Go Back   Professional Soldiers ® > Special Forces > Base Camp

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-08-2005, 06:37   #1
haztacmedic
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 79
Oldest SF candidate

Hello all: This is a great forum and Im honored to be allowed on.
Question here, How old is the oldest SF candidate to complete the Q-course.
Im in a unit of very fit 35-42 year olds and I dont think they are "too old"for that type of challenge-but what do I know?
Thanks
SOMEDIC
haztacmedic is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 06:46   #2
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional
 
Team Sergeant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
Quote:
Originally Posted by somedic
Hello all: This is a great forum and Im honored to be allowed on.
Question here, How old is the oldest SF candidate to complete the Q-course.
Im in a unit of very fit 35-42 year olds and I dont think they are "too old"for that type of challenge-but what do I know?
Thanks
SOMEDIC
IIRC when I was on active duty the average age of a Special Forces soldier was 30+ with ten years of militery service.

I've no doubt that the oldest candidate will be in their late 40's-50's.

TS
Team Sergeant is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 07:08   #3
haztacmedic
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 79
Team Sgt: Thank you for reply. Basically what you are telling me is that a 38 y/o in reasonable shape will have no age specific problems trying to get entry into SF? This is important to me on a personal level. Thank you
haztacmedic is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 07:27   #4
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional
 
Team Sergeant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
Quote:
Originally Posted by somedic
Team Sgt: Thank you for reply. Basically what you are telling me is that a 38 y/o in reasonable shape will have no age specific problems trying to get entry into SF? This is important to me on a personal level. Thank you
Now that I do not know, regs change from day to day concerning age requirements.

What I'm saying is that physically, yes, a man of that age could make it through the course.

BTW, "reasonable shape" is not enough to make it through the Special Forces course, not even if you're 20.

TS
Team Sergeant is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 09:09   #5
haztacmedic
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 79
Team Sgt: Thanks again for the reply. By "reasonable shape" I meant to say is some one healthy and with out a lot of physical limitations or chronic medical problems.
This is why I am curious as to the age of the oldest SF candidate.
Thanks again Team Sgt
haztacmedic is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 09:13   #6
Jack Moroney (RIP)
Quiet Professional
 
Jack Moroney (RIP)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Vermont
Posts: 3,093
Quote:
Originally Posted by somedic
Basically what you are telling me is that a 38 y/o in reasonable shape will have no age specific problems trying to get entry into SF?
Physical condition is only part of the package. There are also certain intellect and basic levelsl of intelligence also involved. Someone with a 21 inch neck and an IQ to match will not make it.

Jack Moroney
__________________
Wenn einer von uns fallen sollt, der Andere steht für zwei.
Jack Moroney (RIP) is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 10:19   #7
haztacmedic
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 79
J Moroney: Understood Sir!
haztacmedic is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 12:29   #8
Books
Quiet Professional
 
Books's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: In transit
Posts: 295
Sirs,

I just went through Selection (05-05) and we had several fellows in their late thirties and early forties. Only one 40 year old passed; others were med-drops/VW's. In my unit, we've had 5 or 6 guys go through and make it in their late thirties only to be dropped from SUT or Third phase or one reason or another.

I myself am 31 and went to Airborne a week after being beat up in Selection. A month and change later, I'm still recovering (mostly from an infection I got at Airborne). I was in great shape (290 PFT) when I left and while I was selected, I found that I ran in the middle of the pack at selection. Even now, my future orders to SFQC are contingent on my recovery and top notch physical readiness. I'm not bitching: this is the way it is and the way it should be.

It is my opinion that a properly prepared individual of nearly any reasonable age can succeed. That said, know you're competing against young men, with some 18X's being just 18 years old. I believe the average age of those selected was in the mid-twenties.

I say go for it. If you're having a problem getting orders because of your age, consider one of the NG units. They appear to have greater flexiblity in this regard.

Thank you for allowing me to post and best regards,

Books
__________________
This is a dynamic business that is impacted by continuously changing variables complicated by human dimensions that are both unpredictable and fickle.

