18X enlistemnt and my recruiter? What do you think?

Question

Hey
I've been talking to recruiters about joining when I'm done with college this upcoming year. I told him I want to be a Ranger and everything that comes with it. For some reason he's been pushing me towards SF and trying to get me to enlist as an 18X. Aside from the physical training which I'm all set with, what the other issues that come with trying 18X? The recruiters try telling me as part of the "Future Soldier" program I'd be guaranteed a job if I complete the training. For instance if 10 SF jobs are going to be available they are going to take 10 students. For some reason I don't believe it and they tell me the only way I would fail out is if I get hurt or give up. And lastly if its true how enlisting as an 18X you catch heat and they put a bullseye on you why is the recruiter pushing me towards it?
Thank you


and any other helpful info would be appreciated.

Answer 1

18X IS a Special Forces enlistment OPTION - It gives you the right to TRY for SF.

Be aware - SF does VERY different things than Rangers. Rangers are elite light infantry and do classic light-infantry combat, usually the toughest, nastiest missions they can find.

Special Forces are thinking soldiers - they deploy in small teams and accomplish amazing things working (usually behind the lines) with indigenous peoples, fomenting revolt, acting as force multipliers, and so on. They don't usually get put into regular style combat.

Recruiters are sales-people. Every last one I've met has been 100% straight up with me, as far as I can tell. I'm a Future Soldier (15U, E-4, report for BCT on 4-July) and they gave me great advice: Get it in writing and part of the signed contract. If it's not part of the signed contract, you cannot count on it. If it IS - you CAN count on it. Period. So far, it looks like every single thing they've told me has been true.

And yes, you are going to catch heat whether you go in as an 18X or an 11B, or whatever. As soon as they know you want to be SF or Ranger or Airborne, they're going to be testing you. Those folks are ELITE. They are tougher mentally and physically than everyone else - and if you can't stand up to a little extra heat, then you don't have what it takes and it'd be better for all concerned if everyone - including you - finds out sooner rather than later. Look at that extra attention as part of the selection process.

Rangers Lead The Way!

(Caveat: I'm heading in as a 15U, so I'll be fixing those Chinook's you'll be jumping out of, either way. LOL)

Orion

Answer 2

I don't know anything about becoming an SF, but I am from a military town so I can just tell you what I have heard from friends who have joined.

My friend Jack joined to become a translator. After boot camp they sent him to an Arabic school in California. Almost a year into it, the army decides they didn't need him there and they ship him to NC, where he is not learning another language, and then they sent him to Afghanistan. Next year he will go to Iraq. He still wont be a translator.

Chris, joined the USMC. They promised him EVERYTHING, he got it all in his contract, signed by the general, and he received it all. A guy that joined with him got it all in the contract, but didn't get the things he was promised. After bringing up this point he was no longer a marine.

Paul wanted to be stationed here. They told him after boot camp, and then they told him after you're up north, and its been two years and he still hasn't come home.

Jaime joined for 4 years, and has already done all of her time.
The army is paying for her to attend college now and she is very glad she joined.

Pretty much what I've heard is that its not all bad, Jacks even thinking about re-enlisting if he can make some specifications in his contract. The people who love it are pretty hardcore. The big catch is that the recruiters make a lot of promises to get you into the army and then don't deliver.

So if you want to join, you should keep your goals in sight. Make sure to get everything promised to you written down. And there are tons of other guys this recruiter can push to be an 18X. Think about how many people join and have no clue what they want to do during their army career. I say you know what you want and you're the one who is going t have to live this life, so do it your way.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

I would personally recommend enlisting as an 18X as opposed to for ranger training. I'm not a recruiter, so I don't know any specifics. I do know that as a 18 series, you have to learn a language, and that you get more benefits of that nature than a ranger does.

I've hear tha at SF school they play more mind games than at ranger school, too. I can tell you that a lot of people who are SF qualified don't actually go to SF units, but that's mainly officers, I think.

Neither of them are easy, but I would much rather be in an SF group than a ranger battalion.

Answer 4

I would do more research on this one. If you are graduating college and wanting Ranger when you graduate, then I am surprised that the recruiter did not jump right up there and sign you up.

Now for the 18X mos. I never heard of it. That is not to say that it is not something new. It may mean that it is a basic special forces qualification that can prepare you to train in any special forces occupation once you complete the program. It could also be something to do with the delta teams or other specialized high risk training. And thank you for wanting to sign up and serve. I for one appreciate college grads that actually serve their country, rather than bravely fight in the culture war.

Answer 5

If you want to be a Ranger, go for the Option 40/Ranger Contract.
As for not making it, typically that is true but if you can't meet the physical standards you could be dropped. The end result for both is that most likely you'll end up in Infantry.

Edit: The contracts, as stated, gives you the option to try out for the respected units. Unlike the "regular" contracts, you won't/can't have the rug pulled out from under you.

Think this carefully. Again as stated, the 2 units do very different things. Make sure you know absolutely what you want. It's more than just you, you'll be taking a slot away from someone else.

Answer 6

Well, as of last count.

646 enlistees have signed up for the 18x program.

Out of those 646,

110 made it as far as SFAS.

The attrition rate of 18Xs in SFAS is more than triple the attrition rate of prior service trainees.

Which basicly means.

Just 2% of those who sign up under the 18x program, will even get as far as starting the Q course.

I don't see the program lasting much longer.

With those attrition rates, they are just wasting space and the valuable time of SF trainers at SFAS.

Answer 7

(Hmmmmm......weighing the options)

Picking between Ranger and SF is like picking between a ugly girl or a pretty girl. Both are special operations, but there are more Rangers trying to get into SF than Green Berets back into into the Rangers for a reason......

Answer 8

More than likely it will still be around since 18 series are always in demand. However if it is not you can join any MOS will do then get with an SF recuiter and go to SFAS. Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Recruiters have many motives for changing a soldiers M.O.S sometimes it has to do with money. A recruiter doesn't get paided unless the solider they have sighned graduates from basic and moves on to A.I.T. And the better the M.O.S the higher the pay they recieve. The program he's speaking of is call the DEP ( Delayed Entry Program) Or DEP functions it's suppose to prepare a future solider for things that will happen in basic. Go to military.com for anymore details or if your gong in to the army goarmy.com or the marines marine.com

Answer 10

Go with want you want to do. I think the recruiters get a certain amount of points for getting people to sign up for particular jobs, and they are always looking out for themselves. I always regretted not picking a job with more civilian job equivalents.