Joining SF
 

As a current Sailor looking to join the Army to become SF; how would you guys view me being on the team?

After having read pretty much all the threads I'm under the opinion that as long as I pull my weight I'll be gtg.

I still have a few more month before I can start talking to an Army recruiter.

I've been following mtntactical.com "Rookie Package" and plan on following it up with the "Ruck based selection Program".

Thank in advance for any and all responses.

You pass all of the hurdles and earn the Beret, you are good to go as a newbie. The big if.

...well that, and of course he will be subject to every Navy joke the team smart a$$ can come up with, but I think that goes without saying.

Towards the end of my SF company command (2012) we had a prior sailor join us shortly after earning his Green Beret. He was assigned to the underwater operations detachment and, by all accounts, he was a phenomenal performer and an asset to the team. He gifted his life for his teammates and his country in combat in 2013.

SF is accepting of all backgrounds as long as you qualify and are willing to shoulder more than your share of the task, “whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some”.

Best of luck with your endeavors.

Prior service guys from other branches of service are usually value added. There's sometimes an eclectic background of previous skills and experiences present on an ODA. Everything from ballet dancers to airline mechanics. Or master truck drivers to infantrymen. Sometimes, unusual backgrounds come in handy. You'd be surprised.

As mentioned, the day you arrive on a Team Room doorstep, you're assumed to have met the prerequisites for being there. Everything after that is on you. You won't take any more ribbing or criticism than any other cherry. In other words, whatever you earn by your actions, words, and demonstrated personality.

Even if you were a Squid. ;)

Shipmate,

Seems like everyone is being nice.

What if I told you that it might be held against you, in spite of what you think? Now what? You could come across me anywhere. Pretty stressful to think about. right? Just saying...

Regardless, I'm curious as to what credible info clued you into the fact that someone might hold it against you? I guess the secret is out as far as adherence to standards being on a curve depending on where you come from and what you look like.

Also I'm wondering if your primary interest in joining SF and being on a team is doing the work on behalf of a (sometimes ungrateful) Nation or for some other personal reason known only to you, or is it to get hugs?

Oh. Just to avoid confusion... I personally am not interested in your answers to any of my questions...

abc

.....Ballet dancer?

I'll bite. Is there a story behind that one?

There was a guy in C/3/7 that we called “The Dancing Bear”... but that story can’t be told... ever.

I've known two guys who were professional dancers (ballet... not pole) before coming into the Army & SF. One was on my team as an 18C. One was a Warrant in my battalion. Rock solid SF hard rucking troops and very gifted athletes.

Go figure.

It was always interesting to me to dig deep and find out what guys had done somewhere else, either elsewhere in the military or in civilian life. The answers (and skills) sometimes proved invaluable.

Especially so in Reserve or Guard SF units. Simply amazing professional or educational backgrounds. CEOs, PhDs, police chiefs, mayors, doctors, civil engineers, certified tradesmen, IT techs, pilots, financiers, lawyers, shooting school operators, realtors, political consultants, FAA mechanics, oil field geologist, dive shop owner, deep sea fishing boat captain, and a hundred other occupations. Also a lot of LEO backgrounds (Air Marshals, FBI, ATF, Gang Units, SWAT, Undercover Narcotics, etc.).

I've known guys on AD ODAs with backgrounds in missiles, armor, wheeled transport, aviation, medical, and more.

Sometimes, in certain times & places, that one guy might hold the keys to the mission kingdom simply because he possessed some esoteric knowledge or had a unique non-SF skill. At the very least, such backgrounds occasionally enabled a guy to employ a believable cover story.

Here is your first lesson in Army. Head = latrine, swab = mop, deck = floor, & overhead = ceiling.

x/S

With the current manning of the USN, i will have to finish my current enlistment before i can transfer to USA.

I have submitted my DD Form 368 and awaiting a Exemption to Policy request, as there is no MOS openings for 18X this quarter for E6's.

Until then, I'll just keep on rucking.

