The "only female ever to earn the Green Beret"

[Purple]

I was a SCUBA Det Cdr in the 7th SFGA when this was going on - KW, an MI Officer, didn't 'earn' shit - she, with the help of an attorney and a compromise by the COC that she would never serve in an SF assignment, was administratively presented with a certificate of 'attendance' (vs 'completion' which would have allowed her to acquire the 5G ASI for an SF Qualified Officer).

KW is a real piece of work... my regret is following MG Lutz's threat of not buying one of those t-shirts with her face viewed through the reticle of an ART-2 scope to have framed and hanging on my wall today.

Purple

[Nighthawk63]

She fits into the same category as deserters, awol's who get out because they cannot take the pressure even though they volunteered. Deserters and awol's from vietnam era, I can sort of understand but still have no respect for a person who will not serve their country when called. I try not to watch bull crap documentaries and other stories that have to do with men or women with no honor. My culture believes not to speak a persons name who has brought dishonor to their family. I place that same belief on deserters, posers, and people who go awol to avoid service or try to be more than what they were.
" Fury from the sky" God hates demons but he loves Red Devils.

[rickmaj]

Mistakes happen. When I met Kate Wilder she was assigned to the 5th SF Group. So much for the comments that she never served in Special Forces. At that time she wanted to go to RANGER school. She had the determination and physical skills to graduate Ranger School, but, male pride, I hoped if she did manage to go that she wouldn't earn the tab. It was later that she decided to try for SF school. I was at Ft. Bragg when the whole cheating thing came up, knew some of the guys who sat on the board that kicked her out of the class. The big mistake was in letting her get into the class in the first place. Had the person who approved her request known how stubborn and determined she could be, her request would have been denied. The second mistake was in kicking her out. She was in the final phase a few days from completion. I did not sit on the board, but indications were that the reason for expelling her had a lot more to do with that Ranger male pride thing than with her accomplishment at reaching that final phase with graduation just in front of her. She had earned the green beret and deserved to wear it, but it really annoyed a lot of green beret wearers that a "girly girl" had passed that tough qualification course. It even annoyed me, and I don't wear the green beret. My final thought is that she should have been celebrated for her feat and not denigrated. Time to get over this guys. Kate will be 60 this year, and rightfully holds the distinction of being the ONLY woman ever to EARN a green beret. Kate, I salute you!




Mis

This should get interesting.



Now for those not familiar...

Wilder is allegedly the only female to have ever been given a certificate of completion for Special Forces, or for that matter been allowed to attend the school. This happened in the 80s.

Basically it was a mistake compounded by her conduct, which led to a court trial. This led to a bigger mistake made in an attempt to put the first mistake behind and close the incident forever. Of course there's more detail but I don't have the time for it right now.

Long story short she earned nothing and does not have the respect of the people who would have been her peers if she'd earned anything.

Recently Wilder has been getting political and touting her career in the Special Forces.

No shit the QPs have been watching this develop for some time. Now with this going to court it should get very interesting.

[PIKE]

How about an intro rickmaj

[Rocket1972]

Hey rickmaj. How about mosey on over to the introduction threads and make one? It is site SOP and I am sure you understand. We like to know who we are talking to and like I said it is in the site SOP.

[rickmaj]

Rickmaj - retired Regular Army Major, CIB (Vietnam), Master Parachutist, Ranger School grad. 82nd Abn, 101st Abn in Vietnam, designed the current Air Assault Badge in 1971. Personal friend of Kate Wilder and assigned to the USAJFKCENMA in 1980 when all this flak took place.

[PIKE]

How about mosey on over to the introduction threads and make one? It is site SOP and I am sure you understand.

Please post that in the introduction thread!

[Jumpin' Jack]

Keeping an old thread alive... I was in the 82nd when she was going through the course. I did not pay much attention to the details except for grumbling about how this was the beginning of the end. These were the early days of tossing around the idea of letting females into male only (combat arms) units.

Rickmaj seems to be shilling for KW. But if she did make it all the way to the end of the course without cheating or getting special treatment, she deserves some props seeing as how the dropout rate for men is quite considerable from limited conversations with my SF friends and associates.

