!st special forces group 60th anniversary...we were addressed by the command team from 1st group....

J U L Y 2 0 1 7 V O L 7 0

Chapter 16 Newsle er Organiza on and Responsibili es:

Editor: Glen Craig Sec ons:

Message from the President: Stephen Durfee Treasurers Report: Willi Linder Sec. Rpt (Staff Mee ng Minutes): Mike Barkstrom Sick Call/Obituary: Chaplain Butch Hall Blast from the Past: Glen Craig Special Recogni on: Mike Barkstrom Upcoming Events: Mike Barkstrom Calendar: Stephen Durfee Human Interest Story: Chapter at large SFA Na onal HQ Update: Stephen Durfee A er Ac on Report: Jim Lessler Membership Info: Roy Sayer Adver sements: Glen Craig

Suspense:

Newsle er published (Web): 1st of each odd numbered month Input due to editor: 20th of each even numbered month Dra due to President: 27th of each even numbered month Final Dra due 29th of each even numbered month

Our forma on suffered the loss of two of our longstanding Brothers over these last weeks. Jim Lessler and Walt Hetzler were well respected members of our forma on and contributed immensely to Special Forces and SFA Chapter 16 over the years. I am sure I speak for all of us when we say it was an honor and a privilege to have had the opportunity to know these fantas c men. We will always be here for their families and stand ready to protect and support them wherever we can be of value. Special thanks to Chaplin Butch, the Cassidy team and CPT Ron for all the support as well as anyone I missed who stood this tough duty. We completed our recruitment drive on 22 June at the 1st SFG(A) Organiza onal day and are awai ng the tally of new members from SFA Na onal. The CH 16 members provided beer and support to the event which was reported as the best Org Day in 20 years. We also conducted the Coffee Stop, led by CSM (ret) Pennington, at the Marysville rest stop and generated close to $1000.00. We have our annual picnic coming up out at the Pa on Ranch on 12 Aug that culminates with our and gun raffle! We wanted to thank the Pa on’s and the Gates Team for all they do for CH 16 especially for the picnic.Oktoberfest will soon be upon us and we are synchronizing with the 3rdBN and other underground brewers to make this a memorable event on 14 Oct. Lastly it would be impossible for our organiza on to have the degree of success we do without the Board members. Thank you, Eric, Willi, and Mike, for keeping it all together and standing in when work prevents me. It is also important to point out John Becker who has fielded many ques ons and facilitated and led the recruitment drive. Thank you to the Chapter 16 Brothers and Family for allowing me to serve this great organiza on. Stephen P. Durfee SGM (Ret) USA

President’s Message

!st Special Forces Group

60th Anniversary

We celebrated the 60th anniversary of the 1st SFG (A) with the Group Command Team, Soldiers and special Guests CSM (Ret) Dewy Simpson and an original FSSF veteran Eugean Gu errez. Special thanks to CSM (ret) John Illiff who hosted the gathering at his compound in Yelm.

1st Special Forces Group Organiza on Day 23 June 2017.

