Return to the MOGBlack Hawk Down - 20 years later

Night Stalkers ruleMeet the 160th SOAR

A Salute to the Horse SoldierThe Last American Calvary Charge

Heavy MetalThe Anthem of War

These are the stories ofAmericas Most Elite Operators

THE SPECIAL FORCES MAGAZINE

THE S

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OPERATOR2

CONTENTS

10 The Green Berets Rick Erickson

14 A SEALs Perspective from the 1960s Paul Evancoe

18 Night Stalkers Dont Quit David Cooper

28 Canine Operators: The Wars Four-Legged Force Multipliers Nicole White

38 My Life as a Ranger Danny McKnight

42 Delta Force Joe Gonzalez

46 Lessons from Black Hawk Down Mike Durant

52 Back to Mogadishu Keni Thomas

58 De Oppresso Liber Mark Nutsch

62 Air Force PJs: The Last Line of Life U.S. Air Force Public Affairs

64 Anthem of War: The Heavy Metal Soundtrack of Modern War Jason Ridler with Joe Gonzalez

10

28

44

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OPERATOR4

72 MARSOC: Always Faithful, Always Forward U.S. Marine Corps Public Affairs

76 SWCC: Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen Peter Wikul

80 How Proven Deployable Power Systems Will Transform the SOF Mission Keyvan Vasef

86 Defusing Danger Brian Castner

92 How Special Operations Command Improved Combat Caualty Care John Gilpin

98 Taking on The Invisible Wounds of War Barbara Van Dahlen

102 Lighting Up Foreign Lands Shannon Layton

108 Combat Controllers: First There Gene Adcock

112 The Medal of Honor Department of Defense Public Affairs

114 Hall of Heroes Department of Defense Public Affairs

CONTENTS

52

62

90

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OPERATOR6

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Contributing Writers Gene Adcock, Brian Castner, David Cooper, Mike Durant, Rick Erickson, Chris Eslinger, Paul Evancoe, John Brad Gilpin, Joe Gonzalez,

Shannon Layton, Danny McKnight, Mark Nutsch, Jason Ridler, Steve Rutherford, Jeff Struecker, Keni Thomas, Barbara Van Dahlin, Keyvan Vasefi, Nicole White, Pete Wikul

Cover Design Joe Gonzalez

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OPERATOR8

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THE GREEN BERETS

OPERATOR10

By Sergeant Major Rick Erickson

Civilizations have always been fascinated by their heroes. Since the pre-modern era, there has always been a caste, or specialized warrior class, existing with

codes of honor. These codes are the foundation under which the warriors serve to repel corrupt or unethical social groups that could be dangerous to the rest of society. Honor, faith, loyalty, courage, physical and mental toughness, espirit de corps, never accepting defeat, integrity, and personal courage are some of the fundamental characteristics of the chivalric code.

U.S. Army Special Forces are synonymously known as the Green Berets. Established under Colonel(Ret) Aaron Bank in June 1952 and made official by President John F. Kennedy a decade later, the Green Berets are tasked with five primary missions: counterterrorism, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and direct action. The classic mission of the Green Berets is the training of foreign troops, in their language, while honoring their culture. Green Berets are force multipliers that help local populations stand up against aggressors. Other missions are humanitarian in nature and are conducted around the globe. We live proudly by our motto De Oppresso Liber or To liberate from oppression.

The 10th Special Forces Group members perform a high-altitude, low-opening parachute jump for a training mission March 6, 2013, at Fort Carson, Colo. With the assistance of the Colorado Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility members and assets, the Special Forces members jumped from a CH-47 Chinook at an elevation of 13,000 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Riley Johnson)

OPERATOR 11

Just as doctors study throughout their entire careers, the Special Forces soldier must continuously acquire new and advanced skills while honing the basics until retirement, and even afterthe training never stops. Team members rely on each other during the most difficult and isolated circumstances in formidable conditions and work closely together for long periods of time. Whether fighting side-by-side in combat, serving on humanitarian missions, or drudging through mundane day-to-day events, Green Berets develop a brotherhood that will last a lifetime.

Such was the case during a combat mission in Afghanistan in December 2004. Our team was conducting a routine mounted presence patrol in Nadi Shah Kot-khost Province in the village of Polocay. The terrain was difficult and the roads were few. Wickedly narrow roads with rock and dirt-filled waddies, which turned to riverbeds during the rainy season, forced us to move slowly. The roads we found were horribly bouncy, tearing up the vehicles and making it difficult for the team members to keep a steady view of their assigned lanes. Each soldier was constantly on the lookout for Taliban or enemy forces that threatened to ambush or bomb our patrol. Our reflexes were sharp from extensive training and the numerous combat missions that our team had already conducted.

Our A-Team was heading back to the firebase with a small patrol of Afghanistan military forces. We were returning with a five-ton vehicle full of 107mm rockets, 122mm rockets, ammo, anti-aircraft guns, and other enemy items that we found in a cache at the bottom of a well in a small village in the mountainous area. The five-ton vehicle was the second-to-last in our order of movement, with an acceptable distance between the vehicles in front of him. It was the safest that we could come up with and still provide security. It was eerie knowing that if enemy fire or an improvised explosive device hit the vehicle carrying the cache, the results would be disastrous, likely wiping out most of our patrol. It was an agonizingly slow and bumpy ride over the incredibly cruel terrain. We felt dangerously exposed as we crept over the sharp and jagged rocks that covered the waddie.

We arrived at an area surrounded by steep cliffs on both sides. The curves in the ancient thoroughfare were cut through the rocky terrain so as to channel foreign troops into a kill zone. As we made our way through, a creepy feeling stayed with me and made the hair on my back stand up. It was like a sixth sense acquired after serving in extended combat situations, similar to how one feels before an inevitable firefight or expected ambush. Its difficult to explainat those moments it seems as if time passes in slow motion. The empty village, the absence of children playing in the streetthe quietness was unsettling.

Every team member was on high alert and ready when KABOOM!a massive explosion was followed by machine guns and small arms fire. We had been trapped in a well coordinated, near enemy ambush of al-Qaeda forces. There was no time to think; it was all muscle memory for each individual on the team. Standing operational procedures immediately kicked in. Adrenaline pumped through our veins and a controlled craziness erupted. Our .50 cal spit lead toward the enemy forces as the M-19 grenade launcher hurled explosives, suppressing the enemy while the rest of the team covered down and returned fire, eliminating the threat.

As team sergeant, many things run through your mind, but in situations like this there isnt time to overanalyze. It was time to quell the enemy with overwhelming firepower and extreme aggression. When in charge of a patrol, your biggest concern is that everybody makes it home alive. Knowing that I was surrounded by some of the most highly trained

The empty village, the absence of children

playing in the street the quietness

was unsettling.

Two soldiers from the 2nd Battalion 19th Special Forces Group load equipment into a UH-60L Black Hawk Helicopter June 21, 2012. The Black Hawks were loaded with palettes of supplies and were flown over a nearby drop zone where the crew from Detachment 2, Company C, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment perform low level drops. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Charles Larkin Sr)

Left: A 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (7 SFG

(A)) Green Beret exits the back of a U.S. Navy CH-53E Super Stallion from Sea Combat Squadron

84 after jettisoning a zodiac during Helocast training Hurlburt Field,

Fla., April. 24, 2013. Green Berets from

7SFG (A) participated in maritime operations

with the U.S.Navy during Exercise Emerald Warrior, Emerald Warrior

is an exercise designed to provide irregular

training at the tactical and operational levels. The exercise involved

all branches of the U.S. military and elements from allied countries. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Steven Young)

Right: Members of a Special Forces assault

team, wait as a flash grenade goes off, before entering an abandoned

building, where a known Person of Interest is hiding out, during a

kill or capture training mission, Germany, Feb. 23, 2010. (Photo by Sgt.

