[18A2B19SFG]

Overlord, Market Garden, et. al;… Incredible by any comparison. (PC theater as well!) A world truly at war, on a scale that I personally can only imagine, and humbly respect. 4 years (if you lived), sporatic letters, incremental progress and every mile hard fought. IMHO war on that scale and duration, given the historical context, may (hopefully) never occur again. (Bearing in mind all possibilities) I respect my place in the shadow of that era, with no presumption that 120days or less of combat (by official, or any standard) here and there, gives me any insight to the experience of WWII vets. It is “apples and oranges”, and all things being equal, Ken Miller (an 82nd D-Day Vet) expressed his bewilderment with the 21st century battlefield. Still, I always felt humbled to have WWII vets salute (my rank) as an officer, given my respect for what I can only imagine of their experience. Much like the first salute from any SGM or CSM. I did keep you awake at night, the determination to live up to the rank, and those salutes from men you could then only hope to aspire to.

Q course:
Robin Sage had only been “Robin Sage” a year or two when I went through what was then phase III for graduation. I was NG (19 SFG) and 2LT were allowed to attend SFAS/SFQC after IOBC. Then spend the next 2-3 years attached to one ODA or ODB, until what was then SFOC and an eventual slot with one of the ODAs. During Phase I, I was eager let anyone think I was enlisted rather than a 2LT. I’m not sure how it is now, but from 88-89 at least, you were lucky to have anyone from phase I & II with you during Phase III. I know I only passed from one Phase to the other because I worked on Peer support, and what I had “help” with in one skill, I gave it back in spades in another. Be assertive, decisive, but don’t argue or show un-warranted disrespect. Learn to convey your ideas convincingly, and compromise when possible. Your graded leadership role during Robin Sage could very well depend or rely on the one guy you’ve not liked and let him know it. A wise man “MIKE_MIKE” said, SFQC isn’t a position on a team. It’s a school, an evaluation, pass or fail. If you forget that you are a student in a class, your dumb ass will be right back here, and without sympathy.
He was right (of course), each Phase, from my observation, had one or more guys who were already tabbed in there mind, and failed the “technicality” of completing the course.
From what I hear, SFAS is much more of a psychological evaluation than it was in ’88. Then it was more AFPT 275 range and you would make it if you had solid basic skills. ARNG did send a lot of 20-22yo guys to SFSA/SFQC. At 23, I felt like a dumb kid who was just trying to follow the lead so to speak, but it worked. Don’t even go to SFAS without SOLID Land Nav skills. You won’t be lucky enough to follow someone every time. And stay off the roads.