J.K. Wright Memorial Breakfast 5/6/2017

Chapter XVI North (Recon) 5/13/2017

SFC Christopher L. Shaw Memorial Breakfast 5/20/2017

Dinosaur Luncheon 5/26/2017

J. K. Wright Memorial Breakfast 6/3/2017

SFA Chapter XVI General Mee ng, June 10,2017 The mee ng was called to order by President Steve Durfee at 1105, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, the singing of The Ballad of the Green Beret and the invoca on by Chaplin Butch Hall. Members in a endance: Steve Durfee, Eric Heid, Willi Lindner, Mike Barkstrom, Carey Pennington ,Bill Gates, Mike Cassidy, Dennis Guiler, Gary Villanuena, Tom Dawson, Jim Beasley , Glen Craig, John Cuskeli, Nick Marvasis, bob Smith, Ed Booth, Ken Garcy. Wives present: Steph Gates, Joy Cassidy, Erma Booth. Visitors: Addy Heid, John Hna shin, Marc Bush, Col Will Beaurpere, CW5 Duc Duclos, CSM Tony Labrec. We were addressed by the Command team from 1st Group. Col Beaurpere spoke about the 60th anniversary of the 1st Group. Will start at 1200 at the Regimental Mess‐move to Chambers Lake for round robin comple on and the Colonel would like some of the SF Re red Vets to act as Point Se ers and ask to the "tough ques ons". round robin compe on starts at 1430 ‐1830 round robin compe on ends and move to CSM Iliff's house for the celebra on‐ends 2300. POC CRT Bailey Colwell ([email protected]) Stated the importance of bridging the gap between ac ve duty and no‐ac ve duty SF soldiers. We now have four genera ons of soldiers to draw on for guidance and history and we cannot afford to lose that connec on. His stated goal is to fill the room with SF guys in the coming year. CW5 Duc Duclos stressed that we as a whole (ac ve duty) need to get back to our roots and be more ac ve in the mission of "Teach, Train and Advise". We can train anyone to be a shooter but it takes unique men to become true Special Forces Soldiers. We are the original force mul pliers and we need to return to that role, we need your history to help us a ain that goal. CSM Tony Labrec stressed that his door is open and wants to see the mutual coopera on between ac ve and re red members of the Regiment work together for the benefit of all. The CSM has spent his en re career with the 1ST Group and welcomes ideas and thought from veteran s from other groups as well. He is in the process of pu ng together a snapshot of all who have served in SF for those who are willing to take part. Something on the order of a baseball card‐picture too. Basically the wwwww and h but really you decide what you want to say. More to follow. Chaplin Butch gave his report: Thank you card from Bob 'Grumps" Smith. Chuck Hall not doing well neither is his grandson. Spoke of the fine work Dave is doing with the Burma Rangers. Chaplin Butch reported that two of our members have laid their rucksacks down for the final me. Jim Lesser passed away on 6‐19‐2017. Interment will be at Mt. Tahoma Na onal Cemetery June 19,2017 at 1100 hours. A celebra on of life will follow at Capt. Ron's. A memorial service will be held for CSM (Ret) Walter M. Hetzler will be conducted at the North Fort Chapel, JBLM, AT 1300 21 JUL 2017 with a recep on immediately following a at the 1st Group Regimental Mess. Please RSVP to [email protected] with your full name(s) date(s) of birth and state of residence, we are a emp ng to facilitate access to the base‐although if this does not work out all a endees may have to obtain a day long pass through the visitors center for access to both North Fort and Ft Lewis proper prior to the service. Valid photos IDs and registra on may also be necessary. CSM Labrec stated that CSM Hetzler was the senior CSM in the Group and that one of the new buildings under construc on for the 2nd Bn will be named in his honor. Willi gave a treasurer's report and stated that we have $11,443.17 in the checking account and $4670.01 that paid a interest amount of $0.13 for the month of May. Willi is looking into the interest rate. The chapter voted to offer $500 to the families of deceased life and ac ve members to help defray the cost for a celebra on of life service. Old Business

As a reminder any member that has to go through security star ng next month will have to have an Enhanced Driver's license or a valid passport, or a government issued ID card. Your VA medical will work according to the civilian at the security counter on 10 Jun. To be safe bring as many as you have. Eric reported that the gun sales are going well and wanted to know if he should save any ckets for the picnic and was advised to sell them all beforehand if possible. The long rifle will have a Vortex 900 long range op c and the M‐4s will have AR 500 op cs, also there is a Vortex 450 range finder to be awarded to the member who sells the most ckets. All of the op cs was donated by Vortex. Put SF Crest and maybe Chapter logo on the M‐4s. John Becker reported that the membership drive will conclude on 23 Jun 2017‐so hurry up and pay your money to get the savings. Steve Dupree: Visit the website for lots of info: HTTP://www.sfa.chapter‐16.org:monthly events, Carr's 1st Saturday of the month 0830 Bridgeport Way, Tacoma, Hawks Prairie Restaurant 4rd Saturday 0830, luncheon last Friday 1130 Main Buffet, DuPont. Eric Org Day 6‐23 needs 6‐8 volunteers. Meet at Shoreline Park, park and ride 0830 on 6‐23. Call Eric if you can help‐360‐458‐8914‐all the beer you can drink and fun too. Chapter 16 picnic is August 12 at Kevin Pa on's ranch in Yelm. Distro to follow‐Bill Gates and Rich Wall heading up the fes vi es. They need lots of help‐give Bill a call if available.253‐931‐8918. Carey Pennington reported that we ne ed $907 on the coffee stop and we are slated to do another o Labor Day. We have lots of supplies all ready purchased so our net should be higher this next go round. Bruce Hasselgren donated 100 pounds of coffee and 2000 cups. Call Carey if you want to sign up for a shi 259‐879‐9429. Team house commi ee s ll pu ng together op ons. Gary Villanunea and Glen Craig are working on the op ons. Will report back when they have fleshed it out. Eric Heid reported that 24 SF Scholarships will be awarded in July. Recipients to be announced at a later date with monetary amounts. If you order from a Amazon and make a minor change to ordering from amazosmile you can designate a por on of your purchase price to go to the Green Beret Founda on Scholarship. New Business Marc Bush has donated guided steelhead fishing trip on the Cowlitz River for either Aug 20 or Sept 16. To be auc oned off at the Picnic‐$600 value. Winners will need to provide a their own fishing license and punch card and lunch. Everything else provided. Check out his web site at [email protected] 360‐894‐7636 or 253‐468‐0610 There will be an OASIS mee ng in July (DID NOT GET THE DATE) in Regimental Mess. Morning open session a ernoon by appointment‐can make in the morning session. email them for more info‐[email protected] Oktoberfest: There will be a beer off. Some members of the 1st Group have hidden talent as brew masters and will have comple on at the

