Air Force Special Operations

Special Operations Forces: People Are the #1 Asset

After nearly two decades of war, our U.S. Special Operations Forces are still at the tip of the spear, leading the fight in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and countless other places every day.

And yet, despite this, young people still flock to each of the service’s Special Operations units to attempt a Selection course to get in one of them. Unlike their conventional brethren who after completing basic and advanced individual training are sent to become, albeit, junior members of functional units. And while their training within their units will continue, they’re considered fully functional members.

In the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the troops have to go thru grueling Selection courses, designed to separate the weak from the strong and puts an inordinate amount of physical and mental stress on the candidates. The worthy will have to not endure the hardships but thrive and operate while under the most adverse conditions the cadre can throw at them.

Each of the different services tailors their Selection and qualification courses around their own individual missions and what the unit has to accomplish. Special Forces Selection and Assessment is quite different than BUDS (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL). And the Ranger Assessment and Selection is different from either the Marine Corps Critical Skills Operator Selection or the Air Force’s Combat Control Operator Course.

But where they all seem to find common ground is the physical hardness and preparation that each must not only meet the standards but exceed them. The never say quit attitude and the ability to function on their own without supervision are the hallmarks of each SOF trooper.

When people picture a member of the military Special Operations community, they picture a burly, bearded badass with tats and every conceivable gadget included in their high-speed kit. But the gear and expensive toys doesn’t make SOF ‘special’. The people do.

There used to be a poster for Special Forces back in the day that stated, “People don’t Join Us Because We’re Special, but Because They Are.” That is the truest statement I can think of.

And the Selection courses are just the beginning. Many younger troops believe that once they’ve passed Selection, that they’ve arrived. Nothing could be further from the truth. Selection is the only the first gate in many more tests. In fact, among the common tenets among all of SOF are “Selection never stops and you’re always being evaluated.”

That’s why when the SOF units aren’t deployed on any given day in about 100 countries around the world they are constantly training, honing their craft. Their training and the intensity of it is what makes the units ‘special’ and not the kit they wear.

When the Special Operations Command was in its first early stages, the Commander of the JFK Special Warfare Center, Major General David Baratto coined what he called “SOF Imperatives” to serve as the basic tenets to which Special Operations Forces should operate. Then, a no-SOF officer, LTC Collins wrote these and they became part of who were are.

SOCOM adopted them and about 20 years later, they were rebranded as “SOF Truths”, but whatever they are called isn’t important. What is important is that they are the cornerstone for any operational unit and can be used in both the military and later into the civilian world. For aspiring SOF operators, these truths should become second nature.

And the very first of the “SOF Truths” gets right to the crux of the matter.

Humans are more important than hardware:

Special Operations troops make the equipment, not the other way around. The training and preparedness of the operator is the critical difference in mission success and failure.

During Operation Just Cause and the aftermath in Panama, the soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division frequently had better equipment than most of the troops of the 7th Special Forces Group who were either stationed there.

The best special operators, who are highly trained and working as a team, will always accomplish the mission with whatever equipment is available. However, the best equipment in the world cannot compensate for a lack of a trained force.

That is why SOF has such stringent Selection criteria and candidates will have to pass intense physical and psychological hurdles along the way. SOF units are looking for leadership potential and self-reliance

And the rest of the SOF Truths fall right in line with #1.

Quality is better than quantity:

This one is especially true in Special Operations. A small, well-trained team is much more effective than a large under-or-untrained one. Numbers aren’t important in filling troop billets. But filling those with the right people, trained for the right job is the key.

A quality force is a limited resource and is much more preferable, but on the flip side, they are very expensive to train and maintain. But the old adage, “you get what you pay for” rings very true when talking about quality SOF troops.

Special Operations Forces cannot be mass produced:

Cookie cutter training produces cookies, not special operators. Slapping a beret on everyone’s head and calling them elite is an exercise in futility, not training a force. As the military has found out with their shake and bake units.

