SpecOps

Noriega Surrendered to Rock in Panama Invasion 1989

Panama’s former dictator Manuel Noriega died in prison this week at the age of 83. Few, outside of his inner circle of military officers will shed a tear for the man who ruled Panama with an iron hand before his undoing by US forces during “Operation Just Cause” in late December of 1989.

With his military shattered and running out of options. Noriega sought refuge in the Papal Nuncio, the Vatican Embassy in Panama City. Many of his officers and cronies were already arrested and put on planes to Miami to answer to drug charges.

Rather than staying in relative peace and quiet, Noriega was blasted by rock music, loud rock music, around the clock as the US tried to force him to give up. The soldiers playing the music began taking requests from troops coming in from the field.

The favorites included “Welcome to the Jungle,” by Guns N’ Roses, “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” by Bon Jovi, and “The End” by The Doors.
After several days on the run, Noriega was allowed to enter the Vatican Embassy on Christmas Eve. And on Christmas Day, the radio station broadcast only Christmas music.
But with requests streaming in, the U.S. effort ramped up after the holiday.
On Dec. 27, “someone who identified himself as a member of the PSYOPS [Psychological Operations] team from Fort Bragg [N.C.] called to tell us what they were doing with their loud speakers,” the military report said.
U.S. Gen. Maxwell “Mad Max” Thurman had ordered speakers placed as a “musical barrier” around the perimeter of the Vatican Embassy and turned to full volume.
Noriega was reportedly partial to opera. What he got was “Panama,” from Van Halen, “Danger Zone,” from Kenny Loggins, and “Refugee,” courtesy of Tom Petty.
And remember, this was the ’80s. So the strongman also got an earful of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” though that may have been intended more for Noriega’s hosts at the embassy.
As the standoff dragged on for days, the playlist became part of the story.
Not everyone was happy with the military’s approach, including the White House, and the music was stopped after several days. President George H.W. Bush’s national security adviser, Brent Scowcroft, said afterward that he thought the use of high-volume music was “undignified.”
On Jan. 3, 1990, Noriega surrendered to the U.S. forces, though not until after he’d been treated to a version of “I Fought The Law.”
Noriega was flown to Miami, tried and convicted of drug trafficking, and spent nearly two decades in U.S. prisons.

The entire musical interlude while waiting for the disgraced strongman to surrender placed a surreal, farcical quality on an operation and short war that never needed to happen. Noriega’s blustering caused the deaths of far too many Panamanians, the exact number may never be known as well as 23 Americans.

The entire article and interview from NPR can be found here:

Featured Photo: AP

Preparing the Special Forces Operator for the Unconventional Warfare Environment

The task of the Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) course is identifying the candidates who are suitable for Special Forces training. And two of the primary functions of Special Forces are UW (Unconventional Warfare) and FID (Foreign Internal Defense). It is important the schools don’t lose sight of that fact as SF and SOF (Special Operations Forces) have been heavy into Direct Action (DA)/Counter-Terrorist (CT) missions for some time in the ongoing wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria among other hot spots.

The basic ten operating activities that Special Operations Forces operate in are spelled out in Section 167 of Title 10 of the US Code. Special Forces were created in 1952 specifically for the role in the UW environment after the OSS were disbanded in 1945 after World War II. The OSS’ Operational Groups and Jedburgh Teams were the forerunners of both Special Forces and the CIA.

But first, to properly prepare prospective SF operators for the UW environment, we have to know what it is. And this has been a frequent complaint from the SF community that the conventional (Big Army) doesn’t understand UW and what it entails. And part of that issue has resided in the SF community itself.

The SF hierarchy has been debating the actual definition of what UW is since 1955 and has had ten different definitions since the original manual was written in that year. There have been tweaks in the definition for 65 years and the current “approved” definition of UW published in 2009 is as follows:

Activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary and guerrilla force in a denied area.

Many of the activities and operations that the US SOF are undertaking today could be characterized as UW. And the distinction between UW and FID are now described as being the opposite of one another.

UW is characterized by the use of irregular forces to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government or occupying power while FID is the use of a nation’s recognized security forces to protect a government.

So how do the schools prepare the future SF operators for operating in the austere environments of the UW arena? They must identify the core attributes that the Special Forces operator must have to be successful in the realm of SF operations. The school used the “Whole Man” approach and identified six attributes necessary for success.

Intelligence
Trainability
Physical Fitness
Motivation
Influence
Judgement

SF operators must have the physical, emotional, and mental stamina to succeed in the UW environment. They have to be able to prepare to conduct the missions assigned. And that doesn’t just mean physically but mentally as well. The amount of time spent studying all the aspects of the target area (history, politics, religious leaders and beliefs, terrain, infrastructure, and local economy etc). The mental aspect is just as if not more important than the physical.

The school must identify the potential operators who have the creativity and mindset to think outside the box and do it without prompting or leadership from above. The ability to problem solve while under tremendous stress is a key indicator of success or failure for an SF operator. To quote a line from a Clint Eastwood film, “Improvise, adapt, overcome.”

One key area to highlight for success in the UW/FID environment is the ability for the SF operator to not just give orders but to get the host nation to follow their lead. So, language training and cross-cultural communication are very important. The key to UW is to convince the target audience that the relationship between them and the US SF operators is mutually beneficial. That requires a great deal of tact, diplomacy, and empathy.

And the bread and butter for SF operators in the UW environment are being in the role of a teacher and instructor. That’s what SF has prided itself on for 65 years and the school must identify the type of individuals that can not only do their job and do it well but have the knowledge to teach it to others, in their language. Ask any SF operator and they’ll tell you the first time you teach a course in the host nation’s language is a daunting task.

When the JFKSWC (John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center) started the SFAS course back in 1988 they identified the core attributes that we were looking for in successful Special Forces candidates. Many years later the candidates that were passing the Selection and Assessment course were failing the SFQC (Special Forces Qualification Course) in high numbers.

The Training Group targeted an SF officer Brian Decker to revamp the Selection Course as to identify those soldiers that were going to have a better chance at having success in the SFQC and in the operational SF Groups after being assigned.

SpecialOperations.com had the opportunity to sit down with him and discuss the changes made to the Selection and Assessment course and how it impacted the candidates’ performance moving forward. Look for that interview in the next few days.

Featured photo: DOD

SOF Selection PT Preparation 5.31.2017

Wednesday morning is rucking day so get the ruck with a 45-pound minimum weight ready for a 5-miler over varied terrain. Today is a good time to break in that second pair of boots and ensure they’re ready for the course as well. Strive to better the time that is the standard and remember to hydrate throughout the march. Then head over to the gym for some shoulder and back work that will help ease the load in Selection. Be sure to log the progress down in your workout log book.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, behind the neck (go as heavy as possible)

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Arnold Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

5-mile Rucksack march (45lb minimum)

Stretch well after completion

Army Standing Up New “Security Force Assistance” Brigade, Shake and Bake SF?

The US Army is moving forward with their new Security Force Assistance Brigades and has published the requirements that will be needed to be selected and are offering a $5000 bonus for any of the soldiers that re-enlist for the new unit.

Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley has stated that he wants to field the newest Brigade by October 2017 to advise and assist partner nations with their security force capabilities.

The 529-man Brigade will field officers and NCOs and while the Army falls short of calling it an “elite unit”, they’ve instead taken to calling this a “premiere assignment.”

“Our EP (Enlisted Personnel) and OP (Officer Personnel) divisions have been busy identifying Soldiers that meet all of the stringent requirements outlined by Gen. Milley, and then making the necessary phone calls to pitch the SFAB to them,” said Lt. Col. Corey Brunkow, HRC Enlisted Personnel Management Division Infantry Branch Chief.
“We’re looking for branch qualified noncommissioned officers. That is, we’re looking for former squad leaders as Staff Sergeants, and former platoon sergeants as a Sgt. 1st Class to fill advisor roles which will broaden their horizons and experiences in the Army,” he said.
Basic qualifications include an 85 or better Defense Language Aptitude Battery for primary advisors, a minimum of 240 or 70 points in each event on the APFT, possess a secret security clearance, and maintain a deployable status.
In addition, a Soldiers Physical Profile Serial System, or PULHES as it is commonly referred to as, must be 111221 with only a minor inability in the hearing and ears, and eyes portion.

The training for the SABs is slated to cover six weeks and then the units will be deployable. The Army says it hopes to have six of the SABs fielded by 2024.

This isn’t anything new, the Big Army has been trying to chip away at the FID mission of Special Forces for the past 30+ years. While there should be some conventional military deployments to support the FID mission and ease some of the burden on SF, this isn’t it. Trying to squeeze over a year’s worth of training into six weeks and make a shake and bake Special Forces group isn’t going to work.

And in the process, they’ll rob the conventional Infantry and Armor units of their experienced NCOs and officers. But again, this isn’t particularly new. It will be interesting to see how long this will last before conventional commanders ask to pull the plug because of the drain on their own leadership.

To read the entire article from the US Army website click here:

Photo courtesy DOD

Navy SEAL Dies in Parachuting Accident Over Hudson River

A member of the US Navy’s parachute team, the “Leap Frogs” consisting of Navy SEALs died on Sunday afternoon after his parachute failed to deploy adequately.

This tragedy struck just after noon on the Hudson River during a Fleet Week demonstration jump in front of thousands of spectators. The Navy has not yet identified the deceased sailor pending notification of next of kin.

The accident occurred a few minutes after noon near Liberty State Park, a large New Jersey park across from Manhattan where thousands of people a year catch ferries to the nearby national treasure.
The parachutist, whose identity was not immediately released, was a member of an elite Navy parachute team called the Leap Frogs, a Navy spokesman said. The cause of the parachute malfunction is under investigation.
“I’m terribly saddened,” said Nancy Malinowski, a Cranford, New Jersey, resident who was in Liberty State Park and knew something had gone wrong when she saw a parachute with nobody attached to it descend behind a building.
“I don’t think 90 percent of the people there were aware,” Malinowski said, describing a gathering in the park that included food trucks, a Navy band and lots of small children. “Everybody was out there to support the military.”
She said the parachutist was among four who drifted down from high in the sky from two helicopters. One of the parachutists descended with a large American flag.
In a release, the Navy said the parachutist was rescued immediately from the water by U.S. Coast Guard personnel who were standing by in vessels to support the aerial demonstration that featured the coordinated parachute jump. Local fire department personnel who were also on standby responded as well. The Navy said the parachutist was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center at 1:10 p.m.
The Navy said the identity of the victim would be released after family notifications were completed.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to his family, and I ask for all of your prayers for the Navy SEAL community who lost a true patriot today,” said Rear Adm. Jack Scorby, commander of the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic.

The “Leap Frogs” had promoted the jump and event with a Facebook post on Sunday morning telling New Yorkers “New York City look to the skies at 12:00. We’ll be jumping into Liberty State Park today for Memorial Day Weekend and in celebration of Navy Fleet Week.”

The parachute team is slated to perform at Sail Boston 2017 and at Navy Week in Pittsburgh. Other performances this summer include Minneapolis, Chicago and Salt Lake City, Utah. It isn’t yet known if this accident will curtail any scheduled appearances pending an investigation.

To read the entire article from the Washington Times click here:

Photo courtesy US Navy

Ten of the Best War Films to Watch on Memorial Day

With Memorial Day weekend in full swing, many people have taken to the cemetery of their hometown to place flags on the graves of the soldiers who are no longer with us. Our little down did it last week with the cooperation of the local Veterans Council, VFW, American Legion, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, and local citizens who felt the calling to help out.

Our local Memorial Day Parade will kick off, (weather permitting) at 9:20 today. Once that is over, we’ll partake in the traditional Memorial Day activities by grilling some food outside while giving thanks to those who made this all possible.

One of the other traditional fares on Memorial Day is the War Film marathons that are always on television. We’ve compiled a list of our favorites in our household and they’re listed right here. They’re listed in no particular order, so no one film is ranked higher than any other. This list could easily have been tripled. I had no idea I had so many war films on DVD…although my wife would beg to differ.

