Service Help?

[Sn4zzle]

I am only 15...

[Julie]

I am only 15...

You just need rest, not booze. ;) Congrats on the English AP grade. :) My daughter makes the same in AP Math/Algebra, but not as well in English, she is 17 and will graduate HS in December.

By the way, Myrtle Beach is beautiful, we used to go up there every year when my daughter was playing tournament softball. Love your beaches. :)

[ace16807]

I am only 15...

It's actually a terrible idea if you become dependent on alcohol just to go to sleep. Don't do it.

[Officer of Engineers]

At 15, I don't think that it would be a much of a problem. He can't afford the scotch.

[ace16807]

At 15, I don't think that it would be a much of a problem. He can't afford the scotch.

I have to ask (although I'm sure it's buried here somewhere). What is the colonel's choice in scotch? Glenfiddich? Aberlour? Macallan?

[Officer of Engineers]

All of the above. I have a scotch collection but my fall back at home (the one I grab more than any of the others, at least twice a week) has been Lugavulen while at bars, Glenlivet.

[S2]

Sn4zzle Reply

"...Blame me for only getting 4 hours of sleep for the past 4 days :p"

That reads like an excuse and is unacceptable.

Special Operations (frankly, ANY military operations) are typically conducted with an exceedingly high degree of expectation, a minimal margin for error and too often under highly challenging circumstances.

Your tender mind can't imagine just how challenging those circumstances might be. That being the case, if your only excuse for a spelling error is some civvy-induced fatigue you'd best question your aptitude for this professed ambition.

Culling yourself early will save my tax-dollars later. I'd be appreciative.

Either that or step your game up while losing the excuses. It starts NOW if you've an interest in SPECOPS.

[Chogy]

Quick story - My son is now 20, and an ROTC cadet at TCU. He is currently at Ft. Benning for airborne school. In fact, this is jump week, so I'll be mentally laughing at his 210 pounds of college-age flesh impacting painfully at the DZ, and the blood wings to come. But he wants it bad.

He wants to be some sort of trigger puller in the Army.

He has a very good friend from his high school days, a highly motivated individual who wants to be a SEAL. His buddy didn't want to go to college, but he did have excellent qualifications, so the Navy said "You want to be a SEAL? You can become a SEAL if you work hard enough. In fact, we'll guarantee you a chance." He translated his high grades into a SEAL slot.

Several weeks at Navy basic training, several more weeks at a prep course for BUDS, then off to California for the real deal as a newly enlisted troop. He had everything a candidate needed to succeed... fitness, high motivation, attitude, intelligence. But he didn't make it. Got to Hell Week, but no farther. BUDS has a way of grinding down candidates physically and mentally. He did not voluntarily quit, he sustained injury, so will get another chance. But a large percentage rang the bell and walked away.

Several points:

- You CAN get a guaranteed slot into BUDS. But not everyone will meet the criteria.
- All of these organizations are unbelievably difficult and challenging, and few make it.
- Fitness must be extraordinarily high before you even show up. Start NOW. If you cannot stick to a personal regimen on your own, you won't make it.

I don't mean to come off as a downer on all this, I just want you to understand the challenge. Look at the Air Force Pararescue guys as well, they are some bad MOFO's, and the mission may appeal to you.

Good luck!

[S2]

"...If you cannot stick to a personal regimen on your own, you won't make it..."

That's a real concern. Actually it starts with these queries seen from time to time here. It causes me to wonder why the supposedly self-motivated individual hasn't walked into recruiting stations for the services and asked the relevant questions from the experts-requirements, recruiting pathways to courses, wash-out rates and reasons, etc.

We're not the pros nor do we have that info at our fingertips. Recruiters do. Don't trust them? Take a mature, seasoned vet or parent with you to help the questioning process until you understand the requirements and available pathways to your objective.

In the interim, training your mind to have high expectations under any level of duress while achieving an exceedingly high physical fitness level is critical. You'll need the fitness and the process will hone your self-discipline...or break you before you waste everybody's time and our nation's money. When you've been on a training mission or actual operation in the boonies for seventy hours without sleep and must encode a message for supply delivery there's ZERO margin for error. Time, location and supply needs must be determined accurately and then encoded and transmitted without error.

Make a spelling mistake now because you're tired and you catch some hell from me. Make a mistake of that nature later and your brothers might die.

[USSWisconsin]

@Sn4zzle: 15? Pay attention to details, spelling does matter, poor spelling and grammar just makes you look foolish with such high ambitions - I'm not saying I know you are foolish - but appearances do matter. 4.0 smart is just a number - and it alone is not enough for your goals. I believe you have received some priceless advice from our experienced Military Professionals - they do know what they are taking about. Not getting enough sleep when you are 15 is not a very good excuse - the professions you have aspired to are life or death - high risk roles (not just for yourself, but for others who have just as much right to survive as you do) - extraordinary self discipline now is a prerequisite.

[Sn4zzle]

So far, thank you for the criticism and advice, I already follow a training plan right now for just staying in maximum shape, not good shape but literally I am going to a point where I probably shouldn't, I actually pulled a bicep and the Doc. told me to stop lifting , anyway point being is that I can stick with a training regiment as of now. And I do understand these are high goals I have, I actually found the 8 week SEAL plan for people who plan to join, it is basically a workout schedule the Navy made to get you read for the Navy, and military, in general. It is basically what you would expect, Chest/Back/Abs, Run 3 miles (this is an 8 week program that progresses ever week), Chest/Arms/Core, Swim 1000 yards, Legs/Back/Core, rest for the next 2 days or do light jogging and/or swimming.

[Sn4zzle]

Navy SEALs General Requirements - SEALSWCC.COM | Official Website U.S. Navy SEALs <<<Workouts are on that website

[Chogy]

I am glad you are motivated to investigate the process NOW.

It is both physical, and mental, and if you are in excellent shape, the mental part can carry you a long way. You've got to want it more than you've wanted anything else in your life, by several orders of magnitude. Let nothing stand in your way. It can be done.

At the same time, you have 3 years to go. Investigate other services. You may be surprised at what's available.

[US_MiltCom]

You have to want it like you want to take your next breath. I saw a guy who ran 300 PFTs in his sleep and was an honors student in college fail out of Marine boot camp. And for all the hype, these days Marine boot isn't as hard as the commercials make it look. He was smart, he was physically strong but he didn't have that oft used cliche, "heart" he didn't want it enough. I saw an overweight kid who got a second class PFT and was DESTROYED by our drill instructors every goddamn day finish the reaper with an ankle that was black and purple and the size of a softball. Mental strength counts for a lot more than pull-ups or an ACT score. I don't mean to belittle you but I remember being 15 and you don't know who you are or what you want yet.
By all means start researching,start talking to recruiters, most of all start THINKING about it. But don't make up your mind while your still a kid.

As for where you're going to get the best training? As is endlessly repeated on this site, each branches special operations capable forces are the best at what they do. Recon and Force Recon are best at, you know, Recon, The SEAL's are good at blowing shit up under water. The PJ's are good at pulling people out of bad situations. MARSOC is largely untried and untested but from the 3 weeks I spent with them they seem to know their shit and it's what I have my sights set on at the moment. And Army Special forces.... Well, they do what they do. Frankly they're all well trained at direct action and you'll go through a very special sort of hell to even be considered much less selected.

Good luck man, Myrtle beach has some badass clubs and beaches. I may go down their again this weekend.