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Old 11-29-2004, 16:17   #1
NousDefionsDoc
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What do you remember most about the Q Course/Training Group?

Strange the things you remember. I can still feel today, almost 20 years later, the feeling of road crossings gone bad - over and over.

Coming up on the linear danger area, stepping off those high banks, going ass over tea kettle. And my favorite, the frame on the green tick crashing into the back of the head like being hit with a lead pipe, driving my face into that soft sand. Of course getting a mouthful. But being quiet about it the whole time. It happened a lot. LOL.

I can also remember always being in a hurry for everything. Never having enough time. But I can also remember laughing a lot. At myself, at my buds, at the instructors, at the cold and wet. Felt good to be at home.

I remember leaving the 91B area and walking up to 300F-1. Walking into the SOCAS barracks and smelling the stink of sweaty gear and the sweet smell of gun oil. Seeing rucks and web gear hanging from every bunk. Not laid out, hanging to dry. Well worn kit. Not like the antispetic 91B barracks. Home.

Rocky Farr walking through at 0700 on Saturday mornings gathering up people to assist with an autopsy - looking for the most hung over to make them puke if he could. Pieces/Parts class.

Oral boards, trying to stay awake in class. Former Marine knocking me out of my chair in RS class for dozing after I asked him to "do whatever it takes to keep me awake." Then me doing him the same favor the next day.

Inge Jansen and his British accent, "Sergeant, are you still killing your patients?"
"Roger that Sergeant!"
"Carry on then."

Major Howard walking up to the formation and "asking" the TAC if he could join us for a "little walk". And thinking, "I'm actually rucking with a legend."

Reporting to Colonel Rowe and thinking, "I'm actually saluting a legend."

Mr. Hollingsworth and Jansen letting me think I failed trauma clinic all afternoon long, and then laughing at me and buying the beer.

Meeting The Reaper for the first time and being amazed that all he could worry about was his car. LOL

And finally, Froglegz picking me up at Battalion and his "briefing."
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Old 11-29-2004, 17:39   #2
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The "Q"

That would be Engineer/Demo Class 66-4, "The Best of the Worst."
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Old 11-30-2004, 07:08   #3
Jack Moroney (RIP)
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I look at the Q from a little different perspective. When I took over the Training Group my priority was training and I turned over the day to day operations to my DCO and the group staff. I spent my time in the field or the classroom and during that time I saw great soldiers, some just trying to get thru SFAS and others in the advanced programs like ASOT, O&I, SFARATEC, etc, with drive and commitment that exists no where else in our Army and perhaps in any Army in the world. This approach sort of pissed off the head shed because they could rarely find me but my priorities were where I felt they should be. I think the people that were the most initially shocked were the instuctors not just because they did not expect to see the "old man" but that I acutally had the audacity to get into the on going activities. I also saw a group of committed SF instructors that knew that their committment was to the soldier that they were training knowing full well that they may one day have that soldier working with him or one of his buddies. What I remember is that I had the privelidge of working with and for the best bunch of folks that every wore their country's uniform.

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Old 11-30-2004, 08:14   #4
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Ghosting

I presume you mean Training Group since I think I pre-dated "Q".

1. The TAC, Sgt Grogan (RIP), saying I was to answer to the name "Shithead" for the rest of my time in Training Group since he wasn't calling no man "Dahling". He actually referred to us as men rather than some other dispicable creatures.

2. GHOSTING: We were in the old wooden barracks on Smoke Bomb Hill and in between classes or while waiting for classes we pulled details. The art of Ghosting was developed and some excelled at it. If you don't know what ghosting is, it is the art of becoming a ghost and being invisible except for class and pay formation. It was treated almost with humor since it was really just a way of killing time. Walking around with a clip-board in one's hands was a good way to appear "busy". At the time we wore block caps, similar to the French Kepi. Each company had a plastic colored band on the cap designating his company. Co A wore Green. There were "ghost patrols" stationed at the Main PX and other places. We looked upon ghosting as training for clandestine operations. As the saying goes: The only crime was getting caught."

3. An instructor in the commo class sending me to the EM club one evening for a few beers. When I returned I passed the sending test with flying colors.
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Old 11-30-2004, 18:14   #5
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Talking What do you remember most about the Q?

What about Annex 10 in the RTC area on Sunday night??

BMT
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Old 11-30-2004, 18:47   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMT
What about Annex 10 in the RTC area on Sunday night??

BMT
I'm not sure which was annex 10.

We moved to the RTC area during the Christmas break in 63-64. There was an EM club right across the street from the commo class room. I think it was SFC Graves who sent me to the club to looses up.
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Old 12-18-2004, 22:33   #7
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Wink

Quote:
Originally Posted by QRQ 30
I presume you mean Training Group since I think I pre-dated "Q".

