I hope this is the right place to put this.

The Special Forces Ass'n (SFA) confirmed in response to an inquiry from the Congressional Quarterly that once elected I will indeed be the first Green Beret to serve in Congress.

I can use all the financial support possible. My pledge to SF personnel and vets in general in return - I've got your back 24/7 down in the snakepit of D.C., and the coffee will always be available for any vet stopping by my office.

The running password will be "TROJAN HORSE."

Jim Steiner
http://www.joinjim2008.com/

From another posting:

Yes, I am fully SF tab qualified. In 1982, since I am now an old guy, when I completed the Q course the tab was not yet out (someone posted the effective date, which is 1983).

Someone else correctly notes you had a choice of the SF tab or the Ranger tab at that time, not both. Like most SF personnel, I probably wore my greens 1-2 times a year, tops. This is the only picture in my greens. I do not have a photo once both tabs were authorized for wear (hell I don't even remember when that occurred, after 1987 or so?).

I branch transferred from Infantry (hence, EIB award) into MI at the time I volunteered for SF - courtesy of the guidance of one of my First Sergeants, then SFC Johnny Holman (5th SFGA - VN) in C Co, 2/1 Inf. at Lewis where I had both a rifle platoon and then a weapons platoon, and SFC Serafin Meno (also 5th SFG-VN), the First Sergeant for B Co, 2/1, next door to me.

As a side note, COL Pete Dillon, recent Cdr, 7th SFGA, had one of the other rifle platoons in the same C Co, 2/1 Inf with me. We were together as 2LTs-1LT. Long time ago.

My first platoon sergeant at Ft. Lewis, and who later served with me at 2/10th as well, was then SSG, and later CSM (ret.) Mike McIntyre, CSM of 5th SFGA during 2001, and through 9/11.

A current reference is BG Al Aycock, now in Korea. Al and I were roommates at West Point. My claim to fame is that I beat him into SF by a year. He stayed longer.

The two first sergeants cornered me and recommended from their observations I volunteer for SF. I respected them, and I volunteered. The rest is history. As soon as SF became its own branch, I joined all the Infantry guys, signed a DF and put crossed arrows on my uniform...again, no photos except the ugly official photo.

Also, in the early 80s, when this photo was taken, the candy stripe still existed for "assigned but non-qualified" personnel. Wearing the full flash, at that time, meant you were fully qualified, so that was another reason not to tear off the Ranger tab...the flash said it.

And yes, as someone else noted, that is not a 7th SFGA oval for the wings, but the official 10th SFGA oval, red border with green center (which I understand now has changed to all green).

Jim Steiner
I think it's about time one of these former warriors made a splash in DC, if that's even possible anymore.