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Delta Force, Seals, Rangers, Green Berets, SAS, Special Forces- Who They Are, What They Do
ABC News ^ | 9/29/01

Posted on 09/29/2001 4:33:40 PM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar


Special operation forces are spread throughout the military, an elite group of 29,000 troops among 1.4 million Americans in full-time uniform. Here's a closer look:

Army Special Forces:

Commonly called the "Green Berets," Army Special Forces skilled in explosives and guerrilla warfare can train foreign troops and resistance fighters to overthrow hostile regimes.

In 1967, 16 Green Berets and CIA operatives spent a summer training and equipping Bolivian soldiers to capture communist leader Che Guevara and his small band of soldiers. In October of that year, the Bolivian soldiers caught Guevara and executed him.

More recently, Green Berets have trained Colombian troops to combat drug lords. Most Army Special Forces activity in the Gulf War is still classified, but missions included locating Scud missile sites and marking them with beacons or through radio contact for subsequent airstrikes.

Army Rangers:

True to their motto "Rangers Lead the Way," these groups of highly trained troops are often the first Americans to meet combat, as was the case in World War II and most major conflicts since. They've also seen combat in smaller, specialized missions in Panama, Iran and Somalia.

The name "Ranger" dates back to colonial Indian fighters, who would scout out frontier areas and mark the number of miles they "ranged" at day's end. In modern missions, Rangers are often called on to secure hostile airfields in enemy territory, either by landing in aircraft or, if resistance forces are present, parachuting onto the scene ready to fight. They often reinforce the smaller, more elite Delta Force.

If called upon to fight in Afghanistan, the Rangers would possibly enter the country in Blackhawk and Cobra helicopters, launching quick raids against hide-outs in the mountainous terrain.

Delta Force:

Anti-terrorism forces initially modeled after Britain's Special Air Service, Delta Force is considered one of the world's most effective units in close-quarters battle. Recruited mainly from the 82nd Airborne, the Green Berets and the Rangers, Delta Force members are specially trained at an elaborate facility at Fort Bragg, N.C., to fight terrorists, rescue hostages and perform reconnaissance in extremely dangerous places.

They led an attempt to rescue American hostages from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1980. They suffered losses in Somalia, along with the Rangers, in a failed attempt to capture a Mogadishu warlord in 1993.

Unlike most other traditional military units, Delta commandos are encouraged to be free-thinkers, some at times growing longer hair and beards in order to fit in with locals. Delta commandos customize their weapons and gear to suit particular missions and their own tastes.

Navy SEALs (Sea, Air and Land.):

Famous for their aquatic and underwater explosives skills, SEALs can deploy from parachutes, travel up rivers underwater or in small rubber boats, and return from missions to submarines waiting many miles out at sea. Their history dates to World War II, when Naval Combat Demolition Units used explosives to clear obstacles for D-Day troops landing on Utah and Omaha beaches in Normandy.

Though their aquatic skills may be marginalized in a land-locked target such as Afghanistan, SEALs also train in the desert, jungles, in cold weather and in urban surroundings.

Psychological Operations Groups:

In Panama in 1989, psychological warfare experts accompanied Army Rangers on parachute drops to broadcast U.S. propaganda from bullhorns and blast rock music at the Vatican Embassy where Manuel Noriega was taking refuge, hoping to unnerve him. They also disseminated messages to adversarial forces as part of operations in Somalia and during the Gulf War.

Psychological warfare experts armed with knowledge of local folklore in the late 1940s scared Philippine communist insurgents into thinking they were being chased by a ghost. Psych-ops experts participating in a mission in Afghanistan may study local superstitions and Islamic teachings.

Britain's Special Air Service:

These commandos are widely respected around the world as perhaps the most effective special ops forces ever fielded. The SAS originally was created during World War II to attack Axis communication lines, airfields and military equipment deep within enemy turf.

In the 1970s, the commandos turned their attention to terrorists and started training for hijackings and hostage situations. When Iraqi-backed terrorists seized the Iranian Embassy in London, the SAS took the building successfully. They were put to work in the Gulf War and, like the U.S. Army's Green Berets, they've been known to train Colombian anti-narcotics police. They've also worked with non-communist Cambodian guerrilla, hunted ivory poachers in Kenya, and taught foreign troops at NATO Special Forces schools.

