The movie The Green Berets, starring John Wayne in the lead role, was released in on July 4, 1968. It depicted the role of U.S. Army Special Forces missions during the Vietnam War. It was viewed as a patriotic film and proved to be an excellent recruiting tool for Special Forces as well as the U.S. Army in general.

During the Special Forces Association annual convention held in June 2018 in El Paso, Texas the SFA members were treated to a special showing of The Green Berets. The event, held on the 50th anniversary of the release of the movie, took place at a theater in downtown El Paso and was preceded with a cocktail hour where actors of the movie were on hand for photographs. Many of the SF soldiers attending the event were retired and veterans of the Vietnam War.

The Green Berets also starred David Janssen – a reporter with some serious doubts about the war – who is embedded with a Green Beret A-Camp in Vietnam. Although very cynical at the onset of the movie Janssen experiences a bit of an awakening as he learns more about the SF mission and gets ‘eyes on’ the situation in Vietnam. Other actors included Jim Hutton (team supply / engineer NCO), Aldo Ray (team sergeant), Irene Tsu (honeypot), and Jack Soo (South Vietnam Army officer). Most of the movie was filmed in the summer of 1967. Three of the actors in the film were present prior to the showing of the movie during a ‘meet and greet’ reception at the theater – Bill Olds, Irene Tsu, and Fred Balderrama.

The movie begins stateside when Colonel Mike Kirby (John Wayne) finds out he is going to Vietnam. He recruits a couple of SF teams to go with him. One of the teams is shown in the film demonstrating the capabilities of the Green Berets to the press at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. SF veterans will recall the Gabriel Demonstrations of the past. [1]

The next stop in the movie is Vietnam where an incoming SF team is relieving an outgoing SF team at an A camp. The camp comes under attack and John Wayne flies in to the rescue with ‘Mike Force’ [2] and ‘Puff the Magic Dragon‘. Order is restored and the camp is reoccupied by SF and their host nation partners.

Then the movie depicts Col Kirby leading a select team of SF soldiers to kidnap a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) general played by Bill Olds – now a retired U.S. Army colonel. Olds played the part of General Phan Son Ti.

A ‘honey trap‘ is used to put the NVA general at the right place at the right time. This mission goes according to plan – a Fulton Extraction is featured – but along the way the team takes some losses.

The military put a lot of support behind the movie – providing access to military bases, use of aircraft, and with the participation of U.S. Army soldiers. Many soldiers were ‘extras’ – marching in formation, in the background – while others had some minor roles. Fred Balderrama was in the movie along with many other soldiers. He was present for the SFA Convention in June in El Paso.

SGM (Ret) Fred Balderrama served a tour in Vietnam (68-69). He saw service in several U.S. Army units to include the 1st and 7th Special Forces Groups, 101st Airborne Division, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the 3rd Civil Affairs Group. He retired after 31 years of Army service.

The film was very anti-communist and supportive of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. It was a financial success but not very well-received by the Hollywood insiders and film critics of the U.S. media – many who opposed the war. The movie was based on the book by Robin Moore entitled The Green Berets and features the song by Barry Sadler entitled Ballad of the Green Berets. It is a movie revered by SF soldiers young and old. It was an inspiring event to watch the 50th anniversary viewing of the film with so many Special Forces Vietnam veterans present in the audience.

*********

Footnotes:

[1] Watch an abbreviated filmed version of what the Gabriel Demonstration looked like in the 60s and 70s. Features a Special Forces A Detachment from the 5th Special Forces Group.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccrvI7rz_L0

Kevin O’Brien (a former SF NCO, now deceased) provides details on the video in his post entitled “The Gabriel Demo Team circa 1983-84”, WeaponsMan, November 20, 2013.

[2] The Mike Force’s mission was to act as a country-wide quick reaction force composed of U.S. Army Special Forces personnel and indigenous soldiers – many from minority groups of Vietnam.

