By Walter Ham.

If you have spent much time on military-related social media platforms, you’ve probably seen some of the memes featuring a seasoned U.S. Army sergeant major with a Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge and Combat Infantry Badge.

The Army EOD technician behind those memes is retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Mike R. Vining, one of the founding members of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Airborne) and one of the unit’s first EOD technicians.

The reason his Army career has gained so much attention is because Vining has participated in many of the American military operations that defined the latter part of the 20th century, as an explosive ordnance disposal technician and an elite Special Forces operator.

Growing up in Howard City, Michigan, Vining was interested in science and mountain climbing. He received chemistry sets for Christmas every year and earned the grand prize in a high school science fair for a Wilson cloud chamber. Vining was also a member of the science club and chess club and participated in wrestling and track.

Vining then watched a movie that changed the trajectory of his life.

“I saw a World War II movie about a British soldier disarming a large German bomb in an underground chamber in London, England,” said Vining. “I thought, wow, that must take a lot to disarm a large ticking bomb.”

At 17, not long after the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War, Vining went to an Army recruiting office and signed up to be an ammunition renovation specialist with the plan of volunteering for EOD as soon as possible. After graduating from basic training camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he went to Ammunition Renovation School on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, where he learned how to destroy unserviceable code H ammunition during a course that was taught by EOD technicians.

He attended EOD training on Fort McClellan, Alabama, and Indian Head, Maryland, and graduated in May 1969.

Photo: Then U.S. Army Spc. 4 Mike R. Vining served with the 99th Ordnance Detachment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) in Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam, in an area west of Saigon and near the Cambodia border. During his 11 months in Vietnam, he participated in the destruction of the Rock Island East and Warehouse Hill enemy weapons and ammunition caches in Cambodia. Courtesy photo. (Courtesy photo)

While serving with the Technical Escort Unit at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, he volunteered to serve in Vietnam and he spent 11 months with the 99th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) in Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam, in an area west of Saigon and near the Cambodia border.

Two of the most memorable EOD operations of his career happened in 1970 when he participated in the destruction of the Rock Island East and Warehouse Hill enemy weapons and ammunition caches in Cambodia.

Vining was part of the seven-man Army EOD team that supported the 1st Cavalry Division mission to secure and destroy the largest weapons and ammunition cache discovered during the U.S. military’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Named Rock Island East after the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, the enemy weapons cache had 932 individual weapons and 85 crew-served weapons as well as 7,079,694 small arms and machine gun rounds. The enemy cache also contained almost a thousand rounds of 85mm artillery shells that were used for the D-44 howitzer and the T-34 tank.

Vining and the EOD techs had to dodge enemy fire and endure biting red ants while working on the cache. After setting up “scare charges” to keep enemy forces out of the security perimeter, Vining made it on the helicopter in time to watch the explosion and see the mushroom cloud that was visible from 50 miles away. The seven Army EOD technicians at Rock Island East used 300 cases of C4 explosives to destroy 327 tons of enemy munitions.

Photo: Then Spc. 4 Mike R. Vining participated in the destruction of the largest weapons and ammunition cache discovered during the U.S. military’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Vining and his fellow Army EOD techs destroyed the Rock Island East weapons cache with 300 cases of C4 explosives and created a mushroom cloud that could be seen from 50 miles away. (Courtesy photo)

Later at the Warehouse Hill operation in Cambodia, the EOD team had to disarm booby traps and crawl into underground tunnels to place C4 explosives on 14 cache sites. Vining had to contend with large cave crickets, poisonous centipedes, spiders, bats and scorpions in the narrow tunnels. The teams used 120 cases of C4 explosives to destroy hundreds of thousands of enemy rounds.

After completing his tour in Vietnam, Vining left the Army and returned home to Michigan. He got a job at a plant that stamped out automotive body parts for Ford Motor Company and then became the lead employee on the third shift of the largest press in the plant, a 500-ton press.

“Although it was very good pay, I did not see myself doing this for 20 to 30 years,” said Vining. “In October of 1973, I saw my Army recruiter and asked to go back into the Army.”

The U.S. Army recruiter told Vining that he would have to serve as an EOD technician again, which was exactly what he wanted. He was assigned to the 63rd Ordnance Detachment (EOD) on Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Vining was serving on a U.S. Secret Service support mission when his EOD supervisor, Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Ray Foster, Sr., was killed by an improvised explosive device at the Quincy Compressor Division Plant in Illinois, in 1976. Afterward, Vining thought it was time for a change.

