Introductions V

[Damocles]

28 year old male currently living in the High Rockies. I will be moving back down to Florida in the next month, and at that time I will begin a dialogue with a recruiter regarding my future in the Armed Forces. I will serve in whatever capacity is ultimately required of me, but my ambition is to be a Special Forces soldier.

I also want to take a moment to express my appreciation to those active duty, reserve and veteran soldiers and officers for your selfless service to our nation, its constitution and its international interests. Without the likes of you, citizens such as myself would sleep restlessly in our beds at night, if we slept at all. Your sacrifices mean more to me than you may know.

This past winter I was the General Manager for a ski/snowboard tune shop here at Keystone resort. Earlier this season a portion of 10th Group was here for a number of days participating in some training and I had the opportunity to help out with some ski equipment issues at a drastically discounted rate. My company would probably not be happy with me if they knew the details, for as we all know a corporation's only responsibility is profits. I was very glad to be able to help, profits be damned.

I would also like to thank the many QPs for their participation in this forum. I have been researching the SF world for a couple of years now, and this site is the single largest source of accurate information I have yet found. As important as that information is, however, I believe your active participation is far more so. Many QPs have attained their goals in the past without the benefit of anything even remotely resembling the information contained herein. The information here is helpful, albeit unnecessary. More importantly, I have come to realize that you QPs who are active here are giving those of us who aspire to be a SF soldier a window into and a crash course in the SF mentality. In my opinion, the methods you use to that end are excellent. I would guess that there are a significant number of individuals interested in SF who come to this site and realize once they get here and poke around a bit that SF is not for them. Your efforts in this matter only prove your interest in and dedication to preserving the SF way of life. Thank you.

Apologies for the lengthy intro, but it all needed to be expressed.

I have some PT to attend to.

[dpun1]

I am 22 years old, I've spent my entire life living in the suburbs of Arizona. I am on the last leg of completing my BS in Human Communications with minor(s) in Sociology and Criminal Justice. I have attained Dean's List in my program three semesters, hoping for a fourth. My father served in the 82nd during my childhood - his service to our country acted as a catalyst for my own interest in the military. I enjoy outdoor activities, natural bodybuilding, nutrition, and reading.

I am here to keep my mouth shut and learn.

This will likely be my first and last post for quite some time.

Thank you QPs for your service - on top of the duties you are burdened with you serve as role models and embodiments of inspiration.

[doudou]

Hi, my name is Matthew and I am a member of the 3rd SFG(A) and have been since 2005.

I've been lurking these forums for quite some time now, and am proud to a member of this forum and learn from those who have been there and done so much. Thank you for providing these forums as they contain a wealth of information that has benefitted me on numerous occasions already.

Have a good one…..

Matthew

[Snaquebite]

Originally Posted by Toaster

From Texas, 24 years of age, headed to Bragg this summer.

I'm an Air Defender, 14G. I've decided I'll be a Green Beret one day, preferably 18D. Figure the association here will be good for me. Not going to say a whole lot since I don't have too much worthwhile to add. I'm seeking wisdom and striving to attain the characteristics needed to be a Green Beret.

So.....you've decided you can be a green piece of felt....I would suggest that you re-group and re-assess. To become a Special Forces Soldier...you are going to need that wisdom you are searching for. There is much more involved than just you "deciding to".

Edit: 28+ years in the Army and 26 as SF...Never did I refer to myself as a Green Beret. That...I wore on my head.

[Romans535]

Hello all, my name is Caleb, I'm currently in the 18x pipeline scheduled to ship out July 2nd for OSUT at Benning. I've been lurking these forums for quite awhile, including before I signed my contract in January. I've gathered a great deal of information from the recommended reads on these forums and I highly appreciate the time and dedication put into helping the candidates in the 18x pipeline; as well as SFAS candidates in general. I've picked up and read Chosen Soldier, as well as Get Selected; they are excellent reads with a wealth of information.

I decided to register for an account primarily to gather more information and insight from current and former Special Forces Operators, as well as attempt to locate a training parter and/or a mentor as Warrior-Mentor suggests in his book. Ill clean up those details in another post in the appropriate forum with more information about the progress I've made thus far training on my own. Thanks for the time.

-Caleb

[meximo]

I'm an 18C with 1-10, I have a few associates degrees and a bachelors in earth science. I just happened to find this sight and it looked like a good place to gain, share and retain some knowledge.

[Syl]

I am currently in the SFQC, assigned 18D and mandarin. I have been browsing these forums since before I joined the Army and finally decided I would set up an account and hopefully I can help give out some good information to prospective candidates in regards to what I have so far experienced.