References:

The Green Berets (film) Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Berets_(film)

The Green Berets – Movie Trailer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPB-Rt2U7jg

Images:
Top: John Wayne image from promotional poster.
50th Anniversary image – SFA Chapter IX, El Paso, Texas

]]> 7545 https://sof.news/special-forces/what-makes-a-green-beret-special/ Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:07:11 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=7863 By Steven Boyd Newman, MSG (R), SF For the last five years I’ve been working on a screenplay, Kill or Capture, a true story about a team from 7th Special Forces Group. The men on this team and their story reached into [...]]]>

By Steven Boyd Newman, MSG (R), SF

For the last five years I’ve been working on a screenplay, Kill or Capture, a true story about a team from 7th Special Forces Group. The men on this team and their story reached into my soul and took command of my thoughts, of my life. Their story launched me on a journey that led me to discover a great deal about myself as I struggled to answer the one question that seems to elude us all. “What makes a Green Beret special?”

Since I started working on their story, I have written a thousand pages of screenplay about their lives, about life as a soldier. This all started with my desire to see one of my books made into a film and so I adapted both of my books into screenplays. That took a great deal of effort. I spent hours and hours reading how-to-books, writing, researching the film industry. Let me tell you, the skills I learned in Operations & Intelligence course (O&I) came in handy. I went through before it became part of ANCOAC, but I digress. One lesson I would like to pass on… What we call “Operationalizing Intelligence” is called “Stalking” in the civilian world. Seems there is a fine line we shouldn’t cross. Who knew?

After seven months of full-time effort, I finished the first draft of their story. Shortly after that, I was on the phone with a friend in Los Angeles and I told him, “I’m done, stick a fork in me… I’ve got nothing left.” He simply replied, “Well Steve, there is always room for another Christmas story” and I was pissed. “I don’t write Christmas stories, I write war stories!” We chatted for a while longer as he tried to convince me, but after he hung up, I started thinking about it. I came to realize, Soldiers have Christmas. In fact, Christmas can be the most difficult time of year for the troops. It’s hard to be away from home in a war-torn land any time of year, let alone at Christmas. Some of us found it difficult to go home after returning from far off lands, especially at Christmas. Nobody understands, they’re so different. Nothing will ever be the same. I just can’t face them now.

In my research, I found inspiration from the Charles Dickens short story, “What Christmas is as We Grow Older”. ^(Dickens). So, I wrote a screenplay, One More Christmas, which is loosely based on Dickens’ work. My screenplay is a story about a wounded warrior who struggles with recovery until he finds true love and discovers his purpose in life. We all want the opportunity to go home, to see the people we love and care about the most. Some will get the chance, others won’t, but we’ve all been there, struggling with the decision. We’ve all struggled with the emotions that spring up during that time of year. It means something different to all of us, as was the case with our protagonist in One More Christmas. At least he had the chance, he had survived, but all he wanted was to get back to his unit, back on his team. Can anybody out there relate to that?

Long story short, I submitted One More Christmas and Kill or Capture to a screenwriting competition at the GI Film Festival in the summer of 2015. ^{(GIFF 15)} Kill or Capture didn’t get into the festival, but One More Christmas did, primarily because it fits perfectly into the festivals mission; which is dedicated to supporting the war to peace transition for veterans.

I was very proud of what I had accomplished and at this point, I had been writing for almost six years with some success. Nothing monumental, and I certainly hadn’t found a way of making a profit. Getting into the festival was a milestone of success and I wanted to celebrate. My way of doing that was to attend the festival and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was the first and last film festival I’ve attended. I went to every event. It was a lot of fun for many reasons, but one of the best reasons was I made a new friend. He is an SF Brother many of you may know, Kevin Knapp? In fact, there is a picture of him and me on the home page for the 2015 festival. Couple of barrel-chested freedom fighters out having fun.

Before I attended the festival, the organizers recommended that I join a group called, Veterans in Film and Television, LA. ^(VME) It was free for veterans and provided an opportunity to network with other veterans in the film industry. * Note VFTLA is now VME, Veterans in Media and Entertainment. Later I realized, having me sign up as a member of this non-profit was an easy way for the festival to vet me as a selectee. The good folks at VME asked for a DD-214 and I appreciated that. One thought, “I am who I say I am, nothing more and nothing less.” That said, I attended the festival and while there I met a bunch of film fans. I also met a great many producers, directors, actors… film makers in general and the experience was fantastic. One question I kept getting asked, “So you have a screenplay in the festival, what film school did you go to?” Well, I hadn’t been to film school and that seemed to be a non-starter for many. It meant I was an outsider, a nobody who just got lucky.

