Posted on Apr 23, 2020
What’s it like working in the SF support community?
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I’m a 91B currently deployed to Afghanistan. I’m working with a retired SF guy and he told me I should look into requesting a spot working at the motor pool with 7th SFG. I’m hoping to gain some insight from someone currently working with 7th SFG or any support role with SF. Thank you.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
The environment is total different from “The Army” or conventional. As far as 7th goes you’ll be in Florida not bad. You’ll get more training opportunities and possible schools. Now with GSB (Group Support Battlion) in the mix, they’re almost changing as far as the enablers culture of SOF kind of making it big army but you’ll still be better off.
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It's interesting. It's an experience worth having at least once but I would advise against staying too long to avoid getting the "SOF Support" mentality. As a Career Counselor in an SF group, I can't tell you how many many of my conversations started out with, "There is no such thing as the MOS of SOF Support. You are a XXX first, serving in a SOF unit for a little while."
If you are not currently promotable you can contact your branch manager for an assignment there. Unless you're Airborne and up for reenlistment that's probably not happening. Not a lot of slots for E6 91B and most of them are getting filled by promoting from within.
Once you are promotable you are eligible to request through the USASOC senior enlisted slating selection board that is usually announced in September.
People will try to tell you that they know someone over there, or that they can get you an interview with someone who can pull you over. That is completely untrue. Only your branch manager can move you and place you on assignment. No one in SF group has the power to make a call and have you pulled from your assignment.
If you are not currently promotable you can contact your branch manager for an assignment there. Unless you're Airborne and up for reenlistment that's probably not happening. Not a lot of slots for E6 91B and most of them are getting filled by promoting from within.
Once you are promotable you are eligible to request through the USASOC senior enlisted slating selection board that is usually announced in September.
People will try to tell you that they know someone over there, or that they can get you an interview with someone who can pull you over. That is completely untrue. Only your branch manager can move you and place you on assignment. No one in SF group has the power to make a call and have you pulled from your assignment.
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SFC (Join to see)
Thank you for the insight SFC. I’m slotted to leave the SFAB in January and was looking at my next move.
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SFC (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see) you should be on the next enlisted manning cycle, or one of the next ones. I would expect to be contacted by your branch manager in the next month or two
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I was a 91B with 1SFG for 8 years. I then finished my career at a regular Army motor pool in Korea. There really weren't many differences with group, except I got to wear civilian PT clothes some mornings, and got a lot more training it felt like. There was a ton of range time in group compared to the regular Army. Random trips to the field for 7 days just to shoot up tens of thousands of rounds of ammo that haven't been spent yet.
Your experience also depends on if you are assigned to a line unit or the support battalion, which I had experience in both. I was constantly supporting the ODAs in the line unit, and pulled details to stay busy in the support battalion.
You are also asking about 7SFG, and being in Florida probably has more perks than I received at Fort Lewis.
Your experience also depends on if you are assigned to a line unit or the support battalion, which I had experience in both. I was constantly supporting the ODAs in the line unit, and pulled details to stay busy in the support battalion.
You are also asking about 7SFG, and being in Florida probably has more perks than I received at Fort Lewis.
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SGT Allen Treviranus
WO1 (Join to see) I liked the line unit personally. I learned so much crazy shit with those guys, constant TDY, and felt like I could manage my own work as long as I delivered.
The support unit a few years later was a welcomed break though.
The support unit a few years later was a welcomed break though.
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SGT Allen Treviranus
WO1 (Verify To See) maintenance went the same between the line unit and gsb. Lots of equipment on the low usage program, still had motor stables on Monday with Sergeant Majors showing up. O2 parts on a Friday afternoon lol.
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