Story by Natalie Greenwood.

U.S. Airmen with the 353rd Special Operations Wing (353rd SOW), 492nd Special Operations Wing (492nd SOW) and the 1st Special Operations Wing (1st SOW) deployed to the Philippines for Balikatan 22, March 28 – April 8, 2022. The Airmen assigned to three Air Force Special Operations Wings worked with members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and U.S. armed forces counterparts for the two-week exercise to strengthen relationships and operate in an austere environment. “One of the reasons we are out here is to engage with our partner force,” said Maj. Matthew Roese, the 353rd SOW Mission Commander. “We came out here to Balikatan to do a tactics, techniques, and procedures exchange with the AFP.”

The exercise started with friendship jumps between the two nations using an MC-130J assigned to the 353rd SOW, while the crew of the AC-130J Ghostrider conducted close air support training, and members of the 6th Special Operations Squadron exchange tactical ideas with Philippine Air Force pilots.

“This is the first time that the AC-130J Ghostrider has operated out of the Philippines for Balikatan since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Maj. Dave Bartolome, a weapon systems officer for the AC-130J Ghostrider with the 1st SOW. The Airmen experienced other firsts during the exercise as the 353rd SOW’s Deployed Aircraft Ground Response Element (DAGRE) worked with the Philippine National Police on a new exercise zone agreement.

The newly established exercise zone agreement allows DAGRE to arm and defend U.S. Air Force assets and people in exercise zones alongside their Philippine counterparts, explained a DAGRE member. Airmen assigned to the 353rd SOW continued to work and execute the mission despite facing the challenge of an engine change mid-exercise to an MC-130J Commando II.

“It’s very uncommon to do an engine change when you’re on a temporary duty assignment, especially for the damage we had on the aircraft,” said a maintainer with the 353rd SOW. “But it was cool just working with everyone and seeing everybody coming together to get the job done.”

Military members from the 353rd SOW demonstrated appreciation to the local community through a charitable donation to the Social Development Center and a day of activities, including shopping for the local girls’ shoes and school supplies, a luncheon, and games.

“Meeting and supporting the young girls at the Social Development Center was a rewarding and eye-opening experience for our team,” said Master Sgt. Destinee Jones, the 353rd SOW Staff Additional Duty First Sergeant. “The girls we met are amazing with bright futures, and I believe we learned just as much from them as they did from us! It’s important to us that we foster these community ties during current and future Balikatan missions.”

From Clark Air Base, members represented the 492nd SOW by exchanging tactical procedures with Philippine Air Force members assigned to the 15th Strike Wing. U.S. Air Force Maj. Dan Jackson, a Combat Aviation Advisor with the 6th Special Operations Squadron even found a fellow U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, now a Philippine Air Force A-29 Super Tucano pilot.

“This is a very good venue to learn from each other,” said Philippine Air Force Major Dennis Marzo. “It doesn’t really end here on Balikatan. The connections and network we develop here we use after to continue talking and learning from each other. The deployment came to a close and Airmen from across all three Special Operations Wings reflected on what they learned throughout the exercise.

“Everything boils down to relationships. Being able to come out here and speak face to face with somebody I never thought I’d be able to talk to is what builds trust,” said Capt. Joshua Malpass, an AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft commander with the 1st SOW. “The experiences I’ve gained out here are incredible, and I’m to be able to take that back to our squadron and show them what I’ve learned from these professional aviators.”

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This story by Lance Cpl. Natalie Greenwood was first published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on May 2, 2022. DVIDS publishes content in the public domain.

Photo: Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippine Special Operations Command conduct a military freefall jump from a U.S. Air Force MC-130J Commando II during Balikatan 22 over Royce Drop Zone, Philippines, March 28, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Levi J. Guerra)

A video shows an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship participating in Exercise Balikatan 21 in the Philippines. The crew from the 73rd Special Operations Squadron out of Hurlburt Field, Florida conduct an aerial refueling and then proceed to fire their onboard 105mm cannon. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) from the Philippine 710th Special Operations Wing and from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron out of Kadena Air Base, Japan, took part in the live fire training event. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the U.S. and the Philippines and comes from a Tagalog phrase meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder”.

AC-130J Ghostrider: Balikatan 21
April 24, 2021, 5 minutes, B-Roll
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/792569/ac-130j-ghostrider-balikatan-21

The Lead Inspector General report to the United States Congress on Operation Pacific Eagle – Philippines (OPE-P) is now available. The report covers the period of April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. OPE-P is the overseas contingency operation to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in their fight against ISIS-East Asia (ISIS-EA) and other terrorist organizations.

