Special Forces Officer

2012Cadet

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For officers, what does the SF training selection board look for when selecting those officers to attend SF training? (Note: not basic prerequisites, but extras that help your chances of being selected such as fluency in foreign lang)
 
Based on there general mission I would think foreign language would be important but so is physical fitness and leadership...you can't get to SF until 1Lt(promotable) and then you START your package.
So you're a freshman in high school...
Focus on doing well and having fun in High School(it has just hit me that my life as a kid is over in about 4 months) then focus on getting to the Military Academy, then being in the top of your class there doing some cool schools during trainings that most non-Academy officers can't do, then do AMAZINGLY as an officer and listen to your NCOs, then make a good application and put your heart into Q-course...its a long road and you get there one step at a time
 
Search ScreamingEagle on this forum and read EVERYTHING he ever wrote...he's now an Infantry Officer/USMA grad and I think he had an interest in SF but I'm not 100% sure...
 
SF...

Well...a classmate of mine from USAFA...

He's a Captain in the USN...

And a SEAL.
 
A majority of SEAL officers are selected though USNA. USMC SOF officers must serve in an infantry battalion before applying to go Recon. I cant say for any other services. Good luck.
 
A majority of SEAL officers are selected though USNA.

I dunno where you're getting that from. According to Stew Smith, there are a lot more coming from STA-21 and OCS, mostly guys with enlisted experience. Think...if they could have their choice of a green 22 yr old or a veteran 27 yr old leading a team, they'd take the guy with experience any day.

As for Army SF, Dick Couch (author of The Warrior Elite and Down Range) has a similar book called Chosen Soldier about SF training. I looked through a friend's copy while in Alaska last month...it's a pretty good read if you're interested in that stuff.
 
My classmate attended UDT training during our time at the academy and was SO impressed with the BUDS instructors that he decided he wanted to be one of them.

So he cross-commissioned at graduation and went NAVY and straight to BUDS...

The rest is history.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
As for Army SF, Dick Couch Chosen Soldier...it's a pretty good read...

Yes, I agree...I is a very good read...how good is that 'Get Selected For Special Forces' by: Maj. Martin?
 
I dunno where you're getting that from. According to Stew Smith, there are a lot more coming from STA-21 and OCS, mostly guys with enlisted experience. Think...if they could have their choice of a green 22 yr old or a veteran 27 yr old leading a team, they'd take the guy with experience any day.

I meant from the civilian side. I assumed he isnt going to enlist as a SEAL first. The guys at airwarriors said there is little chance to become a SEAL officer from the civilian side going into OCS.

No they do not! This is a common misconception. I have trained many Lt's who have never commanded a rifle platoon before getting the a PMOS of 0203-Ground Intelligence Officer

I have also trained a good many Capt's who wanted make this an FMOS (a secondary MOS) who never served in an Infantry unit.

Here are the requirements for a 0203 MOS:

1) Must be eligible for a top secret clearance based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) .
2) Must be a male lieutenant to be assigned this MOS as a primary MOS . This MOS may be assigned as an additional MOS to male captains and above .
3) Complete the Infantry Officer Course (IOC), MCCDC, Quantico, VA; the Scout Sniper Platoon Commander's Course (SSPCC), MCCDC, Quantico, VA; and the Ground Intelligence Officer's Course (GIOC), Navy Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center (NMITC), Dam Neck, VA .

http://www.tbs.usmc.mil/All_MOS.asp

That maybe so for a 0203 but I assumed he wanted to be an infantry 0302 officer.
http://www.forcerecon.com/reconfaq.htm#five
I'm going to be a Marine Officer. How do I get in Recon?

Currently, Recon units gain their officers from two sources.
First is the Infantry (0302) officer who has typically has 2+ years experience in a Battalion with at least one deployment. At this point he's ready to be a Weapons Plt Leader or a Company XO. Some opt to take the recon indoc and, with approval from their chain of command, receive orders to a recon unit.
Second is the ground intelligence officer (0203) who attends intel school and infantry officers course before coming to the Basic Recon Course. Some even go on to receive their insert schools (jump & Dive). Upon completion of this school pipeline, the LT is assigned to a recon unit.
At the time of my last tour in 2d Recon Bn, we had 3 or 4 of the 0203 Intel officers & the remainder of our platoons had 0302 Platoon Commanders. We were short of qualified officers and some platoons had GySgt Platoon leaders as well.
 
bump for last question asked never answered about book...
 
A majority of SEAL officers are selected though USNA. USMC SOF officers must serve in an infantry battalion before applying to go Recon. I cant say for any other services. Good luck.
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I didn't read what anybody wrote after this so forgive me if someone mentioned it already. This is in fact not true. I can tell you right now that there are a lot more coming out of NROTC, OCS, and other enlisted to officer programs as a whole.
 
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