Analysis paralysis...SF vs. Navy EOD

[The Reaper]

Honestly, I think that if you have not found your answers by searching and reading, you are being lazy. Some of it is covered in the stickies we ask all new members to read before posting.

Do you think you are the first one here to ask about a physical waiver? It would appear that you are asking for someone here to guarantee you a fast track into SF. Here is a clue. Ain't happening.

Want personal advice about the best MOS to choose to prepare for SF? Guess what? That question is asked every month here. You have already received a lot of good advice from the QPs here. Do you need this much handholding and personal assistance with other decisions? There are no guarantees in life but death, and taxes. Doesn't sound like you are cut out for SF.

This is the internet. Other than the fact that someone is vetted as SF, you do not know their qualifications to be giving you advice, and there are certainly no guarantees that come with the opinions. We could lie to you and say don't worry about it, you will be GTG.

Let me break this down for you.

1. Physical requirements and waivers for 18X recruits are covered here.

2. In-service SFAS physical requirements and waivers are covered here.

3. What MOS best prepares one for SF has been flogged to death.

BTW, as I have told at least one other person this week, the recruiter's job is primarily to fill the Army's needs. Not yours. He will tell you what he needs to to get his mission accomplished, and none of it will be worth spit if it is not on the contract.

Given this, I think you should go with Option B and join the Navy.

Best of luck.

TR

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by surfcolt

Fair enough if that is the general thought process. I figure with having served in the 5-19th SFG and in the NAVY I might have something to add to someone asking about a comparison of the NAVY vs the ARMY.

You could be osama bin ladin for all we know, you are not vetted, you could also have served in the SF Group as a cook.
We've had our share of National Guard "Privates", non-SF qualified serving in a NG Special Forces unit attempt to answer SF questions on here. It ain't going to happen on my watch. Most of the SF soldiers answering questions on this website have over 20+ years on "active" duty Special Forces.

Team Sergeant

[jjw]

Excuse my intrusion, but as this pertains to Navy EOD and interoperability, I thought I might add my 2 cents. I have worked both the SOF and NSW missions, as well as many of the other EOD missions out there.

Originally Posted by afire87

As far as making it to a team, it's "cast or tab" for me. I am giving up a good civilian job and time with my girl, so once I go into the military its full-speed ahead.

As far as UXO and support, from my understanding (however flawed it may be), Navy EOD is the only SOF-deployable EOD unit and work often with Seals, CAG and Devgru. I could be wrong, but I have been told that in these situations, you are a team member with a rifle first, until an EOD situation presents itself. I do not want to play with robots for my career, but I have been told this is not the case. Does anyone's deployment experience contradict this?

afire87, You need to figure out what it is you want to do. What you have been told is partially true, and I imagine, partially what you want to hear.

First and foremost, EOD Techs are bomb guys. From start to finish that is what we do. Doesn't matter whether it is using a robot, on a DA mission or diving on sea mines.

All services have EOD and all have, to a greater or lesser extent worked with SOF units in addition to what we do on our own. Navy EOD is utilized more heavily. There are a number of reasons for this I won't go into. We are not the only service to do these types of missions, nor are we mandated to be the only service to do them. Some of the units you mentioned do not have Navy EOD attached except on an as needed basis. Some have their own service EOD. The other services are stepping up their SOF interoperability roles because there is good EOD work to be had.

Do not look at EOD as an easy way into a SOF role. EOD School, and particularly the Navy EOD pipeline is long and difficult. If you make it through the initial year plus of training you will more than likely complete at least one tour doing conventional EOD missions such as Route Clearance, IED response or Mine Countermeasures. At some point you may be selected for a SOF/NSW team. If you are, they are relying on you to be a first rate bomb guy. The fact that we can be utilizied in other roles is a testament to the caliber of Sailors in our program and the level of trust our SF/NSW teammates place in us. Also, unless you go to specific units, once a SOF/NSW tour is completed you will more than likely return to a conventional EOD team. THis is because we are EOD Techs doing an EOD mission.

Finally, you mention not wanting to be a robot driver. Of the roughly 70 EOD Techs that have been killed (all services), only one was killed doing a DA mission. Without those robots, the #'s would be much higher. EOD work is unforgiving.

[blacksmoke]

I was denied an 18x contract for childhood surgery and, attended and failed selection as a regular Army medic. The reason I was not selected was low physical fitness. For me maybe being Infantry would have helped to get myself selected, as they were the only guys in shape around my old unit, but my attitude and poor training desisions ultimately caused it. Any problems you may have can be different, but there is tons of useful info on this site, PT, nutrition, MOS education...etc. Everyone suggests using the search button, and so I do. Average soldiers off the street like me realy don't have skills or experience worth posting. I will be 28 or 29 when I return to selection. I was 23 the first time. Most of the guys on my team who were selected were around that age anyway, and some of the better ones in their early 30's. You asked about employment opportunities down the road, my suggestion is the GI bill. The military is a career, so in leaving one there is no set up for another. You would not ask a nurse or high school teacher what they want to do 5-10 years from now. Thanks for giving me permision to post on this site.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by blacksmoke

I was denied an 18x contract for childhood surgery and, attended and failed selection as a regular Army medic. The reason I was not selected was low physical fitness. For me maybe being Infantry would have helped to get myself selected, as they were the only guys in shape around my old unit, but my attitude and poor training desisions ultimately caused it. Any problems you may have can be different, but there is tons of useful info on this site, PT, nutrition, MOS education...etc. Everyone suggests using the search button, and so I do. Average soldiers off the street like me realy don't have skills or experience worth posting. I will be 28 or 29 when I return to selection. I was 23 the first time. Most of the guys on my team who were selected were around that age anyway, and some of the better ones in their early 30's. You asked about employment opportunities down the road, my suggestion is the GI bill. The military is a career, so in leaving one there is no set up for another. You would not ask a nurse or high school teacher what they want to do 5-10 years from now. Thanks for giving me permision to post on this site.

Good info, thanks for sharing.

BTW, being an Infantryman will not get someone into shape for selection, THEY are the only ones who can dedicate themselves to being physically prepared.

Best of luck.

TR

[blacksmoke]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

BTW, being an Infantryman will not get someone into shape for selection, THEY are the only ones who can dedicate themselves to being physically prepared.



TR

Aint that the truth. Or being one of the most physicaly fit guys in your class and still not getting selected. I bunked near a guy responsible for writing most of those silly phrases like "just quit now" and "NOT SELECTED" on the gravel surrounding the hooches. Guess where he went?