Properly training Special Operations Forces troops and units take years to get them to the level of proficiency that will be needed to conduct the type of missions that these units will be tasked to perform.

Then the joint integrated training within the community amongst the units takes even more time. The military learned their lessons the hard way thru trial and error. The Army was always trying to tinker with the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC), in an attempt to try to standardize the number of troops coming thru the pipeline. What they didn’t understand is that the standards never change, the quality of some classes coming thru would change but the instructors would keep the standards the same regardless if 40 percent of a class passed or 10 percent.

When SFAS was first started, the classes were heavy with troops from the Ranger Regiment, the 82nd Airborne and some of the LRSU units. Those troops were very well prepared for the rigors of Selection. When the number of those candidates slowed after several classes, the troops attempting Selection weren’t as well prepped. The successful Selection rates plummeted. The standards didn’t change nor the way the cadre enforced them.

Any attempt to shorten the process or quicken it to meet operational needs only serves to weaken the entire force as a whole.

The remaining SOF Truths (Competent Special Operations Forces cannot be created after emergencies occur. Most Special Operations require non-SOF assistance) fall under the same basic premise that it is the people that are most important in SOF.

If any of our potential candidates are successful in their quest and find themselves in a Special Operations unit, they will no doubt find themselves one day working with a local, host nation unit or militia force that will be woefully equipped according to U.S. standards.

Their job will be to work with, the host nation forces to get the job done. Sometimes it will entail training the locals, other times, fighting alongside them. Often it will entail both. It takes a special type of warrior to accomplish those missions. The SOF of the US are a valuable resource that makes up less than 1 percent of the total force but are doing lion’s share of the fighting across the globe.

Photo Courtesy DOD

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 17, Day 5

Thursday is a Chest and Triceps workout in the gym and then hit the trail for a 4-mile run. Remember to stretch well before and after and to stay hydrated. Mark your progress down in your workout log book.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Bench Press

3 x 10 Dumbbell Flies

3 x 10 Dumbbell Incline press

3 x 20 Pushups (alternate sets with wide, narrow and shoulder width)

3 x 10 ‘V’ Ups

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 20 Cable Push Downs (rope)

3 x 20 Dips or until muscle failure

4-mile run (32 minutes or less)

Stretch well after completion

Selection Prep: Boots and Foot Care 101

We always get some questions vis-à-vis about passing Selection and most of the questions center around rucking and the land navigation course. While each has their own challenges for the Selection candidate, you’ll have to utilize both together while passing land navigation as you’ll be conducting it with a rucksack on.

While we encourage our readers who are aspiring SOF candidates to read and follow our Physical Training prep posts in getting physically prepared for the rigors of Selection, it all begins with having proper fitting boots and taking care of your feet.

As I’ve repeated many, many times, your feet and your brain are the two most indispensable parts of your body in Special Operations Forces. They are your lifeline in Special Operations. You MUST take good care of them or you won’t last a fortnight. Foot care will become second nature to all of you (if it isn’t already) after you spend some time in SOF.

The very nature of the Selection courses is designed to stress the candidates to the max, wear them down, and put you under stress. They are hard enough as it is. Factor in any foot problems and it is a battle that is a losing proposition. That isn’t to say that if a candidate gets a few blisters that he’s guaranteed to fail. That isn’t the point nor is it true. However, if foot problems are constant there and are slowing down the candidate, the odds of being selected go down sharply.

We aren’t going to break any new ground here. This is basic 101 type of stuff. I’ve spoken with some younger guys who are just entering the military for the first time or are just finishing up their initial entry training and are still finding their way. So there are questions that they have that anyone who has been in a light infantry or an airborne unit will know already. If you don’t have that background but have NCOs or officers that served in these type of units, seek out their advice on the subject before beginning your prep for Selection.

Boots, Boots, Boots: You’ll wear what Uncle Sam issues, so you’ll have to ensure that your boots fit properly. Too big is just as much of an issue as too small. I know some guys who got boots a half-size larger to take into account their feet swelling on long-range rucksack marches. I’m not a believer in this, however, if you’re one of those guys whose feet swell that much, it may just be something for you to consider. But for the average Joe? No, I wouldn’t do it.

