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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,827
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spherojon
WD,
You hit the nail on the head. I have hit a shoulder setback while stationed at Fort Living Room. My brother preached to me over and over again, that the goal is to be the best at what ever I do and focus on the 25m target. He told me that I should just get my foot in the door first (as a 68w or 11b) to see if I even liked the army, let alone SF. I think a lot of 18xer's sign up, having no real idea what SF is, or what they are getting into. It's a uphill battle, and the odds are stacked against you. Going 18x you take a giant leap, instead of going 11b and progressing to Airborne, and if you like it progress to SF or Ranger.
The two sides of the coin that I find myself at is, 1) 18x is a great opportunity for a civilian to join the ranks of SF. The odds are stacked against you, but if you decide this route, then mentally you must have a zen like focus. If at one point you doubt, and think "what if I dont...." then you are not prepared (speaking for myself). But failure trying to make SF is not failure at all, you get to join the ranks of Airborne or Leg troopers. 2) You join the Army as 11b or 68w or whatever, and gradually work your way up. You're progress isn't as fast as 18x, but you progress in stages none the less. Eventually you will make it to your goal, or you can decide that being Airborne is where your home is.
Personally, I think some 18xer's that are joining lately have a screwed sense of reality. They want a quick route instead of the best route for themselves to their goals. To me, being SF isn't about the Hollywood image shooting a gun from the hip, its about the brotherhood, its about helping those that cant help themselves, making the world a better place one hell hole at a time. Its about living in 3rd world countries, eating, drinking, and sharing a bed with the populace of those 3rd world countries 6-9 months at a time. Personally, I just see a lot of young 20 something year old's entering 18x with no clue what it even means to be SF.
This is just my opinion, take it for what its worth.
P.S. Warning to future 18xer's, don't confuse cocky arrogance for real confidence.
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Well said.
TR
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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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