“I decided to take emergency medical technician training and following that I decided to volunteer to be a Special Forces medic,” said Vining. “I was getting out of EOD when my control sergeant major told me that they were forming a new Special Forces organization at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and that they were looking for six EOD techs.”

Vining called the number and flew to Fort Bragg or an interview with Col. “Chargin’ Charlie” Beckwith, the founder of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta. Beckwith envisioned the concept that the U.S. Army should have a counterterrorism unit like the British Special Air Service.

“Two weeks later, I was one of four Army EOD techs to start the Operator Training Course 1,” said Vining. “Only two of us made it through. The second person was retired Sgt. Maj. Dennis E. Wolfe.”

Photo: Sgt. Maj. Mike R. Vining places a charge on a dud AT-4 rocket in Saudi Arabia in March 1991. Vining served in Operation Desert Storm. (Courtesy photo)

One of the unit’s first operations was the clandestine mission to rescue 53 American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Known as Operation Eagle Claw, the rescue mission was cancelled after the loss of three helicopters during a sandstorm at the staging site known as Desert One. While the aircraft were leaving the Desert One staging area, a RH-53D helicopter crashed into the transport aircraft that Vining and his team was on.

The helicopter rotor chopped into the top of the fuel-laden aircraft and a fireball shot by Vining and his team. As the EC-130E “Bladder Bird” was engulfed in flames and munitions cooked off around them, Vining and his teammates made it off the aircraft. Vining and his team got on another aircraft with faulty landing gear and just enough fuel to make it across the water to safety.

During the Desert One aircraft collision, eight American troops were killed and both aircraft were destroyed.

Joint Special Operations Command was created as a result of the investigation that followed the ill-fated rescue mission.

In October 1983 during Operation Urgent Fury, when U.S. forces invaded the Caribbean Island of Grenada following the pro-Cuban coup there, Vining was on a rescue team sent to free political prisoners at the Richmond Hill Prison.

His Blackhawk helicopter came under intense enemy anti-aircraft fire on approach to the prison facility and the mission had to be delayed.

The political prisoners were released before a second mission was launched.

After seven years of serving with distinction in Delta Force, Vining accepted an assignment with the 176th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) on Fort Richardson, Alaska. He made the move to be more promotable within the EOD community and to be close to the mountains of the 49th state.

Photo: Sgt. Maj. Mike R. Vining reached the summit on Mount Denali in Alaska, on June 1, 1994. The 20,310-foot Mount Denali is the highest mountain in North America. Courtesy photo. (Courtesy photo)

While in Alaska, he maintained his proficiency for EOD missions and later came back to twice climb the 20,310-foot Mount Denali, the highest mountain in North America.

Within one year, he was back at the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, where he would serve in Operation Desert Storm. Although his EOD duties didn’t change, Vining switched to infantry during this time to make himself more promotable within the elite Special Forces unit.

During this second 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta tour, Vining also participated in Operation Pocket Planner during a Federal Penitentiary prison riot in Atlanta in 1987.

Vining would later serve at the Joint Special Operations Command as an exercise planner and J-3 Special Plans sergeant major. He was the Joint Special Operations Task Force senior enlisted advisor aboard the aircraft carrier USS America (CV 66) during Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.

Photo: Sgt. Maj. Mike R. Vining (third from the right in the backrow) stands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS America (CV 66) during Operation Uphold Democracy in October 1994. Vining served as the Joint Special Operations Task Force senior enlisted advisor. (Courtesy photo.)

The sergeant major also served as an explosive investigator on the task force that investigated the 1996 Khobar Tower bombing in Dharan, Saudi Arabia, and he used the lessons learned from that attack to help hardened U.S. installations around the world.

During nearly three decades in uniform, Vining earned the Combat Infantry Badge, Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge, Parachutist Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge and Austrian Police High Alpine “Gendarmerie-Hochalpinist” Badge.

Vining racked up a huge stack of medals and ribbons that include the Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, two Joint Service Achievement Medals and the Army Achievement Medal. He also earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from the University of the State of New York.

Vining said he was glad when the U.S. Army established the 28th Ordnance Company (EOD) (Airborne) to support U.S. Army Ranger and Special Forces missions around the world, as well as the two Airborne Platoons of the 722nd Ordnance Company (EOD) and 767th Ordnance Company (EOD) to support the 82nd Airborne Division’s Immediate Response Force mission.

The Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based companies are all part of 192nd EOD Battalion, 52nd EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military’s premier all hazards command.

