Why go SF? - Page 11

05-15-2009, 07:56

I spent some time around some 10th Group guys in Germany back in the 80's and I was impressed with how tight they were. I went SF mainly because of them...for the outward display of pride the guys always had in their unit. They were in the gym every afternoon, running every morning, just like me, although I was the only one in my unit who was... You could tell they loved their jobs. I wanted that...the teamwork, pride, cohesion, camaraderie.

Once I got to a team I realized very quickly that all the hard work was worth it. It is simply the best job in the Army (World?), period. It exceeded all of my expectations and then some.

Join SF because when it's all said and done and you are an old fart you'll be the real deal guy who really did all the cool shit, with a wealth of stories from your REAL adventures, with a posse of brothers closer to you than your blood kin, and you will look back and know you got to do some cool shit that the average Joe cannot even fathom and most would not believe.

There is much more to it than just being on a team though... The word "family" doesn't do the brotherhood justice. There is only 1 way you will understand it, and that is to get your tab and live on an A team.

Blitzzz (RIP) · 05-15-2009, 08:29

You're right Bob, 67 was a very good year. Blitzzz

mojaveman · 05-15-2009, 09:47

Why did I want to serve in Special Forces?

Honestly, when I was a kid I saw the movie and it connected with something in my psyche. I liked all of it, the training, the traveling, the adventure, and mostly, being around guys who shared some of the same values as myself. I served with some awesome people in Group, in particular, the many Viet Nam veterans and other legends that I saw and talked to on a daily basis. I often tell my friends who have lived average lives of my exploits in SF and they don't believe me. It was a phenominal experience. My only regret is that I didn't stay on that 'roller coaster ride' a little longer.

Heretic · 05-15-2009, 11:00

Why did I join SF?

Inside I felt I was better that where I was at. I wasnt being challenged enough and wanted to understand what the word commitment meant. Something inside said do it.

Do you believe that? The truth, I heard chicks dig Green Berets. I dig chicks so simple math here I am.

Why did I leave SF? The grass was greener on the other side.

The truth? It is greener on the other side. So green I worked myself out of a job.

Why did I come back. I miss my friends. I miss the team. I miss SF.

The truth? There are no chicks on the other side of the fence. Well there are but you dont have time for them.

Now here is the honest reasons:
I have no clue why I joined. I heard about it liked the challenge and did it. What I learned from SF? That what it has taught me I am still not done paying back. That the man on the left or right REALLY does count on me for safety so much so that he is willing to throw rational thought from his mind and do inhuman actions for the good of this nation all because he TRUSTS the man on his left or right is there with him no matter what the outcome is. That the price paid in victory or in falling his BROTHERS paid the same price.

p.s. chicks dig Green Berets.

05-15-2009, 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojaveman

I served with some awesome people in group, in particular, the many Viet Nam veterans and other legends that I saw and talked to on a daily basis.

Brother that's no lie. It saddens me so many are retiring, taking with them the first hand experience of how it all came to be. The legends...the old crusty farts running SWCS...the true HALO gods - pioneers with Skydiving "D" License Numbers in the single digits , the Son Tay Raiders, the Blue Light guys and so much other shit they will take to their graves. Man we rubbed elbows with those heroes...REAL heroes! I feel so privileged to have known so many of those guys like Bennie Pokemire, Richmond Nail, Pappy, Skygod Dave and Ernie Tabata and so many others. Someone said something on here that struck a chord, "You never forget lessons taught by a real hero." That's so true. I learned a hell of a lot of lessons from those cats.

And yeah chicks really do dig green berets.

mojaveman · 05-15-2009, 18:46

[QUOTE=rltipton;265096] I feel so privileged to have known so many of those guys like Bennie Pokemire,

Bennie Pokemire once had an M-60 tank magically delivered to Camp Mackall for training. Don't ask me how he did it and from what I heard he didn't even sign a hand receipt for it. If I remember correctly, it was there for awhile before the parent unit came looking for it.

MSG Pokemire was one of the first SF people that I met when I came to Bragg to attend the Q course way back in '84.

Soldier_@_Heart · 06-27-2009, 19:13

Even though I am not SF, I will gladly saw what inspires me.

