>>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." That would be disrespectful. However, I will respectfully challenge the best with my best. The 'does'nt check out' thing is pitifu. Stop wasting peoples time. Let's get back to constructive topic discussions.

A few things... Braddock...go through 18x. Your arrogance might give earn you some "Cruel and unusual punishment". You definitely will not teach the instructors anything...these guys are extremely respectable and experienced SF operators, they might crush you in half if you display your level of arrogance. Horse, Arty, Cato, and anyone else...can we get back to the topic and quit responding to this arrogant POS? I would appreciate the help :)

>>The 'does'nt check out' thing is pitifu. Stop wasting peoples time. Let's get back to constructive topic discussions. << What's wrong, Braddock? Don't care for fact checking now that you've tossed one out?

>>Braddock...go through 18x. Your arrogance might give earn you some "Cruel and unusual punishment". << If he's anything remotely like he is online in person, they'd just toss him back to the curb the first time he started talking about his superior strategic ascertainment capabilities or whatever . . . >>Horse, Arty, Cato, and anyone else...can we get back to the topic and quit responding to this arrogant POS? I would appreciate the help :) << Yeah, by all means. Anyway, as for the whole direct to ARNG SF thing, it can be done. I, personally, would look more at major scheduling issues than possible conflicts with college if you are in the 'Guard. By which I mean, are you up for taking a year or two between high school and college to go get your tab before starting school? (And any effects that might have on your means of paying for college and such.) As a guardsman, especially a guardsman with a long tab filling an 18 series duty position, I'm pretty certain the NG will live with whatever issues your school schedule imposes. Your team sergeant may be another issue, but even then it's a rare one who'd give you crap about putting your civilian education first unless your unit was looking at mobilization or major training events like SFAUC or a JRTC rotation or the like.

>>Anyway, as for the whole direct to ARNG SF thing, it can be done. I, personally, would look more at major scheduling issues than possible conflicts with college if you are in the 'Guard. By which I mean, are you up for taking a year or two between high school and college to go get your tab before starting school? (And any effects that might have on your means of paying for college and such.)<< I will definitely have the ability to take 2 years off before I go to college to go through 18x (my college is payed for through a government program my parent's bought into, so I can go to college whenever). >>As a guardsman, especially a guardsman with a long tab filling an 18 series duty position, I'm pretty certain the NG will live with whatever issues your school schedule imposes. Your team sergeant may be another issue, but even then it's a rare one who'd give you crap about putting your civilian education first unless your unit was looking at mobilization or major training events like SFAUC or a JRTC rotation or the like. << Thanks, that answers my questions. I was concerned that the ARNG would pretty much force me to focus on training if I made it up to the 18 series position. I assume that the best way to find out about any of this would be to talk to some guys from 20th group...I might contact them and ask them a few questions (but they may think I am a kook or just some "dorky kid who wants to sound cool"...so I might just forget that and wait till I am 18). Thanks for the answers, I was pretty clueless about it.

Sorry GOP, I started it on this thread, will contain my making fun of Braddock to other Braddock essay threads which have clearly reached the end of usefull discussion. If there was ever any to start ;)

I most certainly concur, and appologise for the tangent. You are certainly looking to take the road less travelled by, GOP. I just bummed around the beach after high school. Goood luck! Thanks, Cato

>>Thanks, that answers my questions. I was concerned that the ARNG would pretty much force me to focus on training if I made it up to the 18 series position. I assume that the best way to find out about any of this would be to talk to some guys from 20th group...I might contact them and ask them a few questions (but they may think I am a kook or just some "dorky kid who wants to sound cool"...so I might just forget that and wait till I am 18).<< Yeah, the earliest you can join the ARNG (I'm assuming it is still the way it was when I was a high school junior/senior) is when you are 17, with parental permission. You do basic training between your junior and senior years and then go on to AIT after you graduate. Perhaps ironically, given the topic of conversation, I had some friends in high school who joined 1st/20th's Battalion Support Company that way . . . but I'd think you need a high school diploma to look at getting into the 18 series pipeline. Also, if/when you talk to them, stick to your guns -- tell the recruiters what you want to do and don't let them try to convince you that it's better to start out in the BSC Mess Section and then try to go to SFAS later or whatever. (The exception to that, in my opinion, being some of the MI jobs you can get within an SFG, which, even if they don't get you a green beret and a long tab, involve some very high speed training and operations.)

Do you have a POC for Baltimore. 'That is not on Title 10? No.' Never mind. I got it. We will see what happens. 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. I am very serious. I am trying to get a drill date so I can show up convince the GB's I can join in and hit the ground running in regards to their training.

>>I am very serious. I am trying to get a drill date so I can show up convince the GB's I can join in and hit the ground running in regards to their training. " They are no GB's, they are SF :).