Special Forces
MSG Glenn
Active member
If you're not presently in the Army you'll need to get an 18X contract.
That gets you Infantry OSUT, Airborne School & Special Forces Assessment & Selection, SFAS.
You're right. The whole thing is very physical & mental. There is a fairly high wash out/drop out rate. There is a bear of a land nav couurse yopu'll be required to pass. Many miles over a certain length of time.
If you're in the Army then put your packet in for SFAS.
As a rule you don't have the opportunity to select which 18-series MOS you'll have or the language you'll be taught. It's the needs of the SF that dictate that. Although I've heard of Soldiers with special qualifications that are given the best fit in SF.
That gets you Infantry OSUT, Airborne School & Special Forces Assessment & Selection, SFAS.
You're right. The whole thing is very physical & mental. There is a fairly high wash out/drop out rate. There is a bear of a land nav couurse yopu'll be required to pass. Many miles over a certain length of time.
If you're in the Army then put your packet in for SFAS.
As a rule you don't have the opportunity to select which 18-series MOS you'll have or the language you'll be taught. It's the needs of the SF that dictate that. Although I've heard of Soldiers with special qualifications that are given the best fit in SF.
ArtilleryMarine
Active member
i know in the corps you have to learn all your basic mos knolege and then if your **** hot you will be recomended by your chain of command this could happen at any time. my buddy i went to boot with went grunt and half way through is infantry training he got moved to scout sniper school
ArtilleryMarine
Active member
i know in the corps you have to learn all your basic mos knolege and then if your $#!t hot you will be recomended by your chain of command this could happen at any time. my buddy i went to boot with went grunt and half way through is infantry training he got moved to scout sniper school
I plan on joining the Marines when i graduate. What type of SF are there? I looked at Wikipedia and they said something about MARSOC. MARine Special Operation Command. How does that work? I'm under the assuption that you cannot apply but must be recommended by your superior. Care to clarify?
03USMC
Active member
Yeah. The Marine Corps has no Special Forces, The Marine Corps has Special Operations Assets as designated by the CMC, SECNAV, and CNO. Scout Sniper as a MOS does not fall within this criteria unless assigned to a designated unit.
Assignment to an asset and the MOS training is more detailed.
MSG just heard today that 18X enlistments are suspended, could be true could be not....but 11b is getting full sooooo.
MSG Glenn
Active member
I knew the bubble would burst eventually. There was a big push to get bodies in SF when the announcement was made that all SF Groups would be enlarged by one batt each. That's a lot of troopers! That coupled with the fact that SF by its nature needs mature soldiers more so than the young headstrong ones that come right out of Infantry OSUT. They by their nature are better suited for the Rangers. That too has filled up at least until fiscal '11 as far as Option 40 Ranger contracts go.
As far as getting any kind of enlistment incentive -18X, Option 4, Option 40 & others, go, as far as I can tell those have dried up for the most part. Last year at this time I helped get about 7 Option 40s & about that many Option 4 (Airborne) contracts as well as I think 2 18X. Most of the rest of the 24 that I referred went leg Infantry or EOD with a few soft skill MOSs. It's a whole new ballgame now. The economy & lack of civilian jobs are giving the Army a selection of recruits that need no bonuses or enlistment incentives. I guess one just has to be glad to be allowed to enlist.
Thanks for the info, 03USMC!
Semper Fi.
Airborne!
You are told that you can do it. Just sit back, relax, don`t do any research on your own, and someone will be by soon to tell you.
PJ24
Active member
Ah rumors, always so.....wrong. The 18X program is still kicking, I was just at SWC from last Tues. until this afternoon and that would have been a hot topic. With SF needing more people, there's zero logic for the Army to suspend the program. They can't get what they need from RA or they wouldn't have brought the 18X program back to begin with. It's not really what SF needs, but it's how things are.03USMC said:
Milesboy said:
You do some research. All SOF likes self starters, if you can't do a little bit of leg work then you should probably look at another career. Now, if ya do some research and come back and ask informed questions, no problemo.
Hit up Google, do some basic research and then I BET you'll know about 90% of what's required to try out for SF. So c'mon, take the big boy challenge and hit that search function!
KJ
Active member
The googlefu is weak with this one..
@PJ I hear that 18Xray isn´t producing the troopers needed.
Then again, that could be a personal opinion.
@Milesboy, Good on you, your destination and goal in life is to become a Special Forces trooper.
Now how to get there, how you can come in bringing something to the table and how to be the biggest asset to your Team you can be is for you to decide.
There are several routes you can go.
