Michael Durant's Operation Gothic Serpent

The book The Ugly American clearly demonstrates several of the established Special Operations Force (SOF) imperatives outlined in ADRP 6-22. As a Special Forces soldier I can relate these imperatives to stories illustrated in the book and apply them to real life situations that I have experienced in the field. The Ugly American is a goldmine of wisdom and a handbook for special warfare. All Special Operations soldiers should read it.

The purpose of this paper is to address how I, SSG Schumacher, have identified Major Robert Rogers as a legacy leader and a leader of influence in my military career as a non-commissioned officer and member of the military intelligence community. This paper will cover three main topics in which I will first discuss a brief history of the life of Major Rogers. Then, his impact on the evolution of warfare and leadership attributes on the United States Army. Finally, I will discuss how his leadership attributes led to him making an impact on the military today and Soldiers such as myself.

In early January 2002, American intelligence received evidence of a large volume of enemy forces assembling in the Shahi Kot Valley in Eastern Afghanistan. Central Command (CENTCOM), led by General Tommy R. Franks, was directing combat operations in Afghanistan through the Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) and Coalition Forces Air Component Command (CFACC). As the interest in assaulting the Shahi Kot Valley amplified, General Franks reached a conclusion that a U.S. tactical commander was a need in Afghanistan. The decision was to assign the 10th Mountain Division Commander, Major General (MG) Franklin Hagenbeck, as the tactical commander. In an effort to strengthen MG Hagenbeck’s command authority, CENTCOM named his headquarters Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Mountain and gave it command and control authority over Operation Anaconda. By having command and control authority, MG Hagenbeck would encounter challenges with the command structure. The challenges of command structure were due to CJTF Mountain not having tactical control (TACON) of multiple Special Operation Forces, the Joint Special Operations Air Component (JSOAC), and friendly Afghanistan forces. These misunderstandings were resolved during the execution phase, but rectifying the command relationships prior would have avoided lost time and resources needed on enemy forces and positions. In this paper, I will identify the challenges of command structure during Operation Anaconda.

Using the damage and wreckage behind, they bolstered together a propaganda campaign to prove their cause to the world. In light of the tragic events, good came about. The failure of Operation Eagle Claw led to the creation of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). A review committee known as the Holloway Commission convened to improve U.S. special operations. (The Origins of Air Force Special Operations 2009) provided us with two major changes that came about to pave the road for future special operations. First, the DoD would establish a Counter Terrorism Joint Task Force. The CTJTF would consist of special operations members from all services. Here, they are to plan, train, and conduct operations together under joint doctrine. This change brought about the symmetry and cohesion between the services needed to conduct future high risk operations in denied territories. Secondly, a Special Operations Advisory Panel (SOAP) was established. This panel consists of high ranking officers and retired personnel well versed in special operations. They review and evaluate high risk missions and provide an independent assessment. If created, SOAP could’ve identified that the wrong helicopters were being used for the mission and chose the correct iron for the mission. To date, several operations have been successfully completed under extreme odds due to the lessons learned from Operation Eagle

I, Carson Jones, have been part of these special forces for many years but this was the first time that they would be put on the line to save the country from a huge invasion. The day before on June 2nd, 1944 we had everything prepared for the big day. Everyone involved in the mission was our Captain, John Price, firearm expert, Will Fisher, the new kid, Chris James, and

Throughout history, the United States Government and Armed Forces have learned from devastating mistakes and decisive victories making the US Armed Forces superior to most, if not all, other militaries; however, the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia throughout Operation Restore Hope, Operation Provide Relief, and the Joint Special Operations Task Force missed the mark on such “lessons learned”. The inadequate intelligence; the ignorance of tactics, techniques, and procedures; and absence of reinforcements cost needless loss of US troops, and crippling a sophisticated, well-equipped military at the hands of an under-equipped militia using irregular warfare tactics. Even 24 years later, the impact resonating still weighs heavily on minds of key leaders in the government along with all echelons of military commanders.

Iran took 52 Americans hostage on November 4, 1979. The resulting failed rescue attempt, Operation Eagle Claw, was an international embarrassment for the United States. No single event or decision resulted in the mission’s failure; instead, the failure resulted from a chain of poor decisions. This single operation highlighted the need for a dedicated special operations aviation unit dedicated to the rescue of American citizens and their repatriation. This paper discusses the global situation and some of the poor decisions that were made throughout the entirety of the mission from planning through the crash at Desert One.

