Can Enlisted SF Become Commissioned officers?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Sep 2018 23:23:03 -0400

Good evening. Is it possible for active enlisted SF soldiers to commission? Joining SF is my goal, but becoming an commissioned officer has been an aspiration as well. I am aware of SF enlisted going warrant, however I’ve never heard of enlisted commissioning. I’m hoping that any current SF or SF veterans can shed light on this and inform me on if this is possible. Ive never seen any 2nd/1st LT in SF but if this is possible would that mean one would have to leave SF and go somewhere else to get PL time then come back once promotable/ CPT? Thank you in advance.

Response by SSG Darrell Peters made Sep 24 at 2018 12:05 AM

SSG Darrell Peters — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 00:05:49 -0400

It happens all the time. They either go West Point, OCS or ROTC. I was in College with a SF Medic that was enrolled in the ROTC Program. Now here is the kicker. Just because you go the Officer route doesnot mean you will be branched to Special Forces. Their is a reason why you don't see any 2nd LT in SF they are starting off as officers. I have seen and served with1sts LT in the 11th SF USAR. However it is my understand that the Army wants more seasoned officers in SF. This is why a Team has a Captain and a Warrant Officer.
If you have Completed Special Forces Training as an enlisted. it is possible to get back to Special Forces as an Officer but to my knowledge not as a 2nd LT or 1st LT. It will take about 4 years to become a Captain then become an 18A.
I encourage you to talk to a Special Forces Recruiter they have Offices at Fort Benning, Fort Campbell and other installations they give Monthly briefings on all aspects of Special Forces Enlisted and Officer. They will have the most current information.
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Response by SSG Brian G. made Sep 24 at 2018 12:18 AM

SSG Brian G. — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 00:18:09 -0400

SF doesn't put rookie officers in charge of their teams. Just does not happen. They want them to have a bit of mentoring and some command as junior execs under their belt before they are put in that position. My advice? Go SF as an enlisted, once you make it all the way through then stick it for a few years and put in to go to OCS. This gives you the enlisted level of SF training and operator time before you take that plunge to be an officer. Once you make it through and are commissioned it gives you that extra bit with the troops under you as the grapevine gets it around pretty quick that you are not some snot nosed Lieuie straight out of school and actually came up in the ranks.

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Sep 24 at 2018 12:45 AM

LT Brad McInnis — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 00:45:45 -0400

One of my classmates at USNA was an enlisted SEAL. Went back to SEALS after graduation.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 9:22 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 09:22:14 -0400

An SF NCO can go to OCS, or ROTC or USMA if they are still young enough.
Once they commission, they get branched based on needs of the Army. Then they can volunteer for SF again once they are 1LT(P), and attend the SF CCC and SFQC.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 10:34 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 10:34:13 -0400

Happens all the time.
You will be commissioned into a Basic Branch and you can Apply for SF if you want to go back.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 10:35 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 10:35:08 -0400

Also I did meet a Direct Commission SF SFC to infantry LT

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 8:17 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 20:17:48 -0400

I’m not an SF officer, but once aspired to be, and still work predominately in the SOF world. I am currently one of five officers in my office; only two of us are not SF, but all I do is plan exercises for SF dudes. I have a good friend who was an 18B, then went to ROTC (where we met), commissioned as an MI officer, and then attended SFOQC. So, I would tell you it can very much be done, but as you asked, yes, you will almost definitely go to another branch for LT time. Typically it is to a Maneuver branch (Infantry, Artillery, Armor...) but if you’ve been previous SF, it could be acceptable to go in another branch. Best of luck!

Response by MSG James Devereaux made Sep 25 at 2018 6:19 PM

MSG James Devereaux — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 18:19:56 -0400

It sounds like SF isn’t the place for you. Our careers come last and it wouldn’t do your being an officer any justice.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2018 6:32 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 18:32:44 -0400

BL yes SF NCOs can pursue commissioning as an officer or as a warrant officer. However, I would kindly advise to not to put the proverbial cart before the horse and focus on first successfully negotiating and passing special forces selection, then graduating from qualification course and finally being a value added member of a Special Forces Team before exploring a commissioning source.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2018 5:11 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 17:11:03 -0400

SGM Jeff McCloud has your answer. I wanted to add that I know an individual personally that that went from SF enlisted, to SF WO, then applied for "Green to Gold", commissioned, and when he was eligible to apply, reattended SF Officer training (Q-course) and returned to group as Captain. You may save yourself a lot of heartache if you get commissioned, and only attend the Selection and Assessment, followed by Q-Course one time.

Response by SrA John Monette made Oct 15 at 2018 8:15 PM

SrA John Monette — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 20:15:34 -0400

so you want to be a Lt General and not a Sgt General?

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Oct 18 at 2018 9:48 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:48:41 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member that is kind of what happens. I have two colleagues that were SF qualified as NCOs. They commissioned and one went aviation, the other, Infantry. They did not go back, but would have to go to the SF Officer Qualification Course (I asked). The Aviation Officer ended up back in The special operations community flying. He even flew for the Black Daggers.

You can go back as an officer but it is not automatic.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Oct 18 at 2018 4:17 PM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 16:17:22 -0400

Totally possible . Major General Sidney Shachnow and Captain Mykel Hawke Pierce both come to mind.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2019 4:42 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 04:42:37 -0500

I had three COs that were SF. Two were Mustangs that had branched Infantry on commissioning, and obviously remained so, until their retirements as a MAJs. The third was a standard SF officer that somehow managed to pick up his command time outside of Group, which I suppose allowed him to stay competitive for promotion.

It was a different time back then, and I can still remember how happy the third one was when SF's branch insignia was authorized in the middle of his tour as our CO and he got to replace his crossed rifles with crossed arrows, he was even happier when I ran into him later after he had moved back to Det K and picked up his MAJ within a few months.

Response by SPC Mara Manzer (Spurgin) made Jan 11 at 2019 10:01 PM

SPC Mara Manzer (Spurgin) — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 22:01:17 -0500

Green to Gold perhaps

Response by LTC John Wiegner made Feb 18 at 2019 12:23 PM

LTC John Wiegner — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 12:23:15 -0500

I went from Private to Lieutensnt Colonel, 25 years in SF, so yes it is possible.

Response by SGT Randall Smith made Mar 22 at 2021 7:42 PM

SGT Randall Smith — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 19:42:27 -0400

1st. Do you have your college degree? If not you are wasting your time. In Jan. 1969 my brother and I got to gather in Vung Tau and started talking. He was offered a commision as a 1st Lt. I laughed, I was offered a commision as a 2LT. We were Army brats so we knew what would happen when Viet Nam was over. The dreaded RIF. I had two years of college and he had three. His biggest complaint was he could not stay in SF. As a Buck Sgt I had more status than a 2LT.
We remembered that when dad was a Capt. and CO in Korea he had a SSG plt sgt who had been his CO at Ft. Hood. He had been a Maj. then. We also had a SSG in Germany that we could see the imprints of bars on his fatigue jacket. Going up is great, but comming back down is a killer.

Response by 2LT Ronald Reimer made Apr 18 at 2022 11:57 AM

2LT Ronald Reimer — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 11:57:24 -0400

They can through IPAP. (Physician Assistant School at AMMED at Ft. Sam Houston)