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Posted on 09/10/2004 10:54:45 PM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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 Masters of Invisibility In Afghanistan, the work of USAF Special Operations Forces was not seen but most assuredly felt. Masters of Invisibility By Richard J. Newman It wasn't standard procedure, but the circumstances called for urgent action. North of Kandahar in Afghanistan, several US soldiers had been gravely wounded. Enemy forces were reported to the south. It was broad daylight, and local Afghans--loyalties unknown--were watching from surrounding hillsides. Soon, two MH-53 Pave Low helicopters--Chalk 1 and Chalk 2--from USAF's 20th Special Operations Squadron were speeding toward the site. As they did so, a medic on Chalk 1 pointed out that there was a great oddity to this particular mission. "This is something I thought I'd never see," he said, "Afghanistan in the daytime." Literally and figuratively, USAF Special Operations Forces stay in the shadows. These "air commandos," like their Army and Navy counterparts, use darkness as a cloaking device that helps them achieve maximum advantage against enemies who lack the technology and training to fight at night.  In a way, Air Force operators are more circumspect than special units from other services. Air Force SOF are rarely the trigger-pullers, so much of the attention for wartime exploits tends to go to the combat forces that the air commandos support. Other special operator units, such as the Navy SEALs and the Army's Special Forces, Rangers, and Delta Force, produce more news. "You have to be quiet to do our business," said Lt. Gen. Paul V. Hester, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. "We move underneath the radar." Though they were tough to spot in Afghanistan, USAF's air commandos were deeply involved in Operation Enduring Freedom and instrumental in its success. Troops from Hurlburt fought alongside Army and Navy special operators on the ground in Afghanistan, calling in air strikes and rescuing comrades in danger. On many missions, they transported ground troops into and out of combat zones, in darkness and secrecy. SOF cargo aircraft dropped tons of supplies to US ground forces. And obscure specialists such as combat weathermen spent dangerous weeks in remote outposts gathering the various kinds of information needed in battle.  All Skills Needed "We had the opportunity to demonstrate and employ every single skill we train to," said Brig. Gen. (sel.) Lyle M. Koenig Jr., commander of the 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt. So invisible are the air commandos that many of their wartime exploits have been attributed to others. Throughout the war, for instance, news reports routinely credited Army Special Forces (the Green Berets) with calling in the air strikes that enabled the Northern Alliance's rout of Taliban forces. In reality, USAF combat controllers called in about 85 percent of all air strikes in the war, according to Col. Robert Holmes, commander of the 720th Special Tactics Group at Hurlburt, which includes combat controllers, pararescuemen, and combat weathermen. Typically, Central Command would assign one or two AFSOC specialists to each 12-person Green Beret team, known as an Operational Detachment Alpha, or ODA. While Green Beret ODAs train in spotting targets, Air Force combat controllers have more specialized knowledge and are used to working more closely with pilots. Technical Sergeant Calvin (last name withheld), for instance, was one of several combat controllers sent to Uzbekistan in mid-October of last year. He was quickly teamed with an ODA that infiltrated to a location north of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Oct. 19, meeting up with troops of the Northern Alliance. They were the first US team to hook up with the anti-Taliban forces.  "There was a little bit of tension at first," Calvin said, noting that the strange bedfellows took some time to size up each other. Within 30 hours, however, the team had called in its first air strike against nearby Taliban forces. "An immediate rapport was built," Calvin recalled. Over ensuing days, Calvin's team moved stealthily among some 10 observation posts, finding Taliban targets as air strikes whittled the enemy down. "You work big to little," he said. He meant that the top priorities would be targets like military convoys, troop concentrations, tanks, or anti-aircraft guns. In addition to lasing targets or pinpointing coordinates for prompt strikes, Calvin and his team would analyze the enemy's order of battle and develop detailed targeting plans. Each night, they'd prepare a list of roughly five to 20 suggested targets and transmit the intelligence up the chain of command. Other targets obtained through other intelligence channels would come back down. Virtually all of the proposed targets were approved. This marked a stark contrast with USAF's experience in the Kosovo war, during which hundreds of targets were put on no-strike lists because of concerns about collateral damage. "Rules of engagement," said Hester, "become much more liberal when you have physical eyes on the target"--an advantage lacking in Kosovo. Overall, Calvin counts about 500 targets he helped identify and destroy.  