1st Class Silas Toney)

OPERATOR12

troops in the military made decisions quicker and more precise. Every team member was disciplined and prepared for any situation. We had each others backs and were prepared to take the fight to the enemy and eliminate them. Through sheer luck or divine intervention, the five-ton wasnt hit.

We called for close air support and within twenty minutes two Marine Corps Cobra gunships with their familiar cracking sounds hovered overheadit was a good feeling. The gunfight immediately halted when the Cobras arrived as the enemy fled over the steep terrain. The pilots notified my communications sergeant that they saw the enemy fleeing over the ridgeline, but that rules of engagement prevented them from opening fire. As a former crew chief on Chinook helicopters prior to joining Special Forces, a spontaneous idea came to me. If we could get the pilots to lift us on the skids of their gunships over the high cliffs and set us on another ridgeline in front of the enemy combatants, we could conduct a counter-ambush and intercept them and bring them to justice. I did not want them to get away; I did not want them to do this again.

After several minutes and much persuasion, one of the pilots said to me, since I was talking directly to them now, You know, this is unacceptably dangerous. I replied, Yeah, I know, thats why we get hazardous duty pay, so lets do this!

The pilot confirmed and told me to secure a landing zone for the gunship. I thanked him and explained that he could land in any cleared area and that security was out. One Cobra acted as overwatch at altitude while the other landed to pick up my team of warriors for this insane assault. I briefed the team commander and provided names of the assaulters. We assembled, gave a quick brief and prepared our movement. Motivation peaked as we loaded two men onto the skids of the Cobra, which immediately took off for the ridgeline. As the first chopper lifted, I rallied the Afghan forces, who were skilled at mountain climbing, for an assault up

the cliffs to flush the enemy toward us. I went onto the second lift with my interpreter. Two additional lifts of two-soldiers-per-lift transported soldiers to the ridgeline to set up the counter-ambush.

Within an hour, the area was cleared and the enemy attack was thwarted without one friendly casualty. We then swept the area, and for many hours after the initial ambush looked for additional enemy forces. The operation went smoothly because of the cooperation between the battle-hardened and skilled Marine pilots and the Afghan military forces assigned to our A-Team. We were told that up to that point, that there was no record of anyone ever being airlifted on the skids of a Cobra Attack Helicopter, and certainly not during combat operations.

We made it back to the firebase by the next day with the cache in tact. There are so many honorable stories of Green Berets at war serving selflessly and putting themselves in harms way to save a teammate in danger or to fight off the enemy. These warrior diplomats continue to live by the chivalric code and warrior ethos to do our part in bringing an end to conflicts around the world. Since 1952, Special Forces soldiers have operated tirelessly, engaged in a broad spectrum of missions to protect our nation from hostile forces that seek to destroy or do us harm. As uniquely qualified quiet professionals leading humanitarian action programs, Green Berets forge on in a pursuit to Liberate the Oppressed.

De Oppresso Liber.

SGM Rick Erickson currently works at United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He is a former team sergeant holding three Special Forces qualifications; medic, engineer, and intelligence. He has served in Central Asia, South America, Afghanistan, Iraq and numerous other countries with military and civilian organizations, and recently held position of Army Component Command Senior Enlisted Leader in Africa for AFRICOM (Africa Command). SGM Erickson has been involved in and led humanitarian assistance missions around the world for over 20 years, and has several years experience working in the television industry as a risk advisor, medical and safety.

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A SEALS PErSPEctivEfrom thE 1960S

OPERATOR14

By Paul Evancoe

In the 1960s, Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training was known as Underwater Demolition Team Replacement training, or UDT-R. At the time, there were two UDT-R basic schoolsCoronado, CA and Little Creek, VAeach graduating a new crop of Navy Frogmen a couple of times a year. Rivalry between the graduates of the two schools was the norm. West Coast Pukes and

East Coast Weenies argued over which school was tougher. In truth, there was no easy day on either coast. In the end, it didnt matter because the teams cross pollinated when operators changed Teams during normal duty station transfers.

President Kennedy commissioned the SEAL Teams in 1963, and it wasnt until late 1964 or early 1965 that they reached full mission capability. SEAL Teams were definitely the new kids on the block, and it was a superbly challenging period for them. The Vietnam War was in full swing and both the UDTs and SEAL Teams were deploying there. In those days, with few exceptions, doing a tour in UDT was required before

one could move to a SEAL Team, and there were only two Teams: SEAL Team 1 in Coronado and SEAL Team 2 in Little Creek. Each was composed of about 100 operators.

Things were a lot different in those days. Desktop computers did not yet exist. The admin office had two electric typewriters, but only a few operators, save the officers, knew how to type anyway. Duplicate copies were made using typewriter carbon paper. The UDT and SEAL Teams were commanded by lieutenant commanders (0-4). The executive officers were lieutenants (0-3). Each team was operationally organized into five or six operational platoons of twelve to fourteen men. The platoons were led by two junior officers, usually ensigns (0-1) or lieutenant junior grades (0-2). Administratively, the Teams had a small garrison of operators who ran the departments.

A Teams typical departments included operations/plans, ordnance, submersible operations, air operations, intelligence, engineering/logistics, admin, and the

Top: U.S. Navy SEALs train with Special Boat Team (SBT) 12 on the proper techniques of how to board gas and oil platforms from a moving vessel. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Adam Henderson)

Above: An East-Coast based U.S. Navy SEAL climbs a caving ladder during visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) training on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. (U.S. Navy Photograph by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class William S. Parker/Released)

Bottom: A West Coast-based SEAL jumps out of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the High Rollers of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 during maritime operation training. (Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Adam Henderson)

OPERATOR 15

Left: Sailors assigned to Special Boat Team 12 conduct boat operations supporting a West Coast-based SEAL team during their maritime operation training cycle. (Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Adam Henderson)

Top left: A college of SEALS who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country.

Top right: Actual Medal of Honor prepared for presentation posthumously to Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor who sacrificed himself to save his teammates during combat operations in Iraq, Sept. 29, 2006. (U.S. Navy photo/Oscar Sosa)

training department. Those operators not assigned to a deployed platoon (or a newly formed platoon in pre-deployment training status) were assigned to a department. Like the platoons, the departments were led by junior officers, and often by senior enlisted men at the chief petty officer level. Their job was to provide pre-deployment support, war-fighting equipment, and readiness training to the operational platoons.

Unlike today, operators of that period bought their own field equipment off the shelf using their own money. Most Navy-provided equipment was left over from World War II or the Korean War, and was simply inadequate for the SEAL mission. Off-the-shelf kits are evidenced in vintage team pictures, and account for the variations in the equipment carried by the operators of that era.

The missions between the SEALs and UDTs were also different. The SEALs were land commando-oriented while UDT maintained its water frogman mission. The Navy treated the Teams as bastard step children. The evolving concept of joint operations was always overshadowed by the fiscal rice bowls of the competing services and their selfish agendas. The Navys primary budget emphasis was on submarines, fighter jets, and carrier battle groups. Beyond supporting an amphibious assault, the Navy possessed little understanding of special warfare and had little patience or vision to consider how to employ properly the special warfare assets it had.

