Fast Co.

[RuffNight2007]

Hey guys, I'm new here.

I have a question... Is the selection for security forces FAST Co. really a lucky draw? I mean, they have to look at something, like your PST scores?

I searched the forums and got info about FAST Co., but not so much about the selection screening.

[sabbs88]

yea im not sure, but i read somewhere its pretty much luck and random. i read that someone with a 2nd class pft got it instead of a 1st class pft. i dont remember where i read it, but thats my info.

[bigdog43701]

alright...here we go again. FIRST become Marines and after serving in the FMF for a couple of years THEN AND ONLY THEN decide if you want FAST Co. or Recon or anything like that. you poolees are putting the apple cart in front of the apple.

[RuffNight2007]

With all due respect, bigdog, that makes no sense to me. You are telling us to become Marines before we pick our MOS, since it is required to be SF to be a part of FAST.
I understood when you said Recon since its your free will to tryout, however, FAST is picked randomly.

I'm just simply doing my homework and research like a smart future Marine would do.

Fill me in... I'm just a poolee that doesn't know anything.

Thanks.

[bigdog43701]

ruff,

go to SpecWarNet-USMC FAST. most of your questions are answered there. what i was getting to earlier is almost ALL Special Operations (FAST, RECON and FORCE RECON require you to complete SOI (School of Infantry) so that tells me that you have to be a GRUNT (03XX) or Combat related MOS. my recommendation STILL stands. pick an 03XX mos, become a Marine and after a couple of years volenteer for your choice. myself i totally enjoyed my time in RECON. i have never been in that kind of shape since.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Sign up for the security forces MOS and be a top shelf Marine. Other than that, not much you can do.

[RuffNight2007]

Okay thanks for the reply's guys.

Aah, I understand now. So basically, any MOS can volunteer for RECON... but if they aren't a 03xx then they will have to go to SOI. I misread your post, sorry!

[Marine84]

i have never been in that kind of shape since.

HAHAHAHA bigdog! Me either (even though I wasn't Recon).

I see where you're coming from though - it's great that these kids have a goal but they're failing to realize that they have, at least, a year's worth of training to get through BEFORE they can even TRY to get into one of those MOS's. A LOT can happen in your first year - take your time ya'll.

[bigdog43701]

ahhh to be young and dumb again. in recon lowest PFT score i ever got was 315

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

If you are accepted to recon without being an 03 Marine you don't go to SOI. At least you didn't last time I checked. You went to learn to be a reconman. If you happen to have been a radioman or something before, then you just missed out on the entry level infantry training.

[cplbrooks]

OK, here is the scoop on FAST Co.

I was security forces too only i was selected for the Presidential Support program known as Yankee White.

You can either be selected for it near the end of security forces school or you can also request it. They asked us if we wanted to go to FAST co. I didnt have the option due to already being selected for YW. The FAST Co. guys came to the school and were asking for volunteers.

If you want FAST co. you must enlist under the security forces option. You will then go to boot camp for three months, SOI for two months, security forces for two months and near the end of that be given your duty station. You can simply request FAST Co. from Security Forces school.

Do not just enlist under a regular 03xx or infantry option and "go to the FMF for a couple of years" or you will have 0 chance of going to fast Co.

You should talk to your recruiter or call one and tell them that you are interested in FAST co. They can help you out.

Remember, Security Forces is the option that you want in your contract. I hope that this helps.

[cplbrooks]

Recon is seriously hard. It is usually the swim qual or the rifle qual that disqualify even the most hard corps that try for it right out of the gate. They now allow guys to have the recon option in their contract when they enlist. To me this is foolish. All it says is that they can try out for recon once they are finished with boot camp. This is rediculous because anybody can try out for recon. Most dont seem to understand that when they fail (most) that they are just going to the grunts anyway.

For recon i have to agree that whoever wants it should just go to the grunts in the FMF for a few years and then try out for it. It is not easy and after a few years most will know if they have what it takes to make it.

Beyond being tough as hell you have to be an excellent swimmer and an expert rifle score as well as a very high PFT score. One of these three things usually disqualify most people. Of the people that it doesnt disqualify only a certain percentage of those are mentally tough enough to make it. My hats go off to the recon buba's.

[Integrity57]

What exactly is FAST Co. for those of us who aren't in the know?

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team

[RuffNight2007]

OK, here is the scoop on FAST Co.

I was security forces too only i was selected for the Presidential Support program known as Yankee White.

You can either be selected for it near the end of security forces school or you can also request it. They asked us if we wanted to go to FAST co. I didnt have the option due to already being selected for YW. The FAST Co. guys came to the school and were asking for volunteers.

If you want FAST co. you must enlist under the security forces option. You will then go to boot camp for three months, SOI for two months, security forces for two months and near the end of that be given your duty station. You can simply request FAST Co. from Security Forces school.

Do not just enlist under a regular 03xx or infantry option and "go to the FMF for a couple of years" or you will have 0 chance of going to fast Co.

You should talk to your recruiter or call one and tell them that you are interested in FAST co. They can help you out.

Remember, Security Forces is the option that you want in your contract. I hope that this helps.

Hmm... I didn't think someone would be able to request it, nice.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

You can request anything. Doesn't mean you'll get it. But, FAST doesn't get the publicity of other units out there, so there will be fewer people trying to get it, which increases your chances. Be a good Marine, work hard, and ask. There is nothing else you can do.

[jpmarvin]

All right guys....here is how it goes. I was a member of FAST Co. for all four years of my enlistment. I know that it is a two-year duty station, but I got lucky and was there for all four.

Some of what has been said is correct and other stuff is wrong. You do have to be qualified and have selected Security Forces before you enlist. After you go through SOI you will go to Security forces school in Chesapeake Va. While you are there you will be given the opportunity to make a wish list of the places you would like to go to. You will not always get the choices you want, but they try. Generally, most people who want to go to FAST get to go.

You don't need a certain PFT score to get in, but you better be in good shape. We definitely had our "nasties" so you don't want to be one of them.

As ruff said, if you go to the FMF and then try to get to FAST you have very slim chances. In the 4 years I was there I think a total of 10 Fleet Marines came into FAST. Hope this helps.

[Accord]

Our unit just picked up two Corporals who finished their two year committments with FAST Co. and they're treated like any other boot private or PFC in the unit, no one in our unit, especially the guys who have done two or three plus pumps give them no respect and they're viewed by the other NCO's as fleet dodgers.

Contrary to what was said in the first couple posts in this thread, FAST is not "special operations" and FAST is in no way, shape, or form comparable to Recon or anything else of that nature. Ask someone from FAST what they were doing in Iraq and you will be sorely disappointed.