The Typical Special Ops "Operator"

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 12/19/2017 | J Hines

[w1n1]

What do you think of when you hear Spec Ops Operator? Beards, Heckler & Koch MK 23s and HK416s? Well maybe a guy with a black Under Armour T-shirt with an OD brown operator hat instead.
On the serious side, US SOCOM (Special Operation Command) have just released their 2018 Fact Book.
Inside the new Fact Book are a run down of SOCOM Medal of Honor recipients, Bull Simons Award winners and Commando Hall of Honor inductees as well as breakdowns of SOCOM’s many, many sub-commands including JSOC, MARSOC, USASOC, AFSOC and NSWC functions and capabilities.

The insightful part of the Fact Book that piqued my interest was ‘The Typical Operator’ section.
This short section highlights bullet points describing the demographic of the average 'operator', here's the short brief on it:

• – Is married and has at least two kids
• – Average age is 29 years-old enlisted; 34 years-old officer
• – Has eight years experience in the general purpose forces

On the humorous side of the spectrum, here's Youtuber MatBest11X's version of a special ops operator:
-Bearded, sporting a body armour, operator hat with shades
-Possess an advanced weapon system... See the rest of this hilarious typical special ops operator here.

[Yo-Yo]

Now here is a special operator:

[SES1066]

I need to stop reading so much. I knew all of these acronyms as quickly as I read them and I am multiple decades past my military time! (smile)

[SES1066]

OK, here is a query for all of you experts. Is it Duck Tape, duct tape or riggers tape? The pictured guy seems to have gotten ahold of several rolls!

[TADSLOS]

The best spec ops operators are the ones you would never suspect of being spec ops operators.

[AppyPappy]

I know a retired one. For one thing, they have long hair and a beard when active. When they retire, they start looking like military.

At home, there is always a weapon handy. Usually up high where only they can reach it. In the man room, they have pictures of places that are “just some place”.

[Dr. Sivana]

Is it Duck Tape, duct tape or riggers tape?

Duck Tape is a brand of Duct Tape (3M brand is better). I've not heard of "riggers tape", though that might describe how duct tape is actually used.

[2banana]

Only on deployment.

It is back to the army in garrison.

+++++

For one thing, they have long hair and a beard when active.

[TADSLOS]

👍🏻

[ebshumidors]

500mph tape or 100mph tape or racer’s tape or duct tape. Never duck tape.

[karnage]

There is also gaffer’s tape.

[yarddog]

For years I thought it was duct tape and people were simply misunderstanding the word and calling it duck tape.

I finally looked it up and “Duck Tape” is actually the original words. It dates from WWII.

BTW, duck tape is worthless for taping ducts as it deteriorates fairly rapidly. It probably would provide a fine seal for a year of two but then would simply come to pieces.

[CodeToad]

Not to mention many are 5’7” and weigh 170.

[Flag_This]

"500mph tape or 100mph tape or racer’s tape or duct tape. Never duck tape."

[IronJack]

I always thought it was duct tape, but I looked it up and it’s “ duck.”

Or “gaffer’s tape” for lighting folks.

[Mears]

I just call “that gray tape”.

Easy.:-)

.

[cyclotic]

In my limited experience, the real ones don’t let you know. I know one former tier one who I knew for ten years before he told me that.

[TADSLOS]

Exactly.

[shotgun]

You ate correct it is such tape as in “air ducts”. Brand names vary...

[ebshumidors]

They invented that for people who didn’t know it was duct tape.