Oldest SF candidate

haztacmedic · 06-08-2005, 06:37

Hello all: This is a great forum and Im honored to be allowed on.
Question here, How old is the oldest SF candidate to complete the Q-course.
Im in a unit of very fit 35-42 year olds and I dont think they are "too old"for that type of challenge-but what do I know?
Thanks
SOMEDIC

**Team Sergeant** · 06-08-2005, 06:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by somedic

Hello all: This is a great forum and Im honored to be allowed on.
Question here, How old is the oldest SF candidate to complete the Q-course.
Im in a unit of very fit 35-42 year olds and I dont think they are "too old"for that type of challenge-but what do I know?
Thanks
SOMEDIC

IIRC when I was on active duty the average age of a Special Forces soldier was 30+ with ten years of militery service.

I've no doubt that the oldest candidate will be in their late 40's-50's.

TS

haztacmedic · 06-08-2005, 07:08

Team Sgt: Thank you for reply. Basically what you are telling me is that a 38 y/o in reasonable shape will have no age specific problems trying to get entry into SF? This is important to me on a personal level. Thank you

**Team Sergeant** · 06-08-2005, 07:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by somedic

Team Sgt: Thank you for reply. Basically what you are telling me is that a 38 y/o in reasonable shape will have no age specific problems trying to get entry into SF? This is important to me on a personal level. Thank you

Now that I do not know, regs change from day to day concerning age requirements.

What I'm saying is that physically, yes, a man of that age could make it through the course.

BTW, "reasonable shape" is not enough to make it through the Special Forces course, not even if you're 20.

TS

haztacmedic · 06-08-2005, 09:09

Team Sgt: Thanks again for the reply. By "reasonable shape" I meant to say is some one healthy and with out a lot of physical limitations or chronic medical problems.
This is why I am curious as to the age of the oldest SF candidate.
Thanks again Team Sgt

NousDefionsDoc · 06-09-2005, 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by somedic

Team Sgt: Thanks again for the reply. By "reasonable shape" I meant to say is some one healthy and with out a lot of physical limitations or chronic medical problems.
This is why I am curious as to the age of the oldest SF candidate.
Thanks again Team Sgt

LOL - "reasonable shape" to the TS is smoking the 17-24 y/o PT test after a 12-mile hump in under 2 hours.

"reasonable shape" ROTFLMAO

**Jack Moroney (RIP)** · 06-08-2005, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by somedic

Basically what you are telling me is that a 38 y/o in reasonable shape will have no age specific problems trying to get entry into SF?

Physical condition is only part of the package. There are also certain intellect and basic levelsl of intelligence also involved. Someone with a 21 inch neck and an IQ to match will not make it.

Jack Moroney

haztacmedic · 06-08-2005, 10:19

J Moroney: Understood Sir!

Books · 06-08-2005, 12:29

Sirs,

I just went through Selection (05-05) and we had several fellows in their late thirties and early forties. Only one 40 year old passed; others were med-drops/VW's. In my unit, we've had 5 or 6 guys go through and make it in their late thirties only to be dropped from SUT or Third phase or one reason or another.

I myself am 31 and went to Airborne a week after being beat up in Selection. A month and change later, I'm still recovering (mostly from an infection I got at Airborne). I was in great shape (290 PFT) when I left and while I was selected, I found that I ran in the middle of the pack at selection. Even now, my future orders to SFQC are contingent on my recovery and top notch physical readiness. I'm not bitching: this is the way it is and the way it should be.

It is my opinion that a properly prepared individual of nearly any reasonable age can succeed. That said, know you're competing against young men, with some 18X's being just 18 years old. I believe the average age of those selected was in the mid-twenties.

I say go for it. If you're having a problem getting orders because of your age, consider one of the NG units. They appear to have greater flexiblity in this regard.

Thank you for allowing me to post and best regards,

Books

**Pete** · 06-08-2005, 12:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by somedic

J Moroney: Understood Sir!

The problem with an older/senior person going through the Q Course is after graduation and its mental. How fixed in your ways are you? How ingrained is the straight Army in you.

SF is part of the Army and operates within the system, just not quite the same at the team level, and for some SF guys a lot higher. A senior SFC, set in his ways, can hit a team and all kinds of silly shit can break out. I've seen just about everything and I'd rather have a squared away PFC right out of the Q course assigned to my team then a squared away SFC right out of the Q course.

I knew of one guy that made the 8 list while in the course. I'll keep that story to myself, just let you think on it.

Pete
A guy who could change roles and hob-nob with a Brigade CSM any day

Cobra 66 · 07-29-2005, 09:50

I have a very good friend that went through SFAS, then completed the Q course when he was around 45. He also got his scuba bubble when he was 49. Of course, I also think that he is a little hard headed for his own good...lol

RAT out

FrankS · 07-29-2005, 10:25

Well got back from meps last night and passed everything with flying colors except for the hearing part and the doctor was hesitant to disqualify me for the hearing but but did anyway. I am only 5 points over on several ranges with the highest one being a 45 which still meets the Army minimum standard. So I am sitting here today waiting on the results of a waiver from usarec. Meps certainly has changed since 1986 I remember getting a minimal physical, shots and put on a bus to bootcamp.