Good attitude. But be sure to monitor those quarterly 18X openings; things change all the time in the US Army's personnel manning world. It tends to lurch along imperfectly until the next crisis demand to fill shortages. Today's No... becomes next quarter's Yes. Or next month's.

In the mean time, be the very best USN NCO you can be. That additional experience will pay off in the long run.

Stay the course and be persistent. You'll get there.

Got my DD Form 368 signed and stopped by the recruiter. They weren't too sure on how to go about getting me into SF with a 18X contract. They said I should just get an MOS and submit a 4752 or whatever (idk what that is) to request Selection.

I'm going to call a SOF recruiter today and see what's what.

If theres anything you'd be willing share or lead me to, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks for your assisance.

Edit:
Just call the SF recruiter. Informed me that my recruiting station is on the up and up. Recommended that I just get the mos with the shortest training pipeline so I can head to Selection quicker.

Just get your foot in the door.... the rest is up to you!

Finally got through all the red tape bullshit.

I was under the impression I would have to serve the rest of my Navy contract (due to HIPRI billeting) but when I complete my MEPS I'll be shipping out 2 or 3 weeks after that.

So my time line to go Green has been moved up substantially!

I'm gonna hang out around here for about 6 more months so I can get my run and ruck times better before I move out to be a Ssgt.

Thanks for the support and great info. I'll keep posting as mile stones roll around.

Should I take my DLAB now? Any other advice or tidbits of information your willing to share?

Completed MEPS Physical. Got my Grade D approved. Returning to MEPS for contract negotiations tmw. The Navy is now forcing me to stay until EAOS.


Heard from a guy who knows a guy that Selection is open all branches via TDY orders. Any confirmation on this?

Thanks again.

Got 35F. No way was HRC giving me 18X or even airborne in my contract.

Completed my TS screening. Waiting early out request to be approved so I can move up my transfer from eaos to fiscal year.

Best way to get a spot at selection from FT Hauchuca?

Hope the story gets better. Good luck

Let me ask you two questions that were asked of me when I interviewed for the
S[pecial] F[orces] O[fficer's] C[ourse] in front of the 7th SF Group Commander.
It was July 1975. His name was Colonel Norton.

This was before there was an SFAS -- shortly after when dinosaurs roamed the earth -- and your "branch" (Army talk for job manager) had to give permission for an officer to even apply for Special Forces training and assignment. There were the usual hard pass/fail physical and psych and security clearance hurdles, but ultimately a candidate ended up sitting in a hard backed chair at a place called Smoke Bomb Hill face to face with a Colonel -- not smiling -- who asked:

"What is the mission of the United States Army Special Forces?"

"What can you offer that demonstrates your ability to conduct that mission?"

And so I ask you the same questions.

was a recruiter

Those are some heavy questions. Been thinking about them all day. Thanks for forcing me to look inwards.

When do you go to Huachuca?

Until my early out is approved; scheduled to be there end of may / beginning of june.

Removed.

HRC told me to eat it when I talked to them at MEPS in the classifiers office. Only had an option of 4 MOSs. I picked the one that gave me a TS/TSI clearance. They wouldnt give me airborne either.

When I get my early out approved i have to go back to MEPS to get a new training schedule. I'll see about getting 18X then if new business rules came out.

If that doesnt work, guess I'll just have to be a stud and yell "I want to try our for SF!" at everyone I meet until it happens...:rolleyes:

Navy guy here
 

1)contact SORB recruiter 2)Get the sfas physical done and all included paperwork. This step is going to be difficult and you may have to ask around. Even if your unit medical wont do the physical someone else can. 3)DD form 368 needs to be signed by your commander.

I completed the physical already. 1st thing I did because it was a go/no go item.

Just got my early.out approved for dec 5. Waiting for recruiter to set up meps date.

I'm excited.

^^^ Best of luck. Don’t quit.

Finished basic. At AIT. Focusing heavily on cardio and rucking. SF recruiter said I'll get my shot mid-oct. Pending covid situation.

Excellent news. Stay focused and drive on.

When I was at SFAS, this past Oct (2019), there was one Navy and 3 Marines in the class. Don't know if any of them were selected, I have a return date for this May.