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Recursion

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22. Rangers are not special forces. Neither is Marine Recon

Mon Jun 10, 2013, 10:21 AM

Jun 2013

Though both programs are often considered feeding programs into special operations.

Some units are designated as special operations forces or special operations capable, and a subset of those are placed under Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Casually, people might say someone who had received the special operations selection and indoc are "special forces", and many of those are Rangers, so I certainly wouldn't call the Ranger a liar; I just mean my skepticism goes up a level when I hear "special forces" rather than "special operations".

Note also that not all personnel assigned to SOF/SOC units or SOCOM have received special operations training. They have cooks and admin clerks, too. This was the Jesse Ventura thing. Was he a SEAL? He never went to BUDS or SRT or SERE, but he was assigned to a SEAL unit as I think a boat pilot.

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Snowden couldn't have dropped out of Special Forces School [View all] jmowreader Jun 2013 OP

i thought he did get a GED later JI7 Jun 2013 #1

SWCS specifically says "high school diploma" jmowreader Jun 2013 #7

Mr. SnowDem? Eddie Haskell Jun 2013 #70

Which word did he miss in his primary school spelling bee? Does he have any speeding tickets? Ed Suspicious Jun 2013 #9

He also failed some basic IT certifications.. HipChick Jun 2013 #2

When I saw how thin his presence on the net is Warpy Jun 2013 #3

All this inquiry into his background means nothing BainsBane Jun 2013 #4

Of course the information is true.... jaysunb Jun 2013 #5

Well if it's old news, you better tell the President. He stated clearly that it was a 'leak'. Is he sabrina 1 Jun 2013 #8

The slides were classified, so passing them to the newspapers was illegal pnwmom Jun 2013 #14

If his background is false, on what do we judge the accuracy of his information? n/t Agnosticsherbet Jun 2013 #77

on the documents themselves BainsBane Jun 2013 #120

There is nothing smelly about Snowden's story, just those who wish him to disappear me b zola Jun 2013 #6

Seems he already disappeared Life Long Dem Jun 2013 #10

Disappeared? former9thward Jun 2013 #37

Doesn't have the education ... just the connections. Eddie Haskell Jun 2013 #47

head in the sand much? krawhitham Jun 2013 #63

I would ask you the same question n/t me b zola Jun 2013 #98

Well, good luck with dragging him down here. He's been anointed by Sir Julian. His shit don't smell. freshwest Jun 2013 #11

^^^this^^^ LeftInTX Jun 2013 #12

A lot of the things about Snowden's story just seem really fishy to me jmowreader Jun 2013 #13

Add to that this post with more weird info: dixiegrrrrl Jun 2013 #15

He's full of shit n/t Aerows Jun 2013 #19

That promotion at Ft. Meade really got me. And what's the source for all this? Recursion Jun 2013 #23

Your on to something sikofit3 Jun 2013 #49

Yeah, the claim of diplomatic cover in Geneva also floored me Recursion Jun 2013 #56

jmowreader ... your CIA Career link says it has been moved. Raine1967 Jun 2013 #71

Scroll down the page. There are half a dozen working links with that and more. freshwest Jun 2013 #90

Go to cia.gov/careers jmowreader Jun 2013 #106

Thanks! Raine1967 Jun 2013 #112

Thanks for the CIA qualifications LeftInTX Jun 2013 #85

+1000 Bobbie Jo Jun 2013 #27

+ bigtree Jun 2013 #34

+million graham4anything Jun 2013 #44

^^^This^^^ one_voice Jun 2013 #45

yes, it's been a long pattern here. Exactly as you say. Whisp Jun 2013 #66

+1! DCBob Jun 2013 #59

I've noticed you BOG-types seem to be incapable of understanding Marr Jun 2013 #78

I think the point is that if thucythucy Jun 2013 #113

If the info he leaked was inaccurate, the WH would have denied it, instead of going after Marr Jun 2013 #115

Actually, I thought President Obama today thucythucy Jun 2013 #116

There's that word again-- "directly". Marr Jun 2013 #117

My word, not the President's. thucythucy Jun 2013 #119

There are waivers for everything Recursion Jun 2013 #16

It all sounds Aerows Jun 2013 #18

I've heard it called that since the '70's PDittie Jun 2013 #20

Rangers are not special forces. Neither is Marine Recon Recursion Jun 2013 #22

You and I might know that... Pelican Jun 2013 #25

And I was in the Corps, which is its own world anyways Recursion Jun 2013 #28

As a rule I agree... Pelican Jun 2013 #54

Those are funny and pretty cute faces.. thanks Pelican Cha Jun 2013 #121

Hmm. The army called it that: Luminous Animal Jun 2013 #26

Yeah, apparently that option dates back to 2002. I never heard of it in the early 2000s Recursion Jun 2013 #30

You should tell the army, because apparently they're confused Shrek Jun 2013 #52

That's a recruiting site Recursion Jun 2013 #53

I doubt they'd recruit for a non-existent unit Shrek Jun 2013 #72

I know SOF and SOC are real Recursion Jun 2013 #73

i think the post that said the terms are interchangeable to the general public got it right loli phabay Jun 2013 #81

