, it’s not the Beret and Tab that consumes my every waking moment. It’s not the rank of Lieutenant that I covet most. What I strive for, what’s more important than any of those lofty goals, is to swear the oath, and serve my country.

As has been mentioned so many times on this site before, conducting the business of war is a “total package” endeavor. Every person who goes downrange has a role that is and must be filled in order to get the job done. Every person who serves does his or her part, not only for the Mission, but also for the Country.

There was a picture once on a parody website showing a box of French fries. The caption read “We can’t all be astronauts”.

Nor for that matter, can we all be SF, or Navy SEALs, or <insert super secret unit name here>. This isn’t because of how difficult the selection processes are, nor is it how hard the training is, though both support the above statement quite well on their own. The fundamental reason however, is because every army needs a cook, or a stable boy, or an <insert shitty job here>. The phrase, “The Pointy End of the Spear” implies the existence of a spear, and the people needed to comprise the spear.

When I finish college, I will submit my application for OCS. With that comes the knowledge that I will be assigned my MOS, according to the needs of the Army.

I also know that if I fail OCS, I will serve as an enlisted soldier, somewhere.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

When the call to duty is sent out, when men and women are needed to defend our way of life and liberty, when the people of this country find themselves in peril and ask, “Who shall we send?”

I will not answer “Send me, but only if I get Ranger in my contract…”

I will pledge my life, fortune, and sacred honor to whatever duty the country, and the Army, asks of me.

And if I can earn a butter-bar and a shot at SF in the process, that’s fine too.

Respectfully,
Aric

[jatx]

Good luck, Aric. I still think you should look at the 5/19th and 1/19th BSCs, though. ;)

[aricbcool]

Good luck, Aric. I still think you should look at the 5/19th and 1/19th BSCs, though. ;)
:D

[kgoerz]

I grew up in a family of Veterans. Not Vietnam but WWII. My Grandmother lived to 105 years old. She lost two sons in WWII. My Mother and one surviving uncle made it thru it. My dad Survived the Pacific island Hopping (Still to this day he can't talk about it). I have five brothers and im the only one who went Military. They all said I was crazy for going Special Forces off the street (During the Reagan era) I flunked out on the last day of phase two. They didn't like us Privates then, and they looked thru my records and found a test where I didn't write MM in an ammo question months before. The Weapons Instructor lied. I was a Private and knew nothing. I Believe the Instructor who lied, shot himself in the foot in 10th Group years later. I flunked phase two with 699 points (700 points was a pass) There was no Recycles for Privates then. I did my two years in the 82nd Airborne. Which im very proud of. I returned to the Q course and Passed. The rest is boring. Typical SF Career. The Instructor that flunked me later came thru SFARTEC when I was an Instructor. I gave him a fair chance unlike he did me, he passed. It took four years but I never lost my Focus to become a Green Beret. Not to be a poser, but just to be part of a team. Never Regretted a Minute of it. Best advice; always come clean if you fuck up. People only get in trouble when they lie or try to cover Something up.
No More, Keith

[Storm]

Aric, I also hope this is an appropriate place for this, because I'm responding to it as well! Having read your post, I hope that this thread will help some of the younger people lurking about this site at least stop and think about their goals. In addition, possibly saving them from TR or another QP putting their IP address on the chopping block. :D

First and foremost, I was in much the same place you were when I graduated from high school. All I ever wanted was to be Rambo, I grew up in an Army family, etc. I wanted to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point after high school(following in my fathers footsteps), but my father had other plans. He first and foremost wanted me to explore my options in baseball, secondly he expected me to explore my other options for going to college. At the time I couldn't believe he could do that to me, to me the battle lines were drawn.

That being said, going to a normal college, playing college ball, and growing up a bit was the greatest possible thing that could have happened to me. I ended up going to a liberal arts college because that was all I could afford since I refused to talk with my father. During my time in college I was forced to examine each and every ideal I thought I held dear. Basically, I learned not just to spew an idea I thought was my own, I learned to defend why I believed what I did. My father and I are closer than ever, and I still plan on serving in the Army to the very best of my capability. I believe I have the work ethic to serve in SF, but as Aric said, serving isn't about you, or what you want necessarily.

So, for all you people in high school lurking on this sight, I will humbly give you some of the best advice I have ever gotten. It comes from the book Secret Commandos by Mr. John Plaster, and comes to you freely, if you open the book. Forgive me in advance for taking this out of context in an attempt to be brief. "Their deaths made no sense, no sense--unless I could learn from their loss...I've got to make myself ready, I've got to learn, to listen, to absorb. I knew nothing...I knew nothing...there was so much to learn"(Plaster 48, 49).

Please realize this is coming from a person at the ripe-old-age of 22. I still know nothing, and would never presume to. Armed with this fact I encourage all of you younger folks to take this advice. Read, learn, listen, and absorb as much information as you possibly can. The QP's have allowed most of us to be here as guests in their home to do just that; take advantage of the golden opportunity you have been presented. In the end, at the very worst, you will be helping yourself. At best, it could save your life, that of a teammate, or someone else you hold dear.

Forgive me for being a bit long-winded, or possibly being inappropriate as Aric mentioned. Hopefully this will help out some of you that are even younger than I am. :)


-Storm

[CoLawman]

Just an observation:

1.Eloquence and clarity of thought define the posts of Aric and Storm.
2. Three common themes from these two young men.
A. Education
B. Vision
C. Goals

Not bad role models... for those a bit younger seeking a similar goal.

