Basic Q's from a parent - Page 5

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3dfxMM

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by 18X Dad

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 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.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3dfxMM

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.

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!

TS

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