Posers be Dammed!

[Archer06]

Two sides of the coin.

Incident Number one
While sitting at a café in Central VA with my family a man stands up and says how his bones are aching, loud enough fro everyone to hear. I make eye contact and he continues ‘Fell out of my tree stand, but being a good paratrooper, I put my feet and knees together”… Blah, blah, blah you get the point.

Well being an avid deer hunter I decide to further the conversation so I ask about his time with the military and he goes on to chronicle a list of assignments that would make most soldiers green with envy. He caps it off with “then I finished out with 5th GP.” Great now you really have my attention. I am feeling the love- this SF brother now have common ground and I envision that he and I are going to be putting up Tree Stands soon. He might even give me the keys to the back 40 on his farm for exclusive hunting rights- I fantasize.

So I start to ask all the right questions. Which BN? What years? Who was your SGM? I get the following answers- “I need a moment- I lost my composer- The pain”, “That was a long time ago.”, and Pure silence. Well he pays his tab leaves and I look across the table at my wife who rolls her eyes, says “Poser” and then begs me to drop it so it doesn’t ruin out afternoon.

Incident Number two.
On our way to the Inaugural Presidential Commander in Chief Ball we were riding the Metro (Necessary Evil when trying to get into a city that has all of its streets blocked for security). My wife and I are transferring to the Red line and I am uncomfortable as hell. I hate Dress blues to Begin with and being in Public like that just doesn’t sit right with me. In any case there we where feeling like thousands of eyes are on me and feeling a little self conscious when I notice a small little guy wearing and old Khaki jacket with a SF unit patch sewn on it. I decide to let it go.

After a few minutes the train arrives and we get on- with the little guy I had just noticed a few minutes before. Now he notices me. The first thing he does is extend his hand and asks “What group where you in?” I tell him and then he lists his units and assignments and Tours of Duty including SOG. We chat for a while and share some well wishes in the midst of all the party goers and commuters. AS his stop approaches he invites me to join the SF association local Chapter- Chapter 11, shakes hands with me one more time, and departs.

My wife looks at me and asks “Do you feel better? That makes up for the other day.”

Man I hate posers. You can tell them in a second. Do the right thing all the time because if you don’t you look like a Fool like number one did, and because there maybe a quite humble warriors amongst us- watching.

[drawbreaker]

I am new to this site and am a little nervous about posting. I am a three time No-Go from SFAS (class 07-03, 02-04 and 07-04) but I intend to go back as soon as the Cadre forget my name. I have seen many SF Posers both in my hometown and around my duty stations. I used to not think much of it until I came face to face with the challenges of Phase 1. Now, granted, that's JUST Phase One, but I figure anyone who can get through that beast without getting eaten by the drawmonster or assesing themselves out and STILL have the intestinal fortitude to carry on and complete the other Phases has the right to stand talll WITHOUT worrying about posers trying to stand tall with him. Ya'll are a special breed and posers be damned for trying to take that without going through it themselves. I now go back to being quiet and watching and learning.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by drawbreaker

I am new to this site and am a little nervous about posting. I am a three time No-Go from SFAS (class 07-03, 02-04 and 07-04) but I intend to go back as soon as the Cadre forget my name. I have seen many SF Posers both in my hometown and around my duty stations. I used to not think much of it until I came face to face with the challenges of Phase 1. Now, granted, that's JUST Phase One, but I figure anyone who can get through that beast without getting eaten by the drawmonster or assesing themselves out and STILL have the intestinal fortitude to carry on and complete the other Phases has the right to stand talll WITHOUT worrying about posers trying to stand tall with him. Ya'll are a special breed and posers be damned for trying to take that without going through it themselves. I now go back to being quiet and watching and learning.

DB:

Thanks for the kind words.

I hate to tell you this, but after three tries, you will need a waiver.

The cadre will also never forget your name, because every SFAS record of every student is kept there for your return, and a database has all of the classes you have attended.

