SFAS

[J The Body]

Just looking for some advice if anyone has been to selection lately, should be heading of for this Aug. 4th class. Thanks

[18C4V]

It's gonna be hot out here during that time frame. Follow the packing list to a T. Look at the optional stuff on the packing list and bring it. Bring extra stuff like socks, t-shirts. RTF has no washing facilities except for the million dollar shitter. Which means that you will be washing your clothes by hand and drying them on a clothesline.

Plus up on moleskin, have 3 pairs of boots. One shitty pair for the CWST and Nasty Nick. The two other pairs should be well broken in boots with ripple sole or what ever works for you. Have extra insoles to replace the wet ones that will get wet. Bring extra min-mag's or micro lites in case you lose one. Bring an extra watch in case you lose yours during Land nav. Use a kit bag instead of a duffle bag. it's easier to get into since you will be living out of your kit bag. You can't use the px while you're out there so plus up on anything that you need before reporting in. Don't report in early or you will be doing details. Last but not last have your engineer tape sewn on prior to reporting in on all your uniforms. It's worth the money spent. Bring a big ass book to read. Any other questions PM or let me know. Good luck and "Do the best you can"

[Special Forces]

18C3V:

You are on the ball. Outstanding advice.

J:

He is right, it will be hot as hell. If you are not in a hot, humid area already, you may want to come in a few days early just to acclimatize. No real a/c, so get used to the heat.

Pack everything on the list, including optional items, but bring nothing prohibited or not permitted.

Good advice on the boots as well. Remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate while you are here.

Make sure that you are in shape to run and ruck cross country with a 55lb. ruck. Work on land nav if you can.

Dummy cord your weapon to yourself during land nav and the LRIM even if you never lose anything. Try to stay out of the draws if you can, vegetation will be a real bear in August. Keep a good pace count and work an offset az, if you can, to make finding the stakes easier.

Follow instructions to the letter. Help your buddies when you can. Try not to get hurt. Never be the first to sit down or the last to get up. Volunteer and keep a positive attitude. Never ever quit. Do the very best that you can.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[18C4V]

Reaper,

Thanks


J,

Make sure you have upper body strength and a good rope climbing technique. Log PT and rifle pt is a motherfucker out there. If you can, run and ruck on sand hint hint...

Reaper has great advice follow it.

[JumpmasterK]

Originally posted by 18C3V
Bring a big ass book to read.

Bring the Bible, if that is your wont, or bring the Ranger Handbook; either way, you can't lose.

[18C4V]

Not the dreaded RHB :D. Nah you won't need that one, they will issue you one there. What ever you bring, make sure you don't care about it. You're gonna end up trading, lending, and borrowing other books. And yes, people do the duffle bag drag at night while everyone is racked out. Oh yeah, bring some good shower sandals like teva's. cuz it's gonna suck to double time in your 99 cent px flip flops to the shitter.

[Doc]

18C3V

Check your PM's and give me a call.

Take care.

DOL

[J The Body]

Thanks for all the advice, will follow for sure. I'm at Ft. Stewart, GA now, pretty hot, but seems like August will suck anywhere. Oh well, gotta want it. There are no hills here, but yep, I'll keep running and rucking on the sand. Anyways, thanks again, J

[Razor]

Damn, you guys are causing me some disturbing flashbacks! :) A couple other ideas, in no particular order:

DO NOT bring liquid laundry soap, because Murphy will find a way to make it leak over all your kit at the worst possible time. Instead, bring a small Tupperware container of powdered soap, or those new Alka-Seltzer looking soap tablets.

Integrate calf raises into your PT. Focus on endurance (high rep, body wt or only a bit more). That will, IMO, help with walking in the loose sand.

If you haven't already, find someone to teach you how to climb a rope using your legs vice your arms. Its much easier, and your legs will go longer before failure than your arms (this I can personally guarantee).

Find a way to elevate your feet when you sleep at night (what little you'll get). We were issued a box of MREs to eat during the course (the old flat type box), so we'd stick the box under our matresses at our feet. It helps keep the swelling down.

Make sure the "fire watch" checks the message board continuously during the night. You'll see...

If they allow them, get a couple 1" Fastex buckles for your ruck closing straps. The only non-renewable resource is time.

Boldly stencil your name on your t-shirts (and boxers, if you wear 'em). Stuff has a way of vanishing off the clotheslines.:mad:

Bring a pair of EMT shears to use for cutting moleskin. They're much better than using a knife or Swiss Army Knife scissors.

Learn how to properly treat blisters. Just in case, ask Doc42 for a quick 101.

If you have to choose between eating/sleeping/resting/taking a dump/anything not directly mission related, and taking care of your feet, choose your feet. They will literally carry you to success, or cause you to fail.

Eat as much as you can in the chow hall. Its not food--its fuel, so make smart choices (i.e. macronutrient balance-carbs, protein, fat) and stuff it down your neck. Taste is irrelevant.

