Dealing with a recruiter - Becoming an 18A
 

Good afternoon,

I've been a member of this site for quite some time and have searched the forums for an answer to my question, though I haven't found it. Though it may sound rather generic, it's subtle in its uniqueness.

I'm currently dealing with a recruiter. My lifelong goal has been to become an 18A officer. I've recently graduated from college with a 3.2 and a double major. I've studied abroad multiple times and speak French fluently. I'm qualified to be an officer.

From my own research, I've learned that to become an 18A, one's best shot is to become an infantry officer and subsequently put in a packet for SFAS.

I've been told this is false and that I don't stand a chance.

My recruiter tells me that most people without 3.5 as a GPA aren't getting accepted, and that I wouldn't have a shot, with 95% certainty. He tells me that my best chance is to go in enlisted as an 18xray, do my time, and then put in a packet for OCS once I've made it to an ODA. He says the majority of 18As were once enlisted men.

I don't know if he's being honest or not, or if his suggested route is the best one.

I'd prefer to be an officer first. I know I'm qualified and I trust and believe in myself.

Should I find another recruiter, is he being honest with me regarding my OCS chances, and is his recommended path to becoming an 18A truly the best one?

Thanks, I appreciate it.

-Jim

I have my own opinions on it...but I'd ask these guys if I was you.

http://www.bragg.army.mil/sorb/

Richard :munchin

He is dead wrong and apparently either has no idea what he's talking about on this point or is blowing smoke up your ass.

Short answer...he's trying to fill his enlisted numbers and not his officer numbers.

Long answer...there are many paths to becoming an SF Soldier, whether enlisted or officer. However, in my not so humble opinion if you want to be an 18A, I think you would be best served by doing your time first as a combat arms officer. Infantry, Artillery, Armor,...did I mention Infantry?

If you enlist, whether as an 18X or underwater messkit repairmen, you will do your time in Basic, AIT, Jumpschool, etc. Time in your unit, then apply to OCS, then go to OCS if selected, then you'll be a 2LT in the regular Army, Infantry, Artillery, Armor, Finance, Messkit Repair whatever (I did say Infantry...right?) and once you've done your time there you can put in a packet for SFAS.

Here's what your recruiter may not be telling you...Officers get one...maybe two chances to make it through.

Good luck to you.

See this is what happens when I'm getting long winded...everyone else jumps in line.

Blah...blah...blah...:D

Richard :munchin

I think you forgot to mention the bit about Infantry..

:munchin

...Infantry? Never heard of that...does it involve saving babies when they waywardly climb up trees? Because that sounds like a sexy job that the ladies would definitely be into. :rolleyes:

My recruiter definitely smells like a herring, I'd been suspicious of his motives and experience.

I'll get in contact with SORB and gather further information and resolve the issue on my own, be it finding a new recruiter or speaking with my current recruiter's CO.

Thanks for the help, much appreciated, I hope to one day see you out there after I finish my time as a renaissance messkit-repair-infantryman.

-Jim

You aren't going to become eligible to try out for an 18A position for a while, and I am tired of hearing people who have not even been commissioned yet planning on it.

If you get a commission, and do an exceptional job, you MIGHT get a shot.

Otherwise, the question is moot and has been asked before. Search for some variant of SF officer versus enlisted.

How bad do you want it? Badly enough to do your homework?

TR

I want it more than anything, and I know I'll get where I want to be if I keep my mind on my task and never hesitate. I also know that if I don't take my best shot, I'll miss, so I intend to plan my move before I act.

There are many ways to do homework. I have done mine, and have read books on SF and forum posts, but the only way for me to find out the current state of affairs was to directly ask those who are the most knowledgeable.

Thanks again.

-Jim

A very unscientific comparison with published statistics and knowledge of T.O.E.:

More men have stood on top of Mount Everest than have ever commanded a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha for three or more years.

To be entrusted with the command of a Special Forces A Team is much like being selected to be a member of the Blue Angels, or the Golden Knights. It is a once in a lifetime achievement. Many are called and few are chosen. Actual command time is limited, and variations in the great Mandela of Life and Mother Army sometimes means that men with excellent qualifications and desire are non-selected.

Any member of this board ... or any recruiter ... who says "do this, and do that ... and you will be selected at SFAS, complete the Q course to be awarded MOS 18A, and be in command of an A Team," IS LYING TO YOU.