Fair point Recursion Jun 2013 #83

dont think i would have felt comfortable in the day having someone just out of basic watching loli phabay Jun 2013 #86

For that matter, I think all officers should be mustangers Recursion Jun 2013 #87

i prefer the seperation of officers as a career path, met some great guys who moved up but too many loli phabay Jun 2013 #88

When did they change the name? Bandit Jun 2013 #60

Well, SOCOM was established in 1987 Recursion Jun 2013 #61

Special Forces is called Special Forces jmowreader Jun 2013 #107

The whole Aerows Jun 2013 #17

I understood it as PDittie Jun 2013 #21

It is a given that the PR against him starts swiftly. Lex Jun 2013 #24

The Army Reserve confirms that he was a Special Forces Recruit. Luminous Animal Jun 2013 #29

Wait, you can 18X into the reserves? WTF? Recursion Jun 2013 #31

English for the rest of us? Or some language that's easily translatable. randome Jun 2013 #38

Directly enlist into a special forces track, into the reserves Recursion Jun 2013 #43

direct entrance is crazy, a better system is ten years in and then a recommendation loli phabay Jun 2013 #82

Agreed Recursion Jun 2013 #84

The National Guard has two Special Forces groups jmowreader Jun 2013 #109

He didn't go into the Guard, he went into the Reserve (it says) Recursion Jun 2013 #110

He broke both legs in a special forces training accident. former9thward Jun 2013 #40

No, they said he didn't even finish basic or AIT Recursion Jun 2013 #57

Why hasn't the army denied it? former9thward Jun 2013 #93

It looks like in 2004 you could go 18X with a GED. jmowreader Jun 2013 #108

But he did, current info is not relevant nadinbrzezinski Jun 2013 #124

I thought this was bullshit from the get go madokie Jun 2013 #32

Yah, well, name-calling is pretty common in some circles. MineralMan Jun 2013 #35

The NSA is the most compartmentalized bureaucracy I know MineralMan Jun 2013 #33

Sounds like he served as much as Bush did in the national guard graham4anything Jun 2013 #36

He broke both legs in a special forces training accident. former9thward Jun 2013 #39

The OP says that story was not true. Did you read the OP? graham4anything Jun 2013 #41

USA Today says it is true. former9thward Jun 2013 #46

He did NOT break his legs in a Special Forces training accident. Brother Buzz Jun 2013 #58

And why did he get "no awards"? You get the NDSM after 72 hours. Recursion Jun 2013 #62

I wasn't notified I was 'awarded' a NDSM until I was issued a DD 214 Brother Buzz Jun 2013 #74

I got mine after boot camp Recursion Jun 2013 #75

I wasn't 'awarded' one, it was issued and.... Brother Buzz Jun 2013 #79

Medals and ribbons are both "awards" Recursion Jun 2013 #80

Why hasn't the army denied it. former9thward Jun 2013 #92

What has the Army not denied? Brother Buzz Jun 2013 #95

His story. former9thward Jun 2013 #96

Give them time. Geeze, we only 'met' Snowden over the weekend. randome Jun 2013 #99

Obama is the CIC and he hates this guy. former9thward Jun 2013 #101

Greenwald's story broached the 'Special Forces' stuff Brother Buzz Jun 2013 #103

There's several ways to get broken legs in Boot Camp. haele Jun 2013 #69

Does the Army rappel and fastrope in boot camp? Recursion Jun 2013 #76

I know the Navy did for both men and women taking the OC in the late 1970's. haele Jun 2013 #91

If his story is false why hasn't the base said so? former9thward Jun 2013 #42

That's right, no whistleblower or dissenter can act without an authoritarian smear campaign backscatter712 Jun 2013 #48

+1 darkangel218 Jun 2013 #51

out of curiosity Bodhi BloodWave Jun 2013 #122

So was he an RW plant malaise Jun 2013 #50

How dare you question Snowden The Great Cali_Democrat Jun 2013 #55

Snowden Snowjob flamingdem Jun 2013 #64

I predict he will enter the lofty mythological realms any moment now. If he hasn't already. freshwest Jun 2013 #94

It should be fun to see the reactions on DU when he shows up at a Rand Paul for PreZ rally Coyotl Jun 2013 #65

probaby be his running mate. DCBob Jun 2013 #68

with such a remarkable history of lying and deception and false claims.. DCBob Jun 2013 #67

This guy reminds me of... Half-Century Man Jun 2013 #89

I am beginning to think he's a decoy. Nothing adds up. nt DevonRex Jun 2013 #97

+1 Lady Freedom Returns Jun 2013 #104

I wondered about that. GoCubsGo Jun 2013 #100

If it isn't true, guess there's no "leak" then. DirkGently Jun 2013 #102

I'm compelled to think that I know as much as everyone else on this thread and others like it LanternWaste Jun 2013 #105

"Patience rather than passion." thucythucy Jun 2013 #114

The guy that whistle blew on the Bush Administration warrant-less wire-tapping, called bluestate10 Jun 2013 #111

You don't sound too convincing to me, based on that blather... MrMickeysMom Jun 2013 #118

Given the army told us he did nadinbrzezinski Jun 2013 #123