Feel free to chime in with any of your favorites that may not have made the list.

Tears of the Sun (2003) Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Cole Hauser:
It doesn’t get much better than having a bunch of Navy SEALs laying waste to terrorists in Nigeria while rescuing an American doctor and leading refugees to safety. Bruce Willis is the SEAL Lt. who leads the mission and goes against orders when the see the refugees being raped and slaughtered by the terrorists.

Of course, having the beautiful Monica Bellucci as the doctor makes every scene she’s in a must-see. Eamonn Walker is outstanding as “Zee” Pettigrew the SEAL RTO and grenadier. Cole Hauser as the SEAL M-60 gunner “Red” Atkins is a total badass with a funky hairdo.

It’s an old-fashioned gung-ho film where the American guys are definitely wearing the white hats here and Willis, as the protagonist is shown quite often as the jaded combat vet opening his heart to the refugees. A bit over the top? Sure, but it was characterized as an Antoine Fuqua Navy SEAL shoot ‘em up and with Bellucci in the background…. Play it again Sam.

Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) John Wayne, Forrest Tucker, John Agar:
Classic John Wayne action film, using the backdrop of World War II. Wayne is a battle-hardened tough sergeant, Stryker who has been in the Marine Corps for a decade and he must mold a bunch of recruits into a tough, rifle squad of Marines.

The action takes place first at Tarawa where Wayne’s best friend lies wounded, calling to him in front of the Marines’ positions in the dark. Wayne, won’t go to him for fear of giving away the unit’s position to the Japanese. Some of the men, Agar and Tucker hate Stryker for different reasons but grow to understand and appreciate the sergeant as the man who will lead them thru the tough times.

The film climaxes on Iwo Jima and the famous flag raising is recreated on film using three of the actual survivors of the Suribachi flag raising. The Marine Corps totally bought in on the making of the film, including giving a drill sergeant to the cast to get them ready to play Marines. It was totally filmed on Camp Pendleton.

Battleground (1949) James Whitmore, Van Johnson, John Hodiak:
Made just after the war and the same year as Sands of Iwo Jima, Battleground takes place during the Battle of the Bulge where a group of paratroopers from the 101^st Airborne are rushed from a rest camp in France to the frozen encircled bastion at Bastogne in Belgium. The Germans must take the hub of a major road network and the 101^st must hold at any cost.

This was one of the grittiest war films made up to that point. The airborne troops are dirty, tired, and scared. They’re slugging it out with a determined, well-trained enemy in snow-draped forests where the enemy can be extremely close before they can be seen.

James Whitmore who saw action in the Pacific as a Marine was outstanding as the troops’ Sergeant Kinnie. He’s a grizzled vet who looks like he’d been in combat for a decade. Van Johnson as the scrounger, and wise-cracking rifleman that every infantry platoon since the Roman Legions seems to have. Ricardo Montalban has a small role and Douglas Fowley as the griper and complainer with loose store-bought teeth steals many of the scenes he’s in.

Black Hawk Down (2001) Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana:
The film directed by Ridley Scott was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two and is based on the outstanding book of the same name by Mark Bowden. It stuck very close to the facts and shows the brutal nature of the war in Somalia and the depths of courage that the Delta Force operators had, especially SFC Randy Shughart and SFC Gary Gordon, both of who were decorated with the Medal of Honor posthumously after the battle.

During the early days of October 1992, Task Force Ranger with the Delta operators and the Ranger Bn. along with Task Force 160 aviation elements try to capture Omar Salad Elmi and Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdiid, two of Mohamad Farah Aidid’s top advisers. That’s when all hell breaks loose. A Blackhawk helicopter is shot down and then another and the Rangers and Delta operators risk it all to get to the pilots and crew out.

The fast roping scenes early in the film were done by members of the 3/75 Ranger Regiment. Scott didn’t spend much time on character development as the action goes fast and furious. But the battle scenes are top notch and Eric Bana as “Hoot” Gibson is outstanding. The film’s score keeps the watcher on edge with a staccato, visceral sadness that permeates the film. Having lost a close friend from the Delta Force operators there, it was tough to watch at first, but it is a first-rate action film.

