02-09-2011, 13:46
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#31
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Area Commander
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Raeford, NC
Posts: 3,374
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty
If you make it as an 18A, never forget that you are in your slot as a guest of the Team.
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Funny you should mention that. I had 3 different CO's as a Compnay SGM. All let me talk to all incoming officers. I'd give my little spiel, let them talk a bit and on their way out my last comment would be..."Remember Sir, these guys live here, you're just visiting." Had a few that took exception, only to get chewed out by the CO.
__________________
D-3129 Life
"If one day you decide to know yourself...you'll have to choose the warrior path...You'll reach the darkness of your spirit.... Then, if you overcome your fears....You will know who you are."
"De Oppresso Liber"
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Snaquebite is offline
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02-09-2011, 17:26
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#32
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NorCal
Posts: 15,370
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Quote:
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"Remember Sir, these guys live here, you're just visiting."
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That reminds me of this one:
Five cannibals were employed by the 5th SFG at an A Camp in the Central Highlands as scouts and translators during the Vietnam War. When the 5th SFG CDR flew in to personally welcome the cannibals for joining in the fight against the communists, he said, "You're all part of our team now. We will compensate you well for your services and you can eat any of the rations that the Army is eating. But please don't indulge yourselves by eating any soldiers."
The cannibals looked at each other, shrugged, and promised.
One month later the Colonel returned. Gathering the cannibals together, he said, "You're all working very hard and I'm very satisfied with all of you. However, one of our NCOs has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to him?"
The cannibals all shook their heads 'no' and denied knowing anything about the missing SF NCO.
After the Colonel left to return to Nha Trang and the cannibals had returned to their living quarters, the leader turned to the others and said, "OK - which of you idiots ate the Sergeant?"
A hand raised hesitantly, to which the leader of the cannibals barked, " You fool! For four weeks we've been eating Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors to our hearts content...and no one noticed anything. And then YOU had to go and eat an NCO!"
And so it goes...
Richard 
__________________
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)… There are just some kind of men who – who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.” - To Kill A Mockingbird (Atticus Finch)
“Almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” - Robert Heinlein
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Richard is offline
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02-14-2011, 19:53
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#33
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: 11 miles from Dove Creek, Colorady
Posts: 3,924
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MG*
I want it more than anything
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Ask yourself one question...
Why?
__________________
"...But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive."
Shakespeare - Henry V
Lazy Bob Ranch
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Utah Bob is offline
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02-15-2011, 08:10
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#34
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Quiet Professional (RIP)
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Carriere,Ms.
Posts: 6,922
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
That reminds me of this one:
Five cannibals were employed by the 5th SFG at an A Camp in the Central Highlands as scouts and translators during the Vietnam War. When the 5th SFG CDR flew in to personally welcome the cannibals for joining in the fight against the communists, he said, "You're all part of our team now. We will compensate you well for your services and you can eat any of the rations that the Army is eating. But please don't indulge yourselves by eating any soldiers."
The cannibals looked at each other, shrugged, and promised.
One month later the Colonel returned. Gathering the cannibals together, he said, "You're all working very hard and I'm very satisfied with all of you. However, one of our NCOs has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to him?"
The cannibals all shook their heads 'no' and denied knowing anything about the missing SF NCO.
After the Colonel left to return to Nha Trang and the cannibals had returned to their living quarters, the leader turned to the others and said, "OK - which of you idiots ate the Sergeant?"
A hand raised hesitantly, to which the leader of the cannibals barked, " You fool! For four weeks we've been eating Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors to our hearts content...and no one noticed anything. And then YOU had to go and eat an NCO!"
And so it goes...
Richard
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Big Teddy
__________________
I believe that SF is a 'calling' - not too different from the calling missionaries I know received. I knew instantly that it was for me, and that I would do all I could to achieve it. Most others I know in SF experienced something similar. If, as you say, you HAVE searched and read, and you do not KNOW if this is the path for you --- it is not....
Zonie Diver
SF is a calling and it requires commitment and dedication that the uninitiated will never understand......