[Phoenix2]

hi, my name is Shaun. im 25, ive talked to my recruiter and i am planning on enlisting 18x as soon as a couple tattoos are removed. Earning my place in an elite military organization has been a goal of mine since childhood. i got a little sidetracked but im now ready to move forward, though now having a wife and kid complicates things so ill have some questions for the family men wearing a green beret.

[wooby]

Hi all, my name's Alan. I'm a former Reserve 38B CA guy living in Durham, NC and working on the civilian side as a computer programmer.

I am honored to have worked and trained with SF at home and abroad, and have been thinking lately about giving NC Guard/20th group a shot. I miss the camaraderie and sense of purpose that came with serving.

To all those still serving, a big thank-you for keeping us safe! (and the bad guys not!)

Best,
Alan

[Jdad3406]

I am enlisted in the Virginia Army National Guard as an 11B. I am trying to get into SF by attending SFRE. I have had an interest in Special Forces for a little over a year and have been doing my research to make sure it's a good fit for me. I feel that it will allow me to expand my military career to a new level and give me the sense of accomplishment I want. I have been trying to decide between Aviation Warrant Officer or the SF path and I feel that I am better suited in SF. I have been reviewing the post's on this site and have come across some very helpful and informative discussions. Thank you to those who have posted before and shared valuable information.

[SOF_VET]

My apologies, I have been a message board lurker for months now and have not popped up to introduce myself.

I was assigned to 3SFG(A) as their veterinarian. I deployed to OEF with them twice and fortunately for me, the CJSOTF kept me very busy and I was able to be out front with the Teams in a number of "active" places.

My area of expertise is large animals, specifically horses, but I worked in a small animal emergency room for 9 years and feel I have the "dog" thing covered.

While I always wanted to be a veterinarian since I was a kid, I have never felt the degree of satisfaction in any job as I did when I was with Group. I still feel a great deal of pride to have played a small role in supporting the guys and am thankful to them for making my time with the Teams meaningful. I'm still connected and active in the community and am happy to lend a hand in anyway that I can.

My best to all of you. Stay safe.

[Shaku Maku]

Gents,

Name is Chris, from CA. Appears I made an account a while back, but for whatever reason never made an introduction post.

A little about myself, an 18B currently in 5/19. Before that, was an 11B.

I'm here to improve my base of knowledge, and try to stay associated with as many past, current, and future members of the Regiment.

[any username]

21 year old from the Colorado Rockies here. I am a junior in college studying biology and chemistry. I have always thought about joining the armed forces and I am starting to feel like now may be the best time for me. Recently scored very well on the ASVAB and am researching possible career paths in Army. I joined the forum to use the search feature aid in doing as much research as I possibly can.

SF has been my primary focus of career path as I feel it has the potential to provide a great physical and intellectual challenge, all while serving the greatest country in the world.

Right now I am trying to decide what way I want to go about getting there as far as 18X, 11X option 40, 68W... the options are numerous.

Big thank you to everyone who served/ is serving and thank you for providing a great research medium in the form of this website.

[Zach.]

Hello everyone!

I am 20 years old, and have had my eyes set on SF for a while now. Every day is revolving around preparing for my future enlistment; I'm in great shape now but still have a long way to go. I've been heavily interested in weapons, military history and international affairs for quite a long time. I have done my research (but still have much more to go), self taught basic Arabic, and support myself just fine through programming and internet marketing related endeavors... But I have realized it's not the amount of money one has that makes their life any more interesting than the guy next to them.

I look forward to getting some of the best training this country has to offer, and making my impact on the world and proving myself on an individual and team level. I have the utmost respect for any who serve, let alone those who have earned their Green Beret. Thank you for such a great community, I'll be lurking around.

Hello, and thank you all for your service as well as the opportunity to be here.

Ryan B. here, and I come from a long line of US servicemen; Army and Navy. I felt like a time in service to this country was my calling in my youth, but my road led me to college with an athletic scholarship. My regrets of not following in the footsteps of my ancestors is more often than not overshadowed by the end result of a loving wife and my young son. Neither of which would be part of my life if I had taken a different path.

I'm an oilfield consultant by trade, a weapons fancier, diver, outdoorsman, and a part time photographer among other things... As proven by my presence here I have interest in military and the history thereof. To this day I can never get enough of the stories from my dad's service in the Army, and wish my grandfather was still around to pick his brain once more... My wife's grandfather also has some good ones (the few he's shared) that go with his Bronze Star received during WWII.

I'm honored to be amongst you fellas. Been lurking a while; reading, laughing, and getting befuddled with the constant barrage of acronyms thrown out here... I thought the oilfield had them! And, I'll probably post an average of once every five years as I don't think I can contribute much, and I listen way more than I speak.