CAG will take anyone?

[ABNAK]

I think Pannone was a Marine first, CAG has allowed all branches to try out for a while. They also do recruiting briefs and events every so often that aren't too hard to find. Of the SMUs, they're the easiest to get in contact with and start the process IME. The path used to be heavily Ranger to SF to CAG but I've understood it to have generally trended to Ranger to CAG and cutting out the SF now.

IIRC a few years back Rangers made up 75% of CAG's personnel (operators, not support people).

A good friend of mine is a retired 5th Group SF SGM. He said the reason the Rangers are so highly represented is that they are generally younger and CAG felt they can mold them to their model much more so than SF folks.

[C-grunt]

My brother in law has a friend from his old unit at Bragg that went through selection and now is part of CAG. He was a comms guy. Squared away comms guy though.

[ABNAK]

In theory, if a "spoon" (i.e. cook) could make it through all the selection and training he could be a CAG operator. Not sure if that has been accomplished before though. Last I heard CAG's failure rate is > 80%, might be even higher than that. Considering that the vast majority of candidates come from SF or Ranger backgrounds that is saying a mouthful. There is a reason they are considered "tip of the spear".

[chuckman]

In theory, if a "spoon" (i.e. cook) could make it through all the selection and training he could be a CAG operator. Not sure if that has been accomplished before though. Last I heard CAG's failure rate is > 80%, might be even higher than that. Considering that the vast majority of candidates come from SF or Ranger backgrounds that is saying a mouthful. There is a reason they are considered "tip of the spear".

Yes, an army cook has made it through selection and the course.

They can successfully train the people who pass selection.

[BoringGuy45]

IIRC a few years back Rangers made up 75% of CAG's personnel (operators, not support people).

A good friend of mine is a retired 5th Group SF SGM. He said the reason the Rangers are so highly represented is that they are generally younger and CAG felt they can mold them to their model much more so than SF folks.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that age is the reason, considering that the 18X program probably brought down the average age of SF soldiers. I would have thought that because the Rangers focus on direct action, have been doing more small unit missions than in the past, and spend more time on CQB, it's a bit more of a lateral move to Delta than SF. From what I've heard, most SF guys who go to a JSOC unit will go to ISA, as that unit requires skills more in line with SF.

[chuckman]

I'm kind of surprised to hear that age is the reason, considering that the 18X program probably brought down the average age of SF soldiers. I would have thought that because the Rangers focus on direct action, have been doing more small unit missions than in the past, and spend more time on CQB, it's a bit more of a lateral move to Delta than SF. From what I've heard, most SF guys who go to a JSOC unit will go to ISA, as that unit requires skills more in line with SF.

Had a friend in the Navy who went to ISA. He was a crypto guy and fluent in a couple different languages, at work one day, gone the next. He dropped off the face of the earth for a few years but we reconnected. He cannot talk about his time or selection process or training course, so I never asked.

[SteyrAUG]

I know a sample of one guy who served in three branches...Navy, Army and Marines before he went Delta.

He was a Navy diver but not a seal. He did SF, Ranger and airborne in the Army but was an 11B not an 18.

I think he was Marine Recon when he got the invite.

[CRAMBONE]

Anyone means = any branch. Obviously becoming a member is a very different matter and while they're not as open with their numbers, my understanding is the drop out rate during selection for the small % they even take, likely as high has BUD's, in the 80% range. Some have said higher, but I don't know accuracy of the claim.

It’s higher. And as far as I know the other services have a set number of slots.

[sidewaysil80]

One of the CAG/Delta operators who responded to Benghazi was a Marine.
https://www.raiderproject.org/blogs/...ex-in-benghazi

[ABNAK]

I'm kind of surprised to hear that age is the reason, considering that the 18X program probably brought down the average age of SF soldiers. I would have thought that because the Rangers focus on direct action, have been doing more small unit missions than in the past, and spend more time on CQB, it's a bit more of a lateral move to Delta than SF. From what I've heard, most SF guys who go to a JSOC unit will go to ISA, as that unit requires skills more in line with SF.

When I say "younger" I don't mean 19 or 20, instead speaking in the sense of a point in their military career. From what I've been told the preference would not be a senior NCO like E-7 or E-8. An E-6 or even senior E-5 is not too far gone (if you will) into the mindset of whatever unit they currently belong to, like SF for instance. I'm sure some senior-ranking guys have done it but this is what I have been told is preferable.