01turdbird

I would really have to argue with that one. What are you using to base which branch has the best setup for specops. What setup are you talking about that is so great that the Army dosent have. Unless of course you are talking about which one looks cooler in the movies cause than yeah SEALs are the way to go.

SmokeyLines

Wow haha. Thanks for looking it up for me.

J2Pharren1

iTrader: (1)

Heres the thread I was thinking of,

https://ls1tech.com/forums/military-...tacp-life.html

Keep in mind that thats just a typical "day at the office." That doesn't account for the TDY's you will go on (at first you wont go on any, by the time you are a JTAC you will be TDY 200+ days a year) or general field exercises.

SmokeyLines

Sweet. I appreciate it. Anything you'd suggest to do before joining? Physical fitness wise or to mentally prepare myself?

J2Pharren1

iTrader: (1)

Well they just recently converted the standards to AF PT standards instead of the Army (so we don't take 4 PT tests a year anymore), but the actual PT itself is still the same. "In-Shape" in our world is 300+ on the Army PT test, in the 18-whatever it is age bracket.

Don't try to work on ruck marching, you will probably just hurt yourself instead of doing any good. The program they run down there at the schoolhouse works very well, I went from never rucking or hiking or anything like that to sub 3 hour 12 miles with no injuries, so I always recommend to just to stick with their routine.

If you are asking what to specifically work on though, showing up able to do like 10 pull-ups already will take a lot of stress out of the PT tests, and being able to run 4-5 miles at a solid pace will help keep you from falling out of the runs, which paints a target on your back. In the end though, they will find something you suck at and make you do it a lot.

SmokeyLines

Nice haha. I can do 10 straight. I've been working on it because I looked up the standards and it was like 6 or something. Just wondering, is there a range you can go to on base during your free time or do you have to be working?

brians91formula

iTrader: (12)

Pull up using underhand grip or pull up using over hand grip ?

sparky1397r

palms away.

sparky1397r

you have really good chances of getting stuck on spooky and just being a flying loader if you go AG. that sucks **** IMO.

brians91formula

iTrader: (12)

flying loader ? Like loadmaster you mean ? I heard being a loadmaster is a fun job.

sparky1397r

no. you are on the aircraft loading the ammunition so it can be fired.

loadmaster is completely different.

the dudes in the video @ 40 seconds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx9E1kQ1xig

J2Pharren1

iTrader: (1)

Graduation standard is 8, no unit will send you to Airborne unless you can do 10+. The biggest thing down there is form. Pushups you must keep your back strait and your elbows have to go passed 90*, Situps are flat on the ground to shoulders past your knees, pullups you have to dead-hang between reps.

farmdawg

You also stated that you don't want to be behind a desk 24/7....may I suggest 3E2X1 Pavements and Heavy Equipment Operator? We are outside all day almost everday working with our hands and construction equipment buidling roads, runways, sidewalks, parking lots, aircraft parking aprons, pouring concrete, placing asphalt, building drainage systems, fixing or installing fences, all that kind of stuff, we deploy frequently, have a pretty good bonus right now, and you can look back on a base years later and say I left my mark here, I built that. We work hard, get dirty, and drink hard. We are undermanned for E-5 and below right now, tell your recruiter you want to be a dirtboy.

SmokeyLines

I don't care for the hard drinking. And I'm comfy around guns so thats probably not the job for me.

johnlv6

iTrader: (3)

You might want to stay away from aircrew career fields too, lol.

Para67camaro

I was talking about pay, and what is alloted to the team. SEALs get paid for being airborne qualified, Scuba, Halo, and Demo. As for Special Forces, I only get Halo and Demo pay. I am not sure why it is done this way, but it is. In the ARMY you only get what you are using at the moment, SEALs get trained for all of it at the same time. So if I were on a Scuba team then I would get scuba pay until I left the team. I am not talking down on anyone, just posting what I have seen in my career.

J2Pharren1

iTrader: (1)

Combat Control and Pararescue get that as well. They get all that training up front and get paid for it wether they do it or not. They make like $900 a month in special pays.

sparky1397r

Navy EOD has the best pipeline into spec ops if you are smart enough.

you don't take such a hard physical hit going in and they build you up as you progress through the underwater portion of EOD training.

they also get all the qualifications and the pay that comes with it.

AF EOD looks to be working its way towards this as well, dudes from STTS are coming on wed to work on the PT program to get the EOD pipeline in line with ST standards.

SmokinU

Hey buddy I'm glad you are looking into the service.

I myself went throw CCT training back in end of 99-01. Its pretty demanding schoolhouse. But if you are in CCT you train with and help push your buddies along the way. The kids going through the regular ATC school (332nd) have no real support from anyone besides themselves. You are being tested not only per military standards but FAA standards as well to qualify for ACT.

The physical requirements are pretty high but they will train you. No matter what physical shape people think they are in prior to CCT (opinion on my experience) they are in for a big surprise lol. The biggest guys are often the ones that fail out.

If you do choose to do the CCT route then I would try to work on my swimming, holding your breath lol, allot and I mean allot of running. Does not have to be fast running just a controlled steady run with controlled breathing.

Any of the training is going to stress and test you mentally and physically. Sometimes we had people get washed out because of an injury during training. Not their fault but happens just the same.

A side note though.. and some may argue with me about this one. Do you have a family??? Kids, wife, etc... This becomes a huge factor for most through the years. It can take its toll.

I myself was washed out after all my ATC schooling, survival school, etc, etc for medical reasons (thought I had throat cancer). I was forced to change career fields and I was put into computers lol. Yes I know combat to computers rofl. But now since I am out I am really glad it happened like that.

TACP is a great way to go as well. I would highly recommend them. I went through some training early on down in Florida with those guys. Really good group.

I give you alot of credit for doing the research because so many dont do it and expect something totally different.

Its hard, its rewarding, and one of the beast experiences of my life.

May God Bless those that have fallen and those who have served.

sparky1397r

as of today AF EOD has approval for having initial entry standards somewhere along the lines of TACP, CCT, PJ, SERE. they haven't ironed out the exact standards yet but hopefully the new pipeline will be dumping most of the quitters back in lackland.