Another piece of the puzzle is in place
 

Hi All,

Just heard from son. He learned his language today - Korean. This means he would be assigned to First Group at Fort Lewis, WA. Great news for us since we live outside of Seattle. Language school is at Fort Bragg will have to be satisfied with seeing him over the Christmas holidays. I would enjoy hearing from any parents with sons attached to First Group and also any thoughts from QP on First Group, Korean as a language etc. Thanks again to all who make up this board.

Michael

Not sure his language guarantees his Group. Was he already told his group?
I'm sure TR and others will be along shortly with the straight scoop.
:munchin

First Group
 

CO Lawman,

You might be right. I only received a text message from my son which said First Group and Korean. I hope to learn more once I can speak with him directly.

Michael

komomsumida, (thank you), for the update.

Not familiar with the differences in the pipelines, but it sounds like he was told his language and Group. My confusion comes from my son's, where they learned their language but not their Group.
Regardless...........just happy to hear the update!

Korean
 

CO Lawman,

I think you have it correct. My son's class was in the middle of the pipeline transition and I think one of the last classes that had their language after the other components. They won't receive their Beret or Tab until they successfully complete Language school. I don't know much about the difficulty of learning Korean but I would imagine my son is sufficiently motivated to get it done no matter what it takes. Keep us posted on your son's progress.

Michael

First Group it is, unless something has changed in the last few years, a language will lock you into a specific Group.

TS,
Persian-Farsi and Thai can you guess the two Special Forces Groups I was assigned too? :rolleyes:
And BTW, in all the years of training I've received, language school was without a doubt the most mentally challenging. I'm still having PTSD issues concerning the Thai language.... :boohoo

Any Language Learning Tips?
 

TS,

Thanks for the reply. By the way, nice choice of icons. Given your experience with Language School, any tips that you might have help in the process?

Michael

Yes, find something to get your mind off school work for at least two hours a day, like PT. Then get back into it.

I ran most mornings, 'tween 0430-0600, Monterey Bay was very quiet in those early morning hours....

TS

Monterey Bay! As the new troops would say..........those were the days!

Pizza Hut Wendy's and Micky D's should now be considered off limits!!! Instead replaced by Choi's Korean Buffet, Kim's Happy Place, and Pak's Korean House. Once through the doors consider it game on and pride by the wayside. A hearty Anyehaseoh (Hello!) is the greeting of the day with kimpop, bulgogi, and oi kimchee for the afternoon or evening fare.
There are DOZENS of Korean places to eat in Fayetteville...this is much to his benefit as he can actually practice his language skills on a daily basis OUTSIDE the classroom in a social environment.
This is also viewed as culturally respectful and will place him leaps and bounds ahead when he actually has to utilize his language in a real world environment.

He should consider himself incredibly fortunate to have 1st SFG(A) as his potential assignment. The only way he could have done better was to have been assigned to 7th GP:D

Best of luck to you and your son.

Eagle

There it is...:lifter

Congrats to your son 18X Dad.

Yulshimhee kongboo hasayo.. study hard :)

Congratulations, 18Xdad!
Isn't it exciting/proud to hear that our kids have reached another phase in their training! That is so nice that your son gets to be close by at Ft. Lewis. Tell him good luck in Language School! Sounds like he will be eating out alot!

blustr18b

Congrats 18Xdad! It was a pretty big step when I found out I was going to language too. Even better when I just found out I got a 1/1+. The pipeline is now structured where after selection people find out their language, group, and MOS. Also, they go to SERE immediatly after Phase II or SUT so language is the last thing they do. Also, only some languages set the specific groups apart. Many people from all the groups are taking Arabic and Persian-Farsi.
Suggest getting him a Barnes and Noble gift certificate if the 18Ds didn't already raid the stash.

I know how disappointed you must be and you have my deepest sympathies. But the important thing now is to be supportive. Just keep reminding him that the support groups need good people too and that everyone can't go to 7th Group, no matter how unfair that may seem. Even Roger Clemens pitched a game or two in the minors.:) ;) :munchin

Funny, very funny
 

Your good-natured ribbing reminds me of a great college football rivalry. I don't have enough knowledge about Special Forces groups to discern if your comments are, in any way based in fact, but good competition never hurt anyone. And, if my son has to start in "the minors" with Special Forces, at least I know he's in the game. Better to look back as an old man and say that he was with the finest group of soldiers in the World than to wonder what might have been. I appreciate all you guys- no matter what group you're with.

Take care all,
18 X Dad

One slight correction. Not everyone goes to SERE after Phase 2. It depends on how soon a new Phase 3 class is starting after you finish Phase 2. Phase 2 is now modular with start dates every week ( or every 2 weeks? I'm not sure). But there are still only four Phase 3 classes a year.

So, if you finish Phase 2 and the next Phase 3 class doesn't start for 2 and a half months, then you'll be going to SERE. If you finish Phase 2 and the next Phase 3 class is starting in a week or two weeks you'll go to Phase 3 and leave SERE for later.

