I do know a man who recived his SF qual roughly as you described. Just like there once was a correspondence course which formed part of a path to SF qualification for reserve component soldiers, there are some SF soldiers who were awarded the SF designation without attending SF school, unlike Navy UDT/SEAL sailors who ALL went to a course.
Soldiers who OJT'd in specific ways included: 1. Soldiers in the earliest days of SF before there WAS a course; 2. Soldiers who volunteered for a tour in SOG after a first tour in non-SF recon units, such as LRRP/Ranger elements. 3. There may have been others, as, at some times in the past, commanders at the Colonel (O-6) level had authority to grant (as they still have authority to YANK) SF Qualification status.
However, once this qualification is granted it is invariably noted in the serviceman's records. No other school suffices. Any OJT that was real, resulted in orders granting Skill Qualification Indicator "S" or Prefix "3" or various other indicators that have been used on the records over the years. The soldier's file would contain both an indication that the SQI (prefix, etc) had been granted, and a copy of the orders.
Any OJT producing an SF Qualification would be while assigned to an SF unit. A set of records that do not show any assignment to a Special Forces unit are ipso facto not records of an SF soldier -- ever.
The soldier's DD214 (discharge papers) also indicates his SF Qualification. I am unaware of any exceptions since SF was established in 1952.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
I learned a lot from you and DJ Taylor, I'm so rarely this much in the dark about a military subject.
Maybe you guys can help me with one more thing, when I was in the army during the Vietnam war, my memory is that OCS required a GT(?) of 110, but that Special Forces at the time required a 115.
Is my memory good on that?