SFQC Class Number

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by Mitch

Secondly - when did they start numbering SFQC classes? Was it from Day 1, if so, what class would I have been in, graduating on May 29th, 1969? These days, how many classes do they have per year?

Hate to go back and quote myself - but I would like to see if anyone knows the answer to my original question?


Also thanks for all the info on my old friend

[greenberetTFS]

(Just a note - back then, the B-Team is what we now call the "Company," the Company is now called the "Battalion" - so A-Company would now be called 1st BN)
__________________
Mitch

1952-1960,The Psywar Center labeled the first echelon SF Teams as "FA Teams and based there strength on the 15-man OSS Operational Groups (OG) of World War 2"
FA Teams were numbered beginning at 1 and continued in order until all teams were designated, FA Team 1 to FA Team 70 (10th SFG in 1952)......

1960-1971,Reduced the size of the FA Team to 12 men and removed the "F" prefix designation for all SF Teams. (FC to C,FB to B,FA to A)
Assigned 4 ODAs(Former FA Team)to each ODB (Former FB Team)for a total of 12 ODAs per SF Company(ODC),the former FC Team. Each ODA was now identified by 3 numbers that specified the company(ODC),the (ODB) in the company,and the specific team in that ODB. For example in 1963,ODA 312 indicated:
3 C Company,1st SFG
1 ODB 31
2 The second ODA assigned to ODB 31.

Veritas PB31-05-2 Vol.5,No. 4,2009.......

Big Teddy

[1stindoor]

Originally Posted by Mitch

Hate to go back and quote myself - but I would like to see if anyone knows the answer to my original question?


Also thanks for all the info on my old friend

I have no idea when the class numbering started...it was way before my time, I was in class 04-89...the funny thing is I was just relating a story about the Q-Course yesterday here at USASMA and someone said, "That was more than 20 years ago...and you still remember those details?"...I replied..."seems like yesterday." Must be on all of our minds.

[Richard]

Never saw any sort of class number going through SFTG when I went through - checked all my orders and certificates and they just indicate units of assignment with dates or official course title (e.g., Co F USAIMA W1EO-1F-X, Special Forces Medical NCO Candidate Course, Special Forces Aidman (Airborne) Course, Special Forces UW Medical Training Qualification Course, Special Forces Advanced Enlisted Course, etc).

If we were a numbered course, we sure weren't aware of it - but we weren't seeking to get 'noticed' much by the likes of Bear Martin, Richmond Nail, Big O, The Hunter, etc, either.

Richard

[ZonieDiver]

Originally Posted by Richard

Never saw any sort of class number going through SFTG when I went through - checked all my orders and certificates and they just indicate units of assignment with dates or official course title (e.g., Co F USAIMA W1EO-1F-X, Special Forces Medical NCO Candidate Course, Special Forces Aidman (Airborne) Course, Special Forces UW Medical Training Qualification Course, Special Forces Advanced Enlisted Course, etc).

If we were a numbered course, we sure weren't aware of it - but we weren't seeking to get 'noticed' much by the likes of Bear Martin, Richmond Nail, Big O, The Hunter, etc, either.

Richard

I agree completely in not wanting to draw to much attention from that list of QP's! However, I think Mitch was talking about the consecutive numbering the SGM referenced:

First, I just read the comments from SGM Baer that he made in his Speech to the 247th Graduating Class of SFQC, as published in the latest "Drop."

I thought my class numbers were on my diplomas, and was surprised they were not. (I didn't find my orders awarding MOS and "S" identifier this a.m. to check them, but will.) I did find my Weapons class number (4-71, graduating on 4 Feb 71) on a "spot report" from SSG Kenneth Holmes for an outstanding wall locker display during a barrack's inspection on 19 Jan 71. My Phase III (SFAEC) class number (6-71, graduating on 29 Mar 71) is on the Bowie knife I was awarded, but not on the letter from Col Bartholomees that came with it. (Again, I thought it was.)

