I am a 17 year old senior planning to enlist soon. I've been talking to a recruiter and took a practice ASVAB recently and got an 86. I am in good shape and know i could score 90+ on all aspects of the PFT. Ideally i would want want 18 bravo as my mos but i know that training for 18x is the most intense i could choose and the drop rate is VERY high. My question is would it be wiser to enlist as 11x with contract 40 and volunteer later for spec ops training or should i just choose 18x right off the bat? Another question i have is what MOS would i have if i chose 18x and didnt make it through training?

That i am not sure about but they have special forces recuiter's all over the place if you go infantry and like it and all you can talk to a recuiter to go special forces later on

im also interested in this. I read in Chosen Soldiers to be an 18 x ray u go in as infantry man im also interested in the x ray program ive read in places that most x-rays have prior service and the youngest x-ray so far has been 20 years old and the oldest being 29. Would it be better off in the long run to go for my ranger tab and then after a while go to sf training ? more experience?


also i would want to enlist as a 68w is that possible to be combined with 18 x ray

so i could not choose 18x as my mos because of my age?

I would try to get the option 40 contract either as 11X or 68W in both of your cases. For one thing you don't get to choose which 18-series MOS you get in most cases. You also don't get to choose which language you take. Figure on over a year of training for SF with many ways to get dropped.

There is much cross-breeding between Rangers & SF. You can put in for SFAS after you've been in the 75th a while. My son went in with the thought that he would put in for SF after being in the Rangers but he liked it so much he stayed in the 3rd Batt for his whole enlistment.

Either way each of you go make double-damn sure you don't waste that Option 40 or 18X contract. Get yourself in excellent physical condition. You'll need to score 70% on the APFT for the 17-21 age group just to get into RIP & once in the 75th Ranger Regt. You have to maintain a score of 80% to stay there.

Don't let the Recruiter tell you that you can volunteer for the 75th when the Recruiters come around to OSUT or AIT. GET IT IN YOUR CONTRACT! The Ranger Recruiters won't come if they have a full RIP class. Make sure you're one of those that makes a full class. That is the only way of guaranteeing a slot in RIP. If you have to wait a few months then so be it. Don't sign a contract unless you get everything you want.

__________________
Proud Dad of a USArmy Ranger SFC - 3/75 Rangers
USNavy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
USArmy 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

Wow thank you MSG Glenn with the information and the way u explained it put my options in a new perspective. I appreciate it

well from a perspective of recently seeing soldiers go into RIP and SF and apply for them, i've seen a guy with a 340 PT score not make it in RIP, and thats with the time in service, age, and rank. so if you want a position like that its easier to go in as a combat arms MOS like 11b etc., and apply as the opportunities arise, because if you're squared away and high speed, the opportunities are given to you.

Attitude is everything in RIP. Of course you have to be able to meet the PT requirements of 70% passing for the 17-21 age group & do many other physical things but if you have a bad attitude or act in a "non-Ranger manner", like forgetting about your Ranger Buddy, you're out on your a$$ no matter what you scored on the PT test. RIP Instructors unlike Ranger School Instructors are in the 75th Ranger Regt & they are very careful who they let in. They might have to fight side by side with these guys when they get back in Batt.

Cheating, lying, stealing are all DQing offenses. As in everything in the Army it's attention to detail that's important.

The easiest & surest way to get into the 75th is through RIP. It's hard but not impossible to get there from Big Army. Normally it would be a reenlistment option & if the soldier is SSG & above he'll go to Ranger Assessment Program (RAP) & that puts a whole new load on the soldier because now he has to prove he can lead as a Ranger & he wouldn't be able to do that even as an NCO until he gets through Ranger School. No Ranger Tab, no leadership position regarles of rank. My son was a SGT squad leader & had an SFC under him until the SFC got his Tab.

__________________
Proud Dad of a USArmy Ranger SFC - 3/75 Rangers
USNavy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
USArmy 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

You aren't old enough to get the 18X contract anyway.

Ive heard from this forum that you have to be 20 years old to get an 18x contract. And what ive seen in other places its 20 yet ive read in more than one book that some people have enlisted into the 18x-ray program right out of high school?