SOURCES: Material came from various sources including Jane's, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Ranger.org, George Washington University, Blackhawk Down by Mark Bowden.

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



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1 posted on 09/29/2001 4:33:40 PM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
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To: 11th Earl of Mar
Can't you just hear loud speakers, directed at Afgan caves, blasting pig squealing sounds?
2 posted on 09/29/2001 4:42:43 PM PDT by billhilly
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To: billhilly
... or a Britney Spears CD?
3 posted on 09/29/2001 4:44:18 PM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
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To: 11th Earl of Mar
You left out the oldest special forces. U.S.M.C. Which will be 226 years old November 10. Force Recon & Snipers! Semper Fi, Mike
4 posted on 09/29/2001 4:44:31 PM PDT by HEFFERNAN2
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To: CHATTAB
In a real war, this article would be yanked.

True, it is "all over the TV."

But it may not be the TV which a certain bad guy with inspiriation - tuned - up ... is looking at. Rather, he may be here; and reviewing this information just gave him a bright idea.

In wartime, every little tiny, teeny piece counts.

The door you and I close, may be THE door, one day, which thwarts some bad guys and prevents them from harming our fellow troopers.

5 posted on 09/29/2001 4:44:59 PM PDT by First_Salute
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To: First_Salute
There is nothing in this article other than publicly available background information. Chill out.
6 posted on 09/29/2001 4:49:00 PM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
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To: 11th Earl of Mar
ROFLMAO!!!!!
7 posted on 09/29/2001 4:55:43 PM PDT by Aztech
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To: 11th Earl of Mar, billhilly
Can't you just hear loud speakers, directed at Afgan caves, blasting pig squealing sounds?

... or a Britney Spears CD?

What's the difference?

8 posted on 09/29/2001 5:05:48 PM PDT by uglybiker
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: East Bay Patriot
"That oughta scare the living Allah out of them..."

Brilliant, East Bay, brilliant! LOL

10 posted on 09/29/2001 5:26:14 PM PDT by brat
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To: All
I dunno, hunkered down in my cave and hearing Kathy Lee singing would have me pretty twitchy after a couple of hours. I don't think even cotton can stop that catterwallin'.
11 posted on 09/29/2001 5:26:38 PM PDT by spectr17
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To: 11th Earl of Mar
There is another British force who's name I cannot recall. They originated as a loyal India group while Britain controlled India. These little buggers scare the hell out of the military world. They are still in existance in good numbers and based out of Britain. Does anyone know the name of this group?
12 posted on 09/29/2001 5:30:01 PM PDT by blackdog
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To: blackdog
Gurkhas (sp?)
13 posted on 09/29/2001 5:31:39 PM PDT by facedown
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To: spectr17
Catterwalling = caterwauling. Momentary lapse in spelling.
14 posted on 09/29/2001 5:32:23 PM PDT by spectr17
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To: blackdog
Soccer fans?
15 posted on 09/29/2001 5:33:36 PM PDT by spectr17
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To: blackdog
Are you referring to the Ghurkas?
16 posted on 09/29/2001 5:35:25 PM PDT by Fury
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To: First_Salute
The problem the bad guys have isn't obtaining material, it is sorting through the material. Volumes and volumes, and ream upon ream of freely obtainable material about our military and defense capabilties.

If the bad guys are too stupid to get a Jane's book, then they are too stupid to read this thread for info.

No, their problem is going to be sorting through the stuff for important info.

17 posted on 09/29/2001 5:39:23 PM PDT by Eagle Eye
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To: 11th Earl of Mar
Well....yadda...yadda...yadda...I will tell you what these great heros will do. They will squeal to their families when they are captured. Their families will go on CNN. They will tear our hearts out about how horribly they are being treated and ..please...please...can't we do something for them. Have all the faith you want in them. I don't.
18 posted on 09/29/2001 5:42:01 PM PDT by LarryLied
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To: 11th Earl of Mar
... or a Britney Spears CD?

Don't forget Barry Manilow which we hammered Noriega with.

19 posted on 09/29/2001 5:44:58 PM PDT by BunnySlippers
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To: LarryLied
Obviously Larry you've never been around the SF community. Whine is not a word in their vocabulary.
20 posted on 09/29/2001 5:45:38 PM PDT by spectr17
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