I like to think there was some talent involved, but the truth was, I hadn’t been to film school. So, I did a dangerous thing. I started thinking again. I started thinking about going back to school and that started me on another journey that seemed to give inspiration to a great many brothers and friends. I started film school at 53 years-old. I went to Oklahoma City Community College and received a Certificate of Mastery in Digital Cinema Production. Thank God for the Post 911 GI Bill.

Now, before you scoff at a community college in Oklahoma City, stop and think about this for a minute. I was taking classes from Oscar-winning producer, Gray Frederickson, God Father Part II.  ^(Oscars) By the way, go to the link, Gray is the tall blonde headed guy in the video accepting the award on behalf of the crew. So… One of my first classes was screenwriting and when it was over, I rewrote Kill or Capture during the Christmas break, in the hope I might be able to submit if for consideration to other film festivals, or perhaps I might find a producer for it.

Fast forward to January 2016, I was back in school, learning cinematography, sound, lighting and spending a lot of time on Facebook. Just enjoying life in general. Oh, Facebook is the only way to keep up with kids these days. Anyway, I received a FB notice from VME… They were sponsoring a pitch fest for screenwriters at Lionsgate and were taking submissions; They wanted true stories about men, title and loglines only. A light bulb went off in my head. “Hey I have a story that fits those categories.” Therefore, I sent an email exactly in accordance with the instructions, something I learned to do in Phase I… you know, to follow instructions. I wrote, “Kill or Capture, a true story about a team of Green Berets and their Afghan Commandos who fought shoulder to shoulder against a hardened Taliban force.”

In February, I received an email asking for the specific setting and date. I wrote back, “Afghanistan – 2006.” That is all I wrote, nothing more, nothing less. Weeks passed, then on March 18th, 2016 I received a phone call from the founder of VME and she said in her whiskey-raspy voice like Janice Joplin, “Congratulations! You’ve been selected to pitch; can you be in Santa Monica on the 27th?” Without hesitation, I said “Sure!” I found out later that she was actually Angelina Jolie… I’ll save that one for our next visit to Charlie Mike. Tell it to you over a beer. Deal?

So, I called my wife at work and asked for permission to go… uhemmm…, I told her I was going to California. She said “Hold on, I’ll call you back.” I waited impatiently. Finally, she called and said, “Plane tickets are 1600 bucks, hotels are $500 a night.” That ruled out my trip… I’m sure she could hear the disappointment in my voice, but after a moment she said, “Hold on,” and hung up.

I waited all day, disappointed that I couldn’t go. Then she called back. “I have a plan. Lodging at the Los Angeles Air Force Base is only $60 a night, and we’ll drive.” Actually, what she meant was, “She would drive and I will sit there bored out of my mind the whole way.” I’m not sure how, but since I got remarried I have lost my privileges to my new wife who is always scared to death when I drive. I’m quick to remind her that, in my day, I had been through all kinds of tactical driving courses with SF, the State Department, 3cgi, even the Postal Service, you name it. Apparently, she doesn’t appreciate anti-lock brakes, or a good reverse out, J-turn with guns blazing. Hey, we’ve got to maintain our skills… right? I don’t know what her problem is.

Anyway… We went. I pitched. Then after waiting for six months I learned that we were selected out of over a thousand submissions and two dozen pitches at two separate pitch fests. We were selected for an opportunity to get Kill or Capture looked at by Lionsgate. I spent a year working with their acquisitions director just to prove I could write for them, and then another year and half working with the producer and director to figure it all out. In the meantime, I started a Master’s in Fine Art – Film program. Post 911 GI bill. Thank God, again!

I have spent the months since graduating in May, traveling the country, meeting all the guys who were on the team and rewriting the script and creating character descriptions, only to be asked by the folks in LA, “What makes this team, their story worthy of film versus any one of the other thousands of stories of valor and sacrifice emanating from this war?” I… I… I said; “Let me give it a think.” I know, dangerous thing to do, right? They weren’t challenging me by asking. I knew right away, they need to know the answers for their investors and well, I started working on the answers… It took me longer than I thought to come up with them.