Vining said that the Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico-headquartered 21st Ordnance Company (EOD WMD) was another welcome addition to the U.S. Army EOD units. The highly specialized company is part of the 71st EOD Group and 20th CBRNE Command.

From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.

“In my time, Army EOD was viewed as combat service support, but in reality, Army EOD is combat support and has always been that way and that means supporting Special Operations and Airborne forces,” said Vining.

Vining said the key to success in the EOD profession is noncommissioned officer leadership and mentorship.

“Mentorship is one of the duties of a senior NCO,” he said.

The Army EOD community marked its 80th anniversary in 2022 and NCOs have played a critical role in the EOD profession since its inception. Led by noncommissioned officers, EOD teams often serve on their own in austere environments, covering vast operational areas.

Vining also encouraged EOD techs to seek help for both the seen and unseen scars of war that come with the profession.

“I believe if you spend a career in EOD that you will witness severe injuries and death,” he said. “EOD is an inherently dangerous career, but it is also a very rewarding career knowing you have eliminated a hazardous situation.

“If you are suffering from events that you were involved in, you are not alone in dealing with this kind of trauma. I encourage you to open up and just talk about it to a fellow EOD tech or an EOD veteran,” said Vining. “From World War II to the present, we have all witnessed the horrors of war and even the dangerous job we do in peacetime.”

Photo: Retired Sgt. Maj. Mike R. Vining and his wife Donna Ikenberry attend the 242nd Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Dining Out, Aug. 13, 2021. They were engaged at the top of Mount Rainer in Washington and exchanged wedding vows on Mauna Kea, the highest mountain in Hawaii. (Courtesy photo)

In January 1999, Vining retired from the U.S. Army and married his wife Donna Ikenberry, a hiking guidebook author, professional wildlife photographer and freelance photojournalist. They were engaged at the top of Mount Rainer in Washington and exchanged wedding vows on Mauna Kea, the highest mountain in Hawaii.

Today, they live together in South Fork, Colorado, where Vining continues to enjoy spelunking, skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering. He also remains active in the veteran’s community.

Vining was inducted into the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame in 2018.

When he hung up his highly decorated uniform after nearly three decades of service, Vining said he never knew that his storied career would later launch a tidal wave of memes.

“I do not know how any of the memes got started,” said Vining. “One of my grandchildren saw that someone even did a Pokémon card on me.”

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This article by Walter Ham was first published by the U.S. Army on January 17, 2023.

On August 2, 1990 Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait. The leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, claimed that Kuwait was historically a ‘province’ of Iraq and that Kuwait had been stealing Iraq’s oil (by way of ‘slant drilling’).

Desert Shield. While world leaders condemned the action, President George Bush formed an international coalition in response to Iraq’s attack on Kuwait. The intent was to defend Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states from further Iraqi aggression. The US and other nations immediately deployed air assets and ground troops to the Saudi Arabian peninsular in an operation called Desert Shield. Over several months a massive troop buildup occurred with the positioning of military forces in the Gulf region.

Desert Storm. Once it became apparent that Saddam Hussein would not withdraw from Kuwait, the coalition, with appropriate resolutions from the United Nations, began finalizing plans to conduct offensive air and ground operations. An air campaign began against Iraq in mid-January 1991. This air phase of the war would establish air superiority, destroy air defense systems, render ineffective command and control networks, and hit other strategic targets. The coalition ground offensive would begin a month later – lasting only 100 hours.

SCUDs. Iraq lacked offensive options against the coalition and the nations in the region. Its air force was destroyed on the ground, shot out of the skies, or remained hidden. Some Iraqi pilots flew their aircraft to safety in Iran. However, the Iraqis did have an inventory of missiles that could be launched against military and other targets that could reach Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The SCUDs lacked a sophisticated guidance system but could deliver an explosive payload that could cause damage and casualties. [1] Once the coalition began its air campaign in January 1991 Iraq began launching SCUD missiles toward the Arabian Peninsular. Iraq also launched SCUDs into Israel from western Iraq.

SCUD Facts. The SCUD was first deployed by the Soviet Union in the mid-1960s. It could carry a nuclear warhead or a 2,000 pound conventional warhead. It also was an ideal weapon for chemical or biological agents. The missile was first used in the 1973 Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War. It was later used in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. The Iraqis modified the missile to achieve greater range – by reducing the warhead weight, enlarging fuel tanks, and other modifications. These modifications reduced the accuracy of the missile.

The Iraqi variant of the Soviet missile carried a 350-pound warhead. It had enough range to hit most of Israel (from western Iraq) and the major cities of Saudi Arabia. The term SCUD came to be used for a variety of surface-to-surface missiles in the Iraqi inventory.