If you get another shot, you better be ready, because odds are they will not want to see you a fifth time and you will be NTRed, if you are not already.

PM me if you have any questions.

Your plan to be quiet, watch and learn is a good one.

Gents, every month (every day, lately), I see posts or get PMs from some heroes who have failed to read the stickies and are planning their SF career 10-20 years out, or what they are going to do after they complete ROTC and become the Army Chief of Staff.

As you can see here, this is not an easy road, attrition in the past four years from SFAS has run from a high of 77% to as little as 20% for one very special class. Odds are better than even that any particular individual will not make it through Selection.

Quit asking if you can go to Ranger, or CDCQ, or MFF schools. Schools are for you to learn a skill that you need to do your job, not for you to collect shiny badges to impress your friends. If you need a school, the Army will send you to it. Only exceptions are for courses like SFAS, and when slots are left over from the people who need it. Most of the best SF guys wear a uniform with few, if any badges affixed. They let their performance and reputation speak for them. They need no badges to impress others.

Stop assuming that you are going to be an SF Soldier just because you signed an 18X contract or are going to graduate from ROTC. A lot of plans fail, and a lot of thngs happen in a few years to change the goals that you have. Set out to complete the course or be carried out of it, never lose sight of your goals and quit, but have another plan for what you want to do, and quit asking or telling people what you are going to do before, during, or after SF. You need to focus on the 25 meter target, be that ROTC, High School, Basic, or SFAS.

A fast run time or a good bench press does not equal success at SFAS or in the SFQC. We are looking for the total package, the "whole man". Intelligence, physical fitness, and the right attitude are all equally important. All of the bluster and bragging in the world will not move you one meter closer to the next point when you are out in those woods for days on end with the big green tick on your back, feet that are killing you, and miles to go before you rest.

All you can do is to prepare yourself as best you can, be quiet, watch, and learn, and roll the dice by giving it your best effort along with everyone else. The soldiers who make it do that. IMHO, those who talk the most, generally do the least.

Good luck.

TR

[aricbcool]

Reaper,

Very inspiring advice. Thank you.

--Aric

[12B4S]

drawbreaker..... TR is dead on as usual. I went through SFTG in 1969. Stuff changes, ONE thing that doesn't change is what the cadre is after, what the training, the qualifications are all about. I was fortunate at that time where all my insrtructors had several years combat experience. I remember just running the obstacle course in august.....hot....humid. At the time, we were the second class to run it, the first to run it after completely finished at that time. They lifted and wrote a number under our top left fatigue pocket flap. Explanation being....... you'll be lucky to remember your name, let alone a number. Turned out to be kinda true, as I watched guys given saline injections and put in the meat wagons. Out on that course, I helped a guy on one of obstacles ( we called it the tables). This guy looked like he had been born in Gold's Gym, then there was me, 6'4 155 skinny guy. He freaked on the obstacle. I helped him part way up and he got through, knowing we were also being timed.
If you mentioned why you are going back for the 4th time, having to leave after the other attempts, I missed it. Injuries?... Mental attitude? At any rate, if you need to keep trying.... and it isn't the mental thing, that is commendable.
I'll add my Good Luck as well

[drawbreaker]

TR,

Injuries. Getting too confident and trying to go too fast is what happened. I forgot the golden rule: Paitience is Everything. I have reclassed into 11B w/Airborne follow on to get some line experience and more maturity. I sincerly hope to go back in two years and that is what I'm working for. (Two years is the timeline I figured out for personal and professional growth.) In the menatime, I plan to learn from this site, and keep my mouth shut for the most part.

DB

[CRad]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

All you can do is to prepare yourself as best you can, be quiet, watch, and learn, and roll the dice by giving it your best effort along with everyone else. The soldiers who make it do that. Good luck.

TR

Even after more than two decades of being around them SF soldiers still have the ability to ability to reply to a question that makes me want to stand up, applaud, and call "Good Answer! Good Answer!"

