Posted on Mar 1, 2019
Information and advice on 18X vs Guard SF option?
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Debating between 18X active duty or trying for Guard SF. I'm a Marine veteran who recently graduated college and am weighing some options. I want a shot at SF one way or the other. I've heard that the 18X option is a trap and drops go needs of the army, is that true? Also, for Guard SF, are soldiers selected gone for 18 or more months straight during the Q or do they return to their home states in between schools? A little about myself is, I'm 28, I'm in excellent shape, no kids, 8 have a fiance, I'm motivated and excited for a shot. I am trying to make the wisest choice of the two options. I have been offered a position with the US Marshals and that could give me the opportunity to have a double pension if I went Guard. I know the 18X option has some benefits though such as SOPC. Any advice or opinions welcome. Thanks.
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Special Forces
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Guard has the Rep-63. Basically the 18x version of the guard, unfortunately that’s not available for prior service (18X is though). You would enlist in the guard, then attempt a SFRE drill. The drill is a pre selection. They want to see if it’s even worth sending you to SFAS. If your selected. You’ll do maybe 2 more training drills with the SF group. You’ll go to selection, and if selected you’ll get a Q course date. It’s not always right away. I know some guys who went back to their original units for a month or 2. The Q course may have small layovers between phases. At that time you’ll be on leave. Airborne school will be done at the units convenience. 18X is not intended as a trap. Prior service helps you actually, most of the 18X who DOR at SFAS aren’t mature enough for the pressure and stress.
My honest recommendation would be if your really want a active duty career, go to OCS. Maybe 11A or 350F. Then tryout for 18A ways away. Get the pay you deserve.
My honest recommendation would be if your really want a active duty career, go to OCS. Maybe 11A or 350F. Then tryout for 18A ways away. Get the pay you deserve.
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I have been having a similar debate mine being between 18X and straight active infantry then applying for SFAS. We're the same age and I'm a Marine Vet too, I had pretty much decided to do the regular infantry first because the regular recruiter warned me I could be needs of the army if I failed or got hurt. However a contractor buddy of mine in Afghanistan works with several former SF guys, one of which was also a marine vet and when he joined the regular army first his command yanked him around for over a year before he was able to get to selection. So the long and short of it is everyone has a different experience apparently, personally I'm rolling the dice and just going 18X because I have a hard time believing the army will send me back through all of basic, Infantry training, airborne school, plus Pre-selection only to send a former Marine infantryman to be a cook. Of course the greenwenie could always lube up, strike and I might be flipping burgers this time next year who knows.
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SPC Paul Byler
Sgt Marc De Crescenzo Same to you brother. I got out in 2013 so about five years. Also FYI the recruiter has told me that they’ve done away with the prior service bootcamp and if a Marine has been out for over three years we start day one basic training so that’s an extra 9 weeks of conditioning.
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Sgt Marc De Crescenzo
SPC Paul Byler yea I got out in 2014. I was told the same. Just would see it as extra PT. A buddy of mine from the Marines and is in the Army now as 11B. He had to do most of basic but told me he got Sunday's off and had his phone Haha. And I think even had separate barracks. He has been talking up the Army a lot because he has gotten to do a lot in a short time. He just graduated sniper school and is set for a deployment soon .
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SPC Paul Byler
Good deal man! Yea I'm looking at it the same way, I actually prefer to start all over again and they're extending the infantry part out so OSUT will be a total of 22 weeks though I'm not sure when this year its being implemented. The recruiters are surprisingly clueless.
That's Awesome for him, it's like anything else one gets out what one put in, I get a kick out of allot of guys griping constantly. Personally I'll be taking a massive pay hit going back in but shit staying in one place at a normal job is insanely repetitive and boring. Though not going to lie I'd probably be pursuing an OCS slot in the AF if I were you, but some of us are to hardheaded to resist seeing what abuse we can take. Best to you, long shot but you're not in either Austin or Dallas TX are you? I could always use a training partner.
That's Awesome for him, it's like anything else one gets out what one put in, I get a kick out of allot of guys griping constantly. Personally I'll be taking a massive pay hit going back in but shit staying in one place at a normal job is insanely repetitive and boring. Though not going to lie I'd probably be pursuing an OCS slot in the AF if I were you, but some of us are to hardheaded to resist seeing what abuse we can take. Best to you, long shot but you're not in either Austin or Dallas TX are you? I could always use a training partner.
