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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Your self worth is defined solely by yourself. But you seem to be conflicted on a number of things.
First, you are questioning your self worth.
Second, you are questioning your service.
Third, you seem to have a question about Veteran Owned businesses.
So let's go one at a time. What are your goals? What is your end game? Your sense of self should be derived from these things, not outside influences. Are you accomplishing the things you want in life? I am a father. That was one of my biggest goals in life. Mission accomplished. So I'm quite content in my life.
Next, you seem to be questioning your own service by comparing it to the service of others. We all have our own piece of the puzzle to contribute. You are no more or less valuable than the next man in the great military machine. Take myself for instance, I'm an admin Marine. Most like to look down on us because we're "desk jockeys". What people don't realize is one of my responsibilities involve ensuring aircraft are safe to fly. So if I don't do my job properly, we could lose aircraft and lives. We all have a part to play.
Lastly, you seem to have a question about Veteran owned businesses. Do you want to open one? Are you jealous about the success of other Veteran owned businesses? You seem to compare yourself to SOF quite a bit. There's nothing average about us. We might not have taken down Osama Bin Laden, but considering only like 1% ever join the military, we're already a cut above the rest.
First, you are questioning your self worth.
Second, you are questioning your service.
Third, you seem to have a question about Veteran Owned businesses.
So let's go one at a time. What are your goals? What is your end game? Your sense of self should be derived from these things, not outside influences. Are you accomplishing the things you want in life? I am a father. That was one of my biggest goals in life. Mission accomplished. So I'm quite content in my life.
Next, you seem to be questioning your own service by comparing it to the service of others. We all have our own piece of the puzzle to contribute. You are no more or less valuable than the next man in the great military machine. Take myself for instance, I'm an admin Marine. Most like to look down on us because we're "desk jockeys". What people don't realize is one of my responsibilities involve ensuring aircraft are safe to fly. So if I don't do my job properly, we could lose aircraft and lives. We all have a part to play.
Lastly, you seem to have a question about Veteran owned businesses. Do you want to open one? Are you jealous about the success of other Veteran owned businesses? You seem to compare yourself to SOF quite a bit. There's nothing average about us. We might not have taken down Osama Bin Laden, but considering only like 1% ever join the military, we're already a cut above the rest.
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SSG (Join to see)
I rephrased this post in the responses, I take the fault at that. I never said “I” had self esteem issues. It seems we have a little miscommunication.
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Cpl Justin Goolsby
SSG (Join to see) - Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you had self-esteem issues. It just sounded like you were conflicted about your place in the machine. Mainly because you were talking about self worth... keyword being self.
But going off your amended question I can give you a somewhat better answer.
"how would you compete in a work force against SOF personnel even if you have better training per se in that job field? A discussion was brought up for the fact that the SOF community is not so quiet anymore. Media has ruined that...and of course all the books and movies.. how do veterans of non SOF compete in a work force where the average citizen drools over a navy seal even when they are as qualified."
The simple answer is to know what you are talking about. Unless you're trying to break into a field where you're a civilian operator, being an operator doesn't really translate to a civilian setting. Anyone can fake it until they make it, but unless you know what you're doing, people can smell BS a mile away.
The question you should be asking is what it is that you want to do in the civilian world whether it's a "dream job" or something to pay the bills. I currently continue to work in my MOS, only as a civilian contractor. If I was MARSOC, it probably wouldn't be of any use to me if I couldn't handle the basic facets of my job. But then again, if I were to own and operate my own business, I'd of course be advertising that we were Veteran Owned and Operated because people want that moral boost of saying they support the troops and I'm in business to make money, so it's win-win.
Besides, if you want to start your own veteran owned business and are worried about competing with the business of operators, the best thing you can do is focus on their business model and see what you can offer in services that they aren't. Even if it's something as simple as Free Shipping. Businesses follow the money, so if you see where the money is, try and cast your net to snag as many customers as possible.
But going off your amended question I can give you a somewhat better answer.
"how would you compete in a work force against SOF personnel even if you have better training per se in that job field? A discussion was brought up for the fact that the SOF community is not so quiet anymore. Media has ruined that...and of course all the books and movies.. how do veterans of non SOF compete in a work force where the average citizen drools over a navy seal even when they are as qualified."
The simple answer is to know what you are talking about. Unless you're trying to break into a field where you're a civilian operator, being an operator doesn't really translate to a civilian setting. Anyone can fake it until they make it, but unless you know what you're doing, people can smell BS a mile away.