If you seek Special Forces, you must embark on a lifetime of service to your country and to the United States Army. You may seek, but you might not find what you desire. It is your honest, diligent service that is required of you. It may be that your path leads to a Q course and a Green Beret, but your path may lead elsewhere, through no fault of your own. Your service is needed, and if you have the ability please give your country your best efforts in any position for which you are qualified.

Not Yet. You may be eligable to be an officer, as almost everyone on an ODA is also, but you're not there yet.

Jim - I wasn't going to chime in, given these are Officer questions, better answered by officers. The fact is, I'm not an officer and neither are you, but since my SF NCO brothers have already begun, I'll throw in my $0.02

"What is it you want to do?" Don't answer that, you already have. I'm just digging a little deeper, for if you are going to lead one of my beloved ODAs, I feel I have a few qualifications that allows me to know a potential SF officer when I see him.

Get in the officer ranks by best means possible, or just sign up enlisted. You might find yourself in the 82nd, a Ranger Batt., or the Old Guard Arlington National Cemetery.

Here is a little secret, so be sure not to tell anyone, this is just between you and I. Us NCO types are known to get things done, in fact, it's well known that we take care of our officers too. All you have to do, is serve, serve well, do well in all assignments.

We will find you. Now make the decision to apply for OCS or enlist, be decisive, but make it quick.

Dusty, that's just cold, (knuckle bump)! How are you these days?

Cold, Bro. And it's snowing again. The Caribou are moving in.:D

we were mascots. (not even funny)
Our job was to "get out of the way". (not even funny)
Our other job was to "take the blame". (true but, not even funny)

Dusty . . . this summer we're going out on the boat. I'm going to drink you under the table, and then push you over board! .

Often times the Detachment Commander is there to "tap the tiller' and maintain the course. . . nudge the throttle a tad . . . and sometimes drop an anchor. (And young man, when that needs to happen you better be able to do it.)

We're like control rods in nuclear reactors.

Oh yeah. NEVER FORGET! The Detachment Commander is responsible for everything that happens or fails to happen on the team.

So I guess none of the universities were offering ROTC. I find it strange that a person who has a lifelong ambition to be an army officer would have graduated without a commission.

Me and all three of my brothers went through ROTC. It seems like the most probable route a person would go through if one had a life long ambition. The two of us who wished for it, served on ODAs. Strange how that worked out for us by simply signing up for ROTC as a freshman. Of course we didn't go dicking off all over Europe studying abroad, we just buckled down and got our degrees and commission.

Yep.

Richard :munchin

He'll figure it out.....

One Step at A Time.
 

If you are not ROTC, you will have to enlist. Concentrate on BCT.

TRUE.
 

You men did it the way people who have a realistic dream also make a realistic plan and follow it to reach their goal.

It's all that officer stuff they teach, "Have a plan to follow a plan, just in the event the first plan doesn't work plan."

LMAO
 

I went in as a PVT E1. BCT, AIT, OCS, ABN, etc. No plan. My dream was not being an officer. It was not the Army. It was a pro baseball player. Then lawyer.

Funny how things have a way of turning out. Ultimately,as long as we don't have any regrets then we're doing well.

I have two regrets.....letting that little girl get away, and selling the 67 GTO. The GTO hurts the most....:boohoo

Little brother, since you retire real soon, a gift.

I've got (2) barracudas, put them together, you could have one real nice car, or how about a 56 pro-street? Better yet, a 38 Dodge!

All need work, but all would make a real nice ride.

All you have to do is,...

well, let's talk.

-------- BT

alright4u - pro ball would have paid better than SF, but SF was much more rewarding, agreed?

In all seriousness, I personally witnessed more than one case in which the decision made by the Team Leader prevented big scratch that HUGE trouble for everybody else on the detachment.

An ODA can't operate without a frontal lobe.

Dusty,

You know I never realized the many SF officers that came in as PVT 2,remarkable.....;)

Big Teddy :munchin

I think our young jedi's basic problem is this:

just throwing it out there, some universities require studying abroad for certain majors.

Correct. I am an International Business major with minors in German and Military Science and my degree required me to study abroad in a German speaking country. I just got back from Austria in December. That being said, I had to cut through a lot of red tape but my program approved me to go (even paid for my plane ticket) and I am commissioning as an 11A this May. It is definitely possible to squeeze a semester abroad in there.