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by ZonieDiver

I agree completely in not wanting to draw to much attention from that list of QP's! However, I think Mitch was talking about the consecutive numbering the SGM referenced:

Yes - that was my original question - If they call this latest class the 247th class, was that just due to some historical research or are they officially numbering them in some way. All the same, it would be interesting to know - what class number (historically speaking) from zero to 247 we were.

[Team Sergeant]

Except for class 1-83, I am not aware of any class "numbers". (There's none on my diploma, just dates.)

[Dozer523]

Originally Posted by Mitch

Yes - that was my original question - If they call this latest class the 247th class, was that just due to some historical research or are they officially numbering them in some way. All the same, it would be interesting to know - what class number (historically speaking) from zero to 247 we were.

It sounds a little gay to me.
BUT, it might work this way, "I went to the Q course 11 classes after the last hard one."
Or maybe there could be a "tradition" that all odd numbered classes must buy the beer for all classes with numbers evenly divisible by 7 unless the first class number is also evenly divisible 21 but only when the bar has an even number of beer on tap, unless the majority of beers served are German then the obligation is reversed and they have to get up and get all the free popcorn. Unless the waitress is blond and then the obligation reverts to the original (except on Fridays with even numbered dates).

The hell with this. . . , lets just play CRUD or Thumper for beer.


Wait a minute, assuming 7 classes per year then 247 classes only takes you back 35 years.
My diploma just has the dates 2 July - 21 November 1986 (signed by Col McClure and BG Guest)

[Richard]

I'm probably better off not knowing my class number - being mildly dyslexic, if it wasn't something like 77 or 101 or 222 or the like, I'd probably get it wrong whenever anyone asked about it anyway and have to constantly defend myself from being labeled a wannabe...DOG damn it.

Richard

[ZonieDiver]

Originally Posted by Dozer523

It sounds a little gay to me.
BUT, it might work this way, "I went to the Q course 11 classes after the last hard one."
Or maybe there could be a "tradition" that all odd numbered classes must buy the beer for all classes with numbers evenly divisible by 7 unless the first class number is also evenly divisible 21 but only when the bar has an even number of beer on tap, unless the majority of beers served are German then the obligation is reversed and they have to get up and get all the free popcorn. Unless the waitress is blond and then the obligation reverts to the original (except on Fridays with even numbered dates).

The hell with this. . . , lets just play CRUD or Thumper for beer.


Wait a minute, assuming 7 classes per year then 247 classes only takes you back 35 years.
My diploma just has the dates 2 July - 21 November 1986 (signed by Col McClure and BG Guest)

Woah! Dude, my birth month is 7 and my birthdate is 21! What do I win??

Originally Posted by Dozer523

Wait a minute, assuming 7 classes per year then 247 classes only takes you back 35 years.
My diploma just has the dates 2 July - 21 November 1986 (signed by Col McClure and BG Guest)

Don't quote me on this, but if my memory serves me (and it often times does not) 7 classes per year has not always been the norm. There were 5 classes per year and sometimes 4 from the late 1980s through late 1990s much of the time with 6 or 7 only occasionally. I was in class 5-92 and the class behind us was 1-93.

Remember, SF was not hurting for bodies a lot of times and ran a lot of good guys out of SWC and sent them to division for years. There were also periods when they were completely unable to fill class seats and had to cancel and condense classes and had a surplus of students-in-wait hanging around for a class to start.

Anyway, if you repeat your math using an average of 4 to 6 (5) it puts class #1 in 1966'ish (didn't use a calculator so it may be off +/- a couple). That puts the date a little more in the ballpark of where it should be.

I am curious which class is considered as the official SFQC Class #1.

Edit: I know which class number I was in (5-92), but my diploma does not mention it, just dates and the course number.

Be safe,
Randy

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by Richard

If we were a numbered course, we sure weren't aware of it - but we weren't seeking to get 'noticed' much by the likes of Bear Martin, Richmond Nail, Big O, The Hunter, etc, either.

Richard

I am proud to say, I suppose, that other than seeing their names in the Drop, possibly, I do not know any of the people you mention, never heard of any of them and would not recognize them if I saw them.