Estimates of the number of SCUDs that Iraq possessed varied – depending on whether it was a pre-war number or an assessment made during the conflict. Some initial intelligence estimates indicated Iraq had a little more than 100 missiles. This was revised to a higher figure of 400-800.

Photo: Members of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) wearing gas masks in a command post. Photo by IDF, 1991.

Israel Targeted. The launching of missiles toward Israel posed a problem for the coalition. The SCUDs landing in Tel Aviv and other cities unnerved the Israeli population. While the overall physical damage from the SCUD attacks were minimal there were fears that Saddam would put biological or chemical payloads on the SCUDs – causing numerous deaths and injuries. Israel informed Washington that it would respond. [2] There were concerns that if biological or chemical weapons were used against Israel by Iraq then Israel would respond with nuclear weapons. Most accounts say that Iraq launched 40 missiles against Israel (46 against targets in Saudi Arabia).

Saving the Coalition. The intent of Iraq was to prompt an Israeli retaliation. This would put the Arab members of the coalition in a bind. Would they then be allied with Israel fighting an Arab nation? If Israel began attacking Iraq the coalition might very well fall apart – making the task of wresting control of Kuwait from Iraq much more difficult. Washington promised Israel that finding and killing the SCUD missiles would become a top priority – which kept Israel on the sidelines.

Air Force Targeting and Kill Boxes. The fixed launch sites in western Iraq had been hit early in the air campaign. Some of the targets associated with the manufacture, storage, and maintenance of SCUDs had been already hit as well; those that hadn’t quickly moved up on the target list. It is believed that the Iraqis had moved the SCUDs from the fixed site launch locations prior to the start of the coalition air campaign. The coalition rapidly diverted air assets to searching for and destroying mobile SCUDs in western Iraq that could target Israel. The primary aircraft in the SCUD hunt were the A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-16, F-15E, Navy A-6Es, and British Tornados. [3]

Mobile Launchers – a Vexing Problem. The Iraqis had a number of mobile Transporter – Erection – Launch (TEL) vehicles that had been dispersed throughout western and southern Iraq. The exact number varies depending on which source you use – between 20 to 36 launchers are an approximate guess. They were difficult to find. The electronic signature of the TELs were not distinct enough for location purposes. The TELs were camouflaged and hidden to avoid observation from the air. They were frequently moved at night. Once the TELs launched their SCUDs they moved rapidly from the launch site to a different hide location. Sophisticated decoy vehicles were deployed throughout the region that attracted the attention of coalition aircraft. Coalition aircraft had a difficult time finding and targeting the mobile SCUDs. There was some confusion in obtaining the confirmation of ‘kills’ of SCUDs by aircraft. [4] The SCUD launches toward Israel continued.

Photo: Delta Force on SCUD Hunt. Photo by DoD, 1991.

SOF and Desert Storm. A wide variety of special operations units were deployed during the Gulf War. Coalition nations provided special operations forces to the fight – among these were the British Special Air Service (SAS) and Syrian Special Forces Regiment. The United States provided an array of SOF units to include Army Special Forces, Army Rangers, Army Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Navy SEALs and Special Boat Units, Air Force Special Operations squadrons and Combat Control Teams, Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs units, and Marine Force Reconnaissance.

These SOF units conducted a variety of missions. Navy SEALs were busy with special operations missions along the shores of the Persian Gulf. Army Special Forces units were conducting a number of different missions to include direct action, strategic reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, CSAR, border surveillance, and coalition warfare support. Some SOF units would be assigned a new mission – SCUD hunting. The SOF aviation units were very busy with infiltrations, exfiltration, combat search and rescue (CSAR), and other special operations missions.

SOF Teams Inserted. British Special Air Service and 1st SFOD-Delta teams were inserted into western Iraq to join the SCUD hunt. [5] Their mission in “SCUD Alley” was to search for and destroy the SCUDs, launchers, and associated equipment and vehicles. Some of the SOF teams infiltrated by air (usually helicopter) and others by vehicle. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment utilized armed MH-60s to insert SOF teams hundreds of miles inside western Iraq. The Air Force Special Operations squadrons also conducted operations in support of the SCUD hunt. U.S. and British SOF divided the operational area into two sectors – one for the U.S. and one for the British.