[dennisw]

I have to agree with CoLawman in his assessmet of your posts. Well done. Also, kgoerz has an "open spirit" style of writing which is both unusable, but very enjoyable.

I'm looking at your discussion from a different perspective. As somewhat who is 53 and drawing on my experience to date, I believe you both are approaching this analysis from the right direction.

As a young man, I was in the 25th Infantry division for four years. Being deaf in one ear I probably should not have been there at all, but I enjoyed the experience and never regretted it. However, when my time was up I met with the SF recruiter who said my 201 file had all the right things and was active recruiting me. It was between SF and college, and I ended up opting for college.

One of the bi-products of being deaf in one ear is that you cannot tell where sounds come from. At the time I thought it would be selfish of me to go the SF route and possible put my team mates at risk due to my diminished hearing. Eventhough I believe that was the right decision, I still have a tinge of regret related to it.

Since then I have done a fair amount of things and met a fair amount of people of different economic backgrounds and walks of life. Based upon the above, I've come to a few conclusions:

1. I have rarely met anyone who regretted serving their country. The few who I have met that did, were people I did not want to know anyway.

2. Most the folks I have met who served their country have an x factor about them - they believe in things bigger then themselves. I enjoy that.

3. What the world believes is important has no bearing on our personal happiness.

4. Since most of us spend an inordinate amount of time working, you might as well work around folks you admire and respect - like minded individuals.

Sounds like wanting to serve your country and become SF is a pretty good plan.

[kgoerz]

Never thought I was considered unusable. But glad im enjoyable to some. Was just passing a story on. SF is a small world. What ever you do will come back to bite you in the butt, or reward you. That is the best aspect of SF. There is no hiding among the masses. The masses are a close knit group.

[dennisw]

Sorry about that. I meant unusual. I just find your writing to exceptionally open and honest which I consider unusual, not unusable. That would be a hell of a note. Again, sorry about that.

[kgoerz]

No offense taken. Thanks for the compliment. It's an interesting thread would like to see more people write the reasons for their chosen career paths.

[The Reaper]

I always wanted to be a soldier and serve my country.

I still feel that it is the most noble thing a citizen can do, but freely yield that it is not for everyone.

While growing up, I was an avid reader of military fiction and history. During my college years, I was exposed to two of the finest NCOs I had ever met. Both were SF Sergeants Major. It was just after the Vietnam War, and public sentiment was against a career in the military, but I knew that I wanted to serve with men like them.

I came in as an Infantryman. My peers and seniors on my first assignment warned me that SF was a career dead end. I was offered bribes to stay in the Infantry, and threats if I left, including that I was ending my career, would not get promoted, and would never get another decent assignment.

Against all advice, I spoke to the SF rep at the Infantry School, and applied anyway.

The SFQC was tough, the instructors merciless, and it was designed to get anyone with any doubts to quit. The fact that I was told I had burned my bridges behind me motivated me to lay it all on the line.

At the end of the Q Course, I was still standing, when most had fallen. Many who were no longer there had helped me along the way, and whatever success I had achieved was a tribute to my instructors, fellow students, and friends, along with the work ethic and values my parents gave me.

My relatives who had been career soldiers advised me to leave SF after my first tour and return to the Infantry, hat in hand, but it was in my blood, and I knew that I could not leave. Fortunately, SF became a branch as my first assignment in SF was wrapping up, so I cast the dice.

Over the next 21 years, I was privileged to be allowed to serve my country with some of the finest officers and NCOs I have ever known. Several are on the board here and I am proud to have been there standing beside them. I like to think that we made a difference. We also left our share of brothers at the JFK Chapel and the cemetery. I have been to more memorials than I want to count, seen sobbing young widows and confused children there, heard the roll called and those three shots that signal an end to our service here.

We were only able to operate successfully not only because of our own skills, but also because of the support soldiers who prepared our gear, terminated our traffic, packed our parachutes, and flew the aircraft that carried us in and back. I consider them to be essential team members as well. We could not operate without them, and the Army needs grunts, and tankers, and cooks. In the end of the ride though, we were the ones getting out and putting boots on the ground at the objective.

If you are a cook, tell lies about how you were the best ever, and strive in every task to be the best. Don't make up stories about being something that you were not. It is too easy to get caught, and then you lose all respect.

I harbor no feeling of superiority or ill-will towards civilians, non-SOF, or anyone else, but it raises my ire to see a poser, someone disrespecting what we have served for, or someone who has done nothing, but assumes that they will be SF just because they sign up for it and want to be.

Playing America's Army, Special Forces, or SOCOM, or being an Airsofter or paintballer prepares you for SF about as much as standing on the seat of your Dad's car in the driveway, sawing the wheel back and forth prepares you to be a top NASCAR driver. It is nowhere near the same, regardless of how realistic you might think it is.

Those of you who really want it, realize what it will cost, prepare yourselves properly, and let your deeds do your talking, rather than your words. If you fail (never quit), you will cheerfully do your duty as the Army asks, and prepare yourself better for your next attempt. Everest was not climbed, nor the South Pole reached, by the first to try. Yet those who eventually made it owe much to those who went before them, and took their shots.

Hope that helps, good luck and God Bless.

DOL-
TR

[stone]

Thank you for the thoughtful words of advice-- truly inspiring.

[JMI]

Good stuff. Good luck to both of you.

[Martin]

Thank you, Sir.

Martin