The operational concept then was blissfully simplistic. The Teams worked for the Navy, the Navy had ships, and the Navys ships sailed the worldwide seas. Therefore, anything that threatened the fleet was a potential UDT or SEAL target. This translated to an airfield a hundred miles inland if its planes could threaten the fleet; to seaports that supported an opposing fleet; and to an opposing fleet asset itself. Vietnam, as a target, was easily justified because of the numerous riverine, coastal, and air operations the Navy was running in support of the war effort and the fact that if Vietnam fell to the Communists, it would surely provide the Soviet Unions fleet the use of Vietnams deep water ports. Conceivably, the resulting unchecked Soviet expansion into the South China Sea would unacceptably threaten the Free Worlds vital sea lines of communication to the oil abundant Persian Gulf.

In the 1970s, as the Vietnam War was winding down, BUD/S training was consolidated and situated in Coronado. During that period, stagnation and atrophy

became the norm for the Navy. The Teams suffered too. In the 1980s the four surviving Underwater Demolition Teams were decommissioned and re-commissioned as SEAL Teams. This effectively added two SEAL Teams to each coast for a balance of three SEAL Teams per coast. The mission didnt change. If the fleet was threatened, it was a SEAL target. At the time, the Navy practically couldnt even spell counterterrorism or asymmetric warfare. It wasnt until 1979 that the Navy recognized the need for a Team dedicated to counterterrorism. This is entirely because of the farsightedness of such officers like Admiral Ace Lyons and Commander Demo Dick Marcinko.

Both SEAL Team 1 and SEAL Team 2 already had a platoon explicitly dedicated to the counterterrorism mission. They wore civilian clothes, long hair, and were unshaven so as to better blend into their operational environments. They were known as the mod squad, after a TV show of the period that bore the same name and appearance. The mod squad SEALs, along with some selected operators with reputations for extraordinary tradecraft, were brought into the fold and SEAL Team 6, led by its first commanding officer, Commander Marcinko, was commissioned.

The creation of SEAL Team 6 was an extraordinary event in Team history because it was the first time an individual Team was given a specific counterterrorism mission. It also divided the SEAL community by creating an elite, ego-centric Team in an already elite operator community. By virtue of his take no prisoners personality, Commander Marcinko further exasperated the SEAL community through his demanding interactions with the other Teams. Nevertheless, SEAL Team 6 gained momentum and respect and soon became a unique national counterterrorism asset.

When the U.S. Special Operations Command was established in the 1980s, it consolidated each services special operations assets under one joint roof. The Marines opted out of the arrangement, stating that the entire Corps was already special. Of the remaining three branches, the Navy was the last to surrender its special

Top left: Navy SEALs demonstrate patrol

insertion/extraction from an MH-60S Sea Hawk

helicopter during a capabilities demonstration

at the 2009 Veterans Day Ceremony and Muster XXIV at the

National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce,

FL. (Courtesy photo)

Above left: U.S. Navy SEALs exit a C-130

Hercules aircraft during a training exercise near Fort Pickett, Va. (Photo

by Petty Officer 2nd Class Anthony Harding)

Top right: A Navy SEAL climbs up a ladder

attached to the side of a gas and oil platform

during training. (Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class

Adam Henderson)

Bottom: Sailors from Special Boat Team 12

conduct boat operations supporting a West Coast-based SEAL team during

their maritime operation training cycle. (Photo by

Petty Officer 3rd Class Adam Henderson)

OPERATOR16

warfare assets to the joint regime. While hotly contested by many who wore blue (both inside and outside of the Naval Special Warfare community), the SEALs finally had a sponsor whose color was purplewell, sort of.

The Army had a firm flag officer grasp on SOCOM leadership and its subordinate commands. While SOCOM was supposed to be purple, it appeared very green from a Navy perspective. But evolution takes time and SOCOMs green identity did ultimately shift to purple as SOCOMs jointness was proven over years of successful special operations. As the SEAL community grew its own crop of flag officers in the 1990s and 2000s, they gradually moved into the senior joint command positions, and ultimately commanded such premier joint commands as the Joint Special Operations Command and SOCOM.

Some in todays military see the SEALs as pampered prima donnas who have the best weapons, field gear and training known to modern man. Surely, the SEALs see themselves as elite warriors, but thats no different from those who preceded them. But are they as tough? The Vietnam War tempo pressed UDT and SEAL Team

operators to the limit. By the mid-1970s, SEALs had an unmistakable 100-mile stare. Operators today share that same stare after spending a decade engaged in innumerable high-operational-tempo deployments.

But are the operators as tough as they once were? Todays SEALs are not only demonstrably smarter in their field tradecraft and more technically proficient than their SEAL predecessors, they conduct incredibly sophisticated joint operations at a skill level the old guys never could have imagined. They additionally understand that in order to do something good one may need to occasionally engage in eviland that requires true mental and physical toughness. Without question, they clearly have what it takes.

Paul Evancoe is a retired Navy SEAL (class 40). His action novels Own the Night, Violent Peace, and Poison Promise deal with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction and are available at AmazonBooks.com

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Night StalkerSDoNt Quit

By CW5 David Cooper

OPERATOR18

U.S. Army Aviation calls it the Crater Illusion, and for the entire 90 minute flight, every crewmember of the assault helicopter force has been fighting it. The illusion makes it seem like the aircraft is inside of a very dark and scary ping-pong ball. They are only 200 feet above the ground, and yet the surface is barely visible. There is no moon tonight and the clouds have obscured any starlight. Likewise, there is very little manmade or natural lighting for the night vision goggles to amplify. The crews call the resulting night vision image grainy,

Marines with the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command rappel from a CH-47 helicopter onto a mock cargo ship during Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) training with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment near Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 11. VBSS, which consists of maritime vessel boarding and searching, is used to combat smuggling, drug trafficking, terrorism and piracy. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released)

OPERATOR 19

and on black nights like this, it seems to be raining sand in that green image. The textbook says to pass the flight controls to the other pilot until the sensation subsides. This is about as difficult as it gets.

On the two MH-47 Chinooks and two MH-60 Blackhawks, crew chiefs and flight engineers are also wearing night vision goggles. The crew ensures safe operation of the Big Birds, and during the flight, they are on the intercom constantly advising the pilots of events to the sides and rear of their aircraft, as well as in the cabin.

The MH-6 and AH-6 Little Birds have no extra eyesthey carry only the two pilots. The lead aircraft in the formation is an MH-6, which has it the worst. Its crew has nothing ahead to reference. This part of the desert has precious little terrain relief. There is not a hill, ravine, or bush in sight. Its as flat as a billiard table.

Aircrafts two through eight in the formation have it a little easier. They are using the lights of the helicopters directly in front of them. This allows an outside reference on which their eyes can focus. There is a nagging question in the back of each crewmembers mind: if the lead helicopter crashes into the desert floor, will we all follow him in?

The customers in the back of the machines are unaware of the flights difficulty. (The 160th refers to all military and intelligence personnel being transported as customers.) As far as they are concerned, this is just another infiltration, and thats exactly what the aviators flying this mission want. The aircrews will not allow a difficult flight to have any bearing on the ground force. The commandos have their own mission tonight with which they need to be concerned.

Thirty minutes latertwo hours after takeoffthe flight passes over the release point, and the call goes out: Two minutes. The crew chiefs of the Blackhawks and Chinooks spread the word to their customers on board. The MH-6 pilots hold up two fingers letting the

plank riders know that theyre close. The AH-6 gun birds do a cyclic climb in order to gain altitude for situational awareness and to conduct supporting fire missions during the assault. Each crew knows their landing zone from memory. The flight begins to slow as each aircraft makes its approach.

The concept of special operations aviation began in 1962, when Special Warfare Aviation Detachments supported the Special Forces Groups and Special Forces Training Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Three years later, the 281st Assault Helicopter Company, Airmobile Light was ordered to support 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam. The

281st earned numerous U.S. and Vietnamese valor awards for their service. Historians trace the roots of the modern 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) to the 281st.

Because of Desert One, the failed Iranian hostage rescue mission in April 1980, the nations special operations capabilities were reorganized. The Army recognized the need for a dedicated special operations aviation force, and looked to the 101st Airborne Division aviation units at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Elements from those aviation battalions were selected. Dubbed Task Force 160, the new unit was quickly recognized as the Armys premier night fighting aviation force and the nations only special operations aviation force.

The modern day 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) was officially activated in June 1990. The Regiment stood up three battalions, a separate detachment, and incorporated one Army National Guard

Top: Marines with the 1st Marine Special

Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,

Special Operations Command helocast from

a CH-47 helicopter during Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) training

with the 160th Special Operations Aviation

Regiment near Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 11. (U.S. Marine Corps photo

by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released)

Below: MH-6 Approach.

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battalion to replace the separate aviation detachments at the Special Forces groups. Although the unit is exclusively Army (except for a single USMC exchange pilot), the Night Stalkers support all special operations ground forces. In July 2007, the Regiment activated a fourth battalion to meet growing special operations forces

requirements. The final unit added was a Grey Eagle unmanned aerial system element. A provisional U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command was activated on March 25, 2011. Aviation senior commanders recognized a need for a one-star headquarters to represent the interests of special operations aviation at the Ft Bragg headquarters. The formal activation ceremony took place in October 2012.

160th SOAR (A) has participated in several named operations to include: Urgent Fury, Prime Chance, Just Cause, Desert Storm, Gothic Serpent, Uphold Democracy, Joint Endeavour, Assured Response, Desert Thunder, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn. Today, 160th SOAR (A) flies nearly two hundred highly modified helicopters to support the nations special operations forces.

Regardless of their military occupationlogistics, human resources, medical, or flight operationsevery

soldier in the 160th has a singular concern: customer support. This drives everything they do. Their proximity to the target has no bearing on their contribution to the mission, and they walk, talk, and execute so as to be certain that if the mission fails, it will not be because of my section or me. This takes a certain kind of soldier. The officers, regardless of rank or military occupation specialty, must volunteer to be Night Stalkers. While all applications are accepted, only 40% of

qualified volunteers receive a letter requesting that they to report for assessment.

Assessment week is unlike anything the officer has ever endured. It involves physical fitness tests, swim tests, psychological evaluations, written and oral examinations on their particular specialties, and briefings. There are many ways to fail the assessment. Quitting any test or training evolution, for example, is an automatic no-go. The week ends with a formal board of officers examining the candidate. If the board is satisfied that the officer meets all requirements, they extend an invitation to attend Green Platoon. Approximately 50% of those that assess are selected. For the enlisted soldier, the process is somewhat different. They are assigned to the unit. Upon arrival they are given a battery of written and psychological tests. If they are successful, they are assigned to Green Platoon.

Green Platoon is a rigorous, multi-week course that indoctrinates the crews with the customer support concept. All newcomers, regardless of rank, title, or position, go through the training. Candidates are taught combat medicine, U.S. Army combatives, marksmanship with the rifle and pistol, and orienteering. They attend classroom instruction on planning, briefing, and executing missions, and must complete course work on the units history. Non-aircrew members, upon Green Platoon graduation, are assigned to their unit. For aircrew members, however, the training has only just begun.

The flight portion of Green Platoon has been called Ranger School for aviators. The first ten training missions flown are in OH-6s with night vision

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Service in the 160th is a calling only a few will answer for the mission is constantly demanding and hard. And when the impossible has been accomplished the only reward is another mission that no one else will try. As a member of the Night Stalkers I am a tested volunteer seeking only to safeguard the honor and prestige of my country, by serving the elite Special Operations Soldiers of the United States. I pledge to maintain my body, mind and equipment in a constant state of readiness for I am a member of the fastest deployable Task Force in the world, ready to move at a moments notice anytime, anywhere, arriving time on target plus or minus 30 seconds.

I guard my units mission with secrecy, for my only true ally is the night and the element of surprise. My manner is that of the Special Operations Quiet Professional, secrecy is a way of life. In battle, I eagerly meet the enemy for I volunteered to be up front where the fighting is hard. I fear no foes ability, nor underestimate his will to fight.

The mission and my precious cargo are my concern. I will never surrender. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy, and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

Gallantly will I show the world and the elite forces I support that a Night Stalker is a specially selected and well trained soldier.

I serve with the memory and pride of those who have gone before me for they loved to fight, fought to win and would rather die than quit.

Night Stalkers Dont Quit!!

U.S. airmen with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron and U.S. soldiers with the 160th Special Operations

Aviation Regiment (Airborne) teamed up

for personnel recovery training utilizing alternate infiltration and exfiltration training on Wynnehaven

Beach, Fla., April 9, 2013. The 160th SOAR, also

known as Night Stalkers, is a special operations force of the U.S. Army

that provides helicopter aviation support for

general purpose and special operations forces.

The 23rd STS primary task is to integrate,

synchronize, and control the elements of air and

space power in their areas of operations. (U.S.

Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher

Callaway)

OPERATOR22

goggles. A map, compass, and stopwatch are used for navigation. The students must plan the route to the objective, plan contingencies, brief the plan, and fly the plan. The routes are usually between 80 and 120 nautical miles in length, and students must arrive at the objective in plus or minus 30 seconds of the time that was planned. Each planning sequence, flight, and debrief revolves around the customer and the customers mission. If the flight candidate passes the end-of-course check ride, he or she proceeds to Advanced Skills.

The Advanced Skills phase trains the crewmembers to fly and fight their specific aircraft. While the MH-6 crews practice pinnacle and rooftop landings, the AH-6 crews concentrate on aerial gunnery and fire support planning. The MH-60 and MH-47 crews work on aerial refueling, shipboard operations, and flight using only terrain-following radar. During Advanced Skills, crews are exposed to several different environments. They train for desert and mountain missions in the southwestern United States, and fly off the coasts of Florida and Virginia for their overwater navigation training. No matter where they train, the standard

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A 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment MH-47 Chinook helicopter leaves the insertion site after airmen from the 125th Special Tactics Squadron, Oregon Air National Guard, and U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers fast-roped.

OPERATOR24

remains: plus or minus 30 seconds.Advanced Skills training also uses helicopter

simulators that allow crewmembers to practice everything theyve learned in the classroom. The simulators have advanced graphics and image generators. Aircrews can practice plugging the refuel hose off the back of a C-130, shooting an approach to the roof of a skyscraper, and even landing aboard ships. The simulator also allows for emergency procedure training. But there is one simulation device unique to special operations aviation: the helo dunker. The simulation uses three different helicopter bodies (MH-6, MH-60, and MH-47) to train pilots to escape their submerged aircraft. The swim to the surface of the 20-foot-deep pool can feel even longerespecially during black out conditions. To intensify the experience, fans blow hurricane force winds across the waters surface, and underwater currents pin crewmembers in their seats. Theres even a wave generator to create seven-foot seas.

Over the six to nine months of Green Platoon training, 20-percent of students have washed out, the crews have flown almost 200 hours in varying weather and environmental conditions, and they know the Tactical Standard Operating Procedures inside

and out. The final check ride of Green Platoon is a cumulative training mission. By graduation, they are customer support experts. They are ready.

One Minute. The call goes from each cockpit to the customers on board, and it focuses each member of the force. There is no talk or unnecessary movement. Aircrews are straining to find the landmarks that lead to their landing zones. Customers chamber rounds in their weapons. The AH-6 crews are now 300 feet above the ground searching for targets.

As the Chinooks and Blackhawks flair for landing, huge dirt clouds billow up from their rotors. Although the blowing dust (or brown out) immediately brings the visibility to zero, the crew can still see rocket-propelled grenades streaking past the cockpit, as well as tracer fire from the vicinity of the target building. Just like in training, the aircrews transition to their instruments and rely on their tactics, techniques, and procedures to bring the aircraft straight down without running into other helicopters. As crew chiefs man their mini-guns, they feed data to the flight deck. Over the intercom system, the crew reports, Clear left and down and Clear right and down and Clear to the rear.

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U.S. Air Force airmen from the 23rd Special

Tactics Squadron jump out the back of a MH-47

Chinook Helicopter at Wynnehaven Beach,

Fla., April 9, 2013. The helicopter conducts overt

and covert infiltration, exfiltration, air assault,

resupply and sling-load operations in a wide

range of environmental conditions. (U.S. Air Force

photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Callaway)

OPERATOR26

Blackhawks customers are out and moving toward their assigned objective. The Chinooks have twice the number of troops and only one exit, so it takes a few seconds longer. As the Blackhawks clear the airspace, the Chinooks are lifting off. The unarmed MH-6s come to a stabilized 25-foot hover directly over the target. They deploy fast ropes that allow their customers to slither down into the target buildings courtyard. Before the last commando is down the rope, the first two men have set the charges to make entry into the target house. Theres a small explosion, and within 30 seconds of arrival at the objective, entry into the structure has been made.

The crew of the AH spots the enemy rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine gunners. After a request to the Fire Support Officer on the ground for permission to fire, they go to work. The lead AH-6 dives at the target and opens with a three-second mini-gun burst. At 3000 rounds per minute each, his two guns have delivered 300 rounds on target. The sound of mini-guns is sweet music to all friendly troops on the objective. The AH-6 also fires two high-explosive rockets. His wingman makes his pass and mops up the enemy position. The smoking hole that was an enemy bunker a few seconds ago is

now silent. While departing the landing zone, crew chiefs scan

their sectors for targets. After theyve departed the objective area, their thoughts turn to the aircraft. They heard several rounds hit the bird. Now is the time to find and assess the damage. The crews were very lucky tonightthere is only sheet metal damage. The hydraulics, transmission, and fuel lines were missed.

As the assaulters begin clearing the building a shot rings out and the lead man goes down. His buddies eliminate the threat and drag him outside. Fortunately, the wound is not life threatening, but still requires evacuation. The call goes out to the helicopter force. The designated Blackhawk with casualty evacuation responsibilities sets down at the pre-planned landing zone. The Night Stalker medic exits and helps the wounded man onto the helicopter. The medic has extensive Special Forces medical training, and has worked hundreds of hours at trauma centers around the United States. Though hed never admit it, his skills rival that of an emergency room doctor. The wounded man is in excellent hands and is only 30 minutes from the hospital pad.

After a half hour on the objective, the ground force has found what its come for and is ready for

From the top: MH-47 on approach.

U.S. airmen with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron and U.S. soldiers with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) teamed up for personnel recovery training utilizing alternate infiltration and exfiltration training on Wynnehaven Beach, Fla., April 9, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Callaway)

OPERATOR 27

exfiltration. The birds are 30 seconds out. The ground force has counted, recounted, and triple checked their numbersthey do not want to leave a commando on the ground. Because one of the Blackhawks is still on the hospital pad, the trip home will be a tight squeeze. Each Chinook and the remaining Blackhawk add a couple of additional troopers. It is a well-rehearsed contingency, and adds no time to the exfiltration.

The exfiltration itself is an orderly affair under the watchful eyes of the AH-6s. In case there is trouble, the gunships will be the last to depart. The crew chiefs give their passenger counts to the Air Mission Commander, who verifies with the ground force that everyone is accounted for and on board. The customers can relax. Their mission is over. For the flight crews its another ninety minutes of flying in the crater. Just as on infil, the crews trade the flight controls back and forth with each other.

Despite the weather, the environment, and enemy fire, the assault force landed on the objective plus-or-minus 30 seconds. They were supported with casualty evacuation and close air support, and upon exfiltration they were safely flown back to base to begin the whole process over the next day. There will be no high-fives or celebrationsonly weapons checks and debriefings 30 minutes after landing. It was a normal mission. But even if things had been exciting, the ground force commander would have to recommend awards for aircrew membersthe Night Stalkers will not

recommend themselves.Many soldiers contributed to the success of the

mission, including refuelers, armament teams, clerks, intelligence analysts, medics, communications specialists, aviation maintenance crews, and logistics teamseach important, each responsible for a piece of the mission, and each a member of a team whose motto is: Night Stalkers Dont Quit.

By Nicole White

OPERATOR28

THE WARS 4-LEGGED FORCE MULTIPLIERS

The sun beats down mercilessly, heat waves bouncing off the hard packed sand in shimmering mirages. The dismounted patrol has been at it for 15-kilometers, and has at least another five to go before the route is cleared for tomorrows convoy. The Marine canine handler wipes his brow and sucks half-heartedly at the warm water in his Camelbak. Staff Sgt. Leo, the handlers improvised explosive device detector dog, or IDD, is up ahead, orbiting. Leo, who works off-leash up to 250 meters in front of the handler, is trained to detect even trace amounts of explosive odors, and has deployed multiple times.

The sight of Leos long tongue hanging out makes the handler smile knowingly. Leo is hot too, and because of his orbiting pattern, hes probably covered a distance one-third longer than the rest of the patrol. Still, hes nose down, always hunting. The handler opens his mouth to call Leo back for a drink and a rest, when the IDD suddenly exhibits a significant change in behavior. Hes caught a scent cone and circles excitedly searching for the source. When hes identified the disturbance100 meters aheadhe lies down in as indication. The handler holds up his hand and the patrol freezes. The EOD team advances carefully, and discovers a sophisticated IED with enough explosive power to have decimated the heaviest vehicle in tomorrows convoy. It is a significant find that will save lives, and yet for this combat engineer battalion and for Staff Sgt. Leo, it is just another day on the job. For K2 Solutions, Inc. the mission of procuring, training, and sustaining the largest contract for explosive detection dogs with the U.S. Armed Forces is not taken lightly. Led by former Special Forces operators and staffed with a deep bench of subject matter experts from various USSOCOM elements, field-and-hunt trial sporting

CANINE OPERATORS

IDDs performing off leash

explosive detection in

theater

Aerial shot of the K2 Canine Training Center in North Carolina

OPERATOR30

industries, and the top canine trainers in the nation, K2 has consistently provided the most effective tool in the U.S. militarys arsenal to counter improvised explosive devices since 2009.

Though the IDD program is unique to the United States Marine Corps, K2 has also provided canines and training to Department of Defense entities that include the United States Army, the United States Special Operations Command, the Naval Special

Warfare Command, Marine Corps Forces Systems Command, the United States Army Special Operations Command, the Department of Homeland Security, and allied military forces.

Ten years of war has changed how these canine programs are utilized. Both the selection and the use of the canine have developed, as have attitudes about their capabilities. They are part of the team, said a prior SOCOM canine handler that is now a K2 trainer. Running through the chaos with us, able to distinguish between friend and foe, neutralizing aggressors while remaining responsive and focused. They are another weapon system, acting as live fire distractor and force multiplier. Then, later, they can be hanging out with us on the couch, watching SportsCenter and eating liver treats. The man-eating dog of WWII and Vietnam, with no control or socialization, is a thing of the past.

The way ahead for special operations dogs is definitely off-leash as well, just as weve seen with detection dogs, shared this trainer. Up and coming weapons of the future are going to entail a low intensity, low visibility enemy. The terrorism well continue to see is going to be from small sleeper cells and is going to require low-vis dogs and a continuing evolution of our current capabilities.

