Can't speak to the high-speed, low-drag SF stuff, but a friend of mine was a truck driver in the Mass. National Guard. He was having a bear of a time balancing 15 semester unit hours and his drill time. After 9/11/01, his academic career basically went on hold...and then there was Iraq. It was hard enough balancing work and school for me. The notion of attempting to become an SF soldier while a full time student dosen't seem all that realistic. You'll probably find college a time consuming endevour in and of itself. Thanks, Cato

>>Can't speak to the high-speed, low-drag SF stuff, but a friend of mine was a truck driver in the Mass. National Guard. He was having a bear of a time balancing 15 semester unit hours and his drill time. After 9/11/01, his academic career basically went on hold...and then there was Iraq. It was hard enough balancing work and school for me. The notion of attempting to become an SF soldier while a full time student dosen't seem all that realistic. You'll probably find college a time consuming endevour in and of itself. Thanks, Cato << I figured that would be the case. I guess it's best to go to college first, then join the ARNG, then get my regular job.

>>Can you join a ARNG SF group directly or must you go through the 18x pipeline and hopefully end up their?<< You can join 19th or 20th Group directly, with the intention of going straight through the SF pipeline, provided you're a go on all the pre-reqs for the career field (physical, sufficient ASVAB score, DLAB). I think you'll also have to interview with the unit, which will probably include a PT test and such. One of the pluses of the ARNG SF route is that they will slot you against a specific MOS, so you'd be looking at going to the 18B/C/D/E pipeline specifically (whichever you want and/or the unit needs -- they usually need all of them), rather than "needs of the service." Another plus is that if you no-go on SFAS or SUT they'll send you back unless Bragg tacks a Never To Return note onto your file (which they don't usually do unless you demonstrate you are a danger to yourself and others, or are a real discipline/motivation failure). >>Also, when I become old enough to join the unit (if possible), would it be possible to attend college after training (while in the group), or would my training schedule be too hard?<< The training pipeline would be full-time until you got your tab, but after that you'd be on the usual National Guard one weekend a month plus yearly Annual Training "summer camp" -- which leaves plenty of time for school. At least as a minimum -- if you have time and want to go, the ARNG SFGs have a lot of training money compared to the rest of the 'Guard and you could pretty easily get into various army schools as well as schools USASOC or USASFC contract out. The one possible catch on all that is getting mobilized for service OCONUS -- but that would be what? Three or four years down the pipeline? Who knows what will be going on by then.

Horse Soldier You have convinced me. I will regret it if I don't give the 20th group(Baltimore)a try. Do you have a POC for Baltimore. SERE instructor SFC Miller 20th Group Special Forces Fort Bragg (His unit moved from AP Hill last year)has relocated to Fort Bragg. It looks like I will have set my sights on unchartered territory where I have no friends.

Horse Soldier You have convinced me. I will regret it if I don't give the 20th group(Baltimore)a try. Do you have a POC for Baltimore. SERE instructor SFC Miller 20th Group Special Forces Fort Bragg (His unit moved from AP Hill last year)has relocated to Fort Bragg. It looks like I will have set my sights on unchartered territory where I have no friends. Even at 37, I think I can become a vital member of America's most elite warfighting contingent. I could function within or outside of the military, but nothing would challenge me like the SFAS and Q-Course selection process. Who knows, maybe I can teach the instructors a thing or two. They are the only soldiers I have encountered who do not get emotional when you attempt to push the envelope in regards to exploring the limitless possibilities of warfighting. Braddock

"Even at 37, I think I can become a vital member of America's most elite warfighting contingent." & "Who knows, maybe I can teach the instructors a thing or two." The level of arrogance being displayed here is staggering!!!!!! You sir are dellusional.

Braddock, Have you ever been 51/50'd? Concerned, Cato

"Even at 37, I think I can become a vital member of America's most elite warfighting contingent." & "Who knows, maybe I can teach the instructors a thing or two." 'The level of arrogance being displayed here is staggering!!!!!! You sir are dellusional.' Horse Soldier See what I mean. What I meeeaaannn!!! SF Troops let's be unpredictable I'll teach about what ya haven't done before Braddock 'Unpredictable' Fox

>>Do you have a POC for Baltimore.<< That is not on Title 10? No. >>SERE instructor SFC Miller 20th Group Special Forces Fort Bragg (His unit moved from AP Hill last year)has relocated to Fort Bragg. << Didn't check out so far, but have not asked one of my coworkers whose recently back from a tour at SWC about it, yet. I remain dubious, but we'll see, I suppose . . . >>Even at 37, I think I can become a vital member of America's most elite warfighting contingent. I could function within or outside of the military, but nothing would challenge me like the SFAS and Q-Course selection process. Who knows, maybe I can teach the instructors a thing or two. << My recommendation is to go to SFAS, but go ahead and take a shaved and shaped green beret with you in your kit, with 20th Group flash already sewn on and such. Just to show them how serious you are about the whole thing . . .

>>SERE instructor SFC Miller 20th Group Special Forces Fort Bragg (His unit moved from AP Hill last year)has relocated to Fort Bragg. << Didn't check out so far, but have not asked one of my coworkers whose recently back from a tour at SWC about it, yet. I remain dubious, but we'll see, I suppose . . . Horse Soldier Please stop. You are embarrassing yourself. I thought you were serious.