ISIS-EA. The Philippine faction of ISIS remains a threat in the Philippines. Its capabilities, size, financing, and operations has not changed in recent months. It continues to carry out sporadic, mostly small-scale attacks. ISIS-EA and other violent extremist groups have remained about the same size and strength over the last few years. These groups continue to operate in the southern Philippines where separatist groups and extremist groups have existed for decades. Over recent years there has been little progress in improving the economic, social, and political conditions in that part of the country.

Special Operations Command – Pacific. A key aspect of this report are the activities of Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC). U.S. SOF have been active in the Philippines for decades. The theater special operations command continued with its advise and assist operations to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. U.S. advisors continued to share information with the AFP to develop target intelligence packages and provide ISR-related information about ISIS-EA to the AFP.

AFP’s Special Operations Command. U.S. military advisors continued to work with Philippine counterparts to support development of the AFP’s Special Operations Command. This is a unified combatant command similar to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). COVID-19 restrictions limited these many of these interactions to a series of virtual meetings to discuss acquisition processes and strategies.

11-Meter Boats for AFP. SOCPAC delivered two 11-meter rigid hull inflatable boats to the AFP’s Naval Special Operations Group through U.S. security cooperation programs. In addition, the Department of State has approved the potential sale of attack helicopters to the Philippine military.

COVID-19. SOCPAC reported that it held most leadership engagements and training events virtually – eliminating the risk of coronavirus transmission through person-to-person meetings. The TSOC also provided expertise, analytics, and information collection support to Philippine operates remotely as well. The pandemic had a negative impact on the amount of U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support provided to the AFP. In addition, the ability of U.S. forces to provide casualty evacuation support to the AFP was impacted by COVID-19.

Civil Affairs and COVID-19. Civil Affairs (CA) personnel were focused on the delivery of medical supplies and equipment to Philippine frontline healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients on the islands of Mindanao and Luzon (see map). In addition, other elements of the U.S. military delivered supplies to medical facilities throughout the Philippines.

The report also contains sections related to the U.S. government interagency efforts to combat terrorism in the Philippines, diplomacy and political developments, a revised Philippine government counterterrorism law, COVID-19 in the Philippines, humanitarian and USAID assistance, and more.

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Operation Pacific Eagle – Philippines: Lead Inspector General Report to the United States Congress, Department of Defense, August 7, 2020, 56-pages, PDF. Access the report online.

SOF News Update 20170705 – SOF mission in Syria, women and the draft, SOF’s cultural failure in Philippines, B-54 SADM & SF, Jackie Chan’s next movie, ARNG sniper school at Fort McCoy, “Russian” brigade at NTC, French military in the Sahel, forward-basing in Europe vs. rotating units, recruiting women for the military, and more.

Bearded SOF in Syria. David Ignatius writes about the Special Forces mission in Syria – their daily routine, living conditions, dangers, and the fact that they are “winning”. Read “Meet These Brave Americans in Syria”, The Washington Post, July 3, 2017.

Women and the Draft? With all the fuss about women’s equality in the military and Congressional push for including women in SOF and combat arms units one would think that there would be momentum for true equality. Not so much. Read “Congress Shelves Plan to Have Women Register for the Draft”, Task and Purpose, July 1, 2017.

B-54 SADM (Backpack Nuke) and Special Forces. For a quarter of a century Special Forces A-teams trained on how to infiltrate behind enemy lines with the B-54 Special Atomic Demolition Munition. MAROPs, HALO, and other specialty teams trained on ways to bring in the back pack nuke to hit highly sensitive and critical targets in case of a general war with the Soviet Union. Read “For 25 years, U.S. Special Forces Carried Miniature Nukes on Their Backs”, Smithsonian.com, February 10, 2014.

When the Going Gets Tough – A SEAL’s Advice. When faced with adversity or hardship it is tough to live a normal life. A person needs resilience to live a fulfilling life. Learn more in “A Navy SEAL’s Advice on Living a More Fulfilling Life”, Task and Purpose, April 13, 2015.

French and U.S. Non-Cooperation in the Sahel. The French want to create a regional African security force in the Sahel region of Africa to fight extremist and terrorist groups. However, this move is opposed by the U.S. – for reasons not entirely clear to many observers. Read more in “The U.S.-France Dustup Over Counterterrorism in the Sahel”, RAND Corporation, June 2017.

Transgender Policy On Hold. Military chiefs will get another six months to conduct a review to determine if allowing transgender individuals to enlist in the armed services will affect the readiness or lethality of the force. Read “Mattis delays new transgender policy for US military”, Military Times, June 30, 2017.