IMHO, those who talk the most, generally do the least.

"When all is said and done it's what's done that counts." a 7th SFG(A) CWO-4

[Ockham's Razor]

"Quit asking if you can go to Ranger, or CDCQ, or MFF schools. Schools are for you to learn a skill that you need to do your job, not for you to collect shiny badges to impress your friends. If you need a school, the Army will send you to it. Only exceptions are for courses like SFAS, and when slots are left over from the people who need it. Most of the best SF guys wear a uniform with few, if any badges affixed. They let their performance and reputation speak for them. They need no badges to impress others."

Originally posted by The Reaper.

I just want to add on here for those of you who are joining right now. (Please delete if it's not my place.) Most combat arms MOS's are going to newly structured UA's (Unit's of Action). They have NO time or patience to be handling 4187's for schools and such. You might be able to get Ranger (11B or 19D) but that is a very small percentage. As always, it depends on the Unit. I'm in the first Unit of Action to be deployed so we have an inordinate amount of attention to making sure every Soldier is present and not away without cause. I.E. MFF, Pathfinder, Sniper, etc... Those that need to go or qualify are told so, as TR stated. Put it this way, UA's are trying to formulate under an entirely new structure and are trying to get the schooling in that they are required from higher for their Soldiers. Most of this is in house and they want to make sure they get this done before even considering a 4187. That comes from higher so don't expect to get around that.

Keep this in mind, those that are going to enter service to try "as soon as you get in".

Hope that was helpful.

Ian

[magician]

young man, I respect you for having the balls to try out three times.

good luck with your fourth.

[Daver]

Originally Posted by drawbreaker

I am new to this site and am a little nervous about posting. I am a three time No-Go from SFAS (class 07-03, 02-04 and 07-04) but I intend to go back as soon as the Cadre forget my name. I have seen many SF Posers both in my hometown and around my duty stations. I used to not think much of it until I came face to face with the challenges of Phase 1. Now, granted, that's JUST Phase One, but I figure anyone who can get through that beast without getting eaten by the drawmonster or assesing themselves out and STILL have the intestinal fortitude to carry on and complete the other Phases has the right to stand talll WITHOUT worrying about posers trying to stand tall with him. Ya'll are a special breed and posers be damned for trying to take that without going through it themselves. I now go back to being quiet and watching and learning.

SFAS never forgets and getting back would be harder then what you experienced while you were there. Give me details of WHY you were dropped and maybe I can let you know if it's worth even trying again.

[MinerDiver]

1. Posers come in many forms - some that wish and want to be us, and others that are us. Those that wish - we can identify rather quickly and blow off. My issue is with the ones that have the tab and not only "enhance" what they thought they might have done - but bring it to the point of stupidy.

2. You have a good wife.

3. You must have looked ravishing in your blues...


----------------

Show me the leader and I will know his men. Show me the men and I will know the leader.

Aurthur. W. Newcomb

I will never understand why someone would try to improve there self image by pretending to someone they are not. It does not make any sense to me why someone would want to endure the shame and humiliation. Some physiatrist believe it could be related to a mental illness because like an addiction even when an individual is discovered he moves on and continues his facade somewhere else.

From my own personal accounts:

While an NQP at 3/20 SFGA, I recall an AGR MSG who was the Battalion operations NCO for years had fooled the entire battalion. This individual had earned his tap (Paper Tab), but had also decided to put on a few other enhancing awards that were not earned such as a CIB, 101st Combat Patch earned during Vietnam, Master Parachute wings and a Ranger Tab. Since he had access to the majority of the unit files he made forgeries of orders from using other unit member’s files. He was in charge of the Battalion NQP program, he used to tell us all the time how weak and worthless we were and how we did not have what it takes to make it in SF, followed by a few heroic tales such as Ranger School and Jumpmaster School Honor Grad or his Bronze Star and Purple Heart from Vietnam which were all forgeries. He was challenged, charged and dismissed from the Guard and set off firestorms of doubt that hurt the entire unit. I lost motivation, felt betrayed and decided to give active duty a try, thus putting off SF for a few years.