Gettysburg (1993) Tom Berenger, Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen:
The film is based on the 1975 work of fiction “The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara which won a Pulitzer. Since this is the American Civil War, neither side is presented as the “bad guys”. The Southerners are roundly portrayed as men of honor who widely respect and in some cases, love the men they’re fighting against. 5000 reenactors were used as extras in the battle scenes where 50,000 men fell.

Sam Elliot has an excellent cameo as Union Cavalry Brigadier John Buford who slows the Confederate advance just long enough to allow the Army to reach the high ground. Jeff Daniels steals the show as Joshua Chamberlain, the 20^th Maine’s commander. He basically saved the Union’s bacon at Little Round Top. That battle sequence alone is worth watching the film for.

Tom Berenger as Longstreet and Richard Jordan were both outstanding as well. Sheen as Robert E. Lee however awfully wooden. George Lazenby, the former James Bond for one film, (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) had a brief cameo as NC Brigadier General J. Johnston Pettigrew

We Were Soldiers Once (2002) Mel Gibson, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliot:
This is an intense film that graphically shows the nature of the close combat that the troops fought in Vietnam. Gibson portrays LTC Hal Moore the commander of the 7^th Cavalry at LZ X-Ray in Ia Drang Valley early in 1965. This was based on the book of the same name by Hal Moore.

Sam Elliot steals every scene he’s in as CSM Plumley, a decorated WWII vet who has no tolerance for the typical Army BS. Plumley is a total badass whose men are more afraid of him than the enemy. Greg Kinnear is superb as the chopper pilot “Snake” Crandall. The clichés get a bit thick at times as with many war films but the filmmakers at least put a human face on the enemy. They’re not the mindless, savages from Tears of the Sun or Blackhawk Down.

This was the first major battle of the Vietnam war and shows the suffering and carnage that both sides will suffer for pieces of earth that mean nothing in the large scale of things.

A Bridge Too Far (1977) Sean Connery, Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins:
A breathtaking, sweeping film with an all-star cast that gets a bit long at times but with the jump sequences and action scenes top notch. It covers the blunder by the Allied High Command to allocate all of their airborne forces to lay an “Airborne Carpet” along a single highway seizing the key bridges from Holland into Germany. Even after they learn that the area is filled with German SS Panzer divisions.

Sean Connery and Robert Redford stand out…as usual with their performances. Anthony Hopkins is outstanding as Operation Market Garden’s final puzzle piece LTC John Frost. He’s the man tasked to take the final bridge at Arnhem.

The soundtrack was a bit hokey but it is a classic war film with several great cameos…especially James Caan, Elliot Gould and Liv Ullmann. Interestingly enough, the film was panned in the US for the audacity to show the blunder of the high command. Gene Hackman’s Polish accent was atrocious but the rest of the movie was a classic war film.

The Great Escape (1963) Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, James Garner:
Another All-Star cast, another must-see film. Based on a true story, this is a fictionalized account of the massive British escape from Luft Stalag III in Lower Silesia, Germany, now Zagan, Poland. The characters are based on real men and in a few cases, composites of several POWs. However, no Americans were present at the camp, that is a fabrication and an excuse to land McQueen on the cast.

The film for some odd reason omits the Canadians who in reality played a big part of the escape. In fact, it was the Canadians who were the “Tunnel King” characters played by Charles Bronson and John Leyton. The POWs are moved to an “escape-proof camp” where they quickly adapt to dig several tunnels where they hope to free 250 of their own men.

McQueen steals the show in every scene he’s in. The 4^th of July moonshine scene was excellent but his motorcycle stunt riding scene where he’s being chased by the German military on bikes cemented him as an international film star.

The Longest Day (1962) All-Star Cast:
The film was an epic undertaking being almost a docudrama leading up to the D-Day Invasion of June 6^,1944, and thru the events of that very first, very long day. It shows the events from both sides and what entailed leading up to and during the invasion. The film was shot in black and white as to give an authentic look to the newsreels of WWII.