SOF’s Cultural Failure in the Philippines. Cole Livieratos, an Army officer in Military Information Support Operations (MISO), has penned an article critical of U.S. Special Operations Forces past mission in the Philippines. He believes that USSOCOM, with its current priorities and organization, “. . . is not positioned to defeat the Islamic State because it does not prioritize operations to limit the Islamic State’s global appeal.” He cites as an example the resources and priorities to the SOF units involved in the fight against the Islamic State in the Philippines. A excellent read! See “A Cultural Failure: U.S. Special Operations in the Philippines and the Rise of the Islamic State”, War on the Rocks, July 3, 2017.

NTC and It’s “Russian Brigade”. Many field exercises incorporate the use of Opposing Forces or OPFOR. At the National Training Center (NTC) located at Fort Irwin, California the OPFOR is the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (replicating the  60th Guards Motorized Rifle Division). Read more in “Russian Combat Brigade the U.S. Army Keeps for Training”, Popular Mechanics, June 29, 2017.

Study – Forward Basing Cheaper than Rotating Units. The Army has finally figured out that forward basing a brigade in Germany is cheaper than constantly rotating units in and out of Europe. Read “Army War College report: Basing units overseas is cheaper than troop rotations”, Army Times, July 1, 2017.

RAND Report – Recruiting Women. The RAND Corporation has published a 94-page paper on recruiting women for the military. Specifically, the report looks at the recent recruits’ view on the policy change allowing women in combat and some recommendations on changes that would aid recruiting women for the military. See “Recruiting Policies and Practices for Women in the Military”, RAND, June 2017.

Movie Trailer – The Foreigner. Jackie Chan, usually known for his great karate kicks and roles in comedies, plays a more serious part as a special ops guy after his daughter is killed in a terrorist incident. The Foreigner comes out this fall. Watch the trailer in “Jackie Chan Plays a Revenge-Fueled Ex-Military Super Spook in ‘The Foreigner'”, Task and Purpose, July 3, 2017.

Army NG Sniper Course at Fort McCoy. The Army National Guard has an new 10-day sniper course that trains marksmen on sniping tactics, techniques, and procedures. Read “The Army’s Specialized New Training Course is Designed to Make Snipers Deadlier Than Ever”, Task and Purpose, June 30, 2017.

Change in Newsletter Frequency. The “SOF News” update will no longer be emailed out each day. After today the newsletter will only be sent out on Sunday mornings. This change is the result of a few factors; but primarily other responsibilities of the author that preclude a more active role. Postings will occur on the website on a daily basis; but the newsletter will only be emailed out on Sundays.

One Woman Remaining in MARSOC Training. The number of women in the current class for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command assessment and selection course is now only one. The 19-day phase of assessment and selection began on August 11th. Should the female Marine pass this phase then she would move on to a second, more difficult assessment and selection phase. If she passes this second phase then she would attend the 9-month long MARSOC individual training course. Read more in “One Woman Remains in Marine Special Ops Training”, Military.com, August 16, 2016.

Philippine Army SF on the Offense. The Philippine Army’s Special Fores have seized a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Basilan province, Philippines in a series of military offensives this past week. Read a news report in Inquirer.net, August 16, 2016.

China’s Special Forces. The PLA Daily (as in People’s Liberation Army) has reported that the PLA commando units should regularly be deployed to protect the nation’s energy assets overseas and to assist in counterterrorism operations. Read more in a news report in South China Morning Post, August 14, 2016.

AFSOC receives two MC-130J’s. Lockheed Martin has delivered two additional MC-130J Commando II multi-mission combat transport / special operations tankers to the US Air Force. The A/C are assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) at Hurlburt Field, Florida. Read more in a news report by AirForce-Technology.com (August 16, 2016).

How to Make COIN Work. The United States military has a pretty good idea on how to do counterinsurgency. What it doesn’t know how to do is getting the host nation to do counterinsurgency. The U.S. has often found the local elites (usually folks running a corrupt government – as in Iraq, Afghanistan, or South Vietnam) to be more of a hindrance than a help. Probably one of the few exceptions is the U.S. involvement in El Salvador’s civil war. Read more in “Influencing Clients in Counterinsurgency: U.S. Involvement in El Salvador’s Civil War, 1979-92”, International Security, volume 41, issue 1, pages 99-146, Summer 2016.

U.S. Special Ops Airman found Dead. An airman with the 27th Special Operations Wing was found dead in his home in Clovis, New Mexico. read a news report in Air Force Times, August 16, 2016.