From doing the research I am pretty confident thet SF is out due to the hearing, who knows the Army might be out if I dont get this waiver. The whole thing makes no sense to be disqualified for for something this simple and irrelevant. I passed the hearing needs to be an airmarshal and that was based on hearing someone whisper in an aircraft in flight. Well enough of my soap box, will sit here by the phone waiting on the recruiters call.

**The Reaper** · 07-29-2005, 10:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankS

Well got back from meps last night and passed everything with flying colors except for the hearing part and the doctor was hesitant to disqualify me for the hearing but but did anyway. I am only 5 points over on several ranges with the highest one being a 45 which still meets the Army minimum standard. So I am sitting here today waiting on the results of a waiver from usarec. Meps certainly has changed since 1986 I remember getting a minimal physical, shots and put on a bus to bootcamp.

From doing the research I am pretty confident thet SF is out due to the hearing, who knows the Army might be out if I dont get this waiver. The whole thing makes no sense to be disqualified for for something this simple and irrelevant. I passed the hearing needs to be an airmarshal and that was based on hearing someone whisper in an aircraft in flight. Well enough of my soap box, will sit here by the phone waiting on the recruiters call.

Whispering in an aircraft is not a very scientific test.

Your hearing will not improve during your service. It will only get worse as you age, even if you are not exposed to further damage.

The Army is hurting for enlistments, but does not need a nearly deaf, 40 year old E-4.

You might consider that your fellow soldier's lives could hang on your ability to hear clearly.

TR

FrankS · 07-29-2005, 11:24

Just as much as the passengers lives on an aircraft depends on it or my partner on the beat depends on it, or the aircrew I flew with when my hearing was also not perfect. I got out of the navy with the same amount of hearing loss that I have now but yet I still got an RE-1 (Recommended for ReEnlistment). Scientific or not a man has to know his limitations and hearing is not one of mine. Besides that how many soldiers on your team or in SF have hearing problems comparable to mine or worse? I find it hard to believe that you do not incur hearing loss during live fire exercises or being around aircraft all the time. If you are prone to be in high noise enviorments you are going to lose some hearing.

Quote:

The Army is hurting for enlistments, but does not need a nearly deaf, 40 year old E-4.

Obviously you did not read my post nearly deaf would be numbers in the 80's to 100 range my worst one hit a 45 and that is on the upper most end like the higest ptch of a turbine whine, hmmm I can see where being unable to hear that would endanger lives (Sarcasm)!

**The Reaper** · 07-29-2005, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankS

Just as much as the passengers lives on an aircraft depends on it or my partner on the beat depends on it, or the aircrew I flew with when my hearing was also not perfect. I got out of the navy with the same amount of hearing loss that I have now but yet I still got an RE-1 (Recommended for ReEnlistment). Scientific or not a man has to know his limitations and hearing is not one of mine. Besides that how many soldiers on your team or in SF have hearing problems comparable to mine or worse? I find it hard to believe that you do not incur hearing loss during live fire exercises or being around aircraft all the time. If you are prone to be in high noise enviorments you are going to lose some hearing.

Obviously you did not read my post nearly deaf would be numbers in the 80's to 100 range my worst one hit a 45 and that is on the upper most end like the higest ptch of a turbine whine, hmmm I can see where being unable to hear that would endanger lives (Sarcasm)!

Frank:

Check the attitude. You have been warned. This site is about SF, not how you do it on the beat or in a plane. The requirements are vastly different, they have their standards, and we have ours.

I have buddies who are NG SF and also FAMs. They readily acknowledge that the FAMs take people who are unqualified for any armed service, much less SF.

As I noted, your hearing loss will continue to get worse, even without additional exposure. More exposure, as you noted above, will accelerate your loss of hearing. I have a 20dB loss at 2000 Hz in one ear, have trouble hearing some sounds (like conversation) myself, and I am no longer able to serve on a team. Bottom line: Your marginal hearing now will get worse. Much worse in SF.

When you are the guy on watch, and you cannot hear the BGs moving up on your team (as one of about 100 examples I could cite), you are a real liability and are endangering your fellow team members. Don't be selfish.

I did not state that you were deaf now. I stated that you would be nearly deaf by the time you finished a few years of exposure on a team. Then you can ride the pine on the B Team for the rest of your career. This is based on my 21 years of service in SF, and six in the SF Schoolhouse pushing students.

Read this carefully. It is "Special Forces" you are considering. Not "Average Forces" or "Nearly Good Enough Forces". Special Forces. Think about it.

TR