The Special Forces qualification course was six phases when I went through Selection - 3 weeks Small Unit Tactics- 6 weeks Weapons SGT course - 16 weeks Robin Sage- 4 weeks ( I think ) Language school - 16 weeks SERE School ( 5 weeks )
I was in 160th my bro was in SF. He said the same thing you said about jaded salty Q course instructors failing people. It's where I think MARSOC really improved on the process. Their instructors are happy to be there and teach. SF guys generally look at it as a punishment.
Thank you so much for telling this story. I am Tony Yost’s wife and I love hearing stories about Tony that I can share with my kids, especially our youngest, AJ. Again, thank you so much!
JoAnn, thank you so much for reaching out, Tony was a true professional and I think about him often. If you or your kids ever need anything please reach out
@17:00 Q course has changed a bit and works kind of how you eluded to it should have been. Once you get past selection you really got to screw up or just be an idiot to get dropped. They are pushing SFAS to be just that, selection. You're there to learn once you start Q course. You've already been selected so why keep trying to run a selection type program. I say that loosely because again you can get dropped whenever for whatever reasons. Its also probably changed again though since it seems like every few cycles something changes again..lol
I'm not military but I speak Spanish fluently, but I also speak Arabic, Korean and im currently learning sign language. I'd like to learn Aramiac, and Russian because in finding myself meeting people who are Russian heritage, Aramaic and deaf people here in Alabama.
I would make 18B’s use a different foreign weapon in training for 2-3 weeks at a time…. They should have the M16/M4 down by then and need no more time on that
@@kevinowens9636 Some questions: 1. Why was your wife barred from the United States? 2. You mentioned in another podcast that you spent most of Special forces selection making jokes with the PT instructors due to your former service and combat experiences (as opposed to the Q course). Could you tell us some amusing stories about this please? How would you describe the difference between U.S special forces and the Irish army ranger wing in training and selection? 4. Did you ever consider going in for Delta force selection? 5. Have you visited Ireland in the years since moving to America? Will you get your children Irish citizenship? 6. What veteran charities do you support? 7. Did you ever work with British special forces in Iraq/Afghanistan? If so what was your opinion of them? Your podcasts have cheered me up. Many Thanks.
Imagine today what the 18B weapons are like …. Every FN SCAR wannabe, AR18 piston operating system rifle in the world ! …. Wow that would be fun as hell let’s name them off the top of my head the new Polish Rifle is really exciting the Grot, then the Check Bren rifles, Israel has basically a unbullpuped Tavor the Carmel, I don’t mind bullpup’s though it never makes any sense to me when people complain about the Weight balance of them …. I want all the weight in the rear I love the Tavor, AUG and desert tech MDR, The Brit’s just got Mlok rails for the Sa80A3’s, …… HK…. Why are they fighting Mlok with this Hkey BS…. Key mod is something I have always disliked, but yah the whole list of the new bread of the short stroke piston’s out there would be a fun day at the range I know lots of folks love to beat up on the FN SCAR…. But yah no it’s no he only thing better than the stoner design in my own humble opinion sure it had some growing pains but so did the Stoner, I really enjoy your story and content and I have been doing the long, long range game ( Beyond 1000 ) Yards/Meters for a few years started with 338 then had to sell it and just worked with 308 the best I could, I am a big Desert Tech fan so moved up to the MDR in 50 and am waiting on the .375 package it would be a privilege and honor to come train with you guys !
I was an 18X in 2005, and that was a REALLY unique experience. Some instructors were absolute dicks who didn't seem to have a rhyme or reason for it, while others were extremely good at mentoring. Despite being a very cocky 19 year old, I learned a LOT, and loved every minute.
I waited until I watched all 6 pods before writing this. I won't write everything now because it would take too long. I am 66 years old now but went in the U.S. Army at 25 years old. (1981 until 1984). I am of Irish decent(3rd generation in America) I went through jump school right after AIT then went to Korea. I was a 91B(combat medic) While in Korea I went through EFMB training and received my expert field medical badge, received my E-4 (Spec 4). I then went to Ft. Polk, Louisiana. Of course showing up in Ft. Polk with more ribbons and badges than the Sergeants in my unit was a bit of a disadvantage lol! It took my Platoon Sergeant two days to even figure out I was there. He gave me the the talk how everyone goes to the motor pool when they arrive. For some reason he took a liking to me and kept me in the aid station with him, especially when he found out I could do his end of month reports in two hours. It took him three days and a lot of anguish. I have some good stories and experiences to share at a later time. I later was hired by the Nevada Highway Patrol and did a career with them. I have plenty of stories and experiences connected to NHP. This is enough for now. I am living in South Carolina now and am hoping to be able to meet you and talk to you in person.
Did the SERE course in April 99 and was thr coldest I've ever been in my life and I'm from the North East. Naked and wet for 3dys was miserable. Went to the Navy SERE level C course a few years after and I was the SRE as well as they knew I had been to the Army SERE, left there with a broken jaw.
Kevin, Given your prior experience before the Q Course I would love to hear you talk about if you felt the the entire pipeline increased your capabilities as a warfighter.
So many things were covered in this episode, but as a true lazy person I will cover the last topic. The speeding incident should have only resulted in 'improper storage of a weapon' IF it was in hands reach of the driver. But even then it was in the blue box and unloaded, so maybe 'failure to obey a lawful order' in the failing to register the weapon on-post. Either way, the MP sounds like he was being extremely ignorant during this incident. I am somewhat unfamiliar with how Fort Bragg does their citations and prosecutions of crimes, but I can say elsewhere in the Army it would've been a UCMJ matter and your commander would understand based on the circumstances (hence no action taken in that case). Sometimes we see a judicial system that fails the process and the people, unfortunately it seems this was a classic example. I really appreciate each and every episode of this podcast.
this guy in my dui class was in the coastguard and he told me that the dohs is way more strict than the dod and coast guard is ruled by home land security. a park ranger in California pulled him over for pulling his boat out the launch because he was holding up the ramp. he wasn't planning on driving home his sober driver was too drive it home. and the vehicle and boat wasn't even his it was his friends who was ahead of him at the ramp after a day of boating together. a hundred yard dive off the ramp too the lot out of the way of traffic ended this man's job as a coast guard.
"A ranger never relinquishes his weapon. If George S. mother fucking Patton rises from his holy grave, and asks you for your weapon, you will not surrender your weapon." 😂
Kevin, thanks for the great stories (keep them coming). You seem to be a great father and husband, let alone a great American. Thanks a million. God bless!
I’ve heard you talk before about different special operations “pipelines”, for example how some dudes joined the Ranger Regiment and then tried out for OD-Delta. If you could do it again, would you follow the same path and do the Q course, or would you take a different path in special operations? Great podcast!
Well i met a few irish on my life most of them from military and you are the first one i really like. Such a shame you dont drink. Keep going very down to earth channel. I am pretty shore we will met some day. Regards from europe.
Ran through the 6 episodes in the past two days. Really enjoying this content. Would b interesting to see how a guest may play into the show in the future, but I don't think it will be necessary. Awesome insight into a world that is so foreign to me yet very interesting
I never understood the guard. I was active duty, we trained for months to go to Iraq. We still weren't ready, how those dudes get anything done one weekend a month baffles me.
Yea the NG guys is such a pain in the ass. Honestly they just should use the NG guys to augment. Attach 2 or 3 or them to a team and then go back. Every time we had a NG sf group come in it was a disaster.