SOF On The Ground. The means of interdiction of the SCUDS by SOF teams would range from direct action against the targets to calling in air power to destroy the vehicles and sites associated with the SCUDs. The patrols usually moved at night by foot or vehicle and hid during the day. The British patrols tended to be longer in duration. Some of the SOF teams operating in western Iraq had other missions as well as the SCUD hunt. One of the methods for discovering SCUDs was to set up observation sites along main lines of communication (LOCs). US teams would use hand-held lasers pinpointing targets for aircraft to strike.

Bravo Two Zero. A British SAS team that was inserted by a Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter quickly ran into trouble. It was soon discovered and chased by Iraqi security forces. A few of the patrol members were killed. Some were captured. One patrol member managed to move on foot to the Syrian border avoiding capture. A few books were published and a movie made about Bravo Two Zero. [6]

Effectiveness of SCUD Hunt. The effectiveness of the SCUD hunt by both the Air Force and the SOF teams has been a topic of discussion following the war. How many SCUDs were found and destroyed was not immediately known. There were varying estimates of the effectiveness of the air strikes and the SOF teams on the ground. [7] Some sources indicate that many of the aircraft reported kills of SCUDs were in fact decoys or similar looking vehicles. [8]

Finding the SCUDs and their launchers were difficult. The SCUDs moved from site to site at night. They hid during the day. The SCUD crews could move the launchers to a pre-coordinated launch site, fire their missiles, and drive away in ten minutes.

It became apparent in post-war analysis that countering Iraq’s mobile short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) was a time and resource intensive endeavor. Although the SCUDs were highly inaccurate they did have an important psychological and political impact. In addition, they forced the coalition to divert resources to the SCUD hunt that otherwise could have been occupied with the main effort – the ousting of Iraqi forces from Kuwait.

Conclusion. What is known is that the air campaign and introduction of SOF teams into western Iraq to find and destroy the SCUDS kept Israel on the sidelines. The frequency of SCUD attacks against Israel diminished. This kept the Arab nations in the coalition and contributed to the overall success of Desert Storm’s objective of removing Iraqi troops from Kuwait.

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Top Photo: SCUD launcher, DoD photo.

Footnotes:

[1] On February 25, 1991, parts of an Iraqi Al Hussein SCUD missile destroyed barracks housing U.S. troops. 28 soldiers died and 99 were wounded.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_Quartermaster_Detachment

[2] “We’re going to attack Iraq, Israel told the US. ‘Move your planes'”, The Times of Israel, January 18, 2018.

[3] The Air Force and the Gulf War, Air Force Association, December 2009, PDF, p. 22.
https://www.dvusd.org/cms/lib/AZ01901092/Centricity/Domain/2435/AFandGulfWar.pdf

[4] Operation Desert Storm: Evaluation of the Air Campaign, U.S. Government Accountability Office, NSIAD-97-134, June 12, 1997, page 31, 32.
https://www.gao.gov/assets/230/224366.pdf

[5] There is much more open source information about the participation of the SAS in the SCUD hunt than there is about Delta Force’s role in the operation. A few sources indicate that the Navy SEALs and U.S. Army Rangers may have participated as well.

[6] Two books have been published that tell the story of Bravo Two Zero – Bravo Two Zero and SAS in the Gulf War.

[7] RAND paper cited below by Rosenau, page 36.

[8] “Scud War, Round Two”, Air Force Magazine, April 1, 1991, by Stewart M. Powell.

References:

Rosenau, William, “Chapter Three: Coalition Scud-Hunting in Iraq, 1991”, Special Operations Forces and Elusive Enemy Ground Targets, RAND Corporation, 2001, PDF, 16 pages.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1408.html

Kipphut, Colonel Mark E., USAF, “The Great Scud Chase”, Crossbow and Gulf War Counter-Scud Efforts: Lessons from History, US Air Force Counterproliferation Center, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, February 2003, PDF, 48 pages.
https://media.defense.gov/2019/Apr/11/2002115481/-1/-1/0/15CROSSBOW.PDF

Story, William C., “Operation Desert Storm Scud Hunt – 1991”, Third World Traps and Pitfalls: Ballistic Missiles, Cruise Missiles, and Land-Based Air Power, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, June 1994.
https://fas.org/man/eprint/story.htm

DIA, Mobile Short-range Ballistic Missile Targeting in Operation DESERT STORM, Defense Intelligence Assessment, OGA-1040-23-91, November 1991.
https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB39/document8.pdf

SOF News Update for 20161117 – Small SOF drones for weather forecasting, Delta vs Green Berets, award for 7th SFGA, SF training in Exercise Balance Piston in the Philippines, 3 items you should always carry, and more.