The question you should be asking is what it is that you want to do in the civilian world whether it's a "dream job" or something to pay the bills. I currently continue to work in my MOS, only as a civilian contractor. If I was MARSOC, it probably wouldn't be of any use to me if I couldn't handle the basic facets of my job. But then again, if I were to own and operate my own business, I'd of course be advertising that we were Veteran Owned and Operated because people want that moral boost of saying they support the troops and I'm in business to make money, so it's win-win.
Besides, if you want to start your own veteran owned business and are worried about competing with the business of operators, the best thing you can do is focus on their business model and see what you can offer in services that they aren't. Even if it's something as simple as Free Shipping. Businesses follow the money, so if you see where the money is, try and cast your net to snag as many customers as possible.
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I take comfort in knowing my work is done well. I didn't choose a hard line mos, I chose something that I hope can give me some support in the Civilian world. Even if it doesn't I find importance in what I do. When Civilians think of the military, due to media and their own lack of understanding they think of the combat jobs. Everyone in the Army is a door kicker, everyone is a ground pounder, everyone does some hurt locker type shit and hops the wire. I've got no problem knowing that my role supports those that do and assists the Army as a whole. A lot of little cogs rotating around the big one. I also recognize that even in a soft line mos, I might die if deployed. An enemy isn't going to look through their scope and say, "Oh, not him he's a Paralegal". An IED's and Indirect Fire don't have a name on them, they're addressed to whom it may concern.
Find your worth in yourself, in how well you do your job. Find your worth in how well you prepare those that will fight or serve in your place when you leave. When I make Sergeant that's the best I hope for. Making those under me as best prepared as I can for the things they might face. As a Soldier, to be as capable as possible to deal with all facets of my role. As a Veteran, to be prepared to deal with a Civilian world that will never understand us and what we do for whatever reasons that are ours and ours alone.
Find your worth in yourself, in how well you do your job. Find your worth in how well you prepare those that will fight or serve in your place when you leave. When I make Sergeant that's the best I hope for. Making those under me as best prepared as I can for the things they might face. As a Soldier, to be as capable as possible to deal with all facets of my role. As a Veteran, to be prepared to deal with a Civilian world that will never understand us and what we do for whatever reasons that are ours and ours alone.
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SPC (Join to see)
alright then SSG (Join to see), I've got the only answer that you need, since they don't teach you MRT in the Guard:
You are an Infantryman. You are the one who swore to do what less than 1% of the population in this country will do, and that is to close with, engage and destroy the enemies of your country. There is nothing more badass than a hard-charging, ground-pounding minister of death praying for war that will charge in, running and screaming toward the gunfire and lay waste to some motherfuckers. So ruck up, tighten your boots, move out and draw fire you beautiful bastard. You shall fear neither death nor evil, for you are the baddest motherfucker in the Valley.
That help at all?
You are an Infantryman. You are the one who swore to do what less than 1% of the population in this country will do, and that is to close with, engage and destroy the enemies of your country. There is nothing more badass than a hard-charging, ground-pounding minister of death praying for war that will charge in, running and screaming toward the gunfire and lay waste to some motherfuckers. So ruck up, tighten your boots, move out and draw fire you beautiful bastard. You shall fear neither death nor evil, for you are the baddest motherfucker in the Valley.
That help at all?
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It’s all because of Hollywood and how they ruined/hyped the Special Ops community.
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Was never SOF. But I did one deployment with them as an individual tasker. (I went as an individual to fill a slot for SOJTF-A). I was not SOF, I was not doing an SF mission, I worked (for the most part) "inside the wire." I am not claiming, nor would I ever claim to be or to have been an operator.
While on that deployment, supporting a bunch of operators, I earned the nickname "Wizard" for my ability to "magically" make resources appear. (I was an MI guy in an MI role, not a logistician, BTW). The folks I supported seemed to think that this non-SOF guy was more than "just average." They felt that way about ALL of their supporting cast who showed up, did their job, and took pride in doing it well.
I say all that to ask this.... Did you show up? Did you do your job? Did you take pride in doing it well? If you can answer yes to all three questions then you, my friend, are not "just average."
While on that deployment, supporting a bunch of operators, I earned the nickname "Wizard" for my ability to "magically" make resources appear. (I was an MI guy in an MI role, not a logistician, BTW). The folks I supported seemed to think that this non-SOF guy was more than "just average." They felt that way about ALL of their supporting cast who showed up, did their job, and took pride in doing it well.
I say all that to ask this.... Did you show up? Did you do your job? Did you take pride in doing it well? If you can answer yes to all three questions then you, my friend, are not "just average."
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I was a company clerk, but I was an above average company clerk. My sense of self worth comes from within not from without.
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Comparison is the thief of joy. There will likely always be someone doing "more" or "bigger" things than all of us. Let your ego go, and you'll be happier.
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