Green Beret Officer?

[ArmycadetMS19]

Can you currently try out for Army SF and serve as as a green beret officer?

I know you can do so for the 75th regiment, but I found conflicting answers online when i searched for it. And what is the MOS, and what would the officer's duties entail? How is different from a Ranger Officer?

The goarmy website wasn't entirely clear.

 

[CL123]

Ranger regiment is a shock force. They're gonna kick your door in and eat food at your dinner table. SF are the guys embedded in enemy lines, waiting for the right time to strike. Those are the guys you see on tv wearing beards and middle eastern clothing. SF also can be a shock force but that's generally kept for rangers.

SF is a jack of all trades.

Yes you can but I believe you have to have time as a platoon leader first. Then you do SFAS, and if you pass you'll go to SERE school, Q-course, airborne (if you haven't already). Things like that. The pipeline is about a year and a half.

 

[USMA 1994]

Officers would apply for Special Forces after you complete your LT time in a regular unit and pin on Captain. A few years ago, there was not a initial branch requirement but the combat arms officers would have been better prepared.

Officers assigned to the a Ranger Battalion are Infantry officers assigned to that post. They would typically be senior LTs that have already been a platoon leader in a regular Infantry Battalion and preformed well.

 

[ArmycadetMS19]

Officers would apply for Special Forces after you complete your LT time in a regular unit and pin on Captain. A few years ago, there was not a initial branch requirement but the combat arms officers would have been better prepared.

Officers assigned to the a Ranger Battalion are Infantry officers assigned to that post. They would typically be senior LTs that have already been a platoon leader in a regular Infantry Battalion and preformed well.

Thanks! But I just saw a whole list of MOS's that are "Accepted" by the 75th. They included 11A (infantry), but also included stuff like field artillery. So one wouldn't have to branch infantry to be accepted, do they?

Also, does anyone know the requirements of a Green Beret officer? I know for Ranger officer, you need TS SCI.

 

[USMA 1994]

There is the Regimental headquarters and 3 Ranger Battalions. Each one of these units have a TOE that is similar to regular units. If you want to lead an rifle platoon, you will need to be an Infantry Officer. The FA officer is probably a fire support officer on one of the staffs. It is basically the same way in the regular Army Battalions. There are officers from all Branches assigned to a Infantry Brigade but only the Infantry officers lead platoons and companies.

I hope that make sense.

In terms of SF requirements, I think you should focus on graduating and doing the best you can in your first assignment. The most basic requirements are excellent ratings as a LT and being physically fit. Things like a TSI will be completed through the application process.

 

[Jcleppe]

You can apply for SF once you become 1LT Promotable, you usually apply prior to pinning Captain. You can apply to SF or other SOF jobs, Civil Affairs and PsyOps, from any branch. Once your application is complete and accepted you would then attend a Selection Course for either SF, CA or PsyOps, if you are lucky enough to be selected then you would return to your unit and wait for your SOF Career Course slot to open. Once at the Career Course you will need to pass that course, not everyone passes. The course is condensed compared to other Career Courses and very intense due to the fact that you cover a lot of material in a shorter time. If you make it through the Career Course you then move on to the actual training, again you can be dropped at any time during the training.

Depending on which path you take the training will be different, if you go CA the first 6 months after the Career Course is Language School. SF will have language training as well and you will be taking the DLAB. During this time you will be going through your security clearance. As others have mentioned you would go through SERE-C and Airborne unless you have already attended these courses.

As you can see this is a process that takes a while so the best thing you can do now is concentrate on what is in front of you, there is a lot of time before you will need to start thinking about SOF.

 

[-Bull-]

Thanks! But I just saw a whole list of MOS's that are "Accepted" by the 75th. They included 11A (infantry), but also included stuff like field artillery. So one wouldn't have to branch infantry to be accepted, do they?

Also, does anyone know the requirements of a Green Beret officer? I know for Ranger officer, you need TS SCI.

You do not have to be an Infantry Officer (11A) to be in the Ranger Regiment. I have friends that are Field Artillery and Ordnance that went to Regiment. None of them serve on staff either. The FSOs are assigned to Ranger Companies and the loggies I know are in support Companies.

I spent the first year or so of my career in a Infantry battalion and none of that time was on staff, all of it was in a line company.

 

[cb7893]

You can apply for SF once you become 1LT Promotable, you usually apply prior to pinning Captain. You can apply to SF or other SOF jobs, Civil Affairs and PsyOps, from any branch.

Even Signal. Can confirm. If you can get a spot as a 1Lt, you can get a look at what they do before committing to that route. My DS is in that position. He loves what he does, but isn't sure if pursuing the "long tab" is right for him. It isn't for everyone.

 

[Sledge]

I always thought Special Forces would be a good "get away from the flagpole" gig.

 

[ArmycadetMS19]

Even Signal. Can confirm. If you can get a spot as a 1Lt, you can get a look at what they do before committing to that route. My DS is in that position. He loves what he does, but isn't sure if pursuing the "long tab" is right for him. It isn't for everyone.

Long tab as in the Ranger Scroll? And when you say 1LT, do you mean get to see what the Ranger officers do?

You can apply for SF once you become 1LT Promotable, you usually apply prior to pinning Captain. You can apply to SF or other SOF jobs, Civil Affairs and PsyOps, from any branch. Once your application is complete and accepted you would then attend a Selection Course for either SF, CA or PsyOps, if you are lucky enough to be selected then you would return to your unit and wait for your SOF Career Course slot to open. Once at the Career Course you will need to pass that course, not everyone passes. The course is condensed compared to other Career Courses and very intense due to the fact that you cover a lot of material in a shorter time. If you make it through the Career Course you then move on to the actual training, again you can be dropped at any time during the training.