Another account occurred during the Pipeline at SFQC. The individual was not in my squad but the word was, he was sporting a Ranger Tab and a combat scroll from 3rd Ranger BN and claimed to have been a veteran of Somalia. The phase was SUT and I am not sure if this is phase I or II these days, but apparently, the individual felt the cadre would grade him more favorably as a former Ranger qualified Combat veteran. It would have worked if not for the fact one of the cadre was a Somalia veteran and in 3rd BAT and did not remember the individual. The end result was an NTR from the course and I think the individual got off easy.

This brings me to reason; I made this post to begin with. In the two pervious accounts I had been an observer and did not personally know the individuals. For the most part you think how stupid and move on. It affects you a different when you know the individual. Last May, before going to SF ANCOC, B Co 1/20SFGA conducted a routine drill (Mortar Training). I was happy to see that the unit had picked up a few more individuals. One individual was an E6, 18E from 2/20 SFGA, who had moved and joined our unit. We were happy to have him. After ANCOC, our company conducted SFAUC training, we had to combine some two of our ODA’s to make up a team and the individual was on our team. The guy was not quite on his game did not really know too much about the radios and no one from 2nd BN remembered him except as an NQP. But, you don’t want to doubt a brother and you give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Since, the unit could not verify his records he is given the temporary rank of E4. He still wears his tap. Shortly after SFAUC, the truth comes out that the individual was dropped from the course. I expected to hear the individual had turned in his gear and was shown the door. Instead, the unit gave him 90 days to go to selection.

I will not reveal the individuals name on the site because I don’t feel its right. However, since you never know who is on the site, I hope he reads this post and get the message. I hope for his stake he does the right thing before he shows his face as an NQP at our next drill. In my option he does not deserve the honor to go to selection as others who have worked hard to get a shot. If he should get to go, I wish him all the luck in the world at the Q-Course because he will need it when the cadre is informed about this candidate true character. In the event he makes it, He will still not have earned my respect. Because Posers rely on badges, tabs, medals that were never earned only bought. As well as frabricated tales to go with there big ego's to get respect, but the quiet professionals earns it though actions and deeds not the shiny stuff on you chest.

[SP5IC]

Lads, I've been duped by the best. Go to page 407-409 of Burkett's book, Stolen Valor. John Gallagher was a fixture around SFA Chapter XI for a decade. In the ten years I knew him he went from a humble SGT w/ a SS to a SSG with three SSs. He went from an A-Team puke (like me) to a Soggie, to a Son Tay Rader to a POW. The guy was a wheel mechanic who tried or did a stint in the SF Guard or Reserve. He was a very good listener. He was a total fake/flake. He bilked a bunch $$$ as well. I/we went from total trust of a claimant to total distrust because of the John Gallaghers. He lives east of Denver, and may be with the NEC...if it still exists. He is the worst I've known. Now, I've met a few hundred charlatians <so when do we get spell check?> at The Wall. Some of these creeps think that a Ranger tab or worse yet a SF tab, goes on the right shoulder. This gets my Irish up.

[lksteve]

Originally Posted by SP5IC

He is the worst I've known. Now, I've met a few hundred charlatians <so when do we get spell check?> at The Wall...This gets my Irish up.

sharlaton...sharlatun...charlaton...charleston...b ut according to Webster's New World Collegiate Dictionary (Fourth Edition) it is spelled C-H-A-R-L-A-T-A-N...
and let the record show, getting your Irish up is not always a great achievement...

Originally Posted by t-rex2025

I will never understand why someone would try to improve there self image by pretending to someone they are not. It does not make any sense to me why someone would want to endure the shame and humiliation. Some physiatrist believe it could be related to a mental illness because like an addiction even when an individual is discovered he moves on and continues his facade somewhere else.