- Jack Moroney
__________________
Books is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 12:49   #9
Pete
Quiet Professional
 
Pete's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fayetteville
Posts: 13,080
The Problem is Mental

Quote:
Originally Posted by somedic
J Moroney: Understood Sir!
The problem with an older/senior person going through the Q Course is after graduation and its mental. How fixed in your ways are you? How ingrained is the straight Army in you.

SF is part of the Army and operates within the system, just not quite the same at the team level, and for some SF guys a lot higher. A senior SFC, set in his ways, can hit a team and all kinds of silly shit can break out. I've seen just about everything and I'd rather have a squared away PFC right out of the Q course assigned to my team then a squared away SFC right out of the Q course.

I knew of one guy that made the 8 list while in the course. I'll keep that story to myself, just let you think on it.

Pete
A guy who could change roles and hob-nob with a Brigade CSM any day
Pete is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 13:06   #10
haztacmedic
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 79
Pete Than you for posting in. I hate the regular Army. Im a medic in the National Guard. Im a paramedic in the civilian world and I am with out any challenges any more. I feel the calling to SF. I have over the years read, researched, and talked to anyone in SF. I should have been an 18-D years ago. I dont want to die with regrets. There is no me set in my ways (mentality). Im also attracted to SF because they are not like the rest of the Army. There will be no issues of that sort
Thanks again. good to hear form you
somedic
haztacmedic is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 14:20   #11
Jack Moroney (RIP)
Quiet Professional
 
Jack Moroney (RIP)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Vermont
Posts: 3,093
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete
How fixed in your ways are you? How ingrained is the straight Army in you.
I agree completely and it certainly not limited to senior NCOs.

Jack Moroney
__________________
Wenn einer von uns fallen sollt, der Andere steht für zwei.
Jack Moroney (RIP) is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 14:40   #12
D9 (RIP)
Quiet Professional
 
D9 (RIP)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 514
There's a 44 y.o. in language school with me. I know of a 45 y.o. who just passed SFAS. But you will have to compensate for your age with your fitness. I'm learning that lesson even at a relatively young 33.
__________________
El Diablo sabe mas por viejo que por diablo.
D9 (RIP) is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 15:22   #13
haztacmedic
Auxiliary
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 79
D9: Thanks for taking the time to post in on this subject. A 45 y/o made it through selection? That is inspiring! Good luck to you and thanks again
somedic
haztacmedic is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 20:23   #14
The Reaper
Quiet Professional
 
The Reaper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,779
Quote:
Originally Posted by somedic
D9: Thanks for taking the time to post in on this subject. A 45 y/o made it through selection? That is inspiring! Good luck to you and thanks again
somedic
That must be a Guard guy, the age cutoff for AD is much lower.

How many good years of team time do you think that a 45 y/o has ahead of him? Add a year or two to that to complete the SFQC, BTW.

I have lived through SF leadership which was relatively late in their careers in arriving on teams. It was not a positive experience.

The team is only as fast or as strong as its weakest link, and I see a lot of potential problems with a brand new 46 y/o SF soldier. He may put the rest of his team in jeopardy for his own agenda.

Just my .02, YMMV.

TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
The Reaper is offline  
Old 06-08-2005, 20:55   #15
D9 (RIP)
Quiet Professional
 
D9 (RIP)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 514
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper
That must be a Guard guy, the age cutoff for AD is much lower.

How many good years of team time do you think that a 45 y/o has ahead of him? Add a year or two to that to complete the SFQC, BTW.

I have lived through SF leadership which was relatively late in their careers in arriving on teams. It was not a positive experience.

The team is only as fast or as strong as its weakest link, and I see a lot of potential problems with a brand new 46 y/o SF soldier. He may put the rest of his team in jeopardy for his own agenda.

Just my .02, YMMV.

TR
It is a guard guy, Sir, and personally I completely agree with you. Just making the observation that there are some old guys in the course. In general, the older guys are from the guard. The oldest AD guys I know are in their late 30's, and they are E6s or E7s already with good, real-world experience.
__________________
El Diablo sabe mas por viejo que por diablo.
D9 (RIP) is offline  
Closed Thread


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:50.



Copyright 2004-2022 by Professional Soldiers ®
Site Designed, Maintained, & Hosted by Hilliker Technologies