Farmboy
 

In your bio here you say you served in the Army from 66 to 70 and your a combat vet that served in the SF. Friend of mine that did 4 tours in Vietnam , with SF , says that in order to serve with SF in Vietnam from 66 to 70 you had to be an E-5 and on your second enlistment. I believe him. How did you get in SF on one enlistment ?

DMZ_LT,

I guess the Green Beret with Badge as Farmboys Avatar is actually the Green Beret, Beret?

I have worked extensively with American EOD Techs, one in particular became a great friend of mine, he was a Naval Clearance Diver, I believe seconded to the SEALS, not entirely sure of that but he mentioned something along those lines. He did 2 Tours of Vietnam as a very young Naval Rating, I think his second tour may well have been an EOD tour but he would certainly know the ins and outs of who was able to do what and when back then... but then I expect there are many Vietnam Vets right here in the Patriot Files?!

Our SF is a bit different to your own, we only really have two groups we class as Special Forces, the SAS & the SBS (SAS recruits from the Army and SBS the Navy, although primarily Royal Marines) who carry out the same initial selection before going their separate ways for onward training. Both are filled with members who have first volunteered or been recommended to go for Selection, usually the pass rate of selection leading to a recruit being 'Badged' SAS or SBS is only around 4% of the volunteers, considering all volunteers consider themselves way above average fitness and military level than their counterparts then the mind boggles as to the tiny pass rate...

We now also have what is called the Special Forces Support Group, comprising elements of shock troops suc as the Paras and other specialist units but they are NOT SF...

Dmz-lt
 

I recall when I was at Benning in the early 60s, you had to be on your second enlistment to apply for Special Forces Training. Reason why I know that is because many recruits after finishing jump school attempted to apply for SF and was all told the same answer....and that's "you have to be on your second hitch to apply."
Spoke to many jump school recruits at the beer hall while sucking-up on that 3.2.
I was a grease monkey assigned to the 95th evac hosp

Your friend is mistaken. Or full of crap.
Seals are Navy guys.
"US Army Special Forces" is the only group with the that actual name.
All the new high speed guys come under the SOCOM umbrella. People call them SF, but that is incorrect.
I graduated SFTG in 1967 as a PFC. I was one of the early "SF Babies."
I was selected for SF training while in Airborne Infantry AIT at Ft Gordon.
They picked 3 of us out of 2 companies.
I was also fortunate to be selected Distinguished Honor Graduate 45th Company at jump school.
All pretty routine after that.
My SFA # is D5216.
You guys are jumping to some serious conclusions with zero points of personal reference.
I'll expect some updates.

Now go out and play sweetheart. Maybe your buddy will show you the secret handshake.

Sounds very similar to our SF Farmboy, we usually have to be recommended by our Seniors or noticed by serving SF members on Ops etc. but of course there is the numbers of volunteers who decide themselves they are fit and ready enough, nowadays there is even a Pre-Selection course for volunteers not in Infantry Units to get up to speed on their soldiering skills prior to going on a 3 day pre-pre selection and then onto main selection itself. It isn't uncommon for people to try again 1 or 2 times if they fail the first time.

I have looked over your profile and it states that you held an MOS of 11B4S, is that correct? By your post above you went thru SFQ and graduated as a PFC. So you were promoted from E-3 to E-7 in just 3 years?

Do you by chance happen to live in the Houston area?

Trav

I made E6 in just over three years. Where do you get 7?
At that time I think an E5 used the 4 designator.
There was a shake and bake school in the regular army where you could make E6 in 6 months.
You could extend an enlistment up to 11 months back then without taking a burst. A lot of us did that to extend tours in RVN.
I think E7 required several more years.

I am North of the Mason Dixon line.

I am on a number of related forums-never ran into so many semi educated sharpshooters.

In the early days of SF there was the E5 and prior requirements-with exceptions.
That all got dropped during the VN era.
Most of the older guys were serious career combat soldiers with WW2 and Korea service.
There were a lot of Eastern Europeans who hated commies. They were recruited under the "Lodge act." There were some luftwaffe and whermacht vets.
There was a lot of resentment of us "babies."

Many of us "babies" went on to do pretty good.
Several MOHs were awarded and we bled as red as any of them.
Majority or half of SOG guys were from us "babies."
I take a lot of pride in my service I was blessed to walk among such people.

I want to hear more about the 4-tour expert and his bona fides.

Don't mistake vetting your claims for being semi-educated farmboy. As you know from the other sites you are on plenty of wanna-bes browse the internet, most with stories very similar to yours.

I can assure you no one is attacking you but questions have to be asked. This site is made up of veterans for the most part, and combat veterans at that so the drill should come as no surprise to you.

This character "farmboy" tries to twist things around by claiming anyone who questions his "allege" Special Forces background is stupid and uneducated.
His attitude is "hey, look everybody..... I was a Green Beret, and if you don't believe me, than "up yours"

Farmboy,...
 

...

...I can vouch for the 4 tour guy as many here can having met him up close, and personal on more the several occasions,...

... being the fast track you are, cool, I'm sure you both would have a lot to talk about,...

...But, don't come here lip slapping friends as we've been together a lot longer, and if you've been around "other forums" you'll understand,...

...So it's either 'welcome aboard', or 'get bent', your choice,...

...

Farmboy
 

The 4 tour guy is a bonified SF Officer. He was treated in Vietnam by one of the members of this site [1CACCCO15MED] after a SOG mission with his Khemer RT.
Now for some questions: Where were you in Vietnam? What was your job? A team, B team, B52,B53? White Star, SOG, Mikeforce, etc. What was your jump status, Master, Rigger, Halo? Where did you go to jump school? Ranger?

farmboy :

Our good friend Sid, whom many of us have known for about 10 years or more, and many of us have met in person and stayed in his home, is a Special Forces officer with 4 tours in Vietnam. There is no doubt about that whatsoever. He is banned from this site, along with some others, for reasons I will not go into here. He is at the alternate Patriotfiles site, where you may prove your "bona fides". He does not believe you. Here is the link :

http://patriotfiles.freeforums.org/index.php

His user ID there is pho127, as he was an FO for the 25th Divison Wolfhounds in 1971.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm??
 

Looks like you got your "wish" there farmboy, huh?

I've known Sid personally more than ten years now and can assure you that he IS the "real deaL! His "bona fides" are authentic and without question.

Until you choose to offer up more "evidence" than you have (ie; Steve Splummers questions), you will be unable to prove to us that our friend Sid is incorrect in his analysis of your supposed "service".

If I'm wrong, I'd offer my sincere apologies can you prove otherwise.

But, until you "prove" our longtime brother Sid wrong-----then you'll be the one whose "bona fides" are questionable, at best.

Sincerely,

One more thing-----------
 

One thing is for CERTAIN---------You stated that you were "selected for SF training while in Airborne Infantry AIT at Ft Gordon"----?

Either you're a bald faced liar----Or, you don't have a freakin clue about WHERE you supposed were trained for "Airborne".

I was assigned to the Army Hospital at Ft. Gordon from late 1967 thru May of 1969 while recovering from several gun shot wounds I received in Nam. I was there for nearly 18 months and saw just about every inch of Ft. Gordon while I was there.

There was NO SUCH THING as an " Airborne Infantry AIT at Ft Gordon" while I was there, and I have yet to find ANYONE who has been trained in "Airborne Infantry AIT" while at Ft. Gordon.

So then, who are you trying to B-ll$hit about this, huh?

There WAS an "AIT" Infantry training center there during that time, but it had nothing to do with being "Airborne"!

Like I said-------you got lots to 'explain' to us before you can honestly expect any of us to believe you're "authentic" as our Brother Sid!

Something Else
 

During the 60s, the only jump school I knew of was at Ft Benning. I've done a google search and cannot find anything that claims there was "ever" any jump school at Ft Gordon. It's been known for many, many years for it's signal corp training. There was mention of a couple military intelligence companies on base, and basic training from time to time, but no jump school.

In simple lamon terminology, this character "farmboy" is about as phony as a three dollar bill.

"farmboy"
 

After reading through this thread, the idea dawned on me that maybe this is little ronnie just trying to reincarnate himself. Personally, I think little ronnie is more in need of some serious counseling and maybe even more serious medication.

Enquiring minds want to,...
 

...

...Ran a google on the #, and a thread came up from military photos.net, and it was bya handle "FERGUSON", 140 posts, n pic's, bio comes up "just a farmboyin the midwest', so I'll pass it along, and see what happens,...

...says he was with the 6Th group there though,????,...

...

This has gone from silly to stupid.

Try this link and read through.http://benefits.military.com/misc/in...nt.jsp?id=1165

Here is a snip from that
"During the Vietnam war, infantry, military police, and signal soldiers trained at Fort Gordon. While Signal Corps training continued to expand throughout the 1960s,"

There was an area called Camp Crockett, I believe, where we did most of our training.
My Training Unit was B 8 3 we were across the street from the POW huts-behind us were the 2 C119s on static display.
We were the guys who were required to wear steel pots with camo covers all the time.
It was for anybody who had enlisted airborne infantry.
They ran it like jump school, PT, pushups, running, and screaming "Airborne" at every move.
It made jump school a snap,
If you were there in March '67, you must recall them spreading manure all over the Ft to try and get grass to grow.

Jump school was at Ft Benning. I was at 45th company. Class 32.
The 82 had a small one going at Ft Bragg and SF was running one in VN at Dong Ba Thienh for indiginous folks and selected US guys.

I am vetted at a number of veteran's boards. Never been thru this silliness, though.
Some of you guys have made definitive statements that are just plain wrong-like no Inf AIT at Ft Gordon.

After SFTG and time in 6th group, I did two tours in an A Camp on the border in 3 corps.

Like I stated before my SFA # is D5216. Your 4 tour guy should know what that means.
I would invite him to apply for membership at The Teamhouse.

Again, I invite you to talk to Sid Herndon at http://patriotfiles.freeforums.org/

If you are who you say you are, you both will have a lot in common.

All the best,

Larry

Farmboy, why don't you take mortardude's invitation? http://patriotfiles.freeforums.org

Camp Crockett was on the northwestern edge of the Ft Gordon complex near Leitner Pond just off Gibson Road.

Camp Crockett was the 7th Battalion training area.

B-8-3 was 8th Battalion and was on main post, about 10 miles from Camp Crockett.

Hmmmmmmmmm?
 

Farmboy
 

All,
<O:p
I'm new here and chances are none of you know me. I just want to jump in and say that Farmboy is who he says he is. I have heard from many people who knew him from SF both stateside, and in country.<O:p
<O:p
During the time he was in, the 2 in the MOS meant E4 and 4 was E5. I too was recruited in AIT by SF. In March or April it was announced to us that the age for SF had been dropped from 19 to 18 1/2 and if any of us wanted to take the tests to see if we were qualified to start SF training, as long as we were RA and would be 18 1/2 by July of 68. <O:p
<O:p
They gave the tests after training hours and if my memory serves me correctly the tests took most of the night. Not everyone who took the test passed. When I got to Training Group I was 18 1/2 and a PFC. Most of the guys in training group were in the same boat. I knew guys that were recruited from Basic. I guess Sam was hard up for SF at that time. Actually during that time it seemed that most of the youngsters in the Army were drafted and only doing 2 years. Very few were enlisting. If you remember Viet Nam was not a popular war and patriotism was almost none existent in this country. <O:p
<O:p
I know for sure that at least from 1968 to 1970 one could go to SF right after finishing Basic, AIT and Jump School as long they were 18 1/2 years old, had at least 2 years to go until their ETS and passed the qualification test. Being qualified to go to SFTG didn't mean you were going to graduate. You still had 6 months to a year of training to go through, giving you plenty of opportunity to fail or quit.<O:p
<O:p
There is a difference between being in a SF unit and being SF qualified. Some old SFers get very touchy when someone claims to be a "Green Beret" who actually isn't. Just as some of you would get pretty pissed if I claimed to have a CIB when I never left US soil.<O:p
<O:p
I think this conflict between Farmboy and some of you is just a matter of semantics. I remember in some Infantry AIT units they were referred to Airborne Infantry Training. This, I think, was used to pump the guys up in order to produce stronger, more gung ho soldiers. The actual airborne training didn't come until they got to Jump School at Benning.
<O:p
<O:p</O:p
To me any man or woman who serves this country is a hero. No one has to inflate their image to impress me. Remember the military isn't the highest paying or easiest job out there. It takes a rare breed to join and an even rarer breed to make it a career.<O:p
<O:p
For those of you who served in Viet Nam, whether you were drafted or enlisted, I want to say, Welcome Home and thank you for your service. The people of this country can't do enough for you to make up for what you went through there and when you returned home. Anything they do will be to little to late.

I can vouch for "both" of these brave soldiers. I was an instructor at SF training school and remember both these young soldiers since I was only 14 years old myself at the time. I was young but a great shot so they got me out of high school to teach marksmanship to the SF. They both hit the bullseye often.

Well jlcoad....or whoever you are. Give us some details about your military service so we can prove you wrong.....

Well, I will give "farmboy" credit for being man enough to talk to Sid on the other site.

Wasn't that just after you recieved your 3rd MOH?:D

Don't know whether to take offense or to laugh. Laughing is easier and I can't blame you for not believing me as there are far to many posers out there.

If you know of any one who lives near Boston, MA, I can meet and show him my DD-214 and a bunch of other documents untouched by PhotoShop.

If not, it doesn't really matter. We all know where we've been and what we've done.

Ask me anything. If you read my bio you will see that I spent most of my time picking up up pine cones at FT Bragg.

Well jlcoad
 

What my brother Gimp said. Welcome here

Not a problem. I have a tendency to not believe most people’s claims. It is amazing how many Viet Nam era posers there are. During that time I knew many vets who denied being involved. Now days its “cool” to be a vet so all the wannabes are claiming all kinds of stuff.
It’s very hard to believe someone when they are telling you things that are contrary to what you believe to be fact. Not too long ago is someone had told me they were SF and that their MOS started with 18, I would of cried BS. The military is always changing. Not always for the better
I don’t really care if I am believed or not. If someone really gets serious about not believing me they can always press charges against me under the Stolen Valor Act. Let the courts prove that I am what I am.
As far as Farmboy is concerned, I did a lot of checking and he is actually more than he claims to be. He is very well respected in the SF community.
Thank you for the welcome.

Well let me join the fray here. I know both Farmboy and Jlcoad and can say they are both Special Forces. I do not know Herndon, but after reading his bio, I suspect his SF qualification. I think many here are jumping to conclusions with old information.

SJ - why not tell it as it is. You guys don't need to battle amongest yourselves - words speak for themselves and - your wisdom is know by those who know. whoo-ra

Randy
 

to be fair
 

Gents,
Before this turns into a wildfire, Sid does not claim to be SF qualified.

The below is from his bio.

"Shortly after Basic/AIT/Airborne I was in Na Trang, April 1966, wondering
what happened to OCS. Some guy was asking if any of us were farm kids and
did we hunt as kids. I told them the story of my brother and I and I was in
training to be some sort of Recon person working with some small teams of
Vietnamese called roadrunners. I was in the Green Berets but I was
unflashed, Not SF qualified but assigned. Until August of 1966 when I
received orders to report to Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill Oklahoma
OCS class 7-67."

Gimby

I did not question his service or his Vietnam experience, I am sure they are valid and honorable. I said I suspect his SF qualification and nature of assignments, which I am sure you can not verify. I have read his bio and what he has said in other traffic in a SF forum. His name does not appear in Steve Sherman's works on SF in Vietnam. That is telling for a man with as many SF assignments. Nor does it appear on B52 (Delta) rosters, to which he said he was assigned. If he cares to be more detailed in his SF qualifications, then I will say that I was wrong.

Least you could do was spell my name correctly? Or, was that intentional?

It was not intentional, just a typing error on my part.

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