Do you think it's a good idea for Soldiers to be assigned to SOF Units directly from AIT?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 13:54:56 -0500

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2014 4:21 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 16:21:43 -0500

I think that would be a terrible idea. No Soldier from AIT can be expected to perform with distinction in theses units that typically require Soldiers to serve with minimal supervision.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2014 4:23 PM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 16:23:15 -0500

IF that soldier can make the cut straight of basic training why not?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2014 4:52 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 16:52:29 -0500

No. I seen a lot of support MOS not get trained or use adequately. However, that depends on leadership. When I was in Spec Ops I saw a lot of the soldiers within my MOS that lacked basic skills within the Graphic Artist career field.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2014 9:40 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 21:40:11 -0500

The reason I ask this is because it's my opinion that the atmosphere (in my experience) in a SF Unit is completely different than the atmosphere in a "Big Army" unit. Support personnel, regardless of identifier, will NOT spend their whole career in Spec Ops. I think it's more beneficial to new Soldiers to go to a regular Army unit first to get that initial introduction the Army life, then be assigned to a SOF Unit. Fact is that the Soldiers who go to SOF Units first are in for an eye opening experience when they PCS back to the regular Army. We get just as much, if not more experience doing MOS specific tasks in SOF units because OP tempo dictates such, however, basic Soldiering skills seem to be lacking in younger Soldiers assigned to SOF Units. Their fault? No, NCO' s fault? Possibly. I'd say that they are more likely a product of their environment.

Response by SGT David Coulter made Jul 26 at 2017 11:30 PM

SGT David Coulter — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 23:30:48 -0400

Response by LTC Mark Arnold made Jul 13 at 2019 1:01 PM

LTC Mark Arnold — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 13:01:17 -0400

Not to Special Forces. But in my experience it hasn't ever been a problem with a young man going to one of the Ranger BNs after basic, ait, jump school, and what they now call RASP. But straight into Special Forces as initial duty assignment? NO.