A few days ago, I came across a Ted Talk . . . Love those, don’t you? I came across this Ted Talk , by a psychologist who sought to define what makes people successful and she came to the conclusion that it was grit. “What makes a child successful is not social intelligence, not good looks, not IQ, it is grit. It takes grit to become successful. Grit is passion and perseverance in achieving long-term goals. Grit is having stamina, sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years. Grit is working really, really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life-like it is a marathon not a sprint.” ^(TED)

Here is part of my answer. Green Berets demonstrate grit by following through on their commitments. They understand failure is not a permanent condition. A Green Beret is a leader. He has tested himself against the most difficult challenges the Army has to offer and he moves through life with confidence in his own abilities, even if he stands alone. He knows that no matter how bad things get, he always has that little something extra to give. He has the ability and desire to go the extra mile. He loves his country and his fellow Soldier. He is a warrior, comfortable in his own skin. He is a quiet professional. (Quiet, not silent.)

But what makes this team and their story worthy of film? Well, this is a true story about the sacrifices for one another made by the men on a team of Green Berets. If not for their individual heroic actions and dedication to each other, the team would have been overrun. With fearless personal example they inspired their Afghan brothers to continue the fight against overwhelming odds. After defeating a multitude of determined enemy attacks, saving the lives of their comrades and preventing the destruction of the team, they lead their Afghan brothers to safety in order to live and fight another day. This is the true story of a Special Forces team, a team of Green Berets in combat. But that’s not the complete answer.

What makes their story worthy of film? These men exemplify the warrior spirit and once again prove that one man with courage can make a difference. Let me reiterate that. These men had the courage to stand up against overwhelming odds and make a difference. A difference in not only their lives, but in the lives of many, many people, most of whom will never know or understand what they did or why. That is what makes their story worthy of film. That is what makes their story so compelling to me. That is why I have spent five years, sustained only by hope, working on their story, working to bring it to life on the big screen. And you know what? It might just happen if we have the grit to see it through. It has only been five years, that’s smoking it from what I hear.

One last word, all you brothers out there sitting in your basement under a lamp in your underwear cruising the internet and eating Cheetos need to stop complaining about this generation of millennials. You need to get off your asses, get some sunshine and learn to live a little. They got this if you’ll have their backs. If you don’t believe me, just wait till Kill or Capture comes out, you’ll see.

*********

Works Cited

Dickens, Charles. http://www.free-short-stories.org.uk/charles-dickens-what-christmas-is-as-we-grow-older.htm. n.d. 15 August 2018.

GIFF 15. http://giff15.com/screenwriting-competition/. 18 May 2015. 15 08 2018.

VME. http://www.vftla.org/veteran/steven-b-newman#.W3RLgpNKiu4. n.d. LA Veterans in Film and Television. 15 08 2018.

Oscars. The Godfather Part II Wins Best Picture: 1975. n.d. Frederickson Gray. 08 2018. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=3p5Pktqkq4Q>.

TED. Angela Lee Duckworth / Ted Talk Education, Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. n.d. TED. 15 2018. <https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance>.

Photo

Pulling security at Camp Price, Afghanistan, August 11, 2007. U.S. Army Photo by Specialist David Gunn.

**********

Steven Boyd Newman is an accomplished writer with a lifetime of real-world experience to draw from. His perspective as a Green Beret combat veteran brings truth and realism to the characters he creates. He is a screenwriter and filmmaker who reveals the heart and spirit of our nations’ greatest warriors and shows them for who they really are; the young men and women who grew up next door and went on to become something extraordinary.

A graduate of the United States Army Special Forces Qualification Course, Steven served 21 years in the Green Berets. He holds a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration from Columbia College where he graduated Cum Laude while still on active duty. He has also gained a Certificate of Mastery in Digital Cinema Production from Oklahoma City Community College where he studied film production under Oscar-winning Film Producer, Gray Frederickson, “God Father Part II.” Steven also holds a Masters in Fine Art – Film, from Watkins College of Art in Nashville, TN where he graduated Cum Laude in May 2018. Steven currently resides in Tennessee where he continues to write about life as a soldier while helping others, especially veterans, achieve their creative dreams.

