Jake Barber’s military background is being misleadingly exaggerated
For context - I am an Army veteran of two combat deployments to Afghanistan. I never served in special forces myself, but ran into them plenty and had peers that did go through the process. It’s that background that makes me feel pretty confident that Jake Barber’s background is being significantly exaggerated - to such an extent that it’s hard to believe it’s not intentional.
NewsNation really played up Barber’s background, with many references to “Tier 1 Operators” and him being Air Force special forces. The statement Barber provided to the Good Trouble Show, attached, does nothing to dissuade people of that idea - at least to a civilian eye.
“I was pre-selected as a teenager” makes it seem as he was specially selected or sought out. The truth is that most people technically enlist in the military as teenagers - 17 or 18 years old.
In the army at least, virtually anyone can enlist with a special forces contract. The only requirements are a high school diploma, a willingness to volunteer for the training, and meeting minimum physical fitness standards: https://www.army-portal.com/jobs/special-forces/18x.html
That contract does not guarantee that you’ll end up in special forces. Only that you’ll get a shot at the selection process. A process which is known for its brutal intensity that often washes out even seasoned veterans. Many of those that enlist under these contracts unsurprisingly din’t make it and end up being assigned to be whatever job the army happens to need at the time.
From Barker’s DD-214, it seems very obvious that he volunteered for Air Force Combat Controller training, didn’t make it, and was then assigned to be a mechanic. There’s no such thing as a “cover job.” Combat controller is a a very real job in the Air Force and as such it would simply be listed on a DD-214 like any other. Occupations aren’t classified, though units and assignments might be. Even a delta force operator-members of a unit that technically doesn’t exist- would have a record which shows that they graduated from special forces training.
But what’s really damning to me is that this is all being presented in such a way as to seem credible to a civilian who’s not familiar with the minutia of military service. I can’t believe Coulthart couldn’t find a military expert to help him evaluate Barber’s records.
For context - I am an Army veteran of two combat deployments to Afghanistan. I never served in special forces myself, but ran into them plenty and had peers that did go through the process. It’s that background that makes me feel pretty confident that Jake Barber’s background is being significantly exaggerated - to such an extent that it’s hard to believe it’s not intentional.
NewsNation really played up Barber’s background, with many references to “Tier 1 Operators” and him being Air Force special forces. The statement Barber provided to the Good Trouble Show, attached, does nothing to dissuade people of that idea - at least to a civilian eye.
“I was pre-selected as a teenager” makes it seem as he was specially selected or sought out. The truth is that most people technically enlist in the military as teenagers - 17 or 18 years old.
In the army at least, virtually anyone can enlist with a special forces contract. The only requirements are a high school diploma, a willingness to volunteer for the training, and meeting minimum physical fitness standards: https://www.army-portal.com/jobs/special-forces/18x.html
That contract does not guarantee that you’ll end up in special forces. Only that you’ll get a shot at the selection process. A process which is known for its brutal intensity that often washes out even seasoned veterans. Many of those that enlist under these contracts unsurprisingly din’t make it and end up being assigned to be whatever job the army happens to need at the time.
From Barker’s DD-214, it seems very obvious that he volunteered for Air Force Combat Controller training, didn’t make it, and was then assigned to be a mechanic. There’s no such thing as a “cover job.” Combat controller is a a very real job in the Air Force and as such it would simply be listed on a DD-214 like any other. Occupations aren’t classified, though units and assignments might be. Even a delta force operator-members of a unit that technically doesn’t exist- would have a record which shows that they graduated from special forces training.
But what’s really damning to me is that this is all being presented in such a way as to seem credible to a civilian who’s not familiar with the minutia of military service. I can’t believe Coulthart couldn’t find a military expert to help him evaluate Barber’s records.