Depending on which path you take the training will be different, if you go CA the first 6 months after the Career Course is Language School. SF will have language training as well and you will be taking the DLAB. During this time you will be going through your security clearance. As others have mentioned you would go through SERE-C and Airborne unless you have already attended these courses.

As you can see this is a process that takes a while so the best thing you can do now is concentrate on what is in front of you, there is a lot of time before you will need to start thinking about SOF.

I understand. Thanks for the advice!

You do not have to be an Infantry Officer (11A) to be in the Ranger Regiment. I have friends that are Field Artillery and Ordnance that went to Regiment. None of them serve on staff either. The FSOs are assigned to Ranger Companies and the loggies I know are in support Companies.

I spent the first year or so of my career in a Infantry battalion and none of that time was on staff, all of it was in a line company.

Oh really? Wow...I always though being an officer in any branch would involve a lot of staff time. What exactly did your job in a line company involve?

And to all the other posters, thank you for your replies.

I wasn't really asking because I was dead-set on becoming a Ranger officer or Green Beret officer. Few people who decide they want this kind of thing "have" the right motives for wanting it, imho. I was asking because my roommate is thinking of branching Infantry (like me), but he wants to go this route.

He was thinking of spending 2 years as an infantry officer, being promoted to 1LT, and then spending the next 6 years of his ADSO (he won a 4yr scholarship) in the 75th, provided he gets accepted and goes thru RASP and everything. Would this be a feasible plan for him? And more importantly, how much of a Ranger Officer's job involves all the "hooah hooah" raiding stuff? I thought that was mainly for NCOs and enlisted, and that officers would be more of the ones who 1) receive the intel 2) brief the men before missions 3) plan raids 4) brief higher-ups. That all sounds really cool and all, but idk if it's right for me

 

[-Bull-]

Long tab as in the Ranger Scroll? And when you say 1LT, do you mean get to see what the Ranger officers do?


Oh really? Wow...I always though being an officer in any branch would involve a lot of staff time. What exactly did your job in a line company involve?


He was thinking of spending 2 years as an infantry officer, being promoted to 1LT, and then spending the next 6 years of his ADSO (he won a 4yr scholarship) in the 75th, provided he gets accepted and goes thru RASP and everything. Would this be a feasible plan for him? And more importantly, how much of a Ranger Officer's job involves all the "hooah hooah" raiding stuff? I thought that was mainly for NCOs and enlisted, and that officers would be more of the ones who 1) receive the intel 2) brief the men before missions 3) plan raids 4) brief higher-ups. That all sounds really cool and all, but idk if it's right for me

Long Tab refers to the Special Forces tab. The Regiment scroll is usually referred just as a scroll.

Officers do spend a fair amount of time on staff, but as a LT, especially in Field Artillery (like I am) you'll spend most of the first 3-4 years on the line. For FA that is because of the jobs you usually hold as a LT (FDO, PL, FSO, XO). In the Infantry company I was with, I was the Fire Support Officer and HQ Platoon Leader (not really a real job but I just administratively managed everyone in the HQ Platoon). In addition to Fire Supporters, these Infantry companies have Mechanics, Commo, Supply, etc. and everywhere the infantrymen go, they go. And how my time has worked out so far supporting maneuver units, I have more time in an Infantry battalion than an artillery battalion. People of all branches are scattered throughout all types of units.

 

[ArmycadetMS19]

Long Tab refers to the Special Forces tab. The Regiment scroll is usually referred just as a scroll.

Officers do spend a fair amount of time on staff, but as a LT, especially in Field Artillery (like I am) you'll spend most of the first 3-4 years on the line. For FA that is because of the jobs you usually hold as a LT (FDO, PL, FSO, XO). In the Infantry company I was with, I was the Fire Support Officer and HQ Platoon Leader (not really a real job but I just administratively managed everyone in the HQ Platoon). In addition to Fire Supporters, these Infantry companies have Mechanics, Commo, Supply, etc. and everywhere the infantrymen go, they go. And how my time has worked out so far supporting maneuver units, I have more time in an Infantry battalion than an artillery battalion. People of all branches are scattered throughout all types of units.

Thanks for your input. By "administratively managed" do mean via paperwork in an officer type of deal, or is that what staff would be? And how long does an officer usually spend in staff?

I heard that being an officer, esp. infantry, in the 75th Regt is as close to the hands-on stuff you'll ever get to do as an officer. It doesn't mean you'd be on the raids, I assume, but help plan them and identify HVTs. If someone knows better, please correct me.

 

[-Bull-]

Thanks for your input. By "administratively managed" do mean via paperwork in an officer type of deal, or is that what staff would be? And how long does an officer usually spend in staff?

I heard that being an officer, esp. infantry, in the 75th Regt is as close to the hands-on stuff you'll ever get to do as an officer. It doesn't mean you'd be on the raids, I assume, but help plan them and identify HVTs. If someone knows better, please correct me.

No, administratively as in paperwork and day-to-day stuff. Staffs are usually found at the battalion level and above.

Officers will spend some time on staff as a LT. How much is really determined by branch and job. Usually a LT will get to a unit, probably spend a little time on staff waiting for a line job to open up, then go be a PL and XO, and probably return to staff before heading off to CCC. Captains who come from CCC will go to staff for a couple years while waiting for command then will move onto a broadening assignment of some sort. Most Major time is all staff time and broadening time combined with ILE and other schooling. From then on, if an officer continues to progress it will bounce between staff and command.

That is very general and mostly applied towards combat arms officers. At higher echelons, for example a signal officer, would be KD complete as a LTC by serving as a division G6. There aren't infinite support command opportunities so not everyone will be afforded the opportunity to command, and they're not all required to do it in order to progress.

You can do some research on google and will probably find some open source stuff on Officer progression timelines for different branches.