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CC Resources for United States Military Academy West Point
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11-17-2008, 05:16 PM
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#1 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ
Posts: 193
| Special Forces
How does one get involved with special forces after West Point?
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11-17-2008, 06:38 PM
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#2 | | Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 302
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You would have to qualify like everyone else before being accepted to the course. We just got back last week from Bragg attending a graduation. ADM Olson was the guest speaker. To give you an idea how tough it is, out of the 700 that started the course, 74 graduated. A special breed of men wear the green beret.
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11-17-2008, 08:59 PM
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#3 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ
Posts: 193
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dang! Do you start as infantry, get your jump wings then go to ranger school?
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11-17-2008, 09:34 PM
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#4 | | Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 302
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You do not have to have your jump wings for selection, but if selected, you will go to Airborne school. You must be a 1LT and then there is a six month window of opportunity. If you make selection, you immediately go to the CAPT career course at FT Benning before beginning the Q Course. A very brief overview and hopefully someone else with SF experience will chime in.
No to Ranger School, that is not a part of SF and is not a requirement. I can say that out of the 74 that graduated this cycle, 11 were officers.
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11-17-2008, 09:56 PM
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#5 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 102
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Try 'Chosen Soldier' by Dick Couch, talks about the Q course and what soldiers go through.
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11-17-2008, 10:14 PM
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#6 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ
Posts: 193
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K, I'll look into it.
How bout for Special Forces aviation? Is it the same deal?
Last edited by flyersboy114; 11-17-2008 at 10:19 PM.
Reason: Forget info
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11-18-2008, 09:02 AM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: PA
Posts: 2,361
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About Ranger school. From what I hear these days, officers who branch infantry are expected to go to Ranger school.
You also can get your jump wings while a cadet.
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11-19-2008, 09:51 AM
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#8 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ
Posts: 193
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I knew you could get jump wings as a cadet, and the officer ranger school, that is surprising. Anyone have an answer for SF aviation?
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11-19-2008, 09:52 AM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: PA
Posts: 2,361
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Just to be clear -
There is one ranger school - both officers and enlisted go at the same time. Infantry officers usually go right after commissioning. Most don't want to be leading a platoon of infantry soldier without the ranger tab.
Perhaps Screaming Eagle will come around and shed some light for you.
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11-19-2008, 09:56 AM
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#10 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ
Posts: 193
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I know there is one ranger school, I just meant that most officers attend ranger school surprised me.
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11-21-2008, 08:34 AM
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#11 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 41
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when you graduate from west point and branch infantry you are pretty much expected and pushed toward going to Ranger school. some say becase the joes do not want thier pl to be leading them if he does not have the tab.
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11-21-2008, 09:48 AM
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#12 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ
Posts: 193
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yes, JustAMom said that above^^^ 
Anyone have an answer for special forces aviation?? Little Birds rock!
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11-23-2008, 12:35 PM
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#13 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ
Posts: 193
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Bump.......
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11-23-2008, 06:18 PM
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#14 | | Junior Member
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 69
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SOA (Special Operations Aviation) is not a branch- you get selected from your aviation branch assignment after you have served at least one assignment after flight school.
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11-23-2008, 08:06 PM
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#15 | | Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 515
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No to Ranger School, that is not a part of SF and is not a requirement.
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However, it IS likely that an SF officer comes from an infantry background. In which case, a Ranger Tab IS expected.
From personal experience, I've seen a lot of officers and enlisted up near CT during OCS Phase 1 for the National Guard that are SF but don't have a Ranger tab. However, I didn't rule out the possibility that some of them don't like wearing tabs and "scare me badges".
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