The key for proper fitting boots is ensuring that the boot heel sits snugly around the rear of the foot while still allowing the toes some wiggle room up front. If your foot is sliding around too much, either front to back or side to side, you’ll have friction, which leads to blisters. If your boots are too tight, your toes will either be curled up inside or squished together and neither is a good option and is just a blister waiting to happen.

Having at least two pairs of boots prepared for Selection is essential. Having three broken in pairs would be even better. Ensure the boots you wear have good ventilation and water drainage as they’ll allow your feet to breathe and dry out when wet which will cut down on blisters. You’re going to get wet in Selection, nearly every day especially if you attend a winter class, but rest assured, winter, spring, summer or fall the candidates will get wet. During the day’s events, it is what it is and they just drive on continue on with the scenario.

That’s why having two or three pairs of boots, broken in boots is key to a successful course. When you’re finished for the day’s events, let them dry out and if available, stuff them with whatever is available, (paper towels, newspapers) to let them dry out. Wear the well-broken-in backup boots the next day and switch accordingly from day to day. Having to use a new pair of non-broken in boots in Selection is not the way to get thru the course with your feet intact.

I recall one February class when I was a cadre member at SFAS. It was cold and damp and rained hard or snowed on the candidates nearly every day. The dirt back roads and trails of Camp Mackall, North Carolina were soupy and underwater in many places. The candidates’ feet were wet nearly all the time and compounded by the course’s criteria, their feet suffered. Training never stops. Our cadre had just got issued Wolverine and Matterhorn winter boots and it made a big difference. But the students suffered constantly slogging thru cold, muddy water.

Nearly all had multiple blister problems and our cadre’s medics were working overtime. Many of the candidates had feet that resembled raw hamburger by the end of team week. They were forced into switching out their boots daily and those who didn’t have a second broken in pair suffered the worst of all. Several were forced to wear what more resembled moleskin booties than patches. Several were medically dropped, of those a couple had secondary boots barely broken in, despite what they were told prior to coming.

Proper Care for the Feet: Having been a cadre member at SFAS, I witnessed first hand all different manners of foot preparation and care. When assigned the night duty, another cadre member Doug P. and I would walk around the candidate’s barracks incognito at night to see how they were caring for themselves and their teammates. Yes, take note, you may not notice and many did not, but you’re always being evaluated.

In an earlier piece, I wrote that a successful candidate has to know his own body and what works and what doesn’t for him, long BEFORE he gets to Selection. Everyone is different and what works for me, may not work for you and vice versa.

Each one should have a good set of nail clippers when attending Selection and ensure that they take good care of those as needed. Some candidates spray their feet or use a roll-on antiperspirant which is supposed to stop the sweating which is the cause of blisters. While I was never a big believer in this, if your feet sweat profusely as mine do, then by all means, try it during your prep phase to see if it works for you.

Other students, I’ve seen use Vaseline or some type of oil or cream to reduce friction. Again, it isn’t something I’d recommend but it does work for some people.

What I’ve found to work for me was to use just a small amount of Gold Bond powder on your feet and in your socks before going on a ruck march. Not too much, like anything else, if you put half a tin in your socks, it will clump up and create just as many problems. It cuts down on friction which creates blisters. I’d recommend putting some around your crotch as well. If you get rubbed raw in the nether regions it won’t be pleasant walking 12 miles plus every day feeling like that.

Socks, Feet’s Last Line of Defense: Socks and their fit are just as important as boots are Just as proper socks will protect them from blisters, poorly fitted ones will cause even more problems.

We know that heat, friction, and moisture are the cause of blisters. While the proper fitting boots are the start, they are only half of the equation.

Candidates should start with a good pair of tightly fit synthetic or polypro socks that will wick the moisture away from your feet. Rub your feet down with a light coat of powder or whatever you choose and then turn them inside out. Why? So that the stitching inside won’t rub your toes and create hot spots. That stitching can and will cause blisters.