1. The TAC, Sgt Grogan (RIP), saying I was to answer to the name "Shithead" for the rest of my time in Training Group since he wasn't calling no man "Dahling". He actually referred to us as men rather than some other dispicable creatures.

2. GHOSTING: We were in the old wooden barracks on Smoke Bomb Hill and in between classes or while waiting for classes we pulled details. The art of Ghosting was developed and some excelled at it. If you don't know what ghosting is, it is the art of becoming a ghost and being invisible except for class and pay formation. It was treated almost with humor since it was really just a way of killing time. Walking around with a clip-board in one's hands was a good way to appear "busy". At the time we wore block caps, similar to the French Kepi. Each company had a plastic colored band on the cap designating his company. Co A wore Green. There were "ghost patrols" stationed at the Main PX and other places. We looked upon ghosting as training for clandestine operations. As the saying goes: The only crime was getting caught."

3. An instructor in the commo class sending me to the EM club one evening for a few beers. When I returned I passed the sending test with flying colors.


I'm an "olderish" type as well SFTG. I started honing the fine art of ghosting at jump school. Never had much time off then, but when I did, NCO's and or Officers could spot a body that was free "detail material". Took one time. The clipboard works, but the one time I got roped into a detail, it was cleaning offices. HMMMM (light bulb). I grabbed a bunch of official manila size folders. After that, when I had some time off, I'd carry them walkiing around. Oh... and always walk with purpose.
I took those folders to Bragg with me.... worked great there too

Last edited by 12B4S; 12-18-2004 at 22:36.
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Old 12-19-2004, 09:37   #8
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What do you remember most about the Q Course?

Thirty days without a shower.

Being tired,cold and hungry.

Amazed by the "tough" guys that called it quits.

Col Howard (then a Maj) rucking with us, and rucking most of us into the ground....

Survival week and how I actually enjoyed the few days of peace and quiet.

Did I mention tired, cold and constantly hungry?
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Old 03-06-2011, 20:43   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc View Post
Strange the things you remember. I can still feel today, almost 20 years later, the feeling of road crossings gone bad - over and over.

Coming up on the linear danger area, stepping off those high banks, going ass over tea kettle. And my favorite, the frame on the green tick crashing into the back of the head like being hit with a lead pipe, driving my face into that soft sand. Of course getting a mouthful. But being quiet about it the whole time. It happened a lot. LOL.

I can also remember always being in a hurry for everything. Never having enough time. But I can also remember laughing a lot. At myself, at my buds, at the instructors, at the cold and wet. Felt good to be at home.

I remember leaving the 91B area and walking up to 300F-1. Walking into the SOCAS barracks and smelling the stink of sweaty gear and the sweet smell of gun oil. Seeing rucks and web gear hanging from every bunk. Not laid out, hanging to dry. Well worn kit. Not like the antispetic 91B barracks. Home.

Rocky Farr walking through at 0700 on Saturday mornings gathering up people to assist with an autopsy - looking for the most hung over to make them puke if he could. Pieces/Parts class.

Oral boards, trying to stay awake in class. Former Marine knocking me out of my chair in RS class for dozing after I asked him to "do whatever it takes to keep me awake." Then me doing him the same favor the next day.

Inge Jansen and his British accent, "Sergeant, are you still killing your patients?"
"Roger that Sergeant!"
"Carry on then."

Major Howard walking up to the formation and "asking" the TAC if he could join us for a "little walk". And thinking, "I'm actually rucking with a legend."

Reporting to Colonel Rowe and thinking, "I'm actually saluting a legend."

Mr. Hollingsworth and Jansen letting me think I failed trauma clinic all afternoon long, and then laughing at me and buying the beer.

Meeting The Reaper for the first time and being amazed that all he could worry about was his car. LOL

And finally, Froglegz picking me up at Battalion and his "briefing."
slide for life in Dec will always be in my memory and its been over 40 years ago!! Damn I'm OLD!
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Old 09-12-2012, 08:39   #10
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Night Land Nav

I must have found every knee deep root hole during night land nav. Probably hyperextended my knees a dozen times. Also remember the night land nav walk with compass in one hand and the other in front of my face to keep from getting a branch in the face.

Worst memory is Hoffman's Triangle and busting the draw to the north. When I got to the stream in the middle of the draw, it looked like it was ankle deep. Took two steps and went in to my chest. That's when I realized that my red lense flashlight was not longer dummy corded to my ruck. Giant suck!

I also remember a lot of Allied officers going through with us. If you couldn't find a point, you just had to wait and at fire team would come by with bright white lights, talking and working together, and see where they went.
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