Funny you should mention that. I had 3 different CO's as a Compnay SGM. All let me talk to all incoming officers. I'd give my little spiel, let them talk a bit and on their way out my last comment would be..."Remember Sir, these guys live here, you're just visiting." Had a few that took exception, only to get chewed out by the CO.

That reminds me of this one:

Five cannibals were employed by the 5th SFG at an A Camp in the Central Highlands as scouts and translators during the Vietnam War. When the 5th SFG CDR flew in to personally welcome the cannibals for joining in the fight against the communists, he said, "You're all part of our team now. We will compensate you well for your services and you can eat any of the rations that the Army is eating. But please don't indulge yourselves by eating any soldiers."

The cannibals looked at each other, shrugged, and promised.

One month later the Colonel returned. Gathering the cannibals together, he said, "You're all working very hard and I'm very satisfied with all of you. However, one of our NCOs has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to him?"

The cannibals all shook their heads 'no' and denied knowing anything about the missing SF NCO.

After the Colonel left to return to Nha Trang and the cannibals had returned to their living quarters, the leader turned to the others and said, "OK - which of you idiots ate the Sergeant?"

A hand raised hesitantly, to which the leader of the cannibals barked, "You fool! For four weeks we've been eating Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors to our hearts content...and no one noticed anything. And then YOU had to go and eat an NCO!"

And so it goes...;)

Richard :munchin

Ask yourself one question...
Why?

;););)

Big Teddy

Hate to say it, but a 3.2 GPA is not competitive for an initial enlistment into OCS. 2 years ago, heck maybe even a year ago, yes, you would have been good to go. The army today has no shortage of officer applicants, and thus can be very selective. Ask your recruiter to provide the last OCS board selection statistics for your area, it will have the lowest GPA accepted and the average GPA selected. Then you will know for sure if you are getting jerked around. My advice, if you really want to be an officer first, apply for OCS anyway (they can't not let you apply), if you make it, great, if not then you can enlist and apply for OCS down the road with some enlisted experience under your belt.

To echo what goon175 stated.

I recently just finished going through the Accession Process through ROTC -- granted it might be a little different than straight enlisting and going through OCS, but take it for what its worth.

We had guys with 3.5's not get awarded even an Active Duty commission, so while the 3.2 is something to be proud of, don't automatically assume that it'll hold that much weight.

Also, being a chairborne ranger by reading up a bunch of crap you found on Google does not "qualify" you to become an officer, so don't go around spouting out that you are. Shit, I'm not even sure that some guys graduating in my class and receiving their commission with me in May are really qualified to be an officer. While the Officer Candidate process isn't exactly the toughest of courses to make it through, this isn't just a civi job where meeting a checklist of criteria simply "qualifies" you for the job.

If becoming an 18A really is your "lifelong dream," then why not sign an 18x contract, do your time in the enlisted world, then put in an OCS packet when the time comes/you actually know what the job actually entails? Hell, that's the route I wanted to take -- so much for that.

Thanks for all of the information and constructive criticism...

After much thought I've decided to seek an 18x contract and enlist.

Since I plan to do at least 20 years in the Army, I'd like to see both sides of the coin and gain as much experience as I can before going after a commission. After my first contract term is up I'll put in my packet for OCS and go to the dark side.

Whew...now that the hard part's over I just have to get selected at SFAS... :rolleyes:

-Jim

[QUOTE=MG*;394542] Since I plan to do at least 20 years in the Army, [QUOTE]

20 years is a long time, pace yourself. It'll go by in a blink.

Big talk for someone that hasn't completed 20 days yet. Let me be the same buzz kill for you as I was for my son, who's looking to enlist. You can "plan" all you want...make sure you have a back up plan when life throws you a curve ball. Some things to consider...
1. You're not medically qualified...you're at the same place you are now.
2. You don't make it through Basic...welcome to civilian life.
3. You don't get selected...you're now an 11B.
4. You get selected but break your back on a jump going through the Q course...you're now being medically chaptered.
5. You get through basic, AIT, SFAS, SFQC, HALO, CDQC, and every other cool-guy school...and on your first deployment you loose your legs...at least you get some VA benefits.

Too many guys in your age bracket have their "goal" in mind...but no idea what to do if things don't go their way.

You're right and thanks for the gut check. I should definitely have a backup plan and not be too cocky. I just tend to be a bit type A and optimistic and sometimes that leads to me thinking too big. I'll focus on the closest target from here on out.

-Jim