These two photos show the view to which special operators are accustomed--Afghanistan through night vision goggles. Top, an MC-130 Combat Talon refueler awaits the arrival of Pave Lows. Here, a gunner on the ramp of an MH-53J scans the ground for enemy fire. (USAF photos by TSgt. Scott Reed ) The Real Pros He and other combat controllers added depth to the ODAs' targeting expertise. Air Force controllers study the capabilities of surface-to-air missiles, and they routinely rehearse close air support procedures with Air Force pilots. "A lot of people say they can do this job," said Holmes, "but our airmen understand the view of the battlespace, they understand airspace management. They know which weapon to use and how to bring it in." They can also suggest ways to "fuse" weapons systems, or use different aircraft together to go after challenging targets. At first, Calvin's team encountered a determined enemy. "Sometimes, we'd take indirect fire, when they were just trying to fish something out," he recalled. "But when they found out our positions, we'd come under direct fire and get behind walls, get into the bunkers." Enemy barrages could last as long as 30 minutes, until the spotters moved to another location or US air strikes silenced the guns. On the day the Northern Alliance began its final offensive, "we came under really heavy machine-gun fire," Calvin said. "We became high-value targets." It quickly became apparent to the Americans that the Taliban's forces were badly overmatched. "I don't think the enemy knew what was happening to them," said Calvin, who noted that Taliban and al Qaeda fighters talked over unsecure radios and thus allowed Calvin's team to listen in as they described the effectiveness of air strikes. "We'd get on-the-spot BDA [Bomb Damage Assessment] and correct based on that." Nor did the Taliban seem to learn quickly: "We'd see a convoy at night with its lights on. We'd get it, and an hour later here would come another one." Even so, operating in Afghanistan without the slightest supply post nearby was arduous. Although they moved by horse and made do with local food, the ODAs still relied heavily on computers to upload and download intelligence information and to analyze targets. Global Positioning System devices were crucial. Some units deployed without the latest laser range finders, which had to be flown in later. Batteries for all of that equipment were forever running down. Resupplying key items, in terrain with virtually no road infrastructure, was a top priority from the beginning. That's why the first deployments to the theater included many units besides those that would be operating in Afghanistan. On Sept. 20, for instance, just nine days after the terrorist attacks that opened the war, the 9th SOS from Eglin AFB, Fla., was heading overseas, not sure where it would end up.  Combat controllers in Afghanistan made do with local food and transportation but still relied heavily on computers to analyze targets. Global Positioning Satellite devices were crucial to the mission. (USAF photo) The Refueling Task Like many units, the 9th filled an important niche that would be crucial during combat operations. The squadron operates MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft. They function primarily as refueling tankers for helicopters. They would be a key link in any operations to infiltrate ground troops, and they proved to be a vital component of the search-and-rescue capability Central Command insisted on having on hand, in case any of the pilots flying over Afghanistan got shot down. There were several alerts, but no shootdowns. The only rescues staged by the 9th involved a news photographer and a US soldier who developed altitude sickness. As ground troops began to enter Afghanistan, the MC-130s began to refuel the helicopters ferrying them in. "It went smoothly, but Mother Nature conspired against us," said Lt. Col. Dan Fernandez, the squadron commander. Sandstorms and bad weather caused many mission aborts.  Ground troops worked their way in, though, and as they began operating inside Afghanistan, the mission of the 9th turned to the resupply of these forces. The ODAs' teammates in the rear would typically prepare bundles containing bullets, water, medicine, lasing equipment, and all the other gear the troops in country needed. They'd deliver the bundles to units like the 9th, with prearranged drop zones. The MC-130s would then fly low and fast toward the drop zones. As they neared, there was a brief window of time when the ground units would contact the aircraft by radio to finalize the details. Punctuality was crucial. If the aircraft arrived late, the mission would most likely have to be scrapped, since the troops on the ground could only expose themselves at a drop zone for a few moments. In addition to the timing, the challenge, said Fernandez, "was trying to get it to them and make sure no one else gets it." Occasionally, there was firsthand evidence of the impact of the resupply effort. During the Northern Alliance's mid-November siege of Kunduz, there was an urgent request for batteries. The bundle arrived late on the tarmac. The MC-130 took off with the haste of a fire truck heading to a blaze, and the crew made the drop zone on time. The troops got the batteries in time to power up the equipment they were using to call in air strikes during the offensive. "We got to hear them calling in B-52 strikes using the batteries we had just delivered," beamed SSgt. Jule Stratton, a loadmaster with the 9th.  AC-130 gunships--another facet of USAF special operations forces--were used in Afghanistan to protect troops on the ground and to strike designated targets. Here, an AC-130H crew mans their heavy guns. (Staff photo by Guy Aceto)      |
Good morning manna.