Air Force Buying Small Drone Weather Sensor for SOF. An Air Force contract will provide for the development of a “drone-mounted, pint-sized weather reconnaissance and intelligence sensor system to be used by Special Forces. Read “Air Force Awards special operations military sensor deal”, Defense Systems, November 14, 2016.

“3 Items You Should Always Carry”. A former Army Ranger tells us that you should always carry a pocket knife, watch, and pen & paper. Task & Purpose, November 14, 2016.

SF Trains in Exercise Balance Piston – Philippines. U.S. Special Forces and SOF units of the Philippines will train together in an annual exercise during November 2016. See “US, Philippine special forces to hold joint war drills”, Times Union, November 15, 2016.

“Shooting Ants with Elephant Guns”. A recent article examines the relationship between low-tech attacks and high-tech defensive responses within an asymmetric environment. The National Interest, November 14, 2016.

Not Glorious But It is Important. The Department of Defense announced the winners of the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards for outstanding achievements in weapons systems and military equipment maintenance. The Forward Support Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, Florida was one of the recipients. (Crestview Bulletin, Nov 14, 2016).

Delta Force vs. Green Berets? There are some differences between the elite counter-terrorist force of the U.S. Army and the Army’s Special Forces Groups. Read about them in “Is Delta Force Different Than Green Berets?”, Scout Warrior, November 14, 2016.

Delay in Fielding USSOCOM Manpack. Plans to procure an on-the-move Next-Generation Man Pack (NGMP) are delayed. (Shepard Media, November 16, 2016).

Air Force Combat Controller Earns Silver Star. A member of the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron received the Silver Star for heroic actions in Afghanistan at a recent ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida. (NWF Daily News, Nov 16, 2016).

Global SOF Foundation Lends Helping Hand to Ukrainian SOF. During 2014 the special operations forces of Ukraine were decimated as a result of combat losses fighting the Russian-back rebels and Russian “little green men”. In their rebuilding process the Ukrainians had to establish a “special operations command” to coordinate SOF operations. The Global SOF Foundation based in Tampa, Florida was instrumental in this process. Read more in “Ukraine turns to Tampa Group for help setting up new commando HQ”, Tampa Bay Times, November 15, 2016.

SF Training Exercise in Phoenix. A recent news report says that Special Forces Soldiers will be conducting training in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Read “Special Forces training brings low-flying aircraft to Phoenix area”, The Republic, November 16, 2016.

SOF News Update for 20161113 – Camping like a Green Beret, breaching tools, watch out for “Jody”, 19th SFGA ODA trek in Korea, SOCEUR’s Exercise Black Swan, AC-130 flying in combat, Australian Army night fighting equipment, 1st SFGA and AWA 17.1 Exercise, combat vets and their thoughts after the war is over, RIP CSM Jeff Raker, some DuffelBlog humor on USAJFKSWSC, SEAL Team 6 vs. Brit SAS, SEALs elected to office, video of A-10s on range, Gen Scales on tactical forces & technology, will Gen Votel stay at CENTCOM, advising the right way, SEALs and crisis management, and more.

Black Swan Exercise. U.S. and European special operations forces are conducting nighttime training as part of Exercise Black Swan 2016. Watch a short (1 min) video feature by Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR), November 7, 2016.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oYGsq7II4M

How do Green Berets go Camping? Mike Glover says he can camp with just the items in his ‘Go Bag’. Find out how one Army Special Forces veteran and survival instructor lays out his packing list for camping in the wild in “How to Camp Like a Green Beret”, Task and Purpose, November 6, 2016.

Four Types of “Jodies”. Jody is the guy (or gal) who takes care of things on the homefront while you are away fighting the war, at sea in the middle of the ocean, or taking part in that months-long training exercise. Learn about the “4 Jodies Who Will Ruin Your Life”, by Carl Forsling, Task and Purpose, October 12, 2016.

Ex-Green Beret Attends Arlington JFK Ceremony. A Special Forces veteran of the Vietnam War who suffered severe wounds attended a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to honor late President John F. Kennedy and his commitment to the Green Berets. Denzil Drewry was one of a group of former and present Special Forces men who gathered for the occasion. Read more in “Drewry attends Green Berets ceremony at Arlington to honor JFK”, Community Advocate, November 10, 2016.

Looking to Attend the SF CDQC? If you are planning to attend the Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC) at Key West any time soon you should consider getting good at threading water. Watch a 5-minute video on how to tread water.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n2o2Yk8nuA

Small SOF Drones in Budget Request. The $11.6 billion defense budget requested by President Obama contains a provision to buy 535 Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems and related equipment for the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Bloomberg, November 10, 2016.