Jack Moroney
SFA M-2527, Chapter XXXVII
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greenberetTFS is offline
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02-19-2011, 00:14
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#35
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Asset
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: NY
Posts: 29
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Hate to say it, but a 3.2 GPA is not competitive for an initial enlistment into OCS. 2 years ago, heck maybe even a year ago, yes, you would have been good to go. The army today has no shortage of officer applicants, and thus can be very selective. Ask your recruiter to provide the last OCS board selection statistics for your area, it will have the lowest GPA accepted and the average GPA selected. Then you will know for sure if you are getting jerked around. My advice, if you really want to be an officer first, apply for OCS anyway (they can't not let you apply), if you make it, great, if not then you can enlist and apply for OCS down the road with some enlisted experience under your belt.
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goon175 is offline
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02-19-2011, 03:07
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#36
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Asset
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Colorado
Posts: 5
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To echo what goon175 stated.
I recently just finished going through the Accession Process through ROTC -- granted it might be a little different than straight enlisting and going through OCS, but take it for what its worth.
We had guys with 3.5's not get awarded even an Active Duty commission, so while the 3.2 is something to be proud of, don't automatically assume that it'll hold that much weight.
Also, being a chairborne ranger by reading up a bunch of crap you found on Google does not "qualify" you to become an officer, so don't go around spouting out that you are. Shit, I'm not even sure that some guys graduating in my class and receiving their commission with me in May are really qualified to be an officer. While the Officer Candidate process isn't exactly the toughest of courses to make it through, this isn't just a civi job where meeting a checklist of criteria simply "qualifies" you for the job.
If becoming an 18A really is your "lifelong dream," then why not sign an 18x contract, do your time in the enlisted world, then put in an OCS packet when the time comes/you actually know what the job actually entails? Hell, that's the route I wanted to take -- so much for that.
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TKim is offline
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05-21-2011, 17:21
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#37
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Asset
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 15
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Thanks for all of the information and constructive criticism...
After much thought I've decided to seek an 18x contract and enlist.
Since I plan to do at least 20 years in the Army, I'd like to see both sides of the coin and gain as much experience as I can before going after a commission. After my first contract term is up I'll put in my packet for OCS and go to the dark side.
Whew...now that the hard part's over I just have to get selected at SFAS... 
-Jim
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MG* is offline
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05-21-2011, 22:32
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#38
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BANNED USER
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,751
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[QUOTE=MG*;394542] Since I plan to do at least 20 years in the Army, [QUOTE]
20 years is a long time, pace yourself. It'll go by in a blink.
Last edited by Dozer523; 09-01-2011 at 15:01.
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Dozer523 is offline
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05-23-2011, 07:49
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#39
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Ft. Bragg
Posts: 2,908
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MG*
Since I plan to do at least 20 years in the Army,
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Big talk for someone that hasn't completed 20 days yet. Let me be the same buzz kill for you as I was for my son, who's looking to enlist. You can "plan" all you want...make sure you have a back up plan when life throws you a curve ball. Some things to consider...
1. You're not medically qualified...you're at the same place you are now.
2. You don't make it through Basic...welcome to civilian life.
3. You don't get selected...you're now an 11B.
4. You get selected but break your back on a jump going through the Q course...you're now being medically chaptered.
5. You get through basic, AIT, SFAS, SFQC, HALO, CDQC, and every other cool-guy school...and on your first deployment you loose your legs...at least you get some VA benefits.
Too many guys in your age bracket have their "goal" in mind...but no idea what to do if things don't go their way.
__________________
"Somebody should put that quote on a T-shirt:
Muslim phrase: "Aloha Snackbar!"
English translation: "Draw, Mother-F*cker!""
-TOMAHAWK9521
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1stindoor is offline
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05-23-2011, 10:15
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#40
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Asset
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1stindoor
Big talk for someone that hasn't completed 20 days yet. Let me be the same buzz kill for you as I was for my son, who's looking to enlist. You can "plan" all you want...make sure you have a back up plan when life throws you a curve ball. Some things to consider...
