Posted on Jan 29, 2018
Can anyone tell me more about PSYOPS selection (than it's hard or physical or mental), specifically the day-to-day details?
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Just curious what its like or what things you need to do during it? Also what being psyops is like and day to day.
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 5
Selection is exactly what you think it is. You are being evaluated against the SOF attributes to see if you are suitable for special operations training. I will not give you day-to-day details as that would undermine the point and purpose of selection. BUT, what I will do is give you some pointers and advice:
1. Forevermore refer to the regiment as PSYOP not PSYOPS
2. Ruck, Run, and Ruck some more
3. Brush up on your general knowledge (history, math, english)
4. Learn to put coherent thought to paper
5. Ruck, Run, and Ruck some more
6. Be personable, friendly, and open minded. They aren't selecting off a quota, so dont F*** your buddy thinking you're competing for limited slots. (Peer evaluations are weighted HEAVILY)
7. Learn how to talk to people, seriously. Go to a public place and start talking to random strangers, this helped me.
8. Be honest with the cadre and with yourself
9. Ruck and run just a little bit more
10. When in charge, be a leader. When you're not, then learn to play on a team. I cannot tell you how much this matters in our job. Everyone wants to be a chief, but no one wants to be an indian, swallow your pride and support your teammates.
1. Forevermore refer to the regiment as PSYOP not PSYOPS
2. Ruck, Run, and Ruck some more
3. Brush up on your general knowledge (history, math, english)
4. Learn to put coherent thought to paper
5. Ruck, Run, and Ruck some more
6. Be personable, friendly, and open minded. They aren't selecting off a quota, so dont F*** your buddy thinking you're competing for limited slots. (Peer evaluations are weighted HEAVILY)
7. Learn how to talk to people, seriously. Go to a public place and start talking to random strangers, this helped me.
8. Be honest with the cadre and with yourself
9. Ruck and run just a little bit more
10. When in charge, be a leader. When you're not, then learn to play on a team. I cannot tell you how much this matters in our job. Everyone wants to be a chief, but no one wants to be an indian, swallow your pride and support your teammates.
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SGT P said it best :
[When in charge, be a leader. When you're not, then learn to play on a team. I cannot tell you how much this matters in our job. Everyone wants to be a chief, but no one wants to be an Indian, swallow your pride and support your teammates.]
This is important, help out your buddies not only do you have to get peered well but you must stand up well in comparison to your peers.
run a good amount for endurance, do "farmer's carries", put some weight on your body and walk with it or squat it, learn some knots because many people show up not knowing them and you'll have something to offer your team.
Be a team player, don't take it too seriously it can be a really fun experience.
oh and bring canteen straws and a good multitool
[When in charge, be a leader. When you're not, then learn to play on a team. I cannot tell you how much this matters in our job. Everyone wants to be a chief, but no one wants to be an Indian, swallow your pride and support your teammates.]
This is important, help out your buddies not only do you have to get peered well but you must stand up well in comparison to your peers.
run a good amount for endurance, do "farmer's carries", put some weight on your body and walk with it or squat it, learn some knots because many people show up not knowing them and you'll have something to offer your team.
Be a team player, don't take it too seriously it can be a really fun experience.
oh and bring canteen straws and a good multitool
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Can’t get toonin the weeds, but make sure you can ruck, are personable, and can think quick on your feet. I went in 2011. If you have direct questions PM me.
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CPT (Join to see)
A Look into Psychological Operations Assessment and Selection (POAS) / A Gritty Soldier Interview...
Just a week after his selection, Jason talks about his experience at the Psychological Operations Assessment and Selection (POAS) in an "around the campfire"...
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Hi,
Here is a preview of what kind of test you will go through.
Read a newspaper article, when complete, run a 3-mile loop. when you return, there a quiz waiting, on what you read.... easy right.
Now do it tried, hungry, and sleep deprived. What was the name of sheriff in the article? what was the name of the city? yeah, it's a mental test at all times. They don't care how fast you ran the 3-miles.
I hope you like riddles and number games. PSYOPers are SOF's brains in austere environments. Can you think quickly and react accordingly? do you understand the operating environment? what are the second order-of-effects on any action (lethal and non-lethal)? Can you write well, I mean, can you write clear and concise at the college level. if not, get some help. buy some textbooks. I recommend a desktop digest of punctuation, grammar, and style.
You will operate in a small team. three NCOs and a CPT. i.e. -MIST or OST.
A&S is the least of your worries. Get through the specialist/qualification course and the true journey begins. Fear the HHC 1SG/Commander, he/she is the one with the power to kick you out. The MAJ is the other companies are just place holders. UCMJ authority lies with the HHC CO. don't F-up during your free weekends in the course. Last CO was a Spanish guy nice guy unless you went to his office.
The course is mostly academic type. and yeah... you will eventually go to SERE-C and get slapped around. it's a humble experience.
Good Luck.
Here is a preview of what kind of test you will go through.
Read a newspaper article, when complete, run a 3-mile loop. when you return, there a quiz waiting, on what you read.... easy right.
Now do it tried, hungry, and sleep deprived. What was the name of sheriff in the article? what was the name of the city? yeah, it's a mental test at all times. They don't care how fast you ran the 3-miles.
I hope you like riddles and number games. PSYOPers are SOF's brains in austere environments. Can you think quickly and react accordingly? do you understand the operating environment? what are the second order-of-effects on any action (lethal and non-lethal)? Can you write well, I mean, can you write clear and concise at the college level. if not, get some help. buy some textbooks. I recommend a desktop digest of punctuation, grammar, and style.
You will operate in a small team. three NCOs and a CPT. i.e. -MIST or OST.
A&S is the least of your worries. Get through the specialist/qualification course and the true journey begins. Fear the HHC 1SG/Commander, he/she is the one with the power to kick you out. The MAJ is the other companies are just place holders. UCMJ authority lies with the HHC CO. don't F-up during your free weekends in the course. Last CO was a Spanish guy nice guy unless you went to his office.
The course is mostly academic type. and yeah... you will eventually go to SERE-C and get slapped around. it's a humble experience.
Good Luck.
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I was 11C and reclassed to 37F. The school is 90% classroom consisting of seemingly endless PowerPoint presentations. There are weekly exams if I remember. They will send you to Airborne school if you are not already qualified.
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CPL Karl Richardt
I did 3 years as 37F. I liked it a lot. You get treated as a grown up which is nice. Fast track to E-7 for you. When you get deployed you are part of a three man team which functions pretty much independently from your unit. Our PSYOP company was spread over the entire country of Iraq. And we were the only PSYOP asset there. It’s a small community.
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SGT (Join to see)
I don't think this is as accurate a description as the other 2 above. Though the airborne part is true. Will also do SERE C during the Q
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CW2 (Join to see)
SGT (Join to see) not yet, it's in the works but sere is NOT part of PSYOP or CA q course yet.
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Gggg Gggg
What sort of things were the presentations about, what were the quizzes and essays generally about?
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