Try explaining "nous defions" to a bunch of spanish speakers when you barely hablo.

x/S

Malcolm M. ("Fat Mac") once asked me, "What was that on your T-shirt? Vas deferens?"

Nearly spit my beer up through my nose.

Nous Defions
 

My first exposure to the term "NOUS DEFIONS" was during my time in the "schoolhouse", out by the Nasty Nick.. I completed SFOQC in 1975, was selected from 1st Bn 75th Infantry (Ranger). There was no SFA&S back then. You either passed the interview & the schools & then were assigned a group or you were dropped. As a 1LT I was first with 1st Bn Bravo 7SFG(A). I learned then that it's a French term that roughly translates to " We Dare, We Challenge, We Defy". It's a very strong term for daring. Like the Brits use the word 'Bloody". As far as I know SF has been using it since the Nam days, when they used a lot of French words. As The Rangers bark their motto "Rangers Lead The Way", and 101st Abn barks "Air Assault", etc. SF barks "Nous Defions" rather than our "DOL" official motto. I'll break out my foot locker and find some of my 1975-2000 patches, shirts, etc to post.

Sayin Hey, to any of the original 1st SOC & JSOC troopers out there.. From
"Bastard Six".. LT.COL E.J. Passarelli (Passy).

Sir with all due respect I would like to reintroduce you to the rules here.......Thanks

http://professionalsoldiers.com/foru...read.php?t=474
http://professionalsoldiers.com/foru...ead.php?t=3452

If I recall correctly, SFC Greg Daily from ODA-552 (who was a commercial artist before coming back in the army) was the originator of the patch. I'm pretty sure he was the one who did it.

He also came up with the two original designs for the HALO wings MFF committee was next door to B-2-5 and 552 was always over there trying to get on lifts. Greg did some artwork for them and they asked him to come up with a design. We sat in the team room coming up with different designs. He went through a bunch of designs until they came up with two. One had "upswept" wings, the other was pretty much the design that we have now. I think Ft Rucker didn't want anything that looked like aviator wings, so we got the "diving" wings.

I don't remember much "barking" in SF. :rolleyes:

My assignment after finishing the first 180A class was to B-2-5 which had just taken over Mott Lake in summer 84. Larry Hickerson and I were the only two Warrants at SOT at the time. Spent 4 years there until Group prepped to move to Ft Campbell.
The first time I remember seeing a "nous defions" sign was on the street in front of the Group Headquarters in the 70s. It was in response to newly formed Delta's recruiting effort (we called them Charlie’s Angles). They advertised with “We Dare You to Dare” in english and a sign was put up with..... WE DARE using the words “nous defions” by Group folks.
Until then the logo with the word "nous defions" on it was a Blue Light unit logo that became the SOT school logo.

SOT, ODA 725
 

Toby, I was on the 7th Grp team from Aug 80 to Jan 82, First before I forget it was Jack Pope you were thinking about, and what about Tiny Young, and Elmer Adams. As for 725: Mike Brown, John Holhouse, Wayne Malick, John Humphries, C. W. Evans, Larry (?), Walt (?) later MSG Harry. I was told the Nous Defions was a response to the SAS, Those who dare win, thus "we dare". Also another story was that the symbol was on the ground so the "satelitte" could see it.....I think Paul told me that :). Anyway it was a hell of a place, very fond memories.......don't remember Ratman, but that could be after I left. RIP Paul Poole. Earnie

I did SF 66-70 with 68-70 RVN.

Never barked at anybody and never used any French other than the occaisional "Beucoup VC."
It indicated more VC than the average Montagnard had fingers.

It must have entered through same crack as the hoowa stuff did later.

I read all over the place that "Hooah" is an army tradition dating back to (fill in the blank). Baloney. Didn't hear it said until I came back from Germany in 82 and never heard an SF guy say it. Sounds stupid. When I left Fayetteville, even the 82nd was saying it. What happened to "ALL THE WAY, SIR?"

Ditto.

Ditto... and the only response I ever heard that went beyond that was a commander who insisted we respond to the "All the way!" with "And then some"!

No barking (that would have been met with derision in ANY outfit I was in).

One of the things I liked about SF was there was very little, if any, of that "rah rah," shaved head, wall-locker inspection, conventional airborne bs.

But that's just me...

me too.:D

The more things change...
 

...the more they stay the same.

Hooah
 

While back down at Bragg about 2000 timeframe I observed one of the training classes in morning formation....One of the Cadre was pacing up and down giving a motivation speech. He said "Your supose to be SF ya gotta think outside the box HOOAH!" ...and about 30 some odd voices went "HOOAH" in reply.....I could only stand and blink and wonder if the SF spirits that be were raging at the dying of the light....