K2 Solutions, Inc. has been on the front lines of the Global War on Terror since the companys inception in 2003. Started for the purpose of providing direct

support to USSOCOM elements, K2s first customers were the U.S. Army and supporting entities charged with Counter-IED development. For Lane Kjellsen, founder of the employee-owned company, the goal was always to place like-minded, mission-focused individuals alongside the military in continued service to the country. It sounds nice on paper, but in reality meant Kjellsen returning to the front lines of the very war he had just left. Kjellsen and his companys first employees began combat development testing for special mission units, focusing on breaching and explosives research, development, training, and evaluation. As a former Army Special Forces operator, Kjellsen, a retired sergeant major, understood how to take the tactical needs of elite special operations units and respond with real-world solutions.

After working with the canine elements of these special operations units, Kjellsen soon recognized that his hobby of sport dogs and field-and-hunt trials was applicable to this deadly new world of counter-IED development. From 1997 to 2001, Kjellsen had become a successful sport dog enthusiast, moving quickly from novice field trial competitor to dominant amateur. Coupling his hobby with his profession, Kjellsen demonstrated to his military clients just some of the benefits of this off leash, controllable tool by showcasing how to emplace a door sensor or a charge at a distance using the dogthus guaranteeing a marked increase in safety and stand-off distance for the breacher. The special mission unit privy to the demo purchased a Labrador retriever from Kjellsen to use as a research detector dog. From there, K2 was on its way to becoming one of the leading canine training and research and development centers in the country.

The marriage of standard military working dogs trained for explosive detection with the practices, breeding, and techniques of the field-and-hunt trial industry is a delicate balance. The Labradors hunt drive, obedience, social skills, and retriever instinct were distilled over the next five years into a uniquely military application: the detection of the most lethal weapon used against NATO forces since the 2001: the IED. The strength of this program was not only the incredible canines and the increased understanding of their capabilities, but the trainers dedication to the ever evolving development of the most versatile and effective IED detection tool ever.

The deployed and embedded field service representatives (FSRs) are the face of the K2 explosive detection program. The FSR mission sounds simple: to sustain and maintain the IDDs in-theater and to act

K2 continues to build upon its 10-year history of

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OPERATOR32

as a liaison between the client and K2, providing problem-solving expertise to the units and handlers throughout designated areas of operation. Stacey West, IDD FSR Deployment Program Manager, was first an FSR before taking his current position. The Unit FSRs are the bread and the butter of the program, he said. They are the subject matter expert for the battalion, the go-to guy who fixes problems, advises utilization and trains the dogs to sustain their capabilities.

During peak deployment, hundreds of IDDs were-in country, with multiple FSRs traveling to each unit in turn. For the FSRs, this was and continues

to be ground zero. Many have left promising careers as professional dog trainers or are military veterans with varied backgrounds. West, who holds a masters degree and owned his own Retriever trainer business, competed in the Super Retriever Series, an ESPN Production that went to the Versus Network. His dog, Abby, had the first-ever perfect score of 0, followed by an almost perfect score on the next test. No dog has ever come close to matching Abbys record.

But West, along with the majority of K2 trainers, wanted his dog training to mean something more. Being an FSR is where the rubber meets the road, said West. Its not about training to keep them certified; it is training to keep people alive. For some dogs, their training and dedication means the ultimate sacrifice, and it was West who took the canine body bags off the plane while providing whatever support he could for the handlers. They lost their best friends, said West. But it isnt just the handlers. Most of the FSRs have worked with the dogs from the procurement process to selection, certification, and ultimately deployment. Any loss of an IDD is intensely personal to the FSR as well.

For Patrick Daignault, a successful professional trainer since 2000 who recently returned from his third deployment as an IDD FSR, the job description is about as varied as it gets. For the dogs and the handlers

within a specific unit, you become much more than just a trainer, he said. You are part psychologist, part disciplinarian, part liaison, and part confidence builder. As the war and the tactics of the enemy change, every deployment and every unit teaches each FSR more about what is needed and what can be developed.

The best thing about the IDD is its adaptability, said Neil Copeland, an IDD FSR who has been training dogs for over a decade. You can train these dogs to do just about any variation of detection and be utilized to perform all sorts of tasks. There are a number of Maintenance FSRs in theater, but for K2 IDD FSRs, their equipment is living and breathing with cognitive and olfactory capabilities that defy previous expectations. Other tools dont adapt, said Copeland. This tool adapts every day, taking in new [tactics, techniques, and procedures] of the enemy and realizing an amazing level of consistent performance.

Adaptability is not only a hallmark of the canines, but of the FSRs as well, as constant creativity is demanded to devise problem-solving training to meet challenges with very minimal resources and training space. Copeland solved one training issue by simply building his own moveable bridge to place over different small wadis or stream beds. Developing innovative tools in theater to solve training problems is an area where the FSR guides his handlers to becoming trainers themselves.

Jake Van Dyke joined the Marine Corps in 2005. He deployed, returned, and after getting out of the military heard about job openings for canine trainers at K2 Solutions. In July 2011, Jake deployed again. This time, though, he was out of uniform and going back into theater as a K2 FSR. In a way, I still felt like I was putting on the uniform, said Van Dyke. A lot of Marines dont like contractors in general, but I was able to lace my boots just like them. They trusted K2 and me, and I was able to really leverage my prior service.

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Law Enforcement officer using a K2 trained off leash detection canine to search a roadway

OPERATOR34

is a constant focus. Trust is critical to the effective utilization of IDDs. The unfortunate truth is that it sometimes takes casualties before an IDD might be given the opportunity to prove its ability. For Van Dyke, one operation in particular sticks out that could have gone horribly wrong if not for the prowess of the IDD.

A few Marines burst into this compound to take care of business without letting the handler send the dog in to search for IEDs, he said. My handler was just a 19-year-old private first class that was extremely boot [green, not respected] and they werent going to pay him or his dog any attention. When the handler was finally able to send his dog in, though, boom, the dog flattens out [the dogs indication response] right there in the doorway. He gets up, hunts a few more feet and flattens out again, and then does the same thing again. The handler immediately called his dog back and they found three IEDs on three different pressure plates. Each one had a boot print on top. It was pure luck and malfunction that the charges didnt go off. They started using the dog a lot more after that, said Van Dyke.

For Chris Runyan, the importance of trust in the dogs training and capability first came when he was a Marine handler. I was one of 26 IDD handlers chosen from my battalion, said Runyan. I had never been to North Carolina, and had never worked a dog before in my life. Arriving in North Carolina as a student in one of the first and largest K2 Marine handler courses of 2010, Runyan was blown away by the control, obedience, and hunt drive demonstrated by the sociable Labs. While the Marine goes through only a five-week handler course, the IDD is already a highly trained, incredibly effective detection canine that is relied upon to lead his partner. In effect, it is the canine that trains the handler.

Runyan was named primary dog handler for his unit, and started route clearance in Afghanistan as part of a hunter/killer team. It soon became obvious that the IDD was not only a highly effective tool against finding IEDs, but was a force multiplier.

After leaving the military a couple of years later, Runyan returned to K2 Solutions to pursue what he calls a once-in-a-lifetime chancethe opportunity to train dogs for handlers just like him. A natural and gifted dog trainer, it didnt take long for Runyan to be chosen

as a K2 FSR. Returning to Afghanistan, Runyan had one goal: make the program even better. I would work my dog around the platoon to build their trust, said Runyan. They were skeptical at first, but training around them built their knowledge and expectation of the dog. Runyan remembers his group of Marine Handlers as dedicated and hard

working. They worked my ass off. We would train two to three times a day, figuring out problems, finding training applications. Every day, a new lesson.