The thick military issued wool socks go over the inner layer of socks and once again inside out to prevent the stitching from rubbing and creating hot spots. The second sock reduces the friction and will absorb the moisture from the inner sock while cushioning your foot inside the boot.

This two-sock system is designed so that the friction will occur between the layers of socks rather than between the socks and your feet. Have enough pairs to be able to change socks frequently and the packing lists for Selection will state to have that many on hand. You’ll need them.

Start Slowly and Work up in Preparatory Training: When you are beginning your preparatory training, the rucking you’ll be doing should increase in both distance and intensity as the weeks go by. But don’t overdo it at first. You don’t train for a marathon by running one on the first day of training, and Selection is no different.

This will play right into your boots and foot care. Start with shorter rucksack marches. If you notice hot spots or blisters forming during prep ruck work, stop immediately and deal with those. Waiting until you’re done at this point in time may result in a much more serious blister which will set your training prep work back. If you don’t have any issues with a hot spot or a blister then your prep work can increase.

Remember, it is a marathon, not a sprint. The key is to work up to being able to carry a ruck all day long with the prescribed weight and do it all over again, day after day. Once a candidate is successful and is a member of one of the Special Operations Forces units in the military, the question of boots becomes much easier as there are a lot of great boots out there that the services allow their troops to wear. But for now, you wear what is issued and those are better than the old combat boot of days of yore.

As always, I appreciate the many questions that you have and will always be here to help in any way I can. Any questions or comments can be emailed to me [email protected] or at my Twitter account @SteveB7SFG

No Days Off, Keep on Rucking. DOL

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 17, Day 4

Wednesday is a back and shoulder day at the gym followed by a 6-mile rucksack march. Look to better the time that is the standard (90 minutes), and remember to hydrate throughout the march. Don’t forget to mark your progress in the workout log book and break in your second pair of boots.

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 Seated Rows

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Arnold Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

6-mile Rucksack march (45-pound minimum, 90-minute maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 17, Day 3

Our last week of prep, Tuesday starts with Leg Day at the gym followed by a 4-mile run. Begin with pull-ups, then squats, lunges and the sled followed by a four-mile run.

Leg Day is everyone’s least favorite day, make it your go-to day. Make sure you stretch well afterward and remember to hydrate.

Training:

Continue to prep for the UBRR

3 x Pullups 10 reps

3 x 10 Deadlifts

3 x Front Squat 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x Goblet Squats 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

4 x Sled push heavier weight or Fireman’s carry

3 x 10 reps Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 20 Planks with Shoulder Touches

4-Mile run

Stretch well after completion

Israel Rocked By Rocket Attacks is the Iranian Two-Front Strategy Beginning

We’ve all seen how since late Friday, Israel has been facing an unending series of rocket and mortar attacks which has kept the country on alert. Hamas from their enclaves in Gaza has launched, to date over 200 rockets and mortars on the Israeli territory around Sderot. Most of the rockets fell into open fields or were shot down by Israeli Iron Dome air defense systems. But one rocket hit just outside a family’s home injuring three while another hit a synagogue although it was empty at the time.

The Israelis have responded with their heaviest air strikes since the 2014 Operation Protective Edge. More than 40 targets were hit including a Hamas training facility that the IDF has stated contained underground tunnels for training as part of Hamas’ tunnel network operations. Hamas claimed that the facility was empty and only two teenaged passersby across the street were killed.

Reports were surfacing of a ceasefire brokered by Egypt which will reportedly stop the rockets for now and the Israeli counter strikes. It will only put off the inevitable because this was just the opening salvo of the Iranian two-front strategy.

This strategy is already well-known by the IDF chiefs in Tel Aviv. It is simple as it aims to put the Israelis under a two-front scenario that they cannot win. They are pumping rockets into Gaza with Hamas and together with the Syrian offensive aimed at retaking the southern areas of the country back from the rebels during the on-going civil war, they are planning on having a presence on the Israeli border at the Golan Heights.

