What Advice Would an SF Soldier Give?
 

If any of our SF members had one piece of advice to share with others (other SF soldiers, wannabes, conventional soldiers, spouses, civilians, kids, etc.) what would that piece of wisdom be?

It can be SF advice, life lessons, whatever you would like to share as your legacy.

What should it be?

To get the ball rolling, I would offer that I believe whatever happens, you should never quit trying. Dedicate yourself completely to whatever cause you are pursuing. You can accomplish far more than you would imagine, if you just keep striving for your goals. You may fail, in trying, but you will never succeed if you quit.

TR

Don't quit.

Never be in a hurry to get yourself killed. (Look for your next position before you move; have a plan, etc.)

You may find yourself in a firefight that lasts a good part of a day. Rushing in and blasting away at everything can get you into some serious problems. Take your time as it relates to your training (the more you train the faster you can go) and bring your guys home alive!

Shut-up! Look, listen, think. Be low profile. Toot your horn honestly, appropriately and with humility. Be polite, be professional, be prepared. Be ON TIME! Learn to follow before you attempt to lead. Accomplish the mission. Never quit, never give up, never surrender. NEVER. Be brave.

Never ignore your family. When the Army is done with you they are all you will have left. My last BC said that and it has changed the way live.

Remember who you are: From my first TS, from his, as he loaded him into a medivac at Lang Vei.

Take care of your body. Getting old sucks and when you are one of the oldest guys in Group still on an ODA, having to keep up with guys 10yrs your junior, it can be down right painful at times.

x/S

SF Wise: Don't be MOS Centric. Learn how do to other peoples jobs on the ODA. Remember that as SF we can be broken down into three 3-4 man split cell teams.

Military Wise: 1000% on exsquid on taking care of your body, and 11Ber on your family. Lastly if you're in the Military do some college for Lord Sake!! Doing a course or two a year over the course of your 20+ years in you will or should walk out with a Undergraduate degree if not a Graduate Degree. Think about your ODA being there or you to help you as needed.

Know and understand yourself. It's in my signature line.

These are the things I learned in my 26 years in the military and they apply equally to life in general. 1. Own your screw ups. 2. Make your screw ups right 3. Make a decision. 4. Learn how to work with people you do not like for a greater organizational good. 5. Do not snivel. 6. Do not quit.

All of the above are insightful approaches, to which I would add:

Your mind is your greatest tool, and consequently -- weapon. Soak up knowledge like a sponge and look for ways to apply it that color outside the lines ... don't limit yourself; if you're carrying a firearm, don't rely entirely upon it -- learn to fight unarmed or with whatever is available. Think about building as well as destroying and 'see the ground' as did General Buford in The Killer Angels -- it ultimately defines how you will operate.

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"Stand up and do something"

Be persistent, but learn to recognize when something bad is going to happen and react accordingly. Learn when to charge head first or when to walk away.

1) Do everything for its greatest purpose.

2) Treat people well, even those who don't deserve it.

3) Never ever ever quit. If they drag your body away, it was a good death. Better that, than to live with regret.

4) Revel in the good moments. They make life fun.

5) Gut through the bad moments. These are the times that hone your character.

6) Don't sacrifice your integrity.

7) Meeting someone is easy; building rapport is tough. Ask people questions that will let you glimpse into their soul, and they will remember you for a long time.

8) Helping your fellow man when you can makes you human. Helping him at your peril is divine.

9) Don't just say "thanks". Send a follow-up, even if it's a one-liner.

10) A rewarding life begins outside your comfort zone.

11) Don't get married until you have been to three different continents.

12) Children are not yours; they are loaned to you by God. Raise them well, and love them.

13) You are going to have your fifteen minutes of fame. When that time comes, avoid looking like a jackass. Touchdown dances are for amateurs and idiots. Try to look like you've been there before.

14) Prior planning prevents piss poor performance.

15) Never forget snivel gear.

16) Situations change. Professionals find a way to make it work. Amateurs flounder.

17) It's much easier to get out of shape than it is to stay in shape. Don't blow off PT.

18) Amateurs practice till they get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

19) Embrace technology, but always have a knife and pen and paper handy.

20) Great speeches are fine, but if you want to motivate your people, let them build a fire and get some hot chow.

21) A weekend safety brief greater than 3 minutes in length is nothing more than verbal masturbation.

22) Have a good eye for talent. Leave your job in better shape than when you found it.

23) Praise works wonders.

24) Don't bitch unless you have a way to fix the problem. Then still don't bitch, just fix the problem.

25) Trust is earned, not given.