Posted on Dec 15, 2017
How can one find his/her self worth in today’s world when it seems that if you weren’t SOF, you are just average?
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In today’s era the news media and Hollywood key on SOF units personnel to gain views. With Veteran company’s growing that are started by SOF operators(Article 15, Soflete, Black rifle Coffee, Peace Trading Co.), Green Berets, Seals, MARSOC.How can one find his/her self worth in today’s world if it seems that if you weren’t SOF you are just average?
Posted in these groups: 
Special Operations
11B: Infantryman
Special Operations 11B: Infantryman
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 110
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What is wrong with average? I was pretty average, but I was able to make a difference in the lives of my men, to make their time serving under me a little less bitter. If you aspire to be SOF, let nothing stop you. If you aspire to be in the news, or have Hollywood make a movie about you life, chances are you need to look at yourself and question your Loyalty, sense of Duty, Respect for others, especially Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Those glory-hounds I served with got people killed. Those who measured their worth by the success of their mission, and the gratitude the families expressed when you brought their husband/son/father/brother home (or insert female versions in the modern army) were the leaders troops would go through hell for. Your self worth is in how well you accomplish your mission.
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Cpl Edward Conley
Interestingly, I was a dozer operator in Nam. The funny thing that some of the "Grunts" seem to forget is, we were the ones that went in before they did to build their base camps. In my particular case, we made an amphibious landing , under intense small arms and rocket fire . Was my job more important? No, just doing my job.
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MSG William Hesser
All of our jobs are important. It takes 3 to 5 troops in support for every troop in the field. Without the rear support, the gang on the line or in a SOF operation can't function.
Yes, the SOF operations are many times way behind the lines, but it still requires support. Yes we learn to live off of the land, but there are times we have to use our own supplies especially ammunition. We would request for the rear support to send a 'merge bunde' request and get an air drop. Without all of that support, it would be difficult to get our job done.
Most of us in SOF units, don't talk about our missions and don't do it for the glory (except maybe for the SEALS, LOL). For every operation that you see on the news dealing with the Navy SEALS there are many jobs being conducted by the SF and SF Delta teams that your never hear about. We know we have a job to do and without all of the support we get from the rear, it would ve very heard to get it done.
Yes we go through special training and we do dangerous jobs but we train to be successful and make it home alive. Often however, it often doesn't happen the way we planned, but we always hope we can be successful.
Bottom line, when in a combat zone, all jobs are basically dangerous, even when in your base camp. You never know when a rocket attack or a breach of the perimeter will occur so you always have to be on guard.
Yes, the SOF operations are many times way behind the lines, but it still requires support. Yes we learn to live off of the land, but there are times we have to use our own supplies especially ammunition. We would request for the rear support to send a 'merge bunde' request and get an air drop. Without all of that support, it would be difficult to get our job done.
Most of us in SOF units, don't talk about our missions and don't do it for the glory (except maybe for the SEALS, LOL). For every operation that you see on the news dealing with the Navy SEALS there are many jobs being conducted by the SF and SF Delta teams that your never hear about. We know we have a job to do and without all of the support we get from the rear, it would ve very heard to get it done.
Yes we go through special training and we do dangerous jobs but we train to be successful and make it home alive. Often however, it often doesn't happen the way we planned, but we always hope we can be successful.
Bottom line, when in a combat zone, all jobs are basically dangerous, even when in your base camp. You never know when a rocket attack or a breach of the perimeter will occur so you always have to be on guard.
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I believe that if you are gauging your own worth off of the accomplishments of others, then that is where you made your first mistake. It is self worth. Others should not play a role in developing such a thing. Look for what you are good at, what you like to do, what makes you feel accomplished. If you are able to follow those paths then you should have no problem. If the fact that you aren't an operator or the owner of a startup really makes you feel so lesser then I would have to say that you have some inner searching to do.
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CPL Brian Clouser
You are totally right. I could have any job I wanted but I stayed in the Infantry because I love it and I was good at it.
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SOF are not any better than anyone else. They train for a specific job, and they train very hard because of what that job is. That does not make them superior to anyone else. When it comes down to it, your "average" infantryman in a war will likely put more rounds down range in a week than a SOF operator will in a year. Remember, they do specific tasks while we do the everyday grind of warfare. So you are making an apples to oranges comparison.