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18X is a good way to end up as a cook. Guard SF is a good way to spend several years waiting for your slot at SFAS. If you do go to the Guard SF you will be on active duty the whole time you are in the Q course. Most of the Guard SF are people who joined SF on AD and then later transitioned to the Guard.
The best choice would be to join Active Duty as infantry with Airborne. You will most likely get stationed at Bragg. You can go straight to selection without any necessity for waiting a year on station since SWC is already on Bragg. Bonus, you can go to Ranger School prior to going to SFAS while you are at the 82nd.
The best choice would be to join Active Duty as infantry with Airborne. You will most likely get stationed at Bragg. You can go straight to selection without any necessity for waiting a year on station since SWC is already on Bragg. Bonus, you can go to Ranger School prior to going to SFAS while you are at the 82nd.
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Sgt Marc De Crescenzo
If I were to be with the 82nd I wouldn't need to wait at all? Only thing that would kind of suck is I'd have to do pretty much all of boot since I been out of the Corps a few years but, just steps in the process I suppose.
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SFC (Join to see)
Sgt Marc De Crescenzo I don't think you'd have to do Basic, but if you do, it's pretty easy. I wasn't in great shape when I joined and I didn't feel like there was anything challenging until I went to RIP which is called RASP now. If yoh want a real challenge, try that. Out of RIP, Ranger School, and SFAS, selection for the 75th was by far the most difficult. Marines usually do very well in Ranger Regiment. Why specifically do you want to join SF? What is it that you want to do, and what do you think they do?
In all the DOD services there is a time on station requirement before PCSing someone. Because the Q course is located on Fort Bragg, it circumvents the time on station rule.
In all the DOD services there is a time on station requirement before PCSing someone. Because the Q course is located on Fort Bragg, it circumvents the time on station rule.
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Sgt Marc De Crescenzo
SFC (Join to see) I originally had interest in the 75th but the recruiter told me I most likely wouldn't be able to get option 40 in my contract as prior service. I started looking ar 18X as an alternative because I didnt really want to spend time in the big Army. I would like to go straight into SOF. I know the 75th and SF have totally different missions but they are both part of SOCOM. I know SF trains foreign militaries as their main mission. I know they also do direct action as well. I have also read up on a team that does strictly direct action missions but i cant remember the name. To be honest, I want to deploy and i want to fight. I like that SOCOM is more unconventional and are outside the box thinkers. That is the only downside i see about the 75th, how strict and by the books they are. I want to be alongside mature, serious dudes who I can count on in combat, in garrison and just in life in general.
I see SOCOM as the major league of the military and I aspire to be among the elite. I didnt get what I wanted out of the military while I was in the Marines. I talked myself out of trying for MARSOC so I could go to college and I regret that honestly. Even though I have my degree now, I still have SOCOM desires.
I like that operators are intelligent, physically fit and tactical experts. I have always felt drawn to special operations and it's still true to this day. As far fetched as this may sound, I would even like a shot at CAG if possible one day. Which I know is something that would be way way down the line. I also heard that a lot of CAG guys are former 75th dudes. I don't know if Guard soldiers can try for CAG or not.
I see SOCOM as the major league of the military and I aspire to be among the elite. I didnt get what I wanted out of the military while I was in the Marines. I talked myself out of trying for MARSOC so I could go to college and I regret that honestly. Even though I have my degree now, I still have SOCOM desires.
I like that operators are intelligent, physically fit and tactical experts. I have always felt drawn to special operations and it's still true to this day. As far fetched as this may sound, I would even like a shot at CAG if possible one day. Which I know is something that would be way way down the line. I also heard that a lot of CAG guys are former 75th dudes. I don't know if Guard soldiers can try for CAG or not.
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SFC (Join to see)
Sgt Marc De Crescenzo SF is large, 24,000 large, and their mission covers everything. They do direct action but it's not a primary mission. SF is like the Swiss army knife of special operations, they do a bit of everything and cover all the areas that other special operations don't specialize in. You might be dissatisfied with the SF mission if you were to join. The SF recruiting makes SF look like they are Ranger Regiment and that leaves a lot of guys disappointed when they join.
If you want to kick down doors and shoot people in the face, Rangers. If you want to solve complex problems and find unique solutions, SF.
You don't need an option 40 contract. Just ask for Airborne and you will be recruited during Airborne school.
If you want to kick down doors and shoot people in the face, Rangers. If you want to solve complex problems and find unique solutions, SF.
You don't need an option 40 contract. Just ask for Airborne and you will be recruited during Airborne school.
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