>>There's a high level of hit-or-miss with National Guard units, in my experience -- some very good ones, some very bad ones, usually owing to the command environment and such to a greater degree than one sees in the active army. The units that fall under USASOC, however, have greater adult supervision to go along with their higher priority for funding and such, though, and are generally good. (USMCR would be similar on the adult supervision angle, as I seem to recall they have a couple full time USMC advisors per company; no idea on how well they are funded though, which is something to look at when dealing with reserve units -- i.e. do they have money to train, send you to schools, etc.)<< Yeah, I have to agree...a family friend of ours was in the NG and he said that his unit was pretty incompetent and not very motivated (I was suprised he told us that)...and I will definitely want to go to different schools if possible (The advanced Urban combat course, Combat diving (I believe is the name), and the HALO course). Although I think that the NG SF units are much more professional on average and are highly motivated (you would have to be, to make it through SFAS, the Q course, the language school, etc). >>How'd you like it? I don't know the team sergeant who wrote it, but have worked a lot with "Rock" and "Smilin' Joe," and have met some other former members of the team along the way ("Ringo" and "Mongo" if I'm remembering all the nicknames in the book correctly). It's fairly controversial with guys who were on the team, with some of them being very unhappy about it being written and being out there in the world with their picture(s) in it with little black bars over their eyes and such . . .<< I thought it was a great book, and it kind of opened my eyes as to how the US Army operates, it seemed frustrating (I know if I was a SF operator, I would want to be allowed to do my job). I can see how it is controversial, SOF operators want and need to be completely anynomous. I was suprised when they put down the SEALs...they seem to have a very bad name among US SOF forces (SF seems to think they are incompetent, Marine Recon seems to be jealous)

"although I just finieshed reading "Hunting al-Qaeda" which is about a Virginian NG SF unit serving in Afghanistan, and they did better than most other SF units (they captured 4 HVTs, blew up 80% of all enemy weapons during their trip, etc)...so they are pretty equal." My comrades at 20th Special Forces Group, Fort AP Hill. Act like you know.

GOP check with your State Police Troop they may let you do a some ride alongs.

funny stuff guys..from CIA covert squads to NG SOF units to state police ride alongs..very entertaining..what a great web-site i found...as far as your CIA 'SAD', they are trained in NE N.C....AND THOSE TEAMS ARE ACTUALLY VERY DANGEROUS...imagine disgruntled x-sof troops and bizarre civilains making up a team of hunters, spies, and assasins...wihtout the constrant of law and regulations..just orders to 'stand-down' or 'get wet'...i dont think u would want them lurking around your neighborhoods...

>>funny stuff guys..from CIA covert squads to NG SOF units to state police ride alongs..very entertaining..what a great web-site i found...<< Thus far we're all thrilled to have you on board as well.

As far as I know this Unit is very similar to the French Clandestine Unit "SERVICE ACTION" of the DGSE. It is very difficult to get informations about these units...

<> hahahahahah.......here's a tin foil hat, look's like you need it.

SAD personnel are trained in various locations. SAD has three branches, Ground, Air and Maritime. They are trained to work in teams and alone. They're taught resourcefulness in the field. Hunters, spies and assassins? Well, they DO hunt. They DO get intelligence. Do they assassinate? What proof do you have for this accusation? Even if they DO carry out such actions, they will not confirm such things. Neither will an SF unit. What SAD does is classified big time.

Indeed it is, so I'm wondering why you keep talking about them.......