]]> 7863 https://sof.news/update/20180309/ Fri, 09 Mar 2018 10:00:41 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=5248 SOF News Update 20180309 – DoD and Hollywood, Germany in Afghanistan, Niger incident, new Army sniper rifle, US SOF in Panamanian JCET, expanding SOF, “Gallant Phoenix”, EUCOM commander testimony, RAND paper on deployments, new cdr for 24th SOW, history of [...]]]>

SOF News Update 20180309 – DoD and Hollywood, Germany in Afghanistan, Niger incident, new Army sniper rifle, US SOF in Panamanian JCET, expanding SOF, “Gallant Phoenix”, EUCOM commander testimony, RAND paper on deployments, new cdr for 24th SOW, history of U.S. Army Rangers, and more.

DoD and Hollywood. An article by the Defense Department says that it has armed forces Hollywood liaison offices to help the movie industry accurately display military stories, make sure sensitive information isn’t disclosed, and to coordinate for the use of military equipment and installations. Read more in “How & Why the Defense Department Works With Hollywood”, DoDLive, February 28, 2018.

Niger – Hostile Fire Back Pay. The four U.S. soldiers who were killed in Niger in an ISIS ambush are now eligible for back pay while serving under hostile fire. The Imminent Danger Pay is an additional $225 per month. Military personnel serving in Niger, Mali, and parts of Cameroon will now get the extra pay – and it is retroactive to June 2017. Other countries are already considered hostile fire pay areas – Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan. (NBC News, Mar 7, 2018).

Africa – “The Tyranny of Geography”. SOF and conventional small units are currently dispersed all over the huge continent of Africa. AFRICOM, SOCAFRICA, CJTF-HOA, and other organizations are continually evaluating contingency plans for MEDEVAC, QRF, CAS, ISR, and Personnel Recovery. Read more on the difficulty of this huge task and responsibility in “This Is One of the Biggest Reasons Why The Deadly Ambush in Niger Won’t Be The Last”, by Jared Keller, Task & Purpose, March 8, 2018.

US SOF in Panamanian JCET. Members of the U.S. special operations community recently conducted a Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) event in Panama with Panamanian counterparts. Panama units included the National Police Counterterrorism Unit (UFEC), National Police Rural and Maritime Anti-Drug Unit (UTOA), and elements from the National Aero Naval Service (SENAN). Read more in “Training boosts US response capabilities in the Americas”, DVIDS SOCSouth, March 8, 2018.

Gallant Phoenix and Belgium. Belgian defence sources have confirmed Belgian participation in an operation that collects information on ISIS in Syria and Iraq and uses it to conduct operations. (Flanders News.be, Mar 8, 2018).

New Cdr for 24th SOW. The Air Force’s only Special Tactics Wing is getting a new commander. In the last two years, under the outgoing commander, the 24th SOW personnel have conducted almost 2,900 combat missions, more than 180 airfield surveys, engaged in combat around the world. See “24th SOW welcomes new commander”, DVIDS, March 8, 2018.

RAND Paper on Deployments. Since 9/11, 2.77 million service members have served on 5.4 deployments. the average length of deployment varied across the services; multiple deployments were not uncommon. Read Examination of Recent Deployment Experience Across the Services and Components, RAND Corporation, March 2018, 12 pages.
www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1928.html

Expanding SOF. Eric P. Shwedo, a career SOF officer, writes about how Army Special Operations might prepare to expand in the event of a major war by resolving impediments to growth, improving recall procedures, and developing plans to expand training capacities. “Expansibility and Army Special Operations Forces”, Parameters, U.S. Army War College, Winter 2017-2018, Vol. 47 No. 4, (12 pages).
http://ssi.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/Parameters/

EUCOM Cdr’s Testimony to Senate. Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, the commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations, provided testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 8, 2018. (DVIDS, 2 hours long).
www.dvidshub.net/video/588587/european-command-chief-discusses-capabilities-senate-hearing

New Army Sniper Rifle. The modified HK G28 will replace the Army’s current SDMR – the M110 SASS 7.62 compact sniper rifle. It is a harder hitting rifle than the current one in uses and provides infantry soldiers with an upgraded, deadly capability – with increased body armor penetration. (Fox News, Mar 8, 2018).

History of U.S. Army Rangers. The Rangers and the Army have had an on-and-off type of relationship over the last half century. This story provides a history of the Ranger units from World War II to the beginning of the GWOT. Read “U.S. Army Rangers from WW II to the War on Terrorism, 1945-2001”, Defense Media Network, March 1, 2018.

