I appreciate your insights.  The top 50% thought process is a good one, and I can compare myself using that method.  I chose the Reserve, for various reasons, but I think training on my own time while not at drill will benefit me greatly as I aspire towards special schools and certain branches that aren’t immediately available.  Funny you mentioned Opords; I just briefed my first one day.  OCS has been a learning process for me; although I went to a military college and knew what to expect on certain aspects, the training like tactics, land nav, property classes, and opord classes have been throwing me for loops, and now I know to practice more to get better at them.

I’m fortunate to have 2 cadre members who both completed Ranger school and are personable mentors who love to teach.  To be a leader like them would be part of my inspiration to go.  And speaking of age, I am 27 now; as you said, the time to go is before you’re old(er)!

As for Sapper school, to my knowledge (as a grasshopper in Army ways) it isn’t just restricted to Engineers right?  Would Sapper School provide a similar benefit to my future soldiers as to them knowing it’d have pushed me to my limits in a similar fashion to Ranger school?  I don’t mean to compare them, but I know Sapper school is pretty tough albeit shorter in length.

What other kinds of schooling would improve my development as a leader that would also push myself physically and mentally?

Can you go into why no one talks about SF that way?  I’m curious.  I do have one SF friend and I asked him why he wouldn’t do Sapper or Ranger, and he basically said he already gets good enough training as is… He is someone I greatly respect, take that as you will!

Last note, being Reserve I will have a lot less opportunities to go to special schools, correct?