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Originally Posted by rwt_bkk
One thing I used to use when expalining SF to outsiders. IT'S THE MIND!
I always told them physically I didn't find the training that challenging (I grew up in Alaska. Sheep hunting, moose hunting, fighting forest fires.)
But I tell people that SF wanted a "near criminal" mind that could be controlled and that the body be in good enough shape to deliver the mind to the target!
After playing the "Ultimate Chess Game" for a while with the NVA counter recon folks, I can still say "IT IS THE MIND" but being able to carry 120 lbs of gear helped too...
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Agreed!!! That is always what I have told people and several times out here in the various threads. I always figured, it was what got me through.
Think back, to just Phase 1. For some of us that is a long way back.
I remember guys dropping out. Could have been the runs, could have been anything. Land nav. What I remember most was on the obstacle course.
I went through toward the end of the summer in 1969. It was hot, humid, miserable. The cadre told us as we prepared to run the course, that we would be the first class through the COMPLETED course. I guess, the class before us ran it, but it wasn't completed at the time. OH joy!!!!!!
We were all assigned a number. Thing was, the instructors would open one of the flaps on our fatigue shirts and write the number inside the flap with something like yellow magic marker and button it. As this was being done. One instructor was explaining, with a combination... serious,evil, I'm gonna enjoy this shit look and grin.
Basically. The reason for writing that number under the pocket flaps as he explained, was this. If and or when you get through this obstacle course, you won't even remember your name, let alone a number.
Looking around, one could easily spot the three to four meat wagons waiting for customers. Sort of gave you the impression, this isn't going to be good at all. Ugh...
We were already soaked with sweat. It was around 90 degrees and about the same humidity. then, off we went.
On that first run through the course, I saw guys quit. Saw guys to afraid to negotiate some of the obstacles. The 'Tables' sucked.
Saw guys pass out. helped a few guys that just seem to give up, somewhere up on some obstacle. Thing I'm getting at is this.
A good majority of the guys that quit, passed out or froze on some obstacle, looked like they were born in Gold's Gym and have been working out since thier umbillical cord was cut. I was 6`4, weighed around 175 lbs. But helping mesomorphs with chisled muscles.
It was the MIND. They could out bench press me to no end. All I could do was walk, hump a ruck, run, do pushups, situps, whatever til the cows came home. But only cause of the mind. I'm not able to define it beyond that.
BTW. The obstacle course as we were told that day.
Get back to this. Some interruptions. Plus I still have to edit this post.