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rwt_bkk · 06-22-2004, 08:42

Interesting about the Non-SF filling SF slots. Historically it has happened from the beginning. Actually in the beginning there were no qualified people....

Several times in SF history there has been an period of rapid expansion after a long period of dormacy. During those times it was look around and find the best guys and draft them into slots. I knew quite a few guys that came into SF through the "back door". One of them won the MOH, some turned out to be some of the best recon men we had in SOG. After all it isn't really all about the Q course it is about the man, the Q course just gets everyone on to the same page and hopefully prepares him for what is to come. Another fact of life is that some assholes that never shoud be on the teams will always get "qualified", hopefully they get sidelined where they can't hurt anyone. BUT they Usually end up in charge and then try to tell you how to do it.

I always said the most important qualification for SF was the initial written test. That told you about the mind. What they wanted was "the mind" and then it was get the body in shape to deliver the mind to the target. I always figured what they really wanted was a "near criminal" mind that would follow orders....

I went through Phase I with an old E-8 that came in direct in the very early days of SF. Then someone discoved after 10 years in Forces he wasn't SF qualified. So off to the Q course. That old man (looking back his wasn't old at all) showed all of us hot shot kids what it was all about. Made it look easy while we were sweating our balls off...

Now I hear that they are taking direct enlistments for SF again. When I came in you could enlist direct for SF. Everyone was talking about how bad that was. But when I looked around the recon teams I saw only a few old timers and a whole lot of Sp4/E5 guys like myself. Straight into the army, into SF and straight into SOG recon. (we didn't know any better..... honest). I think it would have been great to have the experience of time somewhere else in the Army. BUT it would have never prepared us for what we were doing at the time.

06-22-2004, 08:42	#9
rwt_bkk Quiet Professional Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Thailand Posts: 104	Some History Interesting about the Non-SF filling SF slots. Historically it has happened from the beginning. Actually in the beginning there were no qualified people.... Several times in SF history there has been an period of rapid expansion after a long period of dormacy. During those times it was look around and find the best guys and draft them into slots. I knew quite a few guys that came into SF through the "back door". One of them won the MOH, some turned out to be some of the best recon men we had in SOG. After all it isn't really all about the Q course it is about the man, the Q course just gets everyone on to the same page and hopefully prepares him for what is to come. Another fact of life is that some assholes that never shoud be on the teams will always get "qualified", hopefully they get sidelined where they can't hurt anyone. BUT they Usually end up in charge and then try to tell you how to do it. I always said the most important qualification for SF was the initial written test. That told you about the mind. What they wanted was "the mind" and then it was get the body in shape to deliver the mind to the target. I always figured what they really wanted was a "near criminal" mind that would follow orders.... I went through Phase I with an old E-8 that came in direct in the very early days of SF. Then someone discoved after 10 years in Forces he wasn't SF qualified. So off to the Q course. That old man (looking back his wasn't old at all) showed all of us hot shot kids what it was all about. Made it look easy while we were sweating our balls off... Now I hear that they are taking direct enlistments for SF again. When I came in you could enlist direct for SF. Everyone was talking about how bad that was. But when I looked around the recon teams I saw only a few old timers and a whole lot of Sp4/E5 guys like myself. Straight into the army, into SF and straight into SOG recon. (we didn't know any better..... honest). I think it would have been great to have the experience of time somewhere else in the Army. BUT it would have never prepared us for what we were doing at the time. __________________ Robert "Bru" Taylor "Fortune Favors the Bold!"
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