The cast is all top notch with British actor Richard Todd playing Major John Howard the man responsible for seizing “Pegasus Bridge”. Todd was actually on the assault during the war and lends a tremendous amount of realism to the production. The producers had military consultants from all of the countries involved and several of the consultants were officers who took part in the battle.

This would be the quintessential WWII film is they took the opening beach scene from Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan”, converted it to black and white and placed it on the battle scenes here. The Rangers scene at Pointe du Hoc was well done but could have been better.

The Green Berets (1968) John Wayne, Aldo Ray, David Janssen:
John Wayne was concerned by the anti-war/anti-military movement in the United States and decided to portray the American involvement in a very positive light with the Green Berets which was loosely based on the book by Robin Moore.

The clichés are thick, as with most John Wayne war flicks but the Camp A-107 scene, filmed at Ft. Benning was based on the real battle of Nam Dong where Roger Donlon was awarded the Medal of Honor. Critics excoriated the film which they saw as a flag-waving pro-war film. But it was a box-office success.

The film was Wayne’s ode to the Special Forces troops, not the war which was lost in translation of the virulent anti-war sentiment at the time. Wayne was quoted as saying “what a magnificent job this still little-known branch of service is doing. … I wasn’t trying to send a message out to anybody,” he reasoned, “or debating whether it is right or wrong for the United States to be in this war.” He did, however, have a line which has become a classic. John Wayne’s character Col. Kirby tells David Janssen, “Out here, due process is a bullet.”

Honorable Mentions:
Some other favorites that didn’t make the cut but are very worthwhile films include:
Stalag 17, Twelve O’clock High, Downfall, Lawrence of Arabia, Defiance, The Battle of Britain, Tora, Tora, Tora, and Kelly’s Heroes.

Let’s turn on the DVD player, …. Which one goes on first?

Photos/videos courtesy of IMDB

SOF Selection PT Preparation 5.28.201

Sunday morning Rucksack march. Do a quick warm up of pushups and sit-ups before heading out. Head out over varied terrain and try to go as fast as you can without running.

Stretch well both before and after the event. Remember to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated out there. With the heat of the warm weather months upon us, it is imperative to keep in the habit.

Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit ups

10-mile Rucksack march over varied terrain with a 45-pound minimum. And mark your times in your workout log book.

Stretch well after completion

Iran Wants Military Base in Syria Near Israeli Border

The civil war in Syria has been a bloody affair and if the Iranian government gets its wish, the bloodshed will spread beyond the Syrian borders. With the defeat of the Islamic State in Syria, Iran wants a military base in southern Syria along the border with Israel and Jordan.

The move would be to weaken US influence in the region, eventually forcing the United States out and then opening up another avenue which to attack Israel and the Jordanians, one of the US’ closest allies in the region.

“A permanent Iranian military base in Syria, potentially near the border with Israel or Jordan, would increase Iran’s operational capacity to inflict serious damage against two of our closest allies in the region,” Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., and Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
That warning points to the strategic significance of the Syrian civil war, beyond the importance of defeating the Islamic State. Trump’s team has authorized an intense barrage of airstrikes on ISIS, while opening the door to cooperation with Russia; a senior State Department official recently attended a peace talks summit between Syrian President Bashar Assad and opposition forces that was led by the Russians. But Russia is propping up Assad in partnership with Iran, which means the defeat of ISIS could inaugurate a new phase of regional rivalry.
Roskam and Deutch have a similar concern. “Iran is actively working to establish a permanent military presence in Syria,” they wrote Tillerson. “The Islamic Republic seeks to solidify its access to the Mediterranean Sea by building a permanent seaport and constructing numerous military installations throughout the country. A permanent Iranian military presence in Syria would greatly harm U.S. interests in the region and decrease the likelihood of reaching a political agreement to end the Syrian civil war.”

Nothing good can come from the Iranians having a permanent military presence in Syria. Attacks against Israel and Jordan would soon follow and the region can ill-afford that bloodshed to escalate.

To read the entire article from the Washington Examiner click here:

Photo courtesy Getty Images

USASOC Honors Gold Star Families in Ceremony

The Army’s Special Operations Command Memorial Wall added seven new names to their list of honored fallen soldiers in a solemn ceremony at Ft. Bragg, NC. After each name was read the toll of a bell was heard to honor the sacrifice of the troops.