Although the 160th Headquarters and majority of the battalions were located at Fort Campbell, Kentucky 2nd Battalion had been on loan to the Special Forces command on Fort Bragg at the time the event happened. Essentially leaving the Battalion stranded with no mission because they had no aircraft, they were then made responsible for the maintenance and care of the aircraft in the underground facilities that kept most of the pilots and mechanics busy. Others were given the opportunity to join their Special Forces brethren and become snake eaters. The commander of 2nd Battalion was Lieutenant Colonel Forest Zane he’d been in aviation his entire career which spanned twenty-two years so far. He knew that prior to the event he was stuck in a rut in his career and should have advanced to full bird colonel by now. He’s had a DUI when he was a Major which was largely covered up by his command back then, normally he would have been kicked out of the Army for it. The DUI had followed him and continued to affect his advancement. He also knew, that prior to the event, he was on his

Bowden’s nonfiction novel gives a minute by minute account of what is now known as the Battle of the Black Sea, when United States forces, including the Army Rangers, Delta Force, Navy SEALS, 10th Mountain Division, clashed with Somali faction rebels in an attempt to capture Mohamed Farrah Aidid, leader of the faction. The intervention organized by the United Nations and led by United States troops broke out into the longest firefight since Vietnam. A US Black Hawk helicopter sent in as support was shot down and the next helicopter to take its place was shot down a few miles away. The next several hours consisted of confused attempts to secure the crash sites, evacuate the wounded, hold of amateur but hostile Somali militia, and get the troops along with Somali target prisoners home safely. The main battle lasted twenty two hours and eighteen troops died; more than seventy troops were injured. The United States’ and United Nations’ presence in Somalia was meant to be peaceful and was there to support reconstruction of the Somali government, but instead local citizens were sucked into

Despite the distinguished combat service, decorations, and achievements, the quick strike capabilities, courage, alertness, and swiftness of the Griffin Brigade is undergoing a strategic transformation. The history of the Germanic based Combat Aviation Brigade hails from Fort Benning, Georgia and ends in the Bavarian countryside. In support of the Army’s personnel retrograde the majority of the Brigade’s tenant’s will be redistributed in “needs of the Army” positions. The contingency currently enacted to facilitate this directive is the utilization of rotational FORSCOM unit’s.

Although Army Aviation has endured a multitude of challenging moments throughout history, none have compared to those faced in the land that has historically dared and tried many great nations such as the Macedonian Army around 330 B.C. and the Russian Army in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Because of this, this paper will be an informative look at the challenges the United States Army Aviation Operations faced during Operation Enduring freedom in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. Included in the research, I will discuss the unforgiving terrain, such as a high mountain environment Aviators operated in, the extreme temperatures, degraded visual cues, the human errors aspect, as well the enemy situation, all which tested them all.

The United States Army decision to divest the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior was an end to an airframe that has a long history of service. No other airframe in the United States Army has the reliability, close air support, and overall operational readiness rate. Many Soldiers lives affected by the divestiture of this airframe, some have lost their jobs, or forced into different needs of the Army. The decision to divest the OH-58D is important , leaving this important role to the AH-64D/E Apache, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

I chose this book for my first book review for a few reasons. First, to bring to light and to honor the memory of Command Sergeant Major Basil L. Plumley, who recently passed away on October 10, 2012. He is a true inspiration to be followed; a career U.S. Army Infantry Soldier, a Sergeant Major, and key leader during the Battle of Ia Drang. He fought in every major Airborne Operation of World War II, including Operation Husky, D-Day, and Operation Market Garden. He

1. The C-17 Globemaster was first delivered to the United States Air Force (USAF) on June 14, 1993, and continues to reliably serve through a variety of roles. This paper provides a basic overview of the C-17 Globemaster’s mission and characteristics, roles in past missions, and the support provided to rebels in northern Syria.

The advantages and disadvantages of using stealth aircraft on bombing missions are varied, from their use in conflict to the risks and costs involved in operating such an aircraft. They are beneficial in restricting the length and time of battles especially when capable of long missions, but at a substantial cost to both the crew operating the craft and the US Air Force itself. This essay will explore the long missions the F-117 and B-2 stealth aircraft are capable of, the costs involved in developing and operating such aircraft, and their efficiency in battle.