Special Forces claim

[Tacit Blue]

I have a friend that recently graduated a police academy. I talked to him briefly today about his time in the Army, and I recalled him telling me he was a 18B Special forces member. I asked him how long he was in again he responded " 2 years and was medically discharged for asthma that developed" he claims he was never deployed at all.

To me his story seems believable, but my gut feeling tells me he's not telling me the whole story. Because in my mind if he graduated a 6 month long police academy, It didn't seem like his asthma was issue then I've personally worked out with him, he always seemed to take the lead during runs, was a good solid runner. It doesn't add up.


What do you guys think?

[Aznatama]

Special forces need poges too... also, just because he was in the unit doesn't mean he was apart of any special task force or team. There are benchwarmers. Lastly, maybe his discharge was for another reason and he doesn't want to tell you? Who cares?

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[Mr.Caketown]

It is plausible. You go in as 11b after 5 months you are at your first duty station or selection , a few months later you get picked up and enter training for a year or so. So in theory he could have been true , kicked out as he was done with training. Or he could have been a paper pusher assigned to a special forces group , which is more likely what I would guess

[tanksoldier]

If he's claiming 18B it means he was awarded the SF Weapons Sergeant MOS.

The SFAS and SFQ pipeline is about 2 years long, give or take, so IMO highly unlikely he entered the Army, was selected, completed training, was awarded the MOS and then discharged in that time frame, even if he went in as an 18X.

Ask here about him:

https://www.professionalsoldiers.com

...they will know.

[Tacit Blue]

It is plausible. You go in as 11b after 5 months you are at your first duty station or selection , a few months later you get picked up and enter training for a year or so. So in theory he could have been true , kicked out as he was done with training. Or he could have been a paper pusher assigned to a special forces group , which is more likely what I would guess

Yeah he's never told me 'war stories' he just discussed about how he learned alot from going through SF selection, and using that drive and training to get him through the academy. He doesn't wear any military appeal or have DoD stickers on his car.


I think I'm looking too far into it.

[tozan]

If he's claiming 18B it means he was awarded the SF Weapons Sergeant MOS.

The SFAS and SFQ pipeline is about 2 years long, give or take, so IMO highly unlikely he entered the Army, was selected, completed training, was awarded the MOS and then discharged in that time frame, even if he went in as an 18X.

Ask here about him:

https://www.professionalsoldiers.com

...they will know.

I think Tanksoldier has it pretty much pegged... Off the top of my head I think I would call bullshizzel on him the odds are highly against him because of the time frame. I question if a person with any kind of breathing problem could make it through the training. It is far far more intense than any gym work out you get, unless your gym workouts last 18 hours with 80 pound plus rucksacks... A member of the unit is certainly possible because all unit need supply guys and other support personel.

[Snoopy47]

[Tacit Blue]

I went through the police academy myself a few years ago (graduated/never hired), and he sounds a lot like the guy that was kicked out for conduct unbecoming. Are his initials J.M.? My “guy” was in the air force for 6 months and was para-rescue.

I’ve been “active” for 7 months and am JUST NOW getting my “run of the mil” first MOS.

Nope different guy. He was in the Army, he actually let me borrow a book called " Get Selected for SF " which is a book through the special forces foundation. I was looking at it, on the front page it has his initials and a hand written serial number. So to me that implies that he was in the Army, because he had a inventory # so nobody could steal his book.

He knows all the 18 series MOS's because another friend of mine I talked to went into the Army prior service from the Marines, and I talked to him about it. I told him " My buddies going in a 18X contract for linguist hes prior Marines" He instantly knew all the pipeline structure for all the schools and etc.

[Snoopy47]

He knows all the 18 series MOS's because another friend of mine I talked to went into the Army prior service from the Marines, and I talked to him about it. I told him " My buddies going in a 18X contract for linguist hes prior Marines" He instantly knew all the pipeline structure for all the schools and etc.

Well, maybe he's a wash out. As my MOS has a security clearance, and when those from other MOS's wash out that also need clearances they just end up getting reclassed to another MOS that needs a clearance.

My point is we have guys that have a lot of knowledge from other MOS's that never really actually finished the school and got the MOS.

[jmsenk]

The 2 year thing raises a red flag for me. I'd question that, but only because I have a lot of buddies with long tabs, and worked with quite a few 7th group guys who impressed the **** out of me. Also, I know some physical studs that washed out after just a couple weeks. As stated above, the pipeline lasts about 2 years for most of the 18 series MOS's (though I think 18B is the shortest) and you have to have 3 more years on your contract when you receive your Beret (thats why people re-up for the option to go through the pipeline).

The asthma thing also pegs my BS meter. asthma precludes you from joining the military, and going through the SF physical they'd check for any type of exercise induced asthma (because you would have already gone through Infantry school, Airborne, etc) If he made it through the pipeline, got his long tab and his 18B MOS, I think it highly unlikely that he would have been medically discharged for that, and especially since he is at the Police Academy.

A medical discharge takes about a year or so to have you fully seperated. This also doesn't fit with his "Two years in" statement... if he had been in for two years, and then gotten asthma, it would have been about 3 years in. Less than that, and he didn't get through the pipeline. My brother got Medically discharged, and it was a HUGE ordeal (because they have to pay you disability, etc.) and actually was extended past his ETS date in order to finish out the medical board. They rolled him over the coals before giving him his medical, and he was decorated for valor, and received a purple heart.

Also, if you're medically discharged from the Army, it would be pretty tough to get accepted into a police academy.

Sounds like he talks the talk, and seems to walk the walk (PT stud, etc) but in my mind, it's highly unlikely that he's a fully qualified 18 series Green Beret. Like others have said, he might have been a support guy or something like that.