Rather than use Hezbollah’s bases in Lebanon which would invite an Israeli incursion, they are going to establish Iranian bases in southern Syria. That’s what Tehran wants, an Iranian presence in the Golan. Under the current de-escalation agreements between the United States, Russia and Jordan, the southern area of Syria were supposedly off-limits. However, Syrian forces under the Assad regime are actively attempting to retake the southern areas and return them to government control with a heavy dose of Russian air power in support.

President Putin has frequently stated that only Syrian troops will occupy the borders along the Jordanian/Israeli.Syrian border. And that any Russian or Iranian troops will withdraw soon after the area is retaken. Right now the Syrian troops are moving east towards Daraa close to the Jordanian frontier. It is when they turn southwest towards Quneitra that things are likely to get dicey. It is no secret that Iranian militias are embedded with the Syrian troops.

Israel has made it clear that it will tolerate no Iranian bases or troops along its border. In the past several months, their intelligence has been able to pinpoint the Iranian bases inside Syria and they’ve been decimated by air attacks. But these bases were mainly Iranian bases. Once embedded with Syrian forces it presents another factor entirely. Will Putin and the Russian Air Force, which hasn’t lifted a finger to stop the Israeli airstrikes thus far respond now as they’ll be attacking both Syrian and Iranian troops? Right now the answer is no, but this has all the earmarks of a quagmire in the area.

The Iranians know that of right now an all-out conventional conflict with Israel will go badly. But that’s not what they’re looking for. A two-front conflict with Israel with rockets poised in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza will effectively stop the Israelis from acting decisively in any location.

And the Iranians haven’t even been trying to do so covertly, they’re broadcasting their aims openly over social media. Back in June, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) deputy commander Hossein Salami spelled out Iran’s plan to use Hezbollah, which he called a “mighty power” with 100,000 rockets aimed at Israel.

He also called upon the “Islamic Army in Syria, operating in the Golan Heights was awaiting orders “to eradicate the evil regime.” He added that the Palestinians, armed with missiles can now act against Israel, the Americans and the west.

In typical Iranian rhetoric, Salami said that Iran controlled the shipping lanes that operate out of the gulf and that any attempt by the West (read Europe) will result in the Islamic Republic squeezing the Europeans off from their oil and goods shipped thru the gulf.

Some of his comments during the Quds speech are here:

The Islamic Revolution created a mighty power called Hezbollah, that today, as the Zionist regime itself acknowledges, has over 100,000 missiles ready for launch. Hezbollah today has tremendous might on the ground that can on its own break the Zionist regime. The Zionist regime has no strategic-defensive depth, and in some places, the breadth of this regime is barely 34 km, and in order to destroy it, it will take only one ‘Jerusalem operation to destroy it.

“Today an international Islamic army has been formed in Syria, and the voices of the Muslims are heard near the Golan… Orders are awaited so that the custom of God vis-à-vis the eradication of the evil regime [Israel] will land and the life of this regime will be ended for good. The life of the Zionist regime was never in danger as it is now.

“Once, the Palestinians fought with stones and slingshots, but today they are armed with missiles. Every regime site is today under fire from the missile launchers. The farther and more deeply [we look], the more we see that there is a politically and militarily powerful regime in the world that raises the flag of fighting evil. This regime is Iran.”

“Iran Invites The Muslims To Jihad”
“We Have A Duty To Defend The Palestine Movement That Is Now Fighting… We Are Creating Might In Lebanon Because We Want To Fight Our Enemy From There With All Our Strength”
“Does today’s world know that [its] energy is under Iranian security control? They must know that if their industry flourishes thanks to Persian Gulf energy, they owe this to Iran, and they must not annoy Iran. Their life’s vein is in our hands. The security of their interests is in our hands.”

The Israelis were well aware of the Iranian plans and hard-liners in the government were already debating whether the IDF should hammer Gaza hard now before the Iranians are digging into southwestern Syria.

