Basic Q's from a parent - Page 8

3dfxMM · 05-26-2007, 20:59

Yet another update. My son called this afternoon to let me know that he has successfully navigated the Q. He just came out of Robin Sage and will graduate next Thursday/Friday. He was Team Sergeant for his ODA. He said all of his counseling sessions were very positive and he was ranked first on his team in his peer reviews. He doesn't know any specifics about his assignment yet. He said he probably won't find out anything until he gets back to Ft. Lewis.

I will be in Fayetteville from Wednesday through Saturday night. I would be honored to buy any of you a drink should the opportunity present itself. My only specific plans are to attend the First Formation and the graduation ceremony, take my son and some of his friends to dinner at least once, and trips to both museums. My wife has already given me instructions for what to get her from the SF Museum gift shop.

Once again, I want to thank all of you for your help and insight into what my son was, and will be, going through. It has already been quite a trip and in a very real sense it is only just beginning.

NousDefionsDoc · 05-26-2007, 21:14

"A drink?" ROTFLMAO!

3dfxMM · 05-26-2007, 21:30

I didn't say I would limit the size of the drink.

Please amend my earlier offer to be "drinks". Sorry if I offended anyone but I am glad that I was able to amuse NDD.

Gypsy · 05-27-2007, 08:12

Congrats to your son, 3dfxMM!

Roycroft201 · 05-27-2007, 23:26

Please pass my congratulations along to your son. You and your wife have every reason to be very proud.

RC201

Go For Broke · 05-28-2007, 15:06

Congratulations to your son. He will have fun out at the 1st, I know I did.

Please pass to your son, 祝贺绿色贝雷帽。现在是时间赢得它

V/R,

Matta mile · 05-28-2007, 17:41

Congratulations !
Enjoy that drink!!!

3dfxMM · 05-28-2007, 18:10

Quote:

Congratulations !
Enjoy that drink!!!

Thanks for the kind words and thanks for rubbing it in.

NousDefionsDoc · 05-28-2007, 18:13

Please tell him "Well done" for me.

You are rightfully proud. You did well raising him.

**Roguish Lawyer** · 05-28-2007, 18:22

Congratulations!

3SoldierDad · 05-28-2007, 18:41

I'm a father of five with three kids in the army - one has just become a candidate for Special Forces training and is at CLT now.

I’d be interested in interacting with other parents via this forum on our sons’ activities and progress.

I’d like to give you all a thumbnail on my son, Jon, who chose to become an 18 X-Ray last September. This is his story - However, I'd be interested in getting the play-by-play from some of you other parents and family members on your own sons experience through the pipeline, the Q-course, and onto their team. I don't know much, but I've read perhaps a dozen books on SF and have trolled long and hard on the net for the best information on the SF journey. To help you - this site is the quintessential source for learning about and understanding the SF community - including the journey your sons have just begun.

If there are any parents out there that want to reach out to another parent with a son on the same journey feel free to private message me.

Here's a Cliff Notes version on one SF candidate's story...

My kids grew-up in a very conservative home. We are evangelical Christians - we did home-school, home-church, and for years we never had a television in the home – Jon was born in Costa Rica in 1985 while my wife and I were self-supported missionaries down there. We were from a Plymouth Brethren background, and until 2003 I was a pacifist. We have Veterans in the family, but we were not in anyway military. Others have noted, however, we have a kind of warrior ethos in our home – I’m Irish-American, was a fighter as a kid, and was captain of my high school’s wrestling team - And, as a Dad I ran "a tight ship." We are a competitive family - all of us make commitments with our whole heart…My wife and I are centered on the principal of what matters is what we do – I think that has somehow translated to the kids. Nevertheless, I really had nothing overt to do with getting my sons to go Army.