1. Being the best at what I do no matter what I do, most of the times I don't even like what I do. I hated 92F ait and I hate the MOS, but I still graduated as a honor graduate.

2. De Oppresso Liber - To Free the Oppressed.

One saying that I feel goes hand in hand with SF is this.

"Give a man a fish, you feed hime for a day. Teach a man to fish you feed him for lifetime. "

PV2 Gouvea

Basenshukai · 06-27-2009, 21:56

I was lucky enough to attend a very conservative private school when I attended high school. In the school library, they had two military-oriented encyclopedias (the kind "Time-Life" would offer on occasion). One was something like "War and Conflict" and the other was about special operations forces (I don't remember the title). Each had like 40 volumes; about 120 pages each with lots of pictures. I spent my entire junior year immersed in those two encyclopedias. I read every book (about 80). My favorites were the stories from Vietnam-era SOF (SF, SEALs, Project Delta, etc.). I was so impressed by these stories that I had it in my to dare and attempt the military - but I did not have my heart set on any SOF.

Fast forward about four years later and I'm working as a tour guide in a naval-oriented military museum in NYC (Intrepid Sea, Air and Space) on one of the ships there at the time - the USS Edson - in order to pay through my college. One of the visitors one day was an old retired Recon Marine NCO, a Vietnam Veteran. He didn't say much and did not get into war stories. I asked him for his reasons for joining an elite unit while in Vietnam and not just sticking around the regular Marines and this was his answer: "Most of the regular guys I had the displeasure to work with were not into it - they were a##holes and would just as soon get your a## shot. I figured that if I was going to risk my neck in any case, why not do it along side professionals."

That's when I recalled that I was sold on the idea on joining something elite.

Now, here is the real funny story:

I had not joined any Army program for commissioning at this time. I was just playing with the idea at the time. The Navy kept calling because I had taken the ASVAB and gotten a perfect score, so they were trying to line me up for the nuclear warfare program and something called "BOOST" (a commissioning program). But, I was not into the Navy thing, ships, et al.

Anyway, one day this real hot chick shows up there at my tour spot and I chat with her and she eventually gives me her number. About a day later I call that number and the voice that picks up says: "Fordham University, Army ROTC, this is Maj Smith, how may I help you?" (I don't really remember his name, so I put 'Smith', but he was an Armor officer)

It turns out that the girl was a newly commissioned 2LT and had already left for her basic course. She gave me that number to avoid being rude, yet not give me her number. I never talked to her again and never saw her again. But, I did go to see the ROTC office and eventually signed a contract that led me to a full scholarship.

Now, 14 years later, I'm a field grade officer and I have been six years in SF. All thanks to some books, a silly tour guide job and a girl that didn't really like me after all. LOL!!! She enhanced my life more than she will ever know.

Dozer523 · 06-28-2009, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soldier_@_Heart

Even though I am not SF, I will gladly saw what inspires me.

1. Being the best at what I do no matter what I do, most of the times I don't even like what I do. I hated 92F ait and I hate the MOS, but I still graduated as a honor graduate.
2. De Oppresso Liber - To Free the Oppressed.
One saying that I feel goes hand in hand with SF is this.
"Give a man a fish, you feed hime for a day. Teach a man to fish you feed him for lifetime. "

PV2 Xxxxxx

I bet the dyslexia part seems pretty cool, too.
How about the part about following insrtuctions? Flesh out the profile when your not too busy.
Might read the instructions for posting on this Special Forces Questions forum. No tabbie, no talkie!
Don't forget that after you feed "hime" for a day by teaching him to fish, if you buy him a boat and a case of beer he might marry you and never bother you again.
Oh and don't forget a little Situational Awareness with that unique last name. If I wanted to find you, how hard do you think it would be? Especially as I know where Fort 'Lost in the Woods' is. Actually, I might look you up -- I'm going to the Lake of the Ozarks and I might stop by. Do me a favor (SERIOUSLY) find out is they rent jet skis at the Rec center. PM me. (REALLY)
Then edit out your name.

11B2V · 06-29-2009, 10:31

Well, there is God and country, CQB and HALO, Oakleys and beards, however......