From my own personal accounts:

While an NQP at 3/20 SFGA, I recall an AGR MSG who was the Battalion operations NCO for years had fooled the entire battalion. This individual had earned his tap (Paper Tab), but had also decided to put on a few other enhancing awards that were not earned such as a CIB, 101st Combat Patch earned during Vietnam, Master Parachute wings and a Ranger Tab. Since he had access to the majority of the unit files he made forgeries of orders from using other unit member’s files. He was in charge of the Battalion NQP program, he used to tell us all the time how weak and worthless we were and how we did not have what it takes to make it in SF, followed by a few heroic tales such as Ranger School and Jumpmaster School Honor Grad or his Bronze Star and Purple Heart from Vietnam which were all forgeries. He was challenged, charged and dismissed from the Guard and set off firestorms of doubt that hurt the entire unit. I lost motivation, felt betrayed and decided to give active duty a try, thus putting off SF for a few years.

Another account occurred during the Pipeline at SFQC. The individual was not in my squad but the word was, he was sporting a Ranger Tab and a combat scroll from 3rd Ranger BN and claimed to have been a veteran of Somalia. The phase was SUT and I am not sure if this is phase I or II these days, but apparently, the individual felt the cadre would grade him more favorably as a former Ranger qualified Combat veteran. It would have worked if not for the fact one of the cadre was a Somalia veteran and in 3rd BAT and did not remember the individual. The end result was an NTR from the course and I think the individual got off easy.

This brings me to reason; I made this post to begin with. In the two pervious accounts I had been an observer and did not personally know the individuals. For the most part you think how stupid and move on. It affects you a different when you know the individual. Last May, before going to SF ANCOC, B Co 1/20SFGA conducted a routine drill (Mortar Training). I was happy to see that the unit had picked up a few more individuals. One individual was an E6, 18E from 2/20 SFGA, who had moved and joined our unit. We were happy to have him. After ANCOC, our company conducted SFAUC training, we had to combine some two of our ODA’s to make up a team and the individual was on our team. The guy was not quite on his game did not really know too much about the radios and no one from 2nd BN remembered him except as an NQP. But, you don’t want to doubt a brother and you give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Since, the unit could not verify his records he is given the temporary rank of E4. He still wears his tap. Shortly after SFAUC, the truth comes out that the individual was dropped from the course. I expected to hear the individual had turned in his gear and was shown the door. Instead, the unit gave him 90 days to go to selection.

I will not reveal the individuals name on the site because I don’t feel its right. However, since you never know who is on the site, I hope he reads this post and get the message. I hope for his stake he does the right thing before he shows his face as an NQP at our next drill. In my option he does not deserve the honor to go to selection as others who have worked hard to get a shot. If he should get to go, I wish him all the luck in the world at the Q-Course because he will need it when the cadre is informed about this candidate true character. In the event he makes it, He will still not have earned my respect. Because Posers rely on badges, tabs, medals that were never earned only bought. As well as frabricated tales to go with there big ego's to get respect, but the quiet professionals earns it though actions and deeds not the shiny stuff on you chest.

Just got back from Demo Training with B/1/20 this weekend - As far as our Poser goes. It looks like we will not be seeing him anymore. No one has heard from him since he was exposed.

The Unit supply and Ops NCO are starting to get the statement of charges ready for issued equipment.

I just wonder how long it will take before the individual surfaces again? or where?

An interesting though occured to me. I wonder just how many posers are working contract Job?

I worked last year with MPRI and MVM. Most companies intending to hire require a background check and you must provide valid proof of who you are such as dd214's. Some like blackwater and Triple Canopy have assessments. But, bodies equal dollar signs to most companies and with the demand being so great some might have been allowed to slip by in order to achieve the year end bottom line!