In regard to Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is of the opinion that if war is coming with Iran, it is better to deal with it now rather than later. The Israelis know that an Iranian presence on their border is going to lead to conflict between the two countries. Tehran is wanting for the low-intensity type with the Israelis being hamstrung between two fronts and limited to carrying out airstrikes in Gaza and Syria, without the capability to decisively deal with either threat.

The leaders in Tehran have no issue, as in the past by using the Palestinians for that purpose. Meanwhile, the mainstream media ties the recent rocket attacks from Gaza as a continuation of the “protests” along the border that hit the area recently. It is not. Nor will it, as is repeatedly stated effect the “peace process” between the Israelis and Palestinians. Hamas is of the opinion that Israel doesn’t have the right to exist.

What this is, however, is a power play by Tehran and how events unfold in southwestern Syria will bear watching in the very near future.

Photo: AP

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 17, Day 2

We’re going to kick Monday and the new week off right, and we’ll do it with a UBRR preparation. Start off with pushups, sit-ups, and crunches, then to the bar for V-ups, pull-ups, and dips before a 5-mile run. Remember to stay hydrated and mark your progress in your workout log book.

Training:

More preparation for the UBRR

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 30 Sit-ups

2 x 30 Crunches

2 x 10, V-ups

2 x Dips as many as possible to muscle failure

2 x Pullups as many as possible or to muscle failure

5-mile run

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 17 Day 1

Sunday morning rucksack march. Do a quick warmup of pushups and crunches 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 still push water during the march. Especially with the summer weather is upon us now, the need for water increases. And ensure that second pair of boots are broken in for the Selection Course.

Training:

Warm up

1 x 20 Pushups

1 x 20 Crunches

6-mile Rucksack march over varied terrain with a 45-pound minimum. 90 minutes maximum. Exceed the standard without running and you’ll be in good shape.

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 16, Day 7

It is a cool Saturday morning here, so it is a perfect time to go to the gym for a shoulder and back workout. Pull-ups, Deadlifts, Lat Pulldowns and then Dumbbell Shoulder work. Followed by a five-mile run. Log your numbers down in the workout notebook

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 10 Lat Pulldowns, rear

3 x 10 Barbell Dead Lift

3 x 10 Wide Grip Pull-ups

3 x 10 Towel Pull-ups

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Seated Bent-Over Delt Raise

3 x 10 Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 10 Arnold Dumbbell Press

5-mile run

Stretch well after completion

Before She Was a Famous Chef, Julia Child Cooked Up Shark Repellent for OSS

When one mentions Julia Child, the first thing that comes to mind is the marvel and ease of French cooking that she brought to the United States. But long before she was a culinary artist, she served as an intelligence officer during World War II in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner to today’s CIA and the U.S. Army Special Forces.

Child was born in Pasadena, California in 1912 and attended a private boarding school before attending Smith College, graduating with a degree in history in 1934. The 6’2” Child also played basketball, golf, and tennis in school. She moved to New York and worked as a copywriter for the advertising firm of W. & J. Sloane. One curious bit of her history. While growing up in California, her family had a hired cook and Child had no interest in cooking until she met her husband Paul many years later.

World War II Service: When the war started, Child attempted to join both the WACs (Women’s Army Corps) and the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) in the Navy. But was rejected because of her height.

Undeterred, she volunteered to serve in the OSS and was initially given a typist’s job at the headquarters in Washington D.C. It wasn’t long before she was given a much more challenging position as a researcher working directly under General William Donovan with a Top Secret clearance.

The elite Washington snobs looked down their blue noses at the upstart Intelligence group created by Donovan. They had well-connected enemies from the moment of their inception with J.Edgar Hoover and the FBI. Donovan’s men were a freewheeling, eclectic band of “glorious amateurs” as Donovan called them. He also said he was looking for “PHDs who can win a bar fight”, and he recruited some very well known personas including several who would become the head of CIA including Allen Dulles, Richard Helms, William Colby, and William Casey.