Podcast: WWII SAS and Hitler Drug Use. Listen to a podcast BBC History Magazine describing the activities of the British Special Air Service (SAS) and Hitler’s drug addition. History Extra, Nov 10, 2016. www.historyextra.com/podcast/wartime-SAS-Hitler’s-drug-addiction

Obituary – CSM Jeff Raker. For all the old SF troopers out there – a Special Forces legend has passed on. Read up on his past in a post by “Detachment “A” – Berlin Special Forces.

Three SEALs win on Election Night. Three members of the Naval Special Warfare Community did well on election night. One has been elected governor, one for another term to Congress, and a third elected for his first term in Congress. See “3 Navy SEALs win big on Election Night”, Guns.com, November 9, 2016.

Dealing with Stress. A former psychologist for the U.S. Navy SEALs provides advice for combating stress at work. Business Insider, November 10, 2016.

SF Treking in Korea. Ten members of the 19th Special Forces Group recently completed a 250 mile trek with South Korean Special Forces (ROKSF). Read “One mile no sweat, 250 miles better yet”, DVIDS, November 3, 2016.

1st Female Cartographer for OSS. The CIA’s Cartography Center has been making maps for over 75 years. The roots of the map making shop go back to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) where a female geographer – Marion Frieswyk – was employed. Read more in “Marion Frieswyk: The First Female Intelligence Cartographer”, Central Intelligence Agency, November 2016.

Book – Twilight Warriors. James Kitfield has penned a book entitled Twilight Warriors: The Soldiers, Spies and Special Agents Who Are Revolutionizing the American Way of War”. He launched his book with a presentation at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) on Thursday, November 10th. You can watch the one-hour presentation (webcam starts at 24:30 mark) at the link below.
www.csis.org/events/book-launch-twilight-warriors-soldiers-spies-and-special-agents-who-are-revolutionizing

Trump: General Votel- Is he in or out? President-elect Donald Trump has had some controversial comments about U.S. policy in the Middle East and the current 4-star generals running the war against ISIS. Will he keep General Votel – the current commander of CENTCOM (and former cdr of JSOC and USSOCOM)? Read more in “Will Trump Keep Obama’s Top Mideast General?”, Defense One, November 9, 2016.

Video – “Special operations forces integrates into AWA 17.1”, U.S. Army News and Media, October 31, 2016. The 1st Special Forces Group took part in the Army Warfighter Assessment exercise held in October 2016 which “enhances joint and multinational integration and improved partnership with industry . . .”

Video – A-10 flying on Nellis Air Force Base range. Cool one-minute long video of A-10s firing up the range.
www.dvidshub.net/video/491708/10

Video – How the CV-22 Osprey Flies. A one-minute long video shows how the unique aircraft of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) actually flies. www.dvidshub.net/video/491844/its-done-cv-22-ep-1

Combat Vets and Their Thoughts. Allan Farrell, a Special Forces Vietnam War veteran, writes about “The Solitude of Combat Veterans”, Sic Semper Tyrannis, November 11, 2016.

AC-130 – Spec Ops Plane Stays Busy! In less than one year the United States Air Force AC-130 Gunships of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) flew nearly 4,000 hours in combat on secretive missions around the world. (War is Boring, Nov 9, 2016).

SF Training School Changes Name. In anticipation of a Trump presidency where everything is renamed to “Trump” the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) held a hasty renaming ceremony. The new name for the SF training center is “Donald Trump Yuuage Platinum Warrior”. Read more in a news report by DuffleBlog.

Technology and Infantry. Watch a video of MG Robert Scales (Ret) talking for 51 minutes to West Point cadets on the strategic importance of tactical dominance. Via Modern War Institute, West Point, November 9, 2016.

SOF Experience in the Private Sector. There are some unique training opportunities for veterans of special operations who are now separated from the military. Read “Exbellum and DAS: A New Kind of Selection for Special Ops Vets”, Linked In, October 11, 2016.

SOF Breaching Tools. To get into a building or through an obstacle during a direct action mission special operations units will sometimes use breaching tools. Learn more in “Busting Through”, Special Operations International, July 19, 2016.

Comparing SEAL Team 6 with Brit SAS. Two top counter-terrorist teams in the world include the U.S. Navy Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) and the UK’s Special Air Service. Both organizations train extensively in direct action missions, covert reconnaissance, and counter-terrorism. Read more in “The US Navy SEALs vs the British SAS”, How It Works.