Concerning Martha Raye, many grown men actually cried at her funeral. She honestly loved these men as well as all the soldiers fighting WWII, Korea and 'Nam.

Off topic: A little less known is how Bo Derek, the hottie from "10", is carrying on in her footsteps. She is an unsung hero who devotes huge amounts of time and resources to the troops. She does it all under the radar without press coverage. She has also been awarded the title of "Honorary Green Beret".

Another tidbit: Robin Moore, author of "The Geen Berets", is the only civilian to have taken and completed the Q course. I met him at a book signing in Fayetteville for the controversial book "The Hunt For Bin Laden" shortly before his death. Man, he was shaky with tremors and had to have his assistant do most of the talking for him.

JJ...

[LRS Guy]

I'm NOT SF qualified. But this was pretty much a dead thread.

Why is rickmaj stirring it up again?

[IEDmagnet]

rickmaj, while I appreciate your service, who gives a shite about this crap? Certainly not me.

[rickmaj]

Frankly, gentlemen, I'm a little surprised and disappointed in the reactions of IEDmagnet, LRS Guy, and Jumpin' Jack. If someone said "Those three guys are ugly morons" wouldn't you want someone WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS YOU to say, "Hold on there! I know those guys, and they are NOT UGLY!" I very recently read this site and was dismayed at some of the comments about Kate Wilder. They were full of opinion and light on facts. Jumpin' Jack came closest to my point - he resented the idea of girls being paratroopers. So did I. Still do. But that doesn't mean I don't RESPECT those girls who win jump wings. And I certainly respect Kate Wilder. Oh, by the way Jack, I'm nobody's shill. And IEDmagnet, you should know that a SHITE is a Muslim sect. LRS Guy, my comments generated a lot of interest in a "dead thread," didn't it? Paratroopers, including the females who wear the badge, are a unique group. I respect anyone who wears the badge. While we may disagree with each other, let's agree to accept the facts when they are presented.

[Rocket1972]

Frankly, gentlemen, I'm a little surprised and disappointed in the reactions of IEDmagnet, LRS Guy, and Jumpin' Jack. If someone said "Those three guys are ugly morons" wouldn't you want someone WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS YOU to say, "Hold on there! I know those guys, and they are NOT UGLY!" I very recently read this site and was dismayed at some of the comments about Kate Wilder. They were full of opinion and light on facts. Jumpin' Jack came closest to my point - he resented the idea of girls being paratroopers. So did I. Still do. But that doesn't mean I don't RESPECT those girls who win jump wings. And I certainly respect Kate Wilder. Oh, by the way Jack, I'm nobody's shill. And IEDmagnet, you should know that a SHITE is a Muslim sect. LRS Guy, my comments generated a lot of interest in a "dead thread," didn't it? Paratroopers, including the females who wear the badge, are a unique group. I respect anyone who wears the badge. While we may disagree with each other, let's agree to accept the facts when they are presented.

OK Rickmaj - one more time before and Administrator comes along and bans you due to non-compliance with the site's SOP. Head over to this link and make the proper introduction please. http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropz...-Introductions

I said please. And thank you.

Rocket out

[CharliePC]

Rick,
You're stepping on it.
Click on the Rules thingy at the top of the page, and read the instructions.
You will see that you need to post a proper intro in a proper thread.

[PIKE]

[IEDmagnet]

And IEDmagnet, you should know that a SHITE is a Muslim sect. LRS Guy, my comments generated a lot of interest in a "dead thread," didn't it?

Shi'ite, ( http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/540503/Shiite ), that is the word you are looking for there high speed. Oh, and the "Sect" is Shia, a Shi'ite is a member of the Sect. Shite is the nice way for me to say shit. So you understand, the comment was I appreciate your service... I don't give a shit about the topic... so there is really a string of who gives a damn in reviving it.

Next time you'd like to correct me about something, use some google-fu and get it right there homer. If you think I'm ugly now, just keep the grade school name calling up and see how ugly I get. Once again, I thank you for your service, welcome to the site, let's agree to disagree and move on.