Is there a certain experience (e.g. school, duty, duty station, etc.) that you would have liked to have?

2018-02-17T19:34:40-05:00

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Feb 17 at 2018 7:52 PM

2018-02-17T19:52:14-05:00

Joseph yea there are a couple, being a SCUBA man and an SF dude I always wanted to combat diver. When I was in shape there were no slots or I to go other places. The other is; I wanted to go to the same course the Marines send the Force Recon or MARSOC guys to. When I was a team leader I worked with the Marines a good bit. The unit was not real big on the idea, so needless to say it did not happen. Which I guess in hind site is a good thing, just cause you are an SF ODA CDR does not mean you can make through the force recon course.

Overall I had a very full experience in the military, I got to go places and do things I would have not been possible without the military. I retrospect next to my father the Army made me who I am today. I have things that I would have liked but I guess no regrets

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Feb 17 at 2018 7:54 PM

2018-02-17T19:54:16-05:00

...when I was a second LT I got my first pair of foreign jump wings, they were Italian. I am not sure how many sets I retired with but it was several, most Latin American.

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Feb 17 at 2018 7:58 PM

2018-02-17T19:58:19-05:00

...Joseph sorry for going on and on but I had lots of buddies that were HALO and HALO JM's but I never wanted to go to HALO school. I did a commercial free fall from a friend who was a Golden Knight. I liked it even less than static line jumping. Joseph I am sure I will be back but I hope this is it for now hahaha

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Feb 17 at 2018 7:59 PM

2018-02-17T19:59:13-05:00

....last thing, I would have liked to finish the war college

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2018 8:01 PM

2018-02-17T20:01:28-05:00

I missed my opportunity to go to Military Free Fall. I doubt I'll get a chance again; I had the opportunity but the timing wasn't right.

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Feb 17 at 2018 8:08 PM

2018-02-17T20:08:54-05:00

I always wanted to take the DOS Defensive driving course ...

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Feb 17 at 2018 9:05 PM

2018-02-17T21:05:55-05:00

I wanted to do the nijmegen march but I never seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 17 at 2018 9:11 PM

2018-02-17T21:11:56-05:00

Four main regrets in an otherwise awesome career:
1. I wanted a chance to earn a Navy surface warfare badge. I would have loved being an exchange officer or in a Joint billet to serve on an Amphibious Assault Ship or a LCC followed up by the requisite course in Newport.
2. Despite being at Campbell, I was injured and could not do Air Assault. Could not get a slot for Sling Load Cert either.
3. Because I did not have Air Assault, I couldnt do Pathfinder. Would have been nice to be able to designate and certify a DZ.
4. Serve as an exchange officer to the British Army. I was in the final three for this duty, but was not selected.

Clearly all of these are "first world problems". Definitely not a woe is me thing, but you asked!

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Feb 17 at 2018 9:32 PM

2018-02-17T21:32:20-05:00

I would have taken a shot at the Drill Instructor course if I had stayed in,my short time as an instructor (14 months) at Ft.Polk was a great learning experience for me and I got a kick out of it .

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Feb 17 at 2018 9:33 PM

2018-02-17T21:33:40-05:00

While I was prepping to PCS from Germany, my unit was putting together a team of Soldiers to go to Russia and train with Russian combat engineers on their equipment. After that, they were going to send me to school to be a handler for explosives-sniffing dogs. For some reason the Company thought I still had a year left in country, but once they finally realized I didn't there was nothing that could be done to extend my time so I could do all that.

That was probably the worst case of somebody getting my hopes up for nothing!

Response by Maj John Bell made Feb 17 at 2018 9:51 PM

2018-02-17T21:51:24-05:00

I did everything I ever wanted to in the military except:
_Ride in the Front Seat of a Cobra Gunship terrain hugging at night with NVG's
_Witness an Artillery Regiment night time TOT.... from min safe distance of course.

Response by Cpl Adam Mason made Feb 18 at 2018 2:15 AM

2018-02-18T02:15:53-05:00

It’s a bit odd, but I was always jealous of the Marines that got to participate in sere training. I tried out for recon a number of times to guarantee my spot but I swam like a rock and always failed.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2018 5:58 AM

2018-02-18T05:58:54-05:00

The HALO trainer always looked fun, but I understand it takes practice to get good at it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2018 8:42 AM

2018-02-18T08:42:54-05:00

When the MMRB canned me I had orders in hand for Ft Monmouth, the Dream job for my MOS, after a posting there your civilian GS career was ensured. Wish I'd been able to go. I'd be a retired 13 or higher now.

Response by CPT Jim Schwebach made Feb 18 at 2018 10:55 PM

2018-02-18T22:55:56-05:00

When I graduated from the career course they gave me a statue and choice of assignment. I asked for the Big Red One. Turned out they really meant their choice and I went off to another school and a civilian component assignment. Never got to be a Big Red One.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2018 11:26 PM

2018-02-18T23:26:18-05:00

Airborne school...had one opportunity after Ranger School but it was either airborne or brother’s wedding. Would love to get into the tradition and heritage of the airborne community and be a part of a lineage/battlefield multiplied through the air.:.maybe one day...