If they still issue them, use the ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) packets provided. They taste like crap, but you're putting down a lot of water and sweating like a pig, so you want to be careful you don't flush your electrolytes.

I strongly second the idea of using a kit bag vice a standard duffle. Easier, quicker access, and dumping/packing during shakeout goes much faster with one.

Don't pack your Goretex parka or anything that can easily fall out of your ruck near the top. Yes, you might get a little wet digging for your parka/poncho/rain top if it starts to rain, but that's much better than trying to retrace your route looking for a missing item during land nav (that's a huge "Oh Shit!" I'd rather forget).

I didn't do LRIM during SFAS, but it was part of the officer course when I went through. We lost almost half the class (keep in mind these were officers that had already passed SFAS and the old Phase I, so they could land nav better than your average bear) to that little trek, and most were due to time mis-management. Some guys would stop during the day to eat or take a breather. Some guys would thrash themselves in the beginning and end up spent before they could finish. I got lucky and picked a decent plan--push yourself (but not to extremes) during the day to find as many points as possible, until it gets really dark. Even if you're a good land nav'er, its harder to do in the dark, so when its too dark to see 50-100m ahead of you, stop, eat a full meal, fix your feet and rack out for 4-6 hours. Get up at first light, eat a full meal, fix your feet, and start off again. Break up a couple MREs and keep small items easily accessible in your pockets so you can eat a little on the move throughout the day. Once again, take a little time during the day at a point to fix your feet. Trenchfoot is just plain nasty, and will hobble you pretty badly. Use handrails, backstops and attack points (land nav control measures you'll learn if you don't already know) as much as possible; good terrain association saves a great deal of time and map checking, and is another reason to cover as much ground as possible during daylight.

Good luck.

[AirbornePaintman]

Good shit, thanks a lot... ::absorbing info::

[Matterhorn]

Great advice on this thread! It almost doesn't sound fair for me to read it... but since I am...

I have one question. What's up with brining book(s)? I already read several books a month and am all for personal education, but I can only assume that this is a joke in context of SFAS? Right?

I feel dumb already asking this question, but hopefully I won't get flamed too badly.

[Razor]

Nope, the book comments are legit. During at least part of SFAS (used to be, anyhow), you're only allowed to sleep a handful of hours a night, regardless if you're doing something productive or not. During those times, a book sure beats sitting around and counting tiles on the floor.

[theduke94]

I've heard that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask, so I'm gonna throw this one out. What was 18C3V talking about when he said to be sure to have your engineer tape sewn on your uniforms prior to reporting in? That's the one question I have right now, as this string has already answered the dozen or so others I was mulling over.

[Special Forces]

Let's try this again....

At SFAS, you will be evaluated on many things, not the least of which is the ability to follow instructions.

If your interpretation of "Do not bring more than one book" (posted on the GoArmy web site) leads you to show up with more than that, knowing that you are going to be shaken down, well, that is Darwinian selection at its finest.

Engineer tape is sewn onto the blouses and trousers with the roster number written on it to make it easier to identify the candidates. This is clearly visible in almost every photo of SFAS candidates you will see. If you do not get it sewn on ahead of time, you can do it yourself with your free time, your sewing kit, and the home economics skills you acquired in high school.

Begin rant....Most of the BTDTs are only on this site occasionally due to our requirements to work for a living. Those of you who are constantly asking for info freely available from archives here or many other sources are wasting time and bandwidth, in addition to convincing the BTDTs you really are not going to make it due to your lack of initiative. Do some research, use the search function at the top of the page, lurk a while and read, or check out the numerous Army resources available BEFORE you ask your question. Asking many questions which have already been beaten to death here and elsewhere does not impress us with your cognitive skills.

Same goes for people who are constantly whining asking why things are done a certain way at SFAS. You are already showing your unsuitability for Special Forces with a bad attitude toward authority and inability to follow instructions. At least wait till you get the beret and the tab before you start telling us how screwed up we are and how we should run things to suit you.

One last bit of advice. Don't start bugging people here with specific questions about SFAS or your military career in SF when you are a freshman in high school. Chances are things will have changed before you get the chance. The majority of the people who enlist in the Army intending to go SF never make it this far, having fallen by the wayside in Basic, AIT, OSUT, Airborne School, SOPC, or in a regular unit. If you are in the pipeline, focus on the 25m. target, and try to ensure that you are successful at your current assignment before looking too far down the road. Limit yourself to asking questions about the next course or Phase of training before you start asking us to help you with planning your career path to be the next Chief of Staff, US Army or Sergeant Major of the Army.

Good luck to you and take care.

[J The Body]

Thanks for all the great tips, I got lucky(selected) and can't wait for more....

[TOW Gunner]

....it screams: TIMMY!!!! (fellow select...life is much better now, huh?)




Originally posted by J The Body
Thanks for all the great tips, I got lucky(selected) and can't wait for more....

[18C4V]

Originally posted by J The Body
Thanks for all the great tips, I got lucky(selected) and can't wait for more....

Congrats.