Germans to Increase Troops for Afghanistan. The Germans are stepping in their commitment to NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. Germany is the lead ‘framework’ nation in northern Afghanistan – in command of Train, Advise, and Assist Command – North. They will raise their troop levels to 1,300. (Reuters, Mar 7, 2018).

SOF News Update 20170301 – NVA Commandos in Vietnam War, SOLIC Symposium, Russia’s Delta Force, strategic CT failure, movie about Green Beret Bo Gritz, USMC’s new sniper rifle, National Geographic’s “Chain of Command” – 3rd SFGA in Niger, and SOF cameraman.

A Return to Writing. The holiday season has passed (quite a few weeks ago), vacations are over, and a long-term, intensive writing assignment is nearing completion. SOF News will now resume its (almost of daily posting of SOF related news) and the publishing and emailing of its weekly newsletter. Another big writing project looms ahead so . . . no promises. In the meantime – enjoy. If you have any news to share with the SOF community send it to staff@sof.news.

North Vietnamese Commandos. A LTCOL, Commandant of the Special Operations Training and Education Centre in Australia, writes about the activities of the NVA commandos that contributed to the overall broader strategic campaign of North Vietnam. Read “Special Operations for Strategic Effect: Vietnamese Communist employment of Commandos in War”, The Cove, February 27, 2018.

Operation Halyard. Read the story of one of the greatest rescue missions of American airmen conducted by a three-man OSS team dropped into Serbia during the Second World War. Hundreds of American and allied airmen were airlifted out of Yugoslavia and back into Allied control. Read “Operation Halyard, One of the Great Rescue Stories of WWII”, Special Operations.com, February 28, 2018.

SOLIC Symposium. The National Defense Industrial Association’s 29th annual SOLIC Symposium began on February 28th in Arlington, Virginia. One keynote speaker was Mark Mitchell – a career Green Beret officer – and currently the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low intensity conflict. Read a news report of his comments in “Special Ops Must Be More Lethal, Effective, Efficient, DoD Official Says”, by Jim Garamone, DoD News, February 28, 2018.

Belguim Parachutist Dies in Yuma, Arizona. A member of the Belgian Special Operations Forces died during a training accident in Arizona. (Stars and Stripes, February 28, 2018).

Retired SF General Now Supports Veterans. Brigadier General (Ret) Don Bolduc has retired to the quiet life of New Hampshire after a long career of serving in the U.S. Army and in Special Forces. His last assignment prior to retirement was as commander of Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAfrica). But now he is on a new mission – providing support to veterans. Read “Bolduc: People Come  First”, The Laconia Daily Sun, March 1, 2018.

SOF Recruiting Problems. USSOCOM is facing a recruiting challenge that may force it to be more choosy about the missions it takes on in the future. “Pentagon Official: Recruiting Problems Could Alter Special Ops Mission”, Military.com, February 28, 2018.

Army Spouse of Year. A Gold Star Spouse and wife of a 1st Special Forces Soldier has been selected as the “Army Spouse of the Year“. (DVIDS, February 25, 2018).

7th SFGA Vet’s Wife Faces Deportation. The wife of a retired Green Beret is facing deportation to her native country of Honduras. She is caught in a ‘catch 22’ situation regarding her legal status. Read “Wife of 7th Special Forces Group vet faces deportation under tighter immigration rules”, Army Times, February 28, 2018.

NSW and Army SOF Aviation Train with French. Naval Special Warfare units and U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command crews conducted interoperability training with a French amphibious assault ship in the Arabian Gulf in February 2018. See “U.S. and French forces participate in contingency training”, DVIDS, February 28, 2018.

Russia’s Delta Force. Russia is slowly building the capabilities of it’s 2,000-man strong KSSO – an organization similar to the U.S. Delta Force. The KSSO is a part of the much larger community of special designation forces in Russia – known as Spetsnaz. Read “Russia Has a 2,000 Strong ‘Delta Force’ That is Ready for War”, National Interest, February 28, 2018.