Navy SEALs and Crisis Management. Thomas Hardee informs us about five fundamental techniques that SEALs and Special Forces personnel employ to manage a crisis. Read “Five techniques the Navy SEALs use for crisis management”, Linked In, November 4, 2016.

Update on 3 SF Killed in Jordan. The investigation is still ongoing on how and why the three Special Forces Soldiers from 5th SFGA were killed recently just outside an air base in Jordan. Read a news report from The Washington Post that provides more speculation.

Video – “New Night Fighting Equipment 2016”. The Australian Army has produced a video (published on Nov 9, 2016) demonstrating its new night fighting equipment upgrades as part of the “Soldier Combat System Program”.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy-yBk_yv3g

Advising – How to do it right! Morgan Smiley, a veteran of the Afghan and Iraq conflicts where he served as an advisor has some lessons to share . . . about advising. Read “My Lesson From ‘The Long War'”, Small Wars Journal, November 8, 2016.

101st Deploying. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) (Strike) of 101st Airborne Division is heading out on a deployment to Iraq. The Army has announced that 400 Solders from the 101st Airborne Division will deploy to Iraq this summer in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. There are already about 1,600 members of the division already deployed to Iraq. Read the announcement in “Department of the Army announced upcoming deployment”, Army Public Affairs, August 5, 2016.

Delta Force Story. Read a short history of Delta Force describing mission, formation, history, current operations, and more. See “Behind Delta Force, the most secretive unit in the world”, Spec Ops, August 5, 2016.

NATO Explainer. With the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the news a lot lately (there is the Russian bear emerging from its cave once again) a little knowledge of how NATO started and why it exists is helpful. Fortunately the Council on Foreign Affairs (CFA) has put together a little backgrounder for us. (dated Feb 2016).

COIN Primer. Counterinsurgency is one of the “key activities” of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). In a large COIN effort (such as Iraq and Afghanistan) it is also a primary mission for the U.S. conventional forces as well. Vince Tumminell, a former advisor during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Marine has penned a paper about counterinsurgency. He says that there are three counterinsurgency approaches: population-centric COIN, enemy-centric COIN, and punishment COIN. An interesting and educational article with lots of great footnotes. Read “A Primer on Counterinsurgent Warfare”, Small Wars Journal, August 5, 2016.

MARSOC Vet Gets Award. U.S. Army CPT Emily R. Bingham, the force veterinarian with the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, was awarded the 2016 U.S. Army Veterinary Corps Exceptional Officer Service Award. The ceremony took place at Camp Lejeune, NC on July 29, 2016. Read more of this story.

The 28th Annual SO/LIC Symposium & Exhibition will be held February 14-16, 2017 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. The event is hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). SO/LIC, for those new to the SOF community is short for Special Operations / Low Intensity Conflict. The following text is an extract from the webpage by NDIA providing info on the Feb event.

“The complexity of modern global conflict will require the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to engage in extensive joint, combined and interagency operations to achieve national military and strategic objectives.  USSOCOM must now leverage emerging and innovative technologies as never before to link and share information with allies, U.S. Intelligence community members and interagency law enforcement partners as well as an array of disparate players to rapidly understand and exploit adversaries’ weaknesses on the global commons.  No longer is conflict confined simply to the battlefield, it reaches instantaneously from the conflict zone to our board rooms, our communities, and even to our children’s play grounds.  To meet this threat, we require a new paradigm in which U.S. and international law enforcement, intelligence organizations, and Special Operations Forces (SOF) become one unified force; networked and connected as never before. As SOF become more lethal to the enemy, they must leverage and potentially add what may have been traditionally viewed as law enforcement techniques, tactics and procedures to their skill sets.  Achieving this demands American industry actively engage with the SOF and special law enforcement communities to anticipate their needs creating a collaborative inn

Our goal on the NDIA SO/LIC Board, through our annual symposium, is to stimulate and arbitrate this conversation leading to a closer and more collaborative relationship with USSOCOM.  We see the symposium not only an industry event, but a community event where current, former and future operators can meet with innovators to shape the ideas and technology of the future.  To do this we need an active, enrolled and collaborative community that shares ideas and concepts so we can create the tools that save lives and keep the global commons safe.

Learn more about the event at the from the NDIA webpage.

The United States has a number of special operations forces. Two of these forces are primarily used for counterterrorist operations. The U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six and the U.S. Army’s Delta force both are equally proficient at their missions but each has a different focus. Read more in “Here are the differences between the US’s 2 most elite special forces units”, Business Insider, July 30, 2016.