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MAJ Louis Giamo
Please read the book. Most infantry don't even fire their weapon. Those that do often fire in a general direction and not at a specific target. SF and SOF operators fire less rounds and have a higher hit ratio. Also, more of then fire at specific targets than non-SOF troops. Has nothing to do with the environment of the deployment. This data has been traced back to before the US Civil War. It is the psychology of killing.
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SGT Benjamin Hayhurst
MAJ Louis Giamo I own the book and have read it. Like I just said, I am speaking of my own experience fighting in Sadr City Iraq in 2004. And in regards to the original post, I believe I am correct. I do not think any Infantryman should discount there service just because the current Hollywood climate likes to glorify Special Ops.
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SGT Benjamin Hayhurst
SGT Benjamin Hayhurst by the way, that book was written before OIF and OEF, and I do believe that the way we fight has changed greatly over the last 15 years.
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MAJ Louis Giamo
The book may have been written before OIF and OEF, but man's psychology hasn't changed all that much. Every military leader from squad leader to CG needs to read it and understand it.
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Self worth is found within ones self, not by what others think or perceive. I was in during the cold war 1977 -1988 and except for a stint in Beirut saw no real action. I was a Tank Commander and a Marine Embassy Guard in New Delhi, India and Moscow, USSR. I know that what I did was useful and necessary. As for today I see no difference, every job is needed and necessary.
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When you took your oath upon enlistment, you wrote a blank check to the people of this country including your death if needed. NO ONE will ever be able to take that away from you! Especially since you joined the infantry in a time of war. Do not sell yourself short because YOU went far beyond what the "average" US citizen would ever do! You should be proud of your military accomplishments and I am glad that there are still men like you ready to step up to the plate.
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Just by virtue of serving honorably, you are well above the average person. Look around you at how many civilians could never make it in the service. You learned skills that others can only envy. I know I did. Put them to use. You don't need a war medal to prove that.
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT (Join to see) MSG Andrew White Capt Sabrena Goldman COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt Joy Bedford LTC John Shaw SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas SPC Margaret Higgins SMSgt Alan Saunders A1C David Sewell SGT (Join to see) Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin Sgt Randy Wilber A1C Ian Williams 1LT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT (Join to see) MSG Andrew White Capt Sabrena Goldman COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt Joy Bedford LTC John Shaw SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas SPC Margaret Higgins SMSgt Alan Saunders A1C David Sewell SGT (Join to see) Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin Sgt Randy Wilber A1C Ian Williams 1LT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
I served in the Guards for 24 yrs in different M O S's 3 of which I use in my job.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
This kind of crap gets posted every now and then. The concept that someone is better than someone else because they aren't a certain specialty is pure BS. The military teaches you that it takes a team to get the mission done and that team usually starts with some low ranking individual at some stateside base getting the proper paperwork going. You simply don't put a foot on the ground or fly over a target without thousands of behind the scenes people carrying out their job. Every SOF individual I've encountered would be the first to acknowledge this so I suspect that anyone espousing the concept of 'if you aren't SOF you aren't sh!* 'is most likely some wannabee or not even in the military.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
It's a possibility. As you say, lack of experience shouldn't affect your self worth. Lots of very good people don't have experience needed for a specific job.
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Well, it wouldn't being Special Forces if everyone was special. I wouldn't let today's society wash over into the Army. You have a role. You are an infantry soldier in the National Guard. There isn't anything shiny or glamours about it. If you want those achievements they you need to go get them. I am in the Regular Army now but I was in the National Guard in the past. While in the National Guard I went to Ranger, Ranger Instructor, and Pathfinder. I had to put in a lot of work to do those but it is possible. What I have also seen is a lot of soldiers in the National Guard try to hollywood and just want the badges. You would want the skills and not the badges.
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SSG (Join to see) The media only focuses on what sells their product. They really don't care about the effort or anything related to what it takes to generate the action on which they base their stories. The media will turn on those heroes and vilify them just as fast as they laud their current exploits. Your worth is in your contribution, and you don't need media to validate it - that validation comes from your brothers and sisters in arms. Hold your head high Sgt.
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Who cares what the media or Hollywood types think, say, or do. What matters is what you do. Do your job to the best of your ability and do not let outside distractions bother you. No matter what your job or task is, you can excel if you put in the time and effort. I have never considered myself average, and neither should you.
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