18x and recruiting assistance

Groleck · 08-23-2010, 21:46

Gentlemen,
I have been in contact with a recruiter and he has scheduled me to go to MEPS on Wednesday. He has informed me today that if I want 18x, I'll have to skip my last semester of college (Spring 2011 I am on track to graduate with a BS). He reserved me a Ranger slot instead, since I could ship at the end of May for that. He said the only 18x slot I can get requires me to leave for BCT in April.

According to reading I've done on this site, there are 8 SFQC classes per year. If I speak to my recruiter tomorrow, can I strong arm him into giving me 18x at a slightly later date or is that April ship date he told me about the latest one scheduled at this time for next year? I'm hoping one of the AD QP's could confirm my recruiter's assertion, or perhaps share with me a date that is more workable for completing my degree that I could present to the recruiter. I must have 18x, but I'd prefer not to quit college when I'd literally be 2 weeks away from being done with final exams and having a degree.

I understand that DEP and the Future Soldiers program are only good for enlisting up to one year in advance, but April is only 8 months away, leaving me with 4 months of potential dates, I would imagine there could be another slot.

Graduation Date: May 3, 2011

Any information or suggestions you can arm me with would be greatly appreciated. I welcome correction if I have posted in haste.

- Dan P

***youknow and others thinking up an answer, thank you for your time. I am going to simply tell the recruiter I need another later date. If he can't get it I'll get it elsewhere, it won't be necessary for me to find an exact date before speaking to him.

youknow · 08-24-2010, 01:56

I am neither a QP or a recruiter, but I can tell you from experience that I would not ship to basic unless I had exactly what I wanted. If you tell him that this is what you want, and he says he cant do it, tell him thanks for his time but you are not enlisting unless you are happy. Sometimes things have a way of "just becoming available". Also October is the start of a new fiscal year so that is the best time to get what you want.

Remembering that I am neither a QP or recruiter, the SFAS calender I was showed by my SF recruiter had a class every month. SFAS is before the Q course so the class date of the Q course should not matter. The only problem I see is that if you get selected you would be a holdover somewhere until the start of the Q course.

Personally, I would finish my degree before enlisting, and even consider going commissioned officer with the degree.

1stindoor · 08-24-2010, 06:40

I am not a recruiter either. However, I don't think there's a single QP on this site that'll tell you to skip graduation from college if that is what you want. The Army and SF was here before you started school. We'll be here after you graduate.

Groleck · 08-24-2010, 07:22

My recruiter informed me that initial entry to SF from the 18x path is being done away with, and the last chance is April of next year. My gut says bs, so I'm going to call the SF recruiter at Fort Bragg for confirmation. My recruiter suggested taking the Ranger contract and putting in for SF after I finish Ranger training. Thank you all for your input.

- Dan P

koz · 08-24-2010, 07:40

Recruiters lie- they want you regardless of what MOS in a certain month to make their quota.

boots1933 · 08-24-2010, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan P

My recruiter informed me that initial entry to SF from the 18x path is being done away with, and the last chance is April of next year. My gut says bs, so I'm going to call the SF recruiter at Fort Bragg for confirmation. My recruiter suggested taking the Ranger contract and putting in for SF after I finish Ranger training. Thank you all for your input.

- Dan P

My recruiter also told me that the 18x option wasn't available anymore...except he told me that in June of 2009. Needless to say he was either horribly misinformed, or just making things up. Based on the experiences I had with that particular recruiting station, it could be any combination of both.

My path to an 18x contract has been about 2 years long. If there is one thing Ive learned its to take what the recruiter says with a grain of salt...it's a numbers game for those guys.

~ND

Groleck · 08-24-2010, 11:53

My recruiter still insists that USAREC is discontinuing initial entry into SF from the 18x path and that my best bet is to take the Ranger contract and transfer to SF after finishing with Ranger training. He said he'd can give me the 18x for April but that's it. SORB and the SF Recruiter at Fort Bragg told me they don't know about 18x they only work with AD and had no other suggestions. Perhaps I will contact the recruiter from the next nearest station.

- Dan P

Dirt Gallo · 08-24-2010, 19:49

When I had doubts when I was looking at this before, I found a friendly recruiter that sat down and dug through the USAREC messages. I found clearly written valuable info about the state of the 18x at that time. Perhaps that would answer this.

Groleck · 08-24-2010, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirt Gallo

When I had doubts when I was looking at this before, I found a friendly recruiter that sat down and dug through the USAREC messages. I found clearly written valuable info about the state of the 18x at that time. Perhaps that would answer this.

I plan on making some calls tomorrow, including one to USAREC. I don't know how far I'll get with them....but I'll do my best. I'm hoping one of my leads will turn up some truth.

Thank you to all who have contributed.

- Dan P

ascanet · 08-24-2010, 23:32

Sorry if I'm late in this discussion, you might already be in bed if you have to wake up for MEPS at 0600. You can always talk to the Army career counselors at MEPS about 18X contract. They will have the same software as your recruiter for viewing "available" contracts, but they might put in effort and make a phone call for you to see if 18X contracts can be added to the system. I don't mean to speak out of line here, just adding to the discussion from my minute experiences thus far

Also, my Army recruiter took me to an SF recruiter presentation at Ft Lewis recently and the SF recruiter mentioned to all of us that he couldn't pull a single Ranger from the battalion even though over 60 Rangers applied for SFAS post-deployment because the Ranger Commander wouldn't approve of them going; however this is just one instance, and doesn't reflect all of the Ranger Commanders disdain for SF.

Richard · 08-24-2010, 23:37

Talk to these guys.

http://www.bragg.army.mil/sorb/default.htm

My Dad used to say, "If you're looking for an answer from Mr Ed...you go to the end of the horse with the teeth."

Richard

Groleck · 08-26-2010, 15:02

I thank everyone who has contributed to this thread to help me. The second time I called SORB, a different person answered. He said in service recruiting is up and he's "pretty sure" that the 18x is full and done with after next April.

- Dan P.

**The Reaper** · 08-26-2010, 15:11

Honestly, I do not think we need it after we fill the 4th Battalions, unless retention falls through the floor.

IMHO, while we get a lot of good soldiers through the program, we also get a lot of people who join for the wrong reasons and leave for the same.

Those willing to join the Army and serve on the conventional side for a while first will bring more maturity and experience if they eventually decide to come to SF.

Just my .02, YMMV.

TR

Surgicalcric · 08-26-2010, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan P

...he's "pretty sure" that the 18x is full and done with after next April.

Maybe the individual phase OIC's and NCOIC's will go back to enforcing "the standard" instead of allowing numbers to dictate who makes it and who doesnt...

SWTG, taking the Special out of Special Forces one graduate at a time...

Groleck · 10-22-2010, 20:48

I know this thread has aged somewhat, but I have just observed 2 new 18x recruits in the end of May for 2011 in another thread. Perhaps things have changed for next year due to FY October for the Army or for some other reason.

So to those who may stumble upon this thread, it appears that there may be hope for 18x's past April 2011, or at least through May of 2011. See the ship dates for the newest "18x's and Rep63's."

- Dan P