Child quickly rose thru the ranks in Washington and lived out of the Brighton Hotel. But growing bored with the administrative work, she heard OSS was searching for volunteers for work in India. And she thought being, “free, white, and thirty-one,” she was ready for an adventure.

But just prior to her transfer to the Orient, the U.S. Navy was having a hard time with sharks. There were reportedly 20 such attacks during the first 18 months of the war and the Navy was looking for a shark repellent that would boost morale.

So Donovan suggested to the Joint Chiefs of Staff that all rescue efforts be coordinated. Thus the OSS Emergency Rescue Equipment (ERE) committee was created to keep other government agencies from duplicating efforts. From the CIA archives, The ERE was headed up by Captain Harold J. Coolidge, a scientist from the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, and Dr. Henry Field, Curator of the Field Museum of Natural History. Both men were avid explorers, having led expeditions into the arctic, desert, and tropical regions.

Julia Child, then McWilliams worked for Coolidge as his executive assistant for a year in 1943. Child in an interview about OSS had this to say about the work at ERE:

“I must say we had lots of fun,” Child said. “We designed rescue kits and other agent paraphernalia. I understand the shark repellent we developed is being used today for downed space equipment—strapped around it so the sharks won’t attack when it lands in the ocean.”

The group experimented with a variety of different compounds to keep the sharks away but the most effective chemical they found was copper acetate. It was found to be about 60 percent effective in keeping sharks from biting test subjects. CIA reports that the repellent was constructed as follows:

Copper acetate was mixed with black dye, which was then formed into a little disk-shaped “cake” that smelled like a dead shark when released into the water. These cakes could be stored in small 3-inch boxes with metal screens that allowed the repellent to be spread either manually or automatically when submerged in water. The box could be attached to a life jacket or belt, or strapped to a person’s leg or arm, and was said to keep sharks away for 6 to 7 hours.

Despite that, the Navy was unconvinced about the overall effectiveness of the ERE’s shark repellent. In their own tests the Navy felt that the “slight repellent factor” shown in bait tests in small sharks, they didn’t believe that once used in larger sharks known to attack man it wouldn’t be very effective. Even Coolidge didn’t believe that the repellent would work if a group of sharks experienced what we’d call a feeding frenzy.

However, the word leaked out of ERE’s shark repellent and the media picked it up. Requests for the OSS shark repellent began to pour in from the Army Air Corps and the Coast Guard and while the actual value of the repellent may have been dubious, the effect on morale was huge. The repellent remained in use with the Navy until the 1970s and may have even been used by NASA.

But the Navy wanted to let the sailors know about the low probability of being bitten by sharks and once the repellent went into widespread use, they also published a pamphlet called, “Shark Sense” which spelled it all out, and in the military’s never-ending pursuit of the lowest common denominator, published it with a cartoon, something that would continue well into the 1980s.

Once assigned to China and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) Julia Child’s life changed forever. She met Paul Child who was a decade older and an experienced player with women, wine, and food. And he opened all of those horizons up to the inexperienced newcomer. After nearly a year in Ceylon, she was transferred to China and the two were inseparable until the war ended.

She served as Chief of the OSS Registry. In typical self-effacing action, she claimed that she was nothing more than a clerk. Her future husband, however, in later years dispelled those rumors saying that she held a Top Secret Clearance and was handling all of the classified message traffic to include the invasion of the Malay peninsula. It was during this time her first interest in fine food and cooking was born due to her relationship with Child.

After the war, he continued on as a Foreign Service Officer and while stationed in France, is where Julia attended the best cooking schools in Paris and befriended French chefs and together they decided to put together a cookbook for Americans to develop an interest in French food. The rest they say is history.

But long before that, Julia Child was a young woman who couldn’t cook a lick and whose first recipe was for the United States Navy. She would recall much later in life in interviews with the media.

“I could boil water for tea but my first big recipe was shark repellent that I mixed in a bathtub for the Navy, for the men who might get caught in the water.”

Photos: Wikipedia