Oktoberfest‐ Distro to follow. Addy Heid addressed the Chapter in response to a le er she received and back up informa on from Brenda Day‐sister of SGM Bradly Connor, 1ST Group, KIA 6 May 2009, Al‐Hillah, Iraq. She is racing with the Ironman CDA 70.3 Warrior Tri Team. All proceeds go to the Special Opera ons Warrior Founda on. The chapter voted to $500 in support of Brenda Day to con nue to honor her brother and further support the founda on. Respec ully submi ed,

Mike Barkstrom

SFC Christopher L. Shaw Memorial Breakfast 6/17/2017

Pastor Butch’s Corner Something to think about; Poli cians vs God: The reason Poli cians try so hard to get re‐elected is that they would "hate" to have to make a living under the laws they have just passed. On the other hand God’s Laws apply to all equally and provide for us all to live in honor and dignity. Many people stand tall in the eyes of their fellow man and fall short in the eyes of their creator. Love and Prayers brings harmony in any group, Chaplain Butch

Jim Beisley’s A er Ac on Report: Rest Area Coffee Stop Guys, first of all I want to say "Rest In Peace" Jim Lessler. We're all going to die at some point in me and wouldn't it be great to be doing something you loved when it happened. Jim was doing that when he le us, serving others. What a fine tes mony. I finally was able to do something for/with the chapter this past weekend and I couldn't ask for a be er partner in Butch Hall. I believe we had a good me and the six‐hour shi flew by. Here are some observa ons from a rookie: 1. God Bless SF and our propensity to be on me meaning a li le early unless it's an ambush or me fuse. We relieved the guys who were up all night a li le early and our relief arrived early as well. Hand‐offs both ways were efficient. 2. It is definitely a two man job unless in the case of an emergency. I could have been replaced with a MacGyver set up to support the hot pot while refilling but having two guys there offered relief for restroom breaks and company. 3. I would es mate we greeted close to 300 people/couples based on our take during our shi . The vast majority were apprecia ve. Only about five veterans recognized it was Memorial Day weekend and expressed respect to us and our service. The bond brothers have. A bit of a shame but what can be expected when only 1% serve right now. 4. I witnessed three couples who when they saw our banner showed total distain for Butch and me. (I don't think Butch no ced them) Really a shame but if you don't mind me stereotyping, 65 year olds, gray hair, Birkenstocks. I would guess they were Evergreen State College staff. And they did not come over for coffee. 5. When a bus load of Chinese na onals arrived and many looked confused, Butch spoke to a couple of them in Chinese which they got a kick out of. 6. I greeted a young Russian gal and she replied a li le astonished with a few more words I didn't understand. A typical SF meet and greet. 7. I got a kick out of one middle aged women who asked me if I was an experienced hiker. I pointed up at our chapter banner and said I could handle myself in the woods. Not sure if she understood what I was saying but I thought that was funny. 8. The lemonade was a good addi on. 9. We were gracious offering refreshments to people who looked like they wanted some but perhaps didn't have money to contribute. Young families with young kids mostly. That's all I've got.

You served ! General Petraeus About Our Military Today I remember the day I found out I got into West Point. My mom actually showed up in the hallway of my high school and waited for me to get out of class. She was bawling her eyes out and apologizing that she had opened up my admission le er. She wasn't crying because it had been her dream for me to go there. She was crying because she knew how hard I'd worked to get in, how much I wanted to a end, and how much I wanted to be an infantry officer. I was going to get that opportunity. That same day two of my teachers took me aside and essen ally told me the following: “David, you're a smart guy. You don't have to join the military. You should go to college, instead.” I could easily write a theme defending West Point and the military as I did that day, explaining that USMA is an elite ins tu on, that it is actually sta s cally much harder to enlist in the military than it is to get admi ed to college, that serving the na on is a challenge that all able‐bodied men should at least consider for a host of reasons, but I won't. What I will say is that when a 16 year‐old kid is being told that a ending West Point is going to be bad for his future, then there is a dangerous disconnect in America, and en rely too many Americans have no idea what kind of burdens our military is bearing. In World War II, 11.2% of the na on served in four (4) years. During the Vietnam era, 4.3% served in twelve (12) years. Since 2001, only 0.45% of our popula on have served in the Global War on Terror. These are