Why go SF?
 

A lot of guys my age come through this site and SOCNET, interested in going SF. And I always think to myself "well, why do these guys want to be on an ODA?" Almost invariably, their reasoning seems to be very poor (movie inspired, cool sounding title, beret, tab, want to be Rambo, etc). As a result of this, I started to ask myself "why does SF interest you?"

I thought back as far as possible, and realized it was because of a math teacher I had, who'd been a 5th Grouper. Mind you, I was locked on to going to the 82d at this point in time. I spoke with him a lot about the Deuce, but he always seemed to have something "neato" to say about Group. So if not for him, I'd never have even looked into it. Which isn't to say if he'd been a Marine/SEAL/whatever that I'd be looking there, but he was the beginning of my research into SF.

I read a lot, studied a lot and liked what I saw a lot. Not wearing a beret & long tab, having unshined boots and long hair. Not even kicking down doors and doing HSLD Direct Action missions. What I really liked was empitomized by a couple of lines from the History Channel's "Complete History of the Green Berets."
1) "An SF soldier was not recruited for physical prowess. It's not about how many pushups you can do (although that's important), the SF community is comprised of some of the most intelligent individuals I know...that's what influences the cultures where we work."
2) "SF isn't about commando crap (though we can do it), it's about helping people...building schools, churches, teaching how to cultivate the land."

Then I came to SOCNET, and found a lot of guys my age were interested in the same road as I. However, by and large they seemed to want to be "hard" or "HSLD" or whatever you call it. I'm not saying they all were, I can think of a bunch who are great guys with the best of intentions, but in proportion, there seemed to be a lot more assclowns.

And that's where I got this question: why should an individual want to be SF? Why did you? What's a good reason.

As for research I put into this question, I PMed NDD first. He advised me to post here, so I guess you could say this question is approved by the People's Medic.

Thanks,
Doyle

IIRC the desire to be a "heeero" was a prime motive for me. It was only in Training Group that more realistic reasons were drummed into me. "If you want to be a hero, you don't belong here." "We're teachers and diplomats not fighters" etc.

There is nothing wrong with hero worship. It is a prime source of recruits. Once we bag them we can refine and define them. If we were to rely upon the "real", lofty philosophical motives for recruiting we would quickly become extinct.

For me, I kind of always wanted to do it since I was a kid and saw the movie, then read the book. But I really knew while I was in the 82nd. While there, I traveled to a few places and always saw the same exact thing, the rucksack of the guy in front of me. I never knew where we were or what we were supposed to be doing.

The other thing was the confidence I saw from the guys that were SF troops. You never saw anything flashy, they were never in a hurry, they always seemed to be ahead of the game. Always quiet and confident. Like it is their world and everybody else doesn't understand the rules, much less how to win.

After I was there a while, I couldn't imagine serving anywhere else. The Brotherhood was truly incredible. I didn't think about it much at the time, but the things your teammates will do for you or you will do for them without being asked or without even thinking about it you don't see everyday.

Why go SF?

An interesting and very basic question.

My answer would be that it allowed me to be around the best people on the face of the earth. Guys that I still love and respect.

I loved the mental and physical part. I especially liked the humor. Nothing like hearing a classic quote after a memorable event.

You don't leave SF when you retire. You simply apply what you learned and use it wherever you go. I still try to keep up the standard. I PT early in the morning and I give a full days work. On top of that I constantly look for new ways to improve.

If I was 17 years old, I would get parental consent and go 18X Monday morning.

Young people are looking for a way to set them apart from the crowd and do something tough. You'll get both with these people.

Hope that answers your question.

Doc

I think I can make my first even more simple. It was a desire to be the best and among the best. The rest came with increased maturity. In the beginning my chest wasn't big enough for my jump wings and my head wasn't big enough for my beret. But they grew with time. :lifter

Was really glad to see someone say that in this topic. It seems like people feel it's better to minimize this aspect as a motivator. Maybe because any good thing taken to an extreme easily becomes a bad thing.

But most people need heroes and really excellent role models to look up to and pattern behavior after. I certainly do. If you don't have that and need it, then you are just adrift. And who doesn't need it or at least can be better off for it?

Since precious few have the mental + physical ability, all in 1 package, to become heroes in the combat or military sense that we are discussing here, I think there should be no shame in that as a motivator to those who have it. Especially when the result is the security and freedoms of our country.

FrontSight

I'd read the book, seen the movie...

But in the end, it all came down to three words for me, the motto:

De Oppresso Liber - To Free the Oppressed.

I believed in that. Still do. It's worth doing.

I want to be SF because regular units are boring.

Then you need to take a handle in making duty in your regular unit not boring.

Desert Fox, what is it about your conventional unit that is boring?

Why go SF ??
 

Let's see, 1969, busted out of West Point, had a Flag on my file at the Draft Board that read "NEXT" !!! Knew enough about the system and the Army to know that I did not want to go to RVN as a mere grunt. Enlisted for Airborne SF, never regretted it since. As I have said before, Even moreso than the Marine's "Once a Marine ALWAYS a Marine" SF is not merely an accomplisment and a green hat, it is a MINDSET, ATTITUDE, PHILOSOPHY, WAY OF LIFE kind of thing that represents and embodies "de Opresso Liber" for the rest of your life.


Later
Martin

Why it is boring?

Not enough PT, not enough war spirit, not enough courses and learning, no real-world mission, not enough shooting, not enough realistic training, garrison routine, too much people thinking about sex, weekends, alcohol, too much people thinking about how to gain personal advantages from the army, instead of the opposite, not enough challenges.

What to do to improve my life in my unit?

Apply for SF. Extra PT after work. Bringing books and read it whenever I have time. Bringing pieces of rope to practice my knots. Do Kung-fu and do body renforcement whenever time is available (stay in position for a long time). Making mad my superiors by asking more PT. Bypassing chain of command by asking more PT. Send memorandums asking for more courses. Learn a foreign language (just few words). Ask questions to people who know, and let them talk (people love to talk). Hide cards and TV remote of the break area (no im just kidding).

"Then you need to take a handle in making duty in your regular unit not boring."
It seems i heard that from many officers. :cool:

DF:

One minor note, you do not have SF any more than we have SAS.

You may have SOF.

TR

I exactly though about the same thing at this moment. Yes that's true, I just have the bad habit to write SF instead of SOF. Mea Culpa.

Why doin't you learn something and then offer to give the training?