I ate out with the ROC SF for 30days!! No your eyes will not be slanted eating that much rice.

BMT
RICE BURNER 1st Class

Was it dachsund or beagle? :munchin

It really is all in fun...those of us from 7th GP try not to make the rest of the participants live in our shadow ALL of the time. :D

Eagle

Yea, the small shadow that it is, in that of the 5th !!!:munchin

Current events Brother, not Ancient History...:)

Where are the defenders of First Group?
 

I'm getting nervous now. My son's eventual group is being lambasted on the forum and no one has stepped forward to defend them. C'mon guys, step forward and get in a few shots..... pleeeeaaaasssse!!

18 X Dad

Who was on Horseback in the 'Stan ?!?!?!:munchin

It would also be interesting to see a comparison of CIBs and CMBs by Group over the years !!

Later Brother !!
Martin

Whatever happens in (insert major Pacific Rim metropolis) stays there.

:)

The best parts about 7th Gp - A huge AOR that people actually want to visit, the only time you worry about sand is on a tour, the genuine potential for a social life with the locals, no "pig in a poke" problems figuring out what's under the burkha, no rude noises from PA systems on every minaret at ungodly hours to disturb sleep/hangovers, generally acceptable levels of personal hygiene, (did I mention many of the women are attractive and usually friendly?), there actually are five-star hotels to hang out in on the weekends, (did I mention the locals - even the G's - like their weekends?), etc. etc. And even though we're sending people to the sandbox to cover for the poor ba****ds that are stuck there, our guys can look forward to missions that don't always involve Bn. level deployments to h*ll holes every time they leave home station. Need I say more? :p (Yeah, I know - none of that stuff is as true as it used to be, even in Latin America. The times they do be a changing.) Peregrino

PS - 1st Gp guys seem to like their AOR too!

I'm not SF, but I was a Korean Linguist for 8 years.

Language school can be fun, but language school isn't easy.

My class started with 33 students and 16 finished. Of those 16 who finished, 5 of us got a 2/2/2 on our DLPT coming out of DLI.

That isn't meant to be discouraging. There is just a lot to juggle. 7 hrs in the class room, anywhere from 2-6 hrs of homework a night... even on the light days you are trying to choke down 25+ vocab words per day. Got to get in PT, try to stay above just a maintenance level. Got all the other mandatory Army stuff too...

The patented GackMan system was to study like a hermit for the first 4 months. Eat, sleep, study, PT, repeat. After 4 months I started to relax but by then I had a solid foundation and system in place to succeed.


Tell your son to hit the books and not get fat :lifter


Best of luck to your son!



no shit.

Has 7th grp recieved any? I know they drink alot, and do a lot of bragging, but that's about it. I say we make a new badge for 1st and 7th. the IASCB ( I Almost Saw Combat Badge)

And don't worry 18X DAD, SWC West, needs good people too.:D

Easy there constable...
At least 2ea 7th SFGA folks have recently given their lives in support of freedom in A-stan.

Eagle

RIP, Brothers.

MSG Robert Horrigan KIA 6-17-05
SSG Christopher Piper KIA 6-16-05
SFC Victor Cervantes KIA 6-10-05
SSG Leroy Alexander KIA 6-3-05
CPT Charles Robinson KIA 6-3-05
SFC Allen Johnson KIA 4-26-05
SFC Steven Langmack KIA 5-31-05
SFC Pedro Munoz KIA 2-1-05
SGT Orlando Morales KIA 3-29-03

Would you like to go back further?

TR

Amen.:(

Brother's in Arms and now in Spirit.

Thank you Reaper...

Eagle

I apologize, my comment was intended in a good natured ribbing, from one Group to another.

No worries, just wanted to keep the record straight.

Never forget them though.

TR

Thanks TR.

JM
La Familia Septima

Max Tab - Just to let you know a bit of history, through the early 80s there were a number of wounded as well as KIA from the 7th but no CIBs as the political climate required "Quiet Professionals". I realize it was just a dig but thought I would add a bit to the history, only a bit further back then did TR. Dam, getting OLD! :eek:

I still wonder what part of the Clintons' $5000.00 gift is still in my body from the early 80s in El Sal. Col Scruggs tried to get me my Purple Heart a couple of years ago, but no go.

As far as the 1st, they too must play the Quiet Profesional.

Hmmm, 5th Group, isn't that the Group that is "half" as good as 10th? :D :munchin

Didn't they recently approve the CIB for El Sal?

Yes, but for after 85. My time was there form 81 TO 85. That was the time frame in which I was wounded, 83. They seemed t ohave ignored the first several years of work in El Sal when bombs went off all over the place and we were severly resticted to 55 military guys in country, thanks to the same pussy assed Dems trying to lose this war for us.

During the big "celebration" at the GB club, those of us there before 85 was a bit miffed. They just did not understand why we were so upset.

You have to understand LR was there when the Conquistadores landed, he thought they were his USMC relief. He was wounded by an arrow.

And he's always a "bit miffed." LOL:cool: