Posted on 05/08/2019 5:16:17 AM PDT by babble-on
UNDISCLOSED, Lebanon — The Army recruiter thought the well-dressed young man was lying. After all, the yarn this man spun, after walking into the recruiting office in Baltimore, sounded like pure nonsense. All kinds of honors at Swarthmore College. Top of his class at Columbia Medical School, and now into his fourth year of the elite, seven-year residency program at Johns Hopkins in neurosurgery. He claimed to speak both English and Korean fluently.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/a-warrior-class-of-their-own
Yeah, sure.
This young man wanted to be a Green Beret? An enlisted man in the U.S. Army? Bringing home a base pay of $32,000 a year? The recruiter was polite; they always are. But he insisted the recruit come back with his diplomas to prove he was who he said he was. When proof was provided, the recruiter tried to convince the aspiring brain surgeon to join the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a physician.
No dice. He had a different adventure in mind
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Fascinating
My youngest brother enlisted in the Marines after graduating from Syracuse with a degree in criminal justice. Didn’t go OCS, just wanted to serve.
He’s pretty much dominated the enlisted ranks over the past 8 years, earning several honors, advancing quickly, and getting a masters in cyber security on the side.
He’s about to go on terminal leave and begin a civilian career.
There are plenty of fine Americans carrying on the military tradition.
“Most people walking through an international airport, especially in a Third World country, can pick out SF guys by their look, their stride, the self-confidence in their ability to take care of themselves. For lack of a better word, SF men have a machismo, a forcefulness, and now I have that, too.”
I was working with a client out in the woods. One of his guys was with him, complaining about how hot and thick the brush was. “Like God damn Vietnam - huh Bob!?”
I said “Oh - you guys were in Vietnam?”
“Yeah. I was just a grunt, but Bob here was Special Forces - the real deal!”
I said something like “Oh - like living with the locals up in the mountains?”
Bob said “Yeah -but that was a long time ago.”
“Bob” is one of the meekest, mild-mannered people I know. VERY smart in his field, loves art, well spoken, etc. The last time I was out in the field with him (7 years ago?) he could still get though the woods easier than I could, being 15 years his junior.
That’s my experience with those I have known as well.
They’re often basically introverts with extremely high degrees of competence in pretty much anything they set themselves to do.
Interesting story.
My ex-husband has a BIL who is a retired Green Beret. You would never in a hundred years pick him out of a crowd. Calm, level, mild-mannered, not physically imposing at all. The funny thing was, when my sons were little and spent a lot of time around him, they sort of innately knew that you don’t mess with him. If he said do something, they did it.
In over 30 years of knowing him, he never once ever talked about his work, what he’d done or where he’d been. When he and my ex-SIL first married in the early ‘70’s, he went to Southeast Asia. He was officially “in Thailand.” When my ex told me that, several years later, I laughed. He asked what was so funny. I said, duh, he’s a Green Beret. Wherever he was and whatever he was doing, it wasn’t sitting behind a desk in Thailand.
I have encountered a few people along the way who have bragged about being in some sort of “special forces.” I automatically assume that they’re lying. While the real Special Forces guy might tell you he’s a cook or a file clerk, the guy telling you he’s Special Forces probably really IS a cook or a file clerk!
Have a friend who has a son in the elite of elite force. and have met him and his friends. all of them unassuming looing, sort of fireplug built middle aged men, who dont talk much about their lives.
Very nice people you would probably expect to see in customer service at construction store.
Until you really look at them, and realize that they are really all muscle. and until you listen to them, and realize that they weigh every word.
The Quiet Professionals
it’s really true. I have met a lot of these guys through some non-profit work and they are not outwardly trying to be intimidating. They’re not covered with tattoos or jewelry. They don’t have to SEEM intimidating. They have TRUE self-confidence and the true humility of people serving their country and their fellow citizens. Absolute heroes in every sense.
Friends have a SEAL son, certified to be sniper and open-air surgeon, along with all the other skills.
He got a Medal of Valor for heroically saving his team in a mad firefight in Afghan. Didn’t tell his parents. They heard about it through the vine.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.