My first son in the military was Ben two years ago - he’s 24 now. My third son, Mike, was the second to join and he did so right after he turned 17 (He was just deployed to Iraq as a combat medic). Jon was the last and is really the most unique guy among all my kids. He’s scary smart – ASVAB 99, GT 142, DLAB 135, 167 IQ and VERY independent - totally alpha male. He rubs a lot of people wrong, is easily misunderstood, and by all accounts until I saw him after selection has always been a smart-ass…As you will hear later, he has changed a lot. Prior to joining-up Jon did a couple years in College, had a couple short-lived girl-friends, and started working – He felt like his world was without any challenge, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, he was wandering in circles and admitted his life seemed without purpose – from 18 years-old to right before he joined-up Jon became grouchier and grouchier – He was like a caged lion looking for something to devour. The suburban life can be tough on boys who are yearning to be a knight for our times and slay dragons. I’m reminded of a quote I saw here at PS a week or so back…

"It has been my experience that superior people are attracted only by challenge. By setting our standards low and making our life soft, we have, quite automatically, and unconsciously, assured ourselves of mediocre people." - from The Ugly American .

Jon had little respect for what he saw going on with himself and his peers – As he told me he felt himself going soft, like his life was in a rut – He said, he saw himself and his peers “as punks.” Meanwhile, my other two sons were encouraging him to check out the Army. Both boys had done well on their entrance tests, and they told the recruiter that he hadn’t even met their "smart brother." The recruiter was a bit incredulous, and told my sons he didn’t believe they had a smarter brother – certainly not a better rounded brother. Jon’s very competitive - His brothers related the recruiter’s doubts about him. Somewhat on a dare, Jon went in and took the ASVAB – When the results came back the recruiter said Jon’s scores were “off the charts” and among the highest he had seen in a long while. At the urging of his brothers, Jon sat down with the recruiter to explore possibilities. He asked Jon what he wanted to do - The recruiter said with his scores he could do whatever he wanted. Jon inquired, “What does the Army need and who are the best?” The recruiter said “The best are the Army’s Special Forces - The Green Beret.” The recruiter said they were “the tip of the spear on the war on terror.” He cautioned Jon that intelligence wasn’t enough, however – The recruiter related how he himself had endeavored to make SF and had voluntarily withdrawn. He said, “Special Forces is called 'special' because it is for special men only" – He said, "You can’t test in." You have to earn it – and even then you can fail" – he added for emphasis - "And, most fail.” The recruiter said he could give him any job except the Special Forces job, but he did say he could get Jon a shot at getting selected for Special Forces with an 18x contract.

Well, that was the challenge Jon needed. He didn’t want to be a part of a club that would take just anyone. And, he wanted to go where he was needed - where he could be the best with the best - where he could be the tip of the spear.

Part II - OSUT/Airborne/SOPC/SFAS ...From suburban punk to changed man.

Three Soldier Dad...Chuck

CoLawman · 05-29-2007, 20:07

Congratulations to your son and your entire family 3D!

3dfxMM · 05-29-2007, 20:34

Thanks. I will finally no longer have to wonder what you and others were feeling when your sons graduated. It has been a whirlwind few weeks for our family. Our daughter graduated from college a couple of weeks ago and we were only back from that about a week when we got the "official" word from our son. Unfortunately, the timing sucked since he couldn't go to her graduation and she just started her job so she can't get away to attend his. I will just have to take plenty of photos.

3dfxMM · 06-02-2007, 07:08

Well, it's official. Both ceremonies were awesome and I am very glad I did not miss them. He reports back to Ft. Lewis on Monday where he hopes to find out to which Battalion he is assigned. He made the Commandant's list but I am not clear what that means other than only the top 20% of graduates are eligible and he had an asterisk next to his name in the program.

I did manage to put a couple of dinners and more than a couple of beers into his buddies who had no family attending. After hearing you guys, I am pretty sure that I got off light with just a few beers for his buddies.

blustr18b · 06-02-2007, 09:52

Congratulations 3d! Post some photos if you can!
Blustr18b