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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What is wrong with average? I was pretty average, but I was able to make a difference in the lives of my men, to make their time serving under me a little less bitter. If you aspire to be SOF, let nothing stop you. If you aspire to be in the news, or have Hollywood make a movie about you life, chances are you need to look at yourself and question your Loyalty, sense of Duty, Respect for others, especially Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Those glory-hounds I served with got people killed. Those who measured their worth by the success of their mission, and the gratitude the families expressed when you brought their husband/son/father/brother home (or insert female versions in the modern army) were the leaders troops would go through hell for. Your self worth is in how well you accomplish your mission.
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Cpl Edward Conley
Interestingly, I was a dozer operator in Nam. The funny thing that some of the "Grunts" seem to forget is, we were the ones that went in before they did to build their base camps. In my particular case, we made an amphibious landing , under intense small arms and rocket fire . Was my job more important? No, just doing my job.
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MSG William Hesser
All of our jobs are important. It takes 3 to 5 troops in support for every troop in the field. Without the rear support, the gang on the line or in a SOF operation can't function.
Yes, the SOF operations are many times way behind the lines, but it still requires support. Yes we learn to live off of the land, but there are times we have to use our own supplies especially ammunition. We would request for the rear support to send a 'merge bunde' request and get an air drop. Without all of that support, it would be difficult to get our job done.
Most of us in SOF units, don't talk about our missions and don't do it for the glory (except maybe for the SEALS, LOL). For every operation that you see on the news dealing with the Navy SEALS there are many jobs being conducted by the SF and SF Delta teams that your never hear about. We know we have a job to do and without all of the support we get from the rear, it would ve very heard to get it done.
Yes we go through special training and we do dangerous jobs but we train to be successful and make it home alive. Often however, it often doesn't happen the way we planned, but we always hope we can be successful.
Bottom line, when in a combat zone, all jobs are basically dangerous, even when in your base camp. You never know when a rocket attack or a breach of the perimeter will occur so you always have to be on guard.
Yes, the SOF operations are many times way behind the lines, but it still requires support. Yes we learn to live off of the land, but there are times we have to use our own supplies especially ammunition. We would request for the rear support to send a 'merge bunde' request and get an air drop. Without all of that support, it would be difficult to get our job done.
Most of us in SOF units, don't talk about our missions and don't do it for the glory (except maybe for the SEALS, LOL). For every operation that you see on the news dealing with the Navy SEALS there are many jobs being conducted by the SF and SF Delta teams that your never hear about. We know we have a job to do and without all of the support we get from the rear, it would ve very heard to get it done.
Yes we go through special training and we do dangerous jobs but we train to be successful and make it home alive. Often however, it often doesn't happen the way we planned, but we always hope we can be successful.
Bottom line, when in a combat zone, all jobs are basically dangerous, even when in your base camp. You never know when a rocket attack or a breach of the perimeter will occur so you always have to be on guard.
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I believe that if you are gauging your own worth off of the accomplishments of others, then that is where you made your first mistake. It is self worth. Others should not play a role in developing such a thing. Look for what you are good at, what you like to do, what makes you feel accomplished. If you are able to follow those paths then you should have no problem. If the fact that you aren't an operator or the owner of a startup really makes you feel so lesser then I would have to say that you have some inner searching to do.
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CPL Brian Clouser
You are totally right. I could have any job I wanted but I stayed in the Infantry because I love it and I was good at it.
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SOF are not any better than anyone else. They train for a specific job, and they train very hard because of what that job is. That does not make them superior to anyone else. When it comes down to it, your "average" infantryman in a war will likely put more rounds down range in a week than a SOF operator will in a year. Remember, they do specific tasks while we do the everyday grind of warfare. So you are making an apples to oranges comparison.
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MAJ Louis Giamo
Please read the book. Most infantry don't even fire their weapon. Those that do often fire in a general direction and not at a specific target. SF and SOF operators fire less rounds and have a higher hit ratio. Also, more of then fire at specific targets than non-SOF troops. Has nothing to do with the environment of the deployment. This data has been traced back to before the US Civil War. It is the psychology of killing.
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SGT Benjamin Hayhurst
MAJ Louis Giamo I own the book and have read it. Like I just said, I am speaking of my own experience fighting in Sadr City Iraq in 2004. And in regards to the original post, I believe I am correct. I do not think any Infantryman should discount there service just because the current Hollywood climate likes to glorify Special Ops.
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SGT Benjamin Hayhurst
SGT Benjamin Hayhurst by the way, that book was written before OIF and OEF, and I do believe that the way we fight has changed greatly over the last 15 years.
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MAJ Louis Giamo
The book may have been written before OIF and OEF, but man's psychology hasn't changed all that much. Every military leader from squad leader to CG needs to read it and understand it.
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