Interested in Joining the 20th SFG

Grasor · 08-14-2011, 02:50

Hello all,

I am interested in joining the National Guard and was surprised (elated) to discover that it's possible to join directly to one of the Army's Special Forces units with no prior service.

That said, I am actually considered "Prior Service" as I enlisted in the Infantry in 2005 after graduating college. Long story shortened, I was sprinting the shuttle run during BCT/OSUT and tore my hamstring severely. This was erroneously labled a recurring knee injury and I was issued an EPTS discharge. I have a waiverable re-entry code but do not know how this affects eligibility to SF.

Fast forward several years, I am still very much interested in completing military service. I very much do not enjoy that I started something this important and did not finish it. I also think I could bring some unique talents to the table, as I have been working for a couple years for a well known defense contractor and have deployed to Iraq for a year directly supporting units on the ground. Before this deployment I was a competitive triathlete (Top 15%) and hold a Master's Degree.

I just wanted to introduce myself to the 20th SFG. I'll be CONUS in October for a few months before heading out to A-stan. I look forward to getting to know more of you and possibly meeting face-to-face sometime in the future.

Very Respectfully,
Tom

zoolander6 · 08-14-2011, 10:20

1. Pick the unit/state you would like to join ( you dont have to live in the same state as your unit)

2. Call them, be upfront and honest about your past, your goals, and why you wanna join. Some units dont like their guys working overseas as a civilian. So explain to them what you do as a civ or what you intend on doing. Working overseas WILL effect what unit you go to. ALTHOUGH from what ive heard it shouldnt matter.

Per regulations / enlistment guidance. Most likely you have a re-entry code of 3. Which means you ARE allowed to re-enlist but under certain stipulations. You must write a letter to the desired unit asking for a waiver.
a. Your state must must approve
b. your unit most approve (endorsement from SGM)
c. you must obtain a physical from a doc saying you physically/medically fit.

NOTE: each unit is different and some criteria might change slightly

hope this helps, and good luck.

Grasor · 08-15-2011, 06:24

Zoolander,

Thanks for the info! I believe the code is 3 but don't have my DD214 on hand out here. Will follow up once stateside.

-Tom

Scimitar · 08-15-2011, 20:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grasor

Zoolander,

Thanks for the info! I believe the code is 3 but don't have my DD214 on hand out here. Will follow up once stateside.

-Tom

Tom,

Please note certain states are not allowing any waivers at this time. The National guard website, cyberchat recruiter should be able to advise you of which states are accepting.

i.e. I was told Ohio isn't but CA is.

Scimitar

hetzer · 08-17-2011, 18:12

What is an "Airborne Analyst" in the civilian/contractor world?

lindy · 08-17-2011, 19:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by hetzer

What is an "Airborne Analyst" in the civilian/contractor world?

unemployed

Grasor · 10-28-2011, 10:44

Alright now that I'm back in the US it's time to get moving on this!

As mostly stated before I'm a 27 year old male, married, no kids, triathlete, skydiver, and SCUBA Certified. I hold a Master's Degree and work in the Intel community and recently finished a year deployment to Southwest Asia. My job is flexible and I can deploy in short rotations, a lot of the guys I work with are in the National Guard already and their units are OK with their civilian schedule.

My preference, however, is to the military, so I can reclass myself into a different civilian job if the unit requires. Also, on the positive side, I have a super understanding wife, which you guys can probably all relate with.

Those are the positives, but it's been an interesting ride, so here are the negatives.

Alright so, as I mentioned before I need a med waiver due to an Entry Level Separation I incurred in 2005. It was a recurring hamstring injury but the doctor their attributed my symptoms to a knee injury. Which was wrong but looking back I can understand it, as a result of the hamstring injury I fell on my knee that morning so I was just swelling everywhere and everything hurt. I had hurt the knee once in 2000 playing football but nothing more than a moderate sprain.

This earned me a JFW-3 Reentry code. Narrative: Failure to meet procurement medical fitness standards. Type: Discharge Character of Service: Uncharacterized.

So that's the medical.
Here's the legal.

In 2008 I let myself be caught up in a cluster of an altercation initiated by my brother. In reading this, I stress that alcohol was not a factor. The short of it is my brother saw a guy in a dark alley roughing up a young woman who could barely stand. Upon closer inspection, the asssailant was a police officer. I told my brother to hang back, we don't know what's going on but he didn't relent and started yelling for the officer to stop (though he was somewhat more colorful in his remarks than that).

The officer saw the two of us walking towards him, my brother screaming his head off. Hethen used his elbow on the girl's face as she was trying frantically to stand up off the gravely surface she had been repeatedly knocked to. It was like watching a train run over a big wheel.