As a previous military working dog handler in the Air Force, and with a resume that includes helping to start the specialized search dog course at Lackland Air Force Base in 2005, Joseph Phillips knew what it took to create a sound canine program. Joining forces with K2 in 2010, Phillips was soon asked to become an FSR in support of a British IDD team. Four deployments later, including two with the Marine IDD program, Phillips remains a strong advocate of the power and effectiveness of this off-leash detection tool. Being a previous MWD Handler and being attached to a six-foot leash, you have to realize the capability of the IDD as an absolute force multiplier, said Phillips. First, you get the stand-off distance and then you get an accurate, controlled, detailed search from the dog.

The environment these dogs can operate in is insane. Line for line, matching up against MWDs, other contract working dogs, etc., there was no competition. Tested relentlessly by naysayers, the canines proved themselves time and time again. Remembering the four and a half months of training to become an specialized search dog

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OPERATOR36

handler, Phillips is still amazed at the effectiveness of the Marine handlers after only a five-week course at K2.

We would have multiple cache finds, he said. Two hundred pounds of explosives in a daisy chain, which is really hard for the dog to find, because after responding on the first find, they dont want to move on. But the handler was able to work his dog all the way through. In that instance, there were five different IEDs. It would have been devastating had it gone off.

There is no facility on earth similar to K2s Canine Training Center, said Phillips. The compound stretches 125 acres in rural North Carolina. With state of the art kenneling for 320 dogs, a fully-staffed vet clinic, an on-site HAZMAT, dedicated research and development buildings, and 55 owned or leased additional training sites, K2 is able to provide the absolute best in care, training, and support to these canines. The dedication and passion of the team in place is not lost on those from either military or civilian backgrounds.

Sam Daly had never been to boot camp, had never been in the military and certainly never been to a combat zone. A highly proficient canine trainer, Daly joined K2 after reading about the IDD Program, and wanted to deploy as an FSR. It was a life-altering experience, he said. During both train-up and later in Afghanistan, Daly was constantly inspired by the young Marines and they, likewise, respected his leadership and competence as he guided and trained them on how to most effectively use their newest partners.

The FSRs challenge and success comes in filling the gapwherever that might be. Its about the customers needs, said Daly. My part was to keep the canines as convenient as possible, not making them a logistical headache, and ensuring that we were doing everything possible to save life and limb.

K2s research and development team works with academic partners throughout the United States, advancing canine science in the areas of olfaction, physiology, and cognitive assessment. This has provided even further insight into how effective and reliable these dogs can become. Research being done at K2s Canine Training Center alongside the Office of Naval Research has enabled significant insight into how better to care for the dog in extreme environments, how long and how effectively they can work, what kind of behavior and assessment indications are best for selection of the right animals, and how to increase the their ability to consistently and accurately detect trace amounts of odor.

In spite of hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the U.S. to create detection technology, said Kjellsen, there is nothing that betters the dog in capability or

effectiveness. K2-trained canines represent the only capability in the world right now that detects explosives while keeping the handler in a safe, stand-off position and still receive confirmation.

As the war draws down and the numbers of IDDs needed in Afghanistan diminishes, federal and state entities are finding ways to use this tool here at home. K2 has answered this need for transitioning IDDs from the front lines abroad to the front lines at home by developing the person-borne explosive detection dog and person-borne weapons detection programs, which also have off-leash capabilities. These caninesmany of which have been the rock stars of the IDD Programare put through additional training to enable detection of scent on the human body. This capability allows the dog to scan as many as 150 people every minute in high-traffic venues such as sporting events, stadiums, and universities.

Events like the failed Times Square car bombing and the Boston Marathon bombing point to an increasing number of IEDs being used not in some distant Middle-Eastern country, but on our own soil and in our own backyards. According to an April 16, 2013 Boston Globe article: The Boston Marathon bombing marked a watershed moment that counterterrorism officials and specialists have dreaded for years: the use of multiple improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, to inflict mass casualties on U.S. soil.

The current challenge is in responsibly transferring this evolved IDD capability, culled from years of development, in a way that protects us here at home as well as maintaining an enduring capability. This is the most critical piece, said Kjellsen. In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, K2 has provided security through the [person-borne explosion detection dog] at such iconic events as the Kentucky Derby and large university sporting events. There are also a growing number of police departments with this need in anticipation of requirements to better detect improvised explosives.

K2s post-Afghanistan future involves deploying around the world and throughout the United States. Terrorists have learned the power and effectiveness of the IED, and will continue to use them to conduct violence against this country and others. For K2-trained canines and the talented men and women dedicated to developing their capabilities, this is just the beginning.

For more information on K2 Solutions, Inc. visit www.k2si.com.

Nicole White was born and raised in northwestern MT, but now calls Southern Pines, NC home with her active-duty husband, two crazy dogs and son on the way. She is the Marketing Manager for K2 Solutions, Inc. and enjoys the opportunity to serve her country by connecting the DoD and federal sectors to her companys innovative solutions.

RESCO Instruments: An American Watch BrandTimepieces designed for high performance and high class from downrange to downtown.

This modest company is a labor of love for its founder, R.E. Smith and even wields his name. Founded in 2009, RESCO Instruments aspired to build a sleek, simple and rugged timepiece. This vision was realized with the production of the Gen 1 Patriot model, which now graces the wrists of over 95 active duty US Navy SEALs including Rescos founder, R.E. Smith who is still in active service as a US Navy SEAL.

The Gen 1 Patriot line is the

tested through every phase of NSW training by actual operators who provided feedback and design input.

We pride ourselves on being an American brand. All of our watches are designed, assembled and tested in Coronado USA and bear the name of our hometown on the base of the dial. In 2012, RESCO Instruments released the Gen 2 Patriot, The

Bullfrog Heritage Collection.

Visit our website to learn more today www.rescoinstruments.com

To all those who have gone downrange, we salute you!

My LifeAs A RAngeR

OPERATOR38

By Col. Danny R. McKnight (Ret) Executive Officer, 3rd Ranger Battalion

Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division-Center, make their way along the course of a 12-mile ruck march as part of a unit competition at Camp Taji, Iraq, May 27, 2011, for the opportunity to attend Ranger School. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy)

Rangers Lead the Way! I am so proud of the fact that those words truly define my 28-plus year career in the U.S. Army. When I graduated high school and later, college, I had no idea of what was in the years ahead. My amazing journey began on August 3, 1973 when I was commissioned

as an officer in the Army. This journey truly started for me when I completed Airborne School in December 1973 and Ranger School in March 1974. Upon completion of Ranger School, I was assigned to the Mountain Ranger Camp (known as Camp Frank D. Merrill) in Dahlonega, Georgia as the Executive Officer for 2nd Ranger Company. After a period of about ten months, I

OPERATOR 39

became instructor-qualified in order to be an evaluator for Ranger students going thru the mountain phase of Ranger School.

The most significant part of this assignment was the special privilege and opportunity I had to learn from Ranger Veterans of the Vietnam War. I learned from elite Ranger officers and non-commissioned officers. A simple example is the fact that I worked directly for then-Captain Robert Howard, a Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War. I left Dahlonega in August 1977 as a newly promoted Captain after an unbelievable three-and-a-half years serving with some of the finest Rangers ever.