Might want to ask some more tame questions, like how many jumps he has. Anything outlandish would be a lie (like 80-100, etc. I've called guys on that question before... The logistics to get a guy up to that many jumps in a 2 year career are just unrealistic)

It sounds like he's a good enough dude, and good at his job (not a ****bag) and it speaks highly that he hasn't tried to pull out a bunch of war stories, etc. But claiming he has an 18 series MOS, if it's not true, will rub a lot of people the wrong way, especially in the SF community. I wouldn't press the issue, but I would also take anything he says with a grain of salt.

[Linh]

Sounds like BS to me. I think you can submit a FOIA for stuff like that, never done it myself just heard about it.

It's unlikely that someone that just joined the army would pass selection on their first try.

[brando]

With 18X starting up again last decade, it's entirely possible you can have a joe go through Basic, Jump School, Selection then wash out of the Q Course, all in 2 years. What would surprise me is the asthma claim - that would have likely showed up long before getting to Mackall. Back in the early 90s, most of the guys in my battalion had at least 6+ years of active duty before they went to selection.

[Tacit Blue]

The 2 year thing raises a red flag for me. I'd question that, but only because I have a lot of buddies with long tabs, and worked with quite a few 7th group guys who impressed the **** out of me. Also, I know some physical studs that washed out after just a couple weeks. As stated above, the pipeline lasts about 2 years for most of the 18 series MOS's (though I think 18B is the shortest) and you have to have 3 more years on your contract when you receive your Beret (thats why people re-up for the option to go through the pipeline).

The asthma thing also pegs my BS meter. asthma precludes you from joining the military, and going through the SF physical they'd check for any type of exercise induced asthma (because you would have already gone through Infantry school, Airborne, etc) If he made it through the pipeline, got his long tab and his 18B MOS, I think it highly unlikely that he would have been medically discharged for that, and especially since he is at the Police Academy.

A medical discharge takes about a year or so to have you fully seperated. This also doesn't fit with his "Two years in" statement... if he had been in for two years, and then gotten asthma, it would have been about 3 years in. Less than that, and he didn't get through the pipeline. My brother got Medically discharged, and it was a HUGE ordeal (because they have to pay you disability, etc.) and actually was extended past his ETS date in order to finish out the medical board. They rolled him over the coals before giving him his medical, and he was decorated for valor, and received a purple heart.

Also, if you're medically discharged from the Army, it would be pretty tough to get accepted into a police academy.

He was a self sponsored recruit, meaning he paid his way through in hopes of getting hired with a department. Which last I heard he's now scheduled to work out in the field. That's the only way I think he could pass the rigorous medical screening, because the sponsored recruits utilize their own doctors to sign the waiver. Had it been a department paid, they are less likely to " fudge" reports in the recruits favor.

Sounds like he talks the talk, and seems to walk the walk (PT stud, etc) but in my mind, it's highly unlikely that he's a fully qualified 18 series Green Beret. Like others have said, he might have been a support guy or something like that.

Yeah, he's the kind of guy that claimed he was out of shape before, and now considers himself a self proclaimed fitness guru with the help of creatine and what he learned from selection.

Might want to ask some more tame questions, like how many jumps he has. Anything outlandish would be a lie (like 80-100, etc. I've called guys on that question before... The logistics to get a guy up to that many jumps in a 2 year career are just unrealistic)

It sounds like he's a good enough dude, and good at his job (not a ****bag) and it speaks highly that he hasn't tried to pull out a bunch of war stories, etc. But claiming he has an 18 series MOS, if it's not true, will rub a lot of people the wrong way, especially in the SF community. I wouldn't press the issue, but I would also take anything he says with a grain of salt.

He is a good guy, he's very helpful and has a good head on his shoulders, I don't think anybody likes to admit that he may have washed out or was kicked out the Army for whatever reason. I just don't like half truths and his attitude of being the expert on 95% of the subjects we talk about it. Especially since his experience is questionable, according to what everybody is saying on here. Another thing I don't think I ever saw grab for a inhaler during our runs, I am off/on smoker and I had a harder time then him.

[Rhythm of Life]

Sounds like BS to me. I think you can submit a FOIA for stuff like that, never done it myself just heard about it.

It's unlikely that someone that just joined the army would pass selection on their first try.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/foia/howtofoia.html

All you need to know.

I just don't like half truths and his attitude of being the expert on 95% of the subjects we talk about it. Especially since his experience is questionable, according to what everybody is saying on here. Another thing I don't think I ever saw grab for a inhaler during our runs, I am off/on smoker and I had a harder time then him. [/B]

Just cause he BSs one thing doesn't mean another might not be true. Start cross checking his facts.

He could have knowledge an no experience.

[jmsenk]

He is a good guy, he's very helpful and has a good head on his shoulders, I don't think anybody likes to admit that he may have washed out or was kicked out the Army for whatever reason. I just don't like half truths and his attitude of being the expert on 95% of the subjects we talk about it. Especially since his experience is questionable, according to what everybody is saying on here. Another thing I don't think I ever saw grab for a inhaler during our runs, I am off/on smoker and I had a harder time then him.

The creatine thing is another red flag, especially during selection - thats not only unrealistic, it's downright commical. In selection, guys barely have time to eat, muchless take supplements. Also, ANY type of supplement is contraband at every military school I have ever been to, and grounds for dismisal. He didn't learn that at selection. A lot of guys in the Army take supplements, but no one takes creatine. Thats high school football stuff right there. And no one does that till they get assigned to a unit and they're settled in. If a guy is telling you he took creatine or other supplements while at SFAS or during the course, he is either lying to you, or he got really good at hiding stuff up his ***.