1. You're not medically qualified...you're at the same place you are now.
2. You don't make it through Basic...welcome to civilian life.
3. You don't get selected...you're now an 11B.
4. You get selected but break your back on a jump going through the Q course...you're now being medically chaptered.
5. You get through basic, AIT, SFAS, SFQC, HALO, CDQC, and every other cool-guy school...and on your first deployment you loose your legs...at least you get some VA benefits.
Too many guys in your age bracket have their "goal" in mind...but no idea what to do if things don't go their way.
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You're right and thanks for the gut check. I should definitely have a backup plan and not be too cocky. I just tend to be a bit type A and optimistic and sometimes that leads to me thinking too big. I'll focus on the closest target from here on out.
-Jim
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MG* is offline
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05-23-2011, 10:48
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#41
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Ft. Bragg
Posts: 2,908
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MG*
You're right and thanks for the gut check. I should definitely have a backup plan and not be too cocky. I just tend to be a bit type A and optimistic and sometimes that leads to me thinking too big. I'll focus on the closest target from here on out.
-Jim
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Good luck to you. Let us know how you're progressing along your journey.
__________________
"Somebody should put that quote on a T-shirt:
Muslim phrase: "Aloha Snackbar!"
English translation: "Draw, Mother-F*cker!""
-TOMAHAWK9521
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1stindoor is offline
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09-01-2011, 11:13
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#42
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Asset
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 15
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Good afternoon,
Just to let you all know, I enlisted today as an 18X and my ship date is in March. Thanks for all of the help and useful information that this site continues to provide. I'm looking forward to taking these interim months to make sure that my final preparations for selection are top notch. I'll post on this thread from time to time, most likely after I graduate from each school.
-Jim
P.S. For any 18Xers that read this, the order of operations regarding schools has been changed; you will go to Basic + Infantry AIT, then SOPC (where you will be screened for progression), and then if and only if you make it through SOPC will you go to airborne and then SFAS. If you do not make it through the prep course, airborne is no longer guaranteed.
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MG* is offline
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09-01-2011, 11:16
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#43
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: 18 yrs upstate NY, 30 yrs South Florida, 20 yrs Conch Republic, now chasing G-Kids in NOVA & UK
Posts: 11,901
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MG*
Good afternoon,
Just to let you all know, I enlisted today as an 18X and my ship date is in March.
-Jim
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Congratulations,, Now go out and do 500 flutter kicks.. 
__________________
Go raibh tú leathuair ar Neamh sula mbeadh a fhios ag an diabhal go bhfuil tú marbh
"May you be a half hour in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead"
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JJ_BPK is offline
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09-01-2011, 13:13
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#44
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Ft. Bragg
Posts: 2,908
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MG*
Good afternoon,
Just to let you all know, I enlisted today as an 18X and my ship date is in March. Thanks for all of the help and useful information that this site continues to provide. I'm looking forward to taking these interim months to make sure that my final preparations for selection are top notch. I'll post on this thread from time to time, most likely after I graduate from each school.
-Jim
P.S. For any 18Xers that read this, the order of operations regarding schools has been changed; you will go to Basic + Infantry AIT, then SOPC (where you will be screened for progression), and then if and only if you make it through SOPC will you go to airborne and then SFAS. If you do not make it through the prep course, airborne is no longer guaranteed.
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Congrats, thanks for stepping up...good luck and thank you for updating the future 18Xs.
__________________
"Somebody should put that quote on a T-shirt:
Muslim phrase: "Aloha Snackbar!"
English translation: "Draw, Mother-F*cker!""
-TOMAHAWK9521
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1stindoor is offline
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09-01-2011, 14:13
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#45
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SF Candidate
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Destin, FL
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wet dog
alright4u - pro ball would have paid better than SF, but SF was much more rewarding, agreed?
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WD- if $1100/month (and that's before clubbie dues, meals, etc.) is better pay then they can keep it. Besides, MLB organizations, for the most part, seem to reward big money picks rather than those who are actually performing and deserving... Just my .02
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Digger25 is offline
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