Strategic CT Failure? Alex Gallo, a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former Deputy Director and now Fellow with the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, says we need to innovate in our counterterrorism policy – failure to do so could make the “long war” truly the forever war. Read his article in “Strategic Counterterrorism Failure? Why We Continue Doing the Same Thing and Expecting Different Results”, Modern War Institute, March 1, 2018.

U.S. Navy SEAL Survival Handbook. This book provides information from basic camp craft and navigation to fear management and strategies for coping with any type of disaster. It has 150 color photographs and covers life-saving information on weapons, survival tools, finding water, wildlife for food, shelters, signaling, sea survival, and more. It is now available at the Navy SEAL Museum online shop.

Movie about Bo Gritz. One of the Army’s most decorated soldiers from the Vietnam conflict was LTC (ret) Bo Gritz. He is quite the personality that achieved even more fame after his retirement from the Army. He twice ran for President, engaged in private sector POW rescue missions into Laos, and was pictured on the cover of Soldier of Fortune Magazine. A movie has been published about Gritz that claims to accurately portray his career, exploits, and life. You can watch the movie trailer of Erase and Forget (January 2018) at the link below.
http://eraseandforget.com/trailers/

TV Special – SF in Niger. The 3rd Special Forces Group of Fort Bragg, NC was featured in National Geographic’s special entitled Chain of Command: Part 8, ‘Why We Fight’. The one-hour long program aired on Monday, February 26th. It was a moving program that depicted the deployment of a 3rd SFGA detachment on deployment to Niger and then – later the memorial service at the JFK Chapel on Ardennes Street, FBNC for four of the team members who died in an insurgent ambush in Niger. The program is available online at .
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/chain-of-command/videos/part-8-why-we-fight1/

USMC’s New Sniper Rifle? The Marines are interested in the M110A1 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS). Read “The Marine Corps May Finally Get a New Sniper Rifle – Just Not the One They Need”, Task and Purpose, February 22, 2018.

Interview of SOF Combat Cameraman. A combat cameraman is interviewed by Marty Skovlund, Jr. about his time as a young PFC assigned to Task Force in combat zones to film combat footage during missions. Watch this 7-minute interview of the combat photographer published on February 28, 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1_eTOaj1lw

353rd SOG and Cobra Gold. The 353rd Special Operations Group has completed joint training with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) that included low-level flights, military free fall, and other tactical exercises. (DVIDS, Feb 23, 2018).

Photo Credit: HALO jumpers awaiting the green light. Photo is from page 5 of ARSOF 2022, a USASOC pub.

Spectral is a science fiction movie about U.S. special operations forces set in today’s world and timeline but with some SciFi mixed in. Some type of otherworldly force is wreaking havoc on a war-torn East European city (located in the small country of Moldova) and a special ops unit requests the assistance of an engineer from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to help explain the strange happenings.

Spectral is available on Netflix and I took the opportunity to watch it over the holidays. It is good entertainment but it is science fiction to an extent so you have to swallow that “I believe” pill. I wouldn’t watch it again but don’t regret being entertained for a few hours.

Watch the official Netflix movie trailer for Spectral –

SOF News Update 20161221 – Review and movie trailer of “The Wall”, review and trailer of “SIX” by History Channel, ISIS use of RBs providing greater safety and capability, Reaper upgrade, book review (yep, its about a SEAL), and SOCAfrica busy on the African continent, and more.

Movie – “The Wall”. John Cena stars in a war movie due to be released in March 2017 entitled “The Wall”. It features three snipers – two U.S. Army Soldiers and one ‘enemy’ sniper. Based on the trailer that I viewed it promises to be an engaging movie. You can read a short review of and watch the trailer at this link: http://taskandpurpose.com/john-cena-gets-serious-new-role-army-sniper/

History Channels “SIX”. A review and trailer of “SIX” – “New War Drama on America’s Elite: SEAL Team Six”, by Task @ Purpose, November 28, 2016.

Russian and US SOF Look Similar in Photos. See 18 photos that show how similar US and Russian SOF posted by Business Insider, December 19, 2016.

USSOCOM Contract Award. Chantilly, Virginia based OGSystems has announced that the company has been awarded two contract delivery orders from the United States Special Operations Command providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance equipment solutions. Washington Exec, December 19, 2016.

