Hey I joined with a GED!
Oh, that's right, they made me Infantry when I was in the Marines.....Hmmm, perhaps a little cause and effect there?
It isn't for everyone but with the right attitude it can be a great learning and even maturing experience. (But not all will mature )

Hey I joined with a GED!

I wasn't aware, and I didn't mean to disparage those who do. Many of them want to make the best of themselves, and overcome the stigma (and the outright discrimination, as well. If they aren't allowed in certain fields, that's discrimination, it's just based on an arbitrary measure of "intelligence," a measure in this case which is completely bogus).

It's just not the easier way, in this case.

Maybe they're trying to talk Tears' brother into the "Basic as Senior Trip" method, with the AIT and other service after graduation?

Hmmm, good to know, SSG Geezer, last I knew you had to be at least an E4 to volunteer. Things change I guess... I also remember when you had to be an E5 AND Airborne qualified before the SF recruiters woud even talk to you.

Airborne qualified before the SF recruiters woud even talk to you.

I think you're right. Sometime ago being Airborne qualified was a min standard for both SF and Seal school consideration. Mark my word, times be a changing fast in favor of expanding SOG teams. Watch the general army shrink into more support operations. I just hope agencies operating offshore add more highly trained bops non-military ground leaders.

Watch the general army shrink into more support operations.

See also "Separate Brigade Combat Teams." Bye, bye, Divisional deployments.

I find it difficult (but not impossible) to believe that a recruiter would tell your brother "that it doesn't matter what my parents think, my brother can do what he wants, and that he should gain my dad's signature at any cost" in front of his mother. It doesn't matter what she thinks?

Actually, my mom supports my brother. She doesn't mind him joining, (I think she just wants him out of the house) it's mainly my dad that is the huge roadblock for my brother joining while he's 17.

Hmmm, good to know, SSG Geezer, last I knew you had to be at least an E4 to volunteer. Things change I guess... I also remember when you had to be an E5 AND Airborne qualified before the SF recruiters woud even talk to you.

Wow, that's like another language there...

They need SF because of the money corporations like Blackwater are offering to highly qualified SF guys, 200K plus for doing executive protection and things like that in the war zone. Hard for the Army to compete with that.

SSG... I don't believe the expansion of SF teams relates to organizations like Blackwater. The reason demand for Blackwater and others like them grows is they provide cost effective added value and more importantly a wide range of sophisticated skills that exceed the average SF team members. Par-military organizations are often made up of x-Airborne & SF guys that later signed up for the Seals or left for CIA, FBI, DEA and SS training, gaining a folder of skills making them highly valued as ground assets, worth considerably higher comp pkgs and true professionals.

It's true SF teams are highly skilled low level ground specific, but 99% lack the added skills needed for protection of dignitary's in highly volatile states and or combat zones.