If you are out there contemplating that SF versus whatever else decision, I have another question for you. Have you ever MET an SF soldier? I have met quite a few, and I can tell you that they usually have extremely confident, can-do, magnetic personalities. These guys can do anything any human can. They are truly professional, but I will expound on the word professional. Their fieldcraft is top notch. They take care of one another, and they can take care of you too. They are ALWAYS teaching, either by mission or by quiet example. Their mindset and leadership always seems to make sense - they make good decisions, sometimes life saving decisions. They are trusted to go out on their own, to sandy hide sites and snowy mountaintops to accomplish vital mission objectives, sometimes with little or no resources and THRIVE. Don't you want to earn a place among people like this? I know I do. Special Forces are not for everybody, but if you are SERIOUSLY considering it, I advise you to go meet one of these dudes. You can find them all over the GWOT, at Ranger School, even the PX (sometimes)! If you are a civilian, call your local SF recruiter, or pm a QP on this site. If you DO talk to one, a word of advice... put all your experience in your back pocket for now, and check your ego at the door. Ears open, mouth shut, school is in session.

I said all that to say this, if you REALLY want it, get fn prepared and go do it. Don't let anyone stop you, I hear SFAS/the Q is good enough at sorting the admirers from the doers. SFAS in 2010

. Just my .02

Asset sends - RLTW

**The Reaper** · 06-29-2009, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11B2V

Well, there is God and country, CQB and HALO, Oakleys and beards, however......

If you are out there contemplating that SF versus whatever else decision, I have another question for you. Have you ever MET an SF soldier? I have met quite a few, and I can tell you that they usually have extremely confident, can-do, magnetic personalities. These guys can do anything any human can. They are truly professional, but I will expound on the word professional. Their fieldcraft is top notch. They take care of one another, and they can take care of you too. They are ALWAYS teaching, either by mission or by quiet example. Their mindset and leadership always seems to make sense - they make good decisions, sometimes life saving decisions. They are trusted to go out on their own, to sandy hide sites and snowy mountaintops to accomplish vital mission objectives, sometimes with little or no resources and THRIVE. Don't you want to earn a place among people like this? I know I do. Special Forces are not for everybody, but if you are SERIOUSLY considering it, I advise you to go meet one of these dudes. You can find them all over the GWOT, at Ranger School, even the PX (sometimes)! If you are a civilian, call your local SF recruiter, or pm a QP on this site. If you DO talk to one, a word of advice... put all your experience in your back pocket for now, and check your ego at the door. Ears open, mouth shut, school is in session.

I said all that to say this, if you REALLY want it, get fn prepared and go do it. Don't let anyone stop you, I hear SFAS/the Q is good enough at sorting the admirers from the doers. SFAS in 2010

. Just my .02

Asset sends - RLTW

Did you miss the sticky at the top of this forum?

http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...ad.php?t=22758

TR

Dozer523 · 06-29-2009, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11B2V

Well, there is God and country, CQB and HALO, Oakleys and beards, however...... gag me
I advise you to go meet one of these dudes. Dude, Don't call me or any other QP dude. got that? Dude.
put all your experience in your back pocket for now, and check your ego at the door. Ears open, mouth shut, school is in session. Read the stickies. read the posts to others. read the posts to you.

Ears open, mouth shut, school is in session. That is Good Advice.
Ears open, mouth shut, school is in session. Really, GREAT advice. Take it Plato.
Don't let anyone stop you, SFAS in 2010From what I've seen no one is going to have to try to stop you, you have you to do that for you already. .
Just my .02 Not worth that.

Asset sends - RLTW

.

11B2V · 06-29-2009, 15:45

TR, sticky read and duly noted. Didn't realize there was that string attached, I read page 1-11 then posted, that sticky seemed to be overlooked a lot... Won't happen again. Dozer523 pm sent.

*Edit-It is not my intention to offend any QP by calling them dude, especially if you do not know them. I should clarify that I was speaking of fellows I have known personally.

wdonghia · 06-29-2009, 16:12

lot of good answers

**Pete** · 06-29-2009, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdonghia

lot of good answers

Wow, wdonghia, what a post. Your post count is now two.

It's clear you are posting without reading.

Read this whole thread from the begining and report back to me in a PM with your findings.

You ain't got all night - but I do.