The command honored Maj. Andrew Byers, Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Gloyer, Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Lewellen, Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe, Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, Staff Sgt. Adam Thomas, Staff Sgt. Matthew Thompson during the ceremony that was attended by their respective families.

Outside the U.S. Army Special Operations Command headquarters on Fort Bragg, officials honored each soldier for his sacrifice to the nation over the past year.

Byers, Gloyer, Thomas and Thompson died of wounds received in combat in Afghanistan. Thomas, Byers and Gloyer served with the 10th Special Forces Group. Thompson served with the 1st Special Forces Group.
Lewellen, McEnroe, and Moriarty died after an attack in Jordan. They were each part of the 5th Special Forces Group.
On Thursday, their names were officially added to the USASOC Memorial Wall — an expanse that includes the names of more than 1,200 special operations soldiers who have been killed in combat since the Korean War.
“The roll of honor reflected on this wall includes recipients of 12 Medals of Honor, over 100 Distinguished Service or Distinguished Flying Crosses, more than 800 Silver Stars and numerous other awards for valor and service,” said Lt. Gen. Kenneth E. Tovo, commander of USASOC. “Though there are many heroes on the wall. It is not a monument to heroism. It is a tribute to sacrifice.”
“It honors the incredible sacrifice of 1,206 Army special operators,” the general added. “They’re sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, teammates and friends. All of these soldiers put aside their personal hopes and dreams to serve our nation.”
The seven warriors honored Thursday were no different, Tovo said.
“Seven unique individuals. Seven very different paths in life,” he said. “They came from the width and breadth of America, from California to New York, from Texas to Minnesota; from small towns to big cities.”

The ceremony underscored the deep price that the Special Operations Forces pay for the freedoms celebrated by the citizens of the US every year and these should be noted every day not just on Memorial Day.

To read the entire article from the Fayetteville Observer click here:

Photo courtesy Fayetteville Observer

FARC Guerrillas With Few Prospects Flocking to Cali Cartels

The former guerrillas of the Colombian resistance FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army) are having a rough time adjusting to civilian life after a lifetime of armed insurrection with many of the former fighters turning to criminal drug trafficking gangs with few other prospects.

The threat level both from these former guerrilla fighters and against them is high. Many citizens take retribution against the former FARC fighters since the peace treaty was signed. In the city of Cali, always a tough, crime-ridden area, the violence and death rates have risen and the prospects for a solution there seem far away.

Now, after a lifetime of fighting in the mountains and jungles of Colombia, guerrillas like Idarraga face a new challenge: surviving the city.
Retribution is a real issue. According to the Colombian Agency for Reintegration, one in 10 reported cases of violence against demobilised fighters involves homicide or attempted homicide.
Cali is already Colombia’s most violent urban centre, and is expected to receive up to a quarter of all former Farc combatants – a volatile addition to a city where criminal gangs already run rampant. While the peace accord promised each former guerrilla $6,100 for the first two years to help them start anew, large gangs such as the Urabenos have been reportedly offering triple that amount in some areas.
Idarraga says the temptation to take up a life of crime is very real for people like him who are barely making ends meet through legal employment. He spent over a decade fighting for the Farc, eventually becoming an explosives expert who commanded up to 54 guerrillas. But after the birth of his son nine years ago, he left the war for good, and now picks up local construction jobs when he can.
Violence peaked in the 1990s, when the Cali and Medellin cartels waged a vicious war for control of global cocaine distribution. By the mid-2000s, violence had dropped as paramilitary groups demobilized. Many fighters splintered into smaller groups, each scrambling for control of the cocaine trade.
By 2009, Cali’s murder rate began to rise again as desperate ex-paramilitaries and vulnerable youth were recruited into criminal life.

Colombia may have signed a peace treaty with the FARC rebels but the problems they face from the former guerrillas hasn’t disappeared as those former fighters struggle to find an identity in a world that they weren’t prepared to enter.

To read the entire article from The Guardian click here:

Photo courtesy YouTube