Research them all and let us know wich way you wish to and there are people on here that can help you out.
What 18 Mos are you looking at? Why? What qualities as a person do you have that would make you suited for that job in your opinion?
Let go of mommys skirt and take a step into the unknown and the rewards may be greater then you think.
However, I recomend you doing it with your eyes wide open.
As for PJ, he is all about the hugging.
//KJ sends.
@PJ I hear that 18Xray isn´t producing the troopers needed.
Then again, that could be a personal opinion.
@Milesboy, Good on you, your destination and goal in life is to become a Special Forces trooper.
Now how to get there, how you can come in bringing something to the table and how to be the biggest asset to your Team you can be is for you to decide.
There are several routes you can go.
Research them all and let us know wich way you wish to and there are people on here that can help you out.
What 18 Mos are you looking at? Why? What qualities as a person do you have that would make you suited for that job in your opinion?
Let go of mommys skirt and take a step into the unknown and the rewards may be greater then you think.
However, I recomend you doing it with your eyes wide open.
As for PJ, he is all about the hugging.
//KJ sends.
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KJ
Active member
Noo, do it again and do it right.
We are NOT here to do your legwork..
Search on 18Z find out as much as you can, answer all the questions I posted above. Come back and ask informed questions.
If you want SF put some work into it.
//KJ.
MSG Glenn
Active member
You might not have a choice of which 18-series MOS you're assigned unless you have special skills that translate to an MOS & SF has a need for them. It's needs of the SF that determine that. The only sure thing is that you'll start off as an Airborne qualified Infantryman.
KJ
Active member
You will get assigned to your MOS after SFAS.
In bold:
"Soldiers have two opportunities to indicate any preference for a particular MOS:
Soldiers can indicate an MOS preference on their SFAS application. Recruiters keep this information in their database.
In the early part of SFAS, candidates have an opportunity to learn more about the various SF MOSs through presentations or films. At this time, candidates have a chance to submit their written MOS preferences in rank order.
The MOS assignment board has access to both preference statements but gives more weight to the more recent (the more informed) preference.
About MOS Assignment
The assignment decision is based on—
_ Your previous MOS and training.
_ Your aptitude scores.
_ The needs of the force.
_ Your preference.
Most soldiers get their preferred MOS when the preference and the aptitudes match. However, there are no guarantees. All MOSs are infantry-oriented (including medics) and everyone cross-trains."
//KJ.
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MSG Glenn
Active member
That's the spirit!
I knew about the MOS preference deal but I also know of several who didn't get their choice. With your attitude you won't be disappointed either way. From what I've heard the 18X program is an opportunity for the SF Groups to fill their ranks in the MOSs they need as opposed to those candidates already in the Army with experience & holding an MOS. An 18X only holds the Infantry MOS along with an Airborne qual. He has no experience in his MOS. He can be made into anything the SF needs. They'll try to make you happy but in reality at that stage of the game they really don't give much of a schitt. You takes it or leaves it.
PJ24
Active member
Not really, they just released a report that stated the attrition rate of 18X during SFAS and SFQC. They're actually making it through the pipeline just as well, if not a little better, than those coming over with experience. They also reported that those succeeding tend to have some college under their belts, played team sports, are between the ages of 22 - 25, etc.KJ said:
Now, as for whether or not it's what SF needs, well, SF is getting a lot of what it doesn't need lately and that's also coming from experienced guys, but that's another discussion altogether.
MSG Glenn said:
That's how it works for everybody, not just 18X. A guy can come over with 5 years as a 68W and may not get 18D. Last ODA I was with had two 18Ds that had no medical background (one was a intel weenie and the other was a truck driver) and a 18C and 18B that were former medics. So, prior Army experience or 18X experience, you're gonna be at the mercy of that board and mercy of "needs of SF/Army."
For Milesboy. You seem kinda young and that's cool, I was a young guy once and I was going to do everything cool they do in the movies. Not much we can tell you right now to bring your head out of the clouds so just do this: Research, spend your time online learning about your goal. Don't ask questions unless they are informed questions. Everytime you have a question, research it first because I promise the more you research the more info you get and the more questions you'll have. Only these questions won't waste time, they will have a point and a reason and won't be focused on easy stuff to find out. Start being self motivated, you get into that habit now my young friend and you'll save a lot of heartache for yourself.
Look up the SF mission, training, standards and selection process. Start working on a fitness plan. There's a lot of stuff you can do if you're serious about it that will keep you busy for days. I just did a quick search on this site and found a ton of info from way back that would give you a plethora of info.