After completing the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, I was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. Three months after arriving there, I was selected to be the aide-de-camp for the commanding general of the division. It was an unexpected and extraordinary privilege for me. The awesome significance of this was the commanding general, who was my boss. His name was Major General David E. Grange, Jr. He had served as the director of the Armys Ranger Department (School) when he was a colonel. He was, and still is, a Ranger legend and one of our Armys greatest leaders in history. The annual event, known as Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning, Georgia, is named for Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Grange. My almost 19 months with

him proved to be one of the most inspiring times in my career and my life because I observed what rangering and leading was really all about. It was very clear in my mind that I wanted to serve in a Ranger Battalion and be a part of the best Light Infantry (Airborne) fighting force in the world.

In July 1986, I reported to the 75th Ranger Regiment Headquarters where I assumed duties as the Regimental Adjutant/S1. My amazing journey had now ascended to another level of professionalism. Over the next five years at Fort Benning, Georgia, I would spend four of the years in the regimental headquarters and 3rd Ranger Battalion. I was the 3rd Ranger Battalion XO during Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama and participated in the airborne assault at Rio Hato Air field. I was also privileged to serve as the Regimental XO for then Colonel William F. Kernananother great Ranger and leader in our Army.

In June 1991, I assumed command of 4th Battalion 27th Infantry (Wolfhounds) in the 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. During my time in command of 4/27th, I did everything possible to live-up to the Ranger Standards, the Ranger Creed and the Ranger Ethos established in 1974. I pushed my soldiers harder

I am immensely proud of the fact that I was there

leading and fighting beside my Rangers.

A ranger instructor explains to company of Rangers the technical instructions of rappelling from the 50 ft. rock to his left in Dahlonega, Georgia. (Photo by Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)

Capts. Andrew Farina and David Uthlaut, 25th Infantry Division, descend from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with their rucksack raft during the helocast and swim event of the 2007 Best Ranger Competition. (Photo by Capt. Kamil Sztalkoper)

Retired Col. Danny R. McKnight, made famous

in the book and film Black Hawk Down for his

actions in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993, speaks

to service members at the National Prayer

Breakfast on Kandahar Airfield Feb. 6. (Photo by Sgt. Amanda Hils)

A company of Rangers silently negotiate their

way to an enemy objective while

participating in the third phase of Ranger

training at Camp James E. Rudder, Florida.

(Photo by Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)

OPERATOR40

than most commanders, and demanded nothing less than perfection from my leaders (officers and non-commissioned officers). I knew we could not achieve the level of professionalism and expertise of a Ranger Battalion, but striving to achieve it was my goal.

In January 1993 I gave up command of the battalion in Hawaii to return to Ft. Benning. An unfortunate training accident had killed two Ranger battalion commanders and others, and I was to assume command of 3rd Ranger Battalion. I commanded this, one of the finest fighting forces on Earth, for 17 months. In July 1994, my Ranger Regiment/Ranger Battalion days had come to an end, and my amazing journey was starting to slow down. Every Ranger battalion commander faces

numerous challenges during their command timesome a little more than others. My little more was the Battle of Mogadishu on October 3-4, 1993better known as Black Hawk Down. This infamous battle became well known because of the book and movie. I am immensely proud of the fact that I was there leading and fighting beside my Rangers. I know that during the 18-plus hours of that battle, every member in Task Force RANGER fought harder and went further than any warriors I had ever served with on the field of battle. It was my greatest privilege ever to serve beside them and with them. Rangers Lead the Way!

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Delta force

OPERATOR42

By Joe Gonzalez

The first rule of Fight Club is you dont talk about Fight Club. The same can be said for the most covert of Americas special mission units. Forged by a warrior who

was twice wounded in battle and triaged as dead, Delta Forcealso known as 1st Special Force Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), Combat Applications Group, and Army Compartmented Elementsmay be the toughest job in the world that you never get to talk about.

As you might imagine, joining Delta isnt easy. First you must to enlist in the Army and then qualify as a Ranger or a Special Forces operator. You must be male with two-and-a-half-years left on your contract and hold a rank somewhere between specialist and master sergeant. You must be prepared to run hundreds of miles, swim until your arms and legs are numb, and carry 40-pound rucksacks until you think youre a hunchbackall

7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Green Berets pull

security on shore after moving off the beach

on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 08,

2011. 7th SFG (A) Green Berets participated

in a training exercise where they conducted a movement by zodiac

and swam ashore to conduct close quarters

battle training. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc.

Steven Young)

7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Green Berets move into position to fast rope out of a UH-60 helicopter onto their objective at Eglin AFB, Fla., Feb. 15, 2012. 7th SFG (A) soldiers conducted multiple runs during the day and night to simulate scenarios encountered during deployment. (U.S. Army Photo by Pfc. Steven Young)

OPERATOR 43

while being timed on a clock that gets shorter with each task. Lets just say that when youre done, the local 5k will be a breeze.

Once the physically unfit have been washed out, candidates for Delta begin an intense six-month operator-training course (OTC). Marksmanship, demolitions, counter-terrorism, tradecraft, executive protection, counter intelligence, and sniper skills are just a few of the missions would-be members of Delta will train to eventually master. Meanwhile, the running, swimming, and that rucksack never go away. And to build trust among the trainees, much of the training uses live ammunition.

Delta was brainchild of Colonel Charlie Beckwith, a six-foot-three-inch lineman from the University of Georgia who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. He turned down a football career to serve in Korea as a Second Lieutenant. When Vietnam began, Beckwith joined Special Forces and learned guerilla operations from the British Special Air Service. This experience convinced Beckwith that a proactive Special Forces unit like the SAS was needed in the Armys arsenal.

In 1964, Beckwith with got his wish, and assumed command of Project DELTA. His group consisted of six recon hunter-killer teams, each composed of U.S. and South Vietnamese Special Forces. Designated Detachment B-52, 5th Special Forces Group, his 250-man force rescued a Special Forces garrison at Plei Me and then battled for eight more days against regular North Vietnamese troops. Beckwith and his men proved their worth throughout the war. In 1974, Delta Force was given official sanction.

The first official use of Delta was in 1979 during the Iran Hostage Crisis. Delta was charged with taking back the U.S. embassy and rescuing the American hostages. While the plan may have worked, the helicopters they used failed amidst desert sand storms. The unit regrouped, and since then Delta warriors have fought bravely in Nicaragua, Venezuela, Grenada, Panama, Haiti, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, among other places.

But there was one mission that revealed Delta to be the most effective force in the history of warfare: Operation GOTHIC SERPENT.

On October 3rd, 1993, U.S. Army Rangers and members of Delta Force were sent to Mogadishu, Somalia. Their goal was to capture warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid and his top lieutenants. The fighting that took place that day may have been the finest hour of the American warrior. Operation

GOTHIC SERPENT is more famously known as Black Hawk Down.

While the story was detailed superbly in Mark Bowdens book Black Hawk Down, and in the Ridley Scott film of the same name, I wanted to take this opportunity to shine a light on the ethos of the American military. That day, Delta Force operators Sergeant First Class Randall David Shughart and Master Sergeant Gary Ivan Gordon traded their own lives to save those of their comrades by volunteering for what was almost certainly a one-way mission. Initially, their job was to circle high above the battlefield in a Black Hawk helicopter (designated Super Six Two) and provide fire support. When one of the missions helicopters was shot down, however, everything changed. The Rangers and Delta Force operators in a convoy on the ground below were redirected to the downed Black Hawk, and were soon enmeshed in a murderous firefight. Meanwhile, Michael Durants helicopter, Super Six Four, was also shot down, and there was no rescue team available. Super Six Two, with Shughart and Gordon on board, was called to secure Durant and his crew by providing cover fire against a rampaging enemy force.

The two men requested to be inserted on the ground to help the wounded. They both understood the impossibility of the odds they faced. Command also understood the risk, and denied the Delta operators per