My brother continued his tyrade but I could already tell this was going to end badly, so I tried to remove him from the area. Then I saw the officer pull something from his hip, keep in mind it was a dark alley, I could only see shadows. I knew we were both in trouble already, the sheer oppressive nature of the other man guarrenteed that, but I was damned if I was going to stand there and watch my brother take a bullet knowing he was just pissed off but not about to attack anyone.

So I disarmed the officer. It ended up being a taser, but I wasn't taking the chance.

Over the night a dozen witnesses filed complaints about the incident, I could see and hear them doing so while I was in the station. The next morning, I asked to receive copies of the complaints, only to be told that "None exist."

The town, by the way, had almost gone bankrupt that year for losing so many police brutality cases. The girl (who was about 90 lbs and meek as a kitten) was charged with underage drinking and I figure was probably being resistant to arrest, though I doubt the beat down was necessary.

Due to the situation, I was only charged with a bottom-of-the-barrel misdeameanor "Offensive Contact." A small fine, no probation, time, or community service required. It was also expunged from local, state, and federal records which I have personally verfied (though I understand the military cares more about the action and not the result - I get this, as the legal wranglings that people get away with that go on this country border on the obscene.

It was an impossible situation and I do not regret my actions that day, only that I may be disqualified from application to the SFG.

I am hopeful that a "whole person" concept can be approached with this one.

I've spoken with a person on the Nat Guard website Chat system and they said I should not be DQ'd from anything and that I'm waiverable for the medical, they could not answer which states are accepting waivers at this time however. Is there another resource so I can narrow my search?

Thanks for hearing my story guys, I hope to meet with some of you soon.

VR
Tom

zoolander6 · 10-29-2011, 19:02

If your working intel as a civilian your on some type of clearance, which means you should be fine to hold a DoD clearance if you dont already. Your not the only one whos been to the clink so i wouldnt sweat it. The only time you should have to explain yourself again as in the previous post is in front of an OPM investigator if they want you to expound on the situation or if your COC asks you what happen, other than that i wouldnt post my dirty laundry out. I would proceed in trying to enlist. Your waiver will take care of your re-entry code, and maybe a pre-questionaire then your SF-86 will take care of your double duece bar fights. What state are you looking at joining?

hetzer · 10-30-2011, 08:33

Your story doesn't add up to me, nor does the airborne analyst or prior service infantry statements in your profile. Good luck with the application process. I would keep the "how I disarmed a cop" story to yourself unless questioned.

Grasor · 10-30-2011, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by hetzer

Your story doesn't add up to me, nor does the airborne analyst or prior service infantry statements in your profile. Good luck with the application process. I would keep the "how I disarmed a cop" story to yourself unless questioned.

I'm not sure how else it could be stated to "make you believe." I suppose this board has seen it's share of liars, but everything I stated is how it all went down, as is my present occupation.

As for the legal matter, I might as well bring it up now where the Quiet Professionals can review it instead of spinning their wheels up until it comes time to actually discuss the events as required during the application process anyway.

Thanks for the well wishes in the application process.

-Tom

zoolander6 · 10-30-2011, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grasor

I'm not sure how else it could be stated to "make you believe." I suppose this board has seen it's share of liars, but everything I stated is how it all went down, as is my present occupation.

As for the legal matter, I might as well bring it up now where the Quiet Professionals can review it instead of spinning their wheels up until it comes time to actually discuss the events as required during the application process anyway.

Thanks for the well wishes in the application process.

-Tom

Us knowing your past legal issues doesnt not affect your enlistment, thats up for someone else to decide.

sfrecrutr · 10-31-2011, 16:03

contact the 20th SF MRT @ 20thSF@ng.army.mil

provide all of your Medical RECORDS pertaining to your discharge, what you were charged with dring your visit with the LE and they will give you an Official standing on if you can get in or not. (from what you said you should) Then go and attend SFRE. Move out and draw fire.

Surgicalcric · 10-31-2011, 16:12

Great advice Ace.

Grasor, the ball is now in your court.

Crip

Grasor · 10-31-2011, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfrecrutr

contact the 20th SF MRT @ 20thSF@ng.army.mil

provide all of your Medical RECORDS pertaining to your discharge, what you were charged with dring your visit with the LE and they will give you an Official standing on if you can get in or not. (from what you said you should) Then go and attend SFRE. Move out and draw fire.

What does "LE" stand for? Law Enforcement/Legal Entity? Thanks for the address, it's a big help.

-Tom

Grasor · 11-07-2011, 18:55

I wrote that address an e-mail last week but today I recieved it back in my inbox as "undeliverable." Which is really an odd delay for that it's usually instant. I'll just give the 20th a call at one of the listed numbers and get this ball rolling when I get back from training in NM next week.