91B life in Special Forces Group Support?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 May 2018 05:10:15 -0400

How are things for a 91B in a GSB? What is it like being a support person for SF?

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made May 5 at 2018 5:25 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Sat, 05 May 2018 05:25:20 -0400

Good question Jonathon, I really can't tell you, but being a 91B with an Armor Battalion wasn't no picnic.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2018 10:21 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 May 2018 10:21:22 -0400

Each SF Group has a different culture and personality; but serving in a SFG can be rewarding and challenging. The challenge will always be you are a support soldier in a high optempo and SF focused organization that at times treats its non tabbed folks like second class citizens-but that is just a by product of being a low density MOS in a Combat Arms Unit. You will have to step up your expertise, leadership and personal responsibility to thrive in the environment-or you will have a very bad time.

However, if you rise to the occasion, the experience can be rewarding personally and professionally. Once you show you are competent and earn the trust of the SF types; they will cover you and set you up for success. You will get schools yournpeers don’t get, you will get deployment experience your peers could only dream of and you’ll get to travel and experi new things you would never get to do in most other units.

Serving in SF, Ranger and SMUs is the fastest way for support soldiers to attain rank, experience and personal satisfaction. But if you are not a top performer, it will be the worst experi now if your life-Choos wisely and I hope you do take on the challenge and let it make you a better Soldier and Leader, no matter where you go in your career after.

De Opresso Liber

DB

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2018 2:38 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 May 2018 14:38:09 -0400

Brother if your in the 75 ranger regiment you know the otempo of the Special operations community, I’m in 10th group now, it’s been a good ride, my leadership wasn’t always the best but I didn’t promote quickly from E2 to E4 I was stuck at E4 for two years because I didn’t have the best attitude towards my leadership it felt like Everyman for themselves and no one looked out for soldiers. But that was the motorpool, working with the teams was a different story, as a private I did get treated as a second class citizen with every new green baret that I met but once you prove your knowledge and expertise you definitely earn more respect, I did a rotation to niger with a team as an E4 filling in E7 shoes and it was rewarding guys go to our motorpool asking for specific people by name, once you establish that relationship it gets easier until then your kind of a nobody, my biggest tips, Know your job, know it well, know your buddy’s job I learned to operate and maintain generators, generator mechanics learn to operate and maintain vehicles, to the same level, don’t let being in group of SOF go to your head, I understand I’m not SF, I don’t pretend to be better than just because of my unit a lot of support dudes make a bad name for the group because they’ll go around the rest of the installation talking down on non airborne personnel hands in pockets and what not because they think they’re SF. Also don’t use the phrase “It’s not my job” what I have gathered from the SF mentality is it doesn’t matter if it’s not your job, if it’s about getting the mission done then get it done, if you can’t get it done find someone who can, don’t tell these guys “i don’t know it’s not my job” in my opinion that’s just super unprofessional. It’s all about your mentality and work ethic, that will help you get far.