SOCAfrica Busy in . . . Africa. Nick Turse of Tom’s Dispatch provides his usual sample of fact and fiction when describing a wide range of U.S. special operations activities on the African continent in “Washington’s America-First Commandos in Africa”, TomDispatch.com, December 18, 2016.

“The Soul of a SEAL”. Read a book review of a novel that is part adventure, part political, part romance, and a military thriller. A SEAL who is involved in a space program has to untangle a mystery . . . and finds romance along the way. Military Press, December 19, 2016.

Reaper Drone Upgrade. One of the key weapons systems of USSOCOM’s fight against terrorists is the armed drone. The MQ-9 Reaper will soon receive the MetaVR’s virtual reality generator to train crews of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). C4ISRNET, December 19, 2016.

SOF News Update for 20161218 – Iraq’ Golden Division, OSS veterans honored by Congress, Navy SEALs in Serbia, Navy SEAL for Interior secretary, Fox News video on ‘shadow warriors’, Navy SEALs and what Hollywood gets wrong, SOCEUR re-enacts D-Day parachute drops, Russian SOF in Aleppo, and more.

Iraq’s 1st Special Operations Brigade. The “Golden Division” (once called the “Golden Brigade” and “Dirty Division) is part of the Iraq’s Counter Terrorism Service (CTS). It is in the lead for the fight for Mosul – as it has been in the lead for the fight against the Islamic State for other cities of Iraq over the past two years. However, there is a price for being good. The Iraqi regime continues to overuse the Golden Division and its losses are appalling. Soon it will be – some say by the end of the Mosul fight- combat ineffective. So while Mosul will go down as a political and military victory there is concern of what unit will exist to keep the peace among the different factions of Iraqi political landscape. Read more in “How Iraq’s Army Could Defeat ISIS in Mosul – But Lose Control of the Country”, Politico Magazine, December 15, 2015.

Fox News Video on “Gray Zone”. Watch a short (2 min) video by Fox News on the U.S. shadow warriors fighting across the globe.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/5251445694001/

Russians Targeting UK with ‘Hybrid Warfare’. It appears that senior members of the United Kingdom government are getting concerned with some aggressive maneuvering on the part of the Russians. Read more in “Russia wages unconventional warfare on Britain”, The Weekend Australian, December 17, 2016.

Russian SOF in Aleppo. Russian special operations forces are heavily engaged in the ground fight for Aleppo, Syria. Read “The elite Russian special forces who took over Crimea are doing the same thing in Aleppo”, Business Insider, December 16, 2016.

Navy SEALs train with Serbian Unit. Members of U.S. Naval Special Warfare Unit 2 – assigned to Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) – spent two weeks on a Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) with the Serbian Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) this past November / December. Read more in “Navy SEALs builds relations with Serbian forces”, DVIDS, December 15, 2016.

SOCEUR and D-Day Jumps. Over a year ago, in July 2015, special operations forces from Special Operations Command Europe conducted parachute jumps over Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France in an observance of the D-Day parachute drop 71 years earlier. Watch a little bit of history and some present day parachuting in this 3-min long video in SOCEUR D-Day Drops, DVIDS, posted 16 Dec 2016.

Navy SEAL to be Secretary of Department of Interior. A retired Navy SEAL and congressional representative from Montana has been selected to be the secretary of Interior by President-Elect Trump. “Who is Ryan Zinke?”, Voice of America, December 15, 2016.

OSS Veterans Honored by Congress. President Obama signed legislation that honors veterans of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) with the Congressional Gold Medal for their service and contributions during World War II. The OSS was the predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Army Special Forces. Read more in a news report by Augusta Free Press, Dec 16, 2016.

Hollywood, Movies, and SEALs. There’s lots of movies that have been made about the U.S. Navy SEALs. Some are near factual while others are . . . well, entertaining. Listen to “Former Navy SEALs reveal what Hollywood gets wrong about them”, Business Insider, December 17, 2016.

SOCSouth Members Recognized by Colombia. Three SOCSouth members received the “Military Medal” during a ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia for their efforts in supporting a Colombian military institute. DVIDS, Dec 6, 2016.

(Featured image at top from USSOCOM 2016 Factbook)

The Take is a newly released action movie about a Central Intelligence Agency operator who teams up with (an unwilling) pickpocket to take on the bad guys. Watch the movie trailer below.

www.thetakemovie.com