Good morning samwise.
Good morning feather.
Good point Samwise.
LOL. You're very welcome. :-)
Thanks Mayor. Good Word, good graphic.
Too bad it'll never come to trial.
This has always been my favorite verse since I first heard it in grammar school.
It just seemed the right thing to do today.
Morning Aeronaut.
Great quote by President Bush and one that hit the nail right on the head.
Morning PE.
I knew that the Flag-O-Gram was gonna be that picture. ;-)
Morning E.G.C.
How's Oklahoma gonna do this year?
duckie is in Tampa. she called me LATE last night to tell me that she & "judyjudyjudy" were up GIGGLING "like a couple of teenagers"! LOL!
free dixie,sw
Morning alfa6
Hi Sam.
re: the quote: The President gets it, the challenger does not. W looks forward, F'n looks back. Has the choice ever been more clear?
!!!!!!
Good news. She deserves a fun break!
Stupid is as stupid does. :-)
US Air Force Combat Controllers
"First There, Last Out"
What is a Combat Controller?
Combat Controllers are the US Air Force Special Operations Command's ground combat forces. They are organized in Special Tactics Squadrons. Their mission is to deploy into hostile territory to establish assault zones with air traffic control capabilities, emplace enroute and terminal navigations aids, communication command and control, and the demolition or removal of obstacles. Combat Controllers are trained to carry out their mission via parachute, SCUBA, mountaineering, or any number of a wide range of tactical insertions into hostile territory. They are "First There" to provide air traffic control anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.
Where did they come from?
During World War Two, there were significant problems with the US Army's first major parachute and glider assaults. Personnel and equipment were being dropped as much as 30 miles from their intended drop zones. The Army high command soon realized that they needed better control on the ground to guide the aircraft and landing troops. The Army created the Pathfinders; a small company of parachute infantry trained in air traffic control.
What have they done?
The Pathfinders were tested in combat during the invasion of Italy in September, 1943. The 82nd Airborne Division was parachuted into Salerno Italy to reinforce the initial invasion forces. A Pathfinder company was dropped minutes before the 82nd made their drop. Using radios, smoke pots, and flares, the Pathfinders marked the way for the landing Airborne forces. The operation was a tremendous success. Pathfinder units were made operation units for the Airborne Divisions and played a crucial role in the parachute and glider landings in Normandy, France during Operation Overlord in June of 1944. In September 1944, Pathfinders from the 101st Airborne Division participated in operation Market Garden and were the key to the successful insertion of Airborne troops in precise locations.
When the US Air Force was made a separate service in 1947, the Pathfinders went with them but still retained responsibility for supporting Army Airborne and ground troops. Their mission expanded to include navigation aid and air traffic control for the expanding Airlift Command and were made operational units of the Aerial Port squadrons. Their name was then chnaged to Combat Control Teams. They continued with these missions until 1984 when they were designated as independant squadrons reporting to Wing commanders.
During the 50's and 60's, the CCTs participated in numerous emergency operations around the world. From lebanon to Cuba to the Congo, the CCTs were called upon to perform vital control of the air movement of men and materiel. During the Vietnam War, Combat Controllers were key to several operations including the reinforcement and later evacuation of Khe Sahn and two Combat Controllers were among the last Americans to be evacuated from the American Embassy in Saigon in 1975. During the 70's, Combat Controllers were sent to support reliefe operations after a severe earthquake in Central America and CCTs operated throughout North Africa to control the delivery of tons of food and relief supplies to drought ravaged countries.
In 1983, 12 Combat Controllers parachuted from 500 feet onto the tiny island nation of Grenada. Within hours they had emplaced numerous navigation beacons and had establish a command and control center for air, ground and naval forces deployed for the rescue operation. In 1989, Combat Controllers and Army Rangers landed and secured 2 key airfields during Operation Just Cause in Panama. After taking control of the airfields, the Combat Controllers established an air traffic control network to direct the hundreds of aircraft bringing in the assault forces and their supplies. Combat Controllers played a key part in the air traffic and air to ground communications of the UN forces during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Combat Controllers played a crucial role in the rescue of Army Rangers after their helicopters had been shot down in Somalia. Combat Controllers were inserted and established critical communication links with support aircraft and ground forces that allowed the trapped Rangers to be rescued with a minimum loss of life. This mission was the culmination of continuous operations where the CCTs controlled the arrival and departure of aircraft carrying relief supplies for the western African country.
Combat Controllers today
USAF Combat Controllers have seen recent action during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan. The following is taken from an American Forces Press Service article and a report on the battle:
U.S. commanders of Operation Anaconda wanted to insert special operators on the crest of the mountain. They reasoned the area would serve as a great observation point. "Unfortunately, the enemy thought so too," the battle report stated. Al Qaeda had fighters perfectly positioned to fire on helicopters and troops operating in the valley below.
An MH-47E helicopter with the call sign "Razor 03" was to airlift SEALs and an Air Force combat controller to the mountaintop. As it neared landing, it took intense enemy fire. A rocket-propelled grenade struck the aircraft and machine-gun fire severed hydraulic and oil lines aboard it. The pilot immediately applied power to get out of the area. Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, a Navy SEAL, slipped on the fluid and fell five to 10 feet onto the snow below the aircraft.
The helicopter flew out of the area and crash-landed about seven kilometers away. Roberts was alone atop the mountain. "Based on forensic evidence subsequently gathered from the scene, we believe Roberts survived the short fall from the helicopter, likely activated his signaling device, and engaged the enemy with his squad automatic weapon. He was mortally wounded by gunfire as the (enemy) closed in on him," the report said. Another helicopter – "Razor 04" – picked up the SEALs and Air Force TSgt. John Chapman – a combat controller – and went in to save Roberts. The helicopter took fire but was able to deliver the team. The SEALs and Chapman approached the last known area of Roberts, but were fired upon. As they maneuvered, they engaged the al Qaeda fighters and killed several. Chapman was killed and some of the SEALs were wounded. The SEALs decided to disengage. An Air Force AC-130 gun ship provided covering fire as the SEALs moved down the mountain and requested immediate assistance.
The mission fell to the U.S. Army Ranger Quick Reaction Force based in Gardez. The 23-man team loaded onto two MH- 47E helicopters and headed to the area. Communications breakdowns, however, caused the Rangers to believe the SEALs were still atop the mountain, and that is where one helicopter went.
As the chopper came in, al Qaeda fighters shot it down with RPGs and heavy machine-gun fire. Door gunner Army Sgt. Phil Svitak was killed and both pilots wounded. The MH-47E crashed and all aboard struggled to get out. Sgt. Brad Crose and Cpl. Matt Commons survived the initial fire, but were killed as they exited the aircraft. Spc. Marc Anderson was hit and killed while still in the chopper.
Even with the confusion, the Rangers, the Chinook crewmen and Air Force combat controllers moved to attack the enemy. Once it became apparent that the al Qaeda force on the mountain was too numerous, the group called in close-air support. The combat controllers called in 500-pound bombs within 50 meters of the special operators position.
In the meantime, the other helicopter with the rest of the Quick Reaction Force landed at another location. The Rangers climbed the 2,000 feet up the mountain to the original position and converged with their comrades at the scene around 10:30 a.m.
The linked teams then assaulted the al Qaeda positions. "As the Air Force (combat controller) called in a last air strike on the enemy bunkers and with two machine-guns providing suppression fire, seven Rangers stormed the hill as quickly as they could in the knee-deep snow – shooting and throwing grenades. Within minutes, the Rangers took the hill, killing multiple al Qaeda," the report said.
The Rangers and airmen consolidated their position. But al Qaeda on another ridgeline about 400 meters away fired on the team's makeshift aid station . Air Force Pararescueman Senior Airman Jason Cunnigham was hit and eventually died from his wounds.
The group stayed on the top of Takur Ghar until nightfall as commanders decided the area was too hot for another daylight rescue attempt. Seven Americans died in the battle, and 11 were wounded.
Combat Controllers continue to operate around the world whenever and wherever the US Air Force or US Army need to land large amounts of equipment or troops from the air. They stand ready to be "First There" to establish landing and drop zones to bring in Airborne and Airmobile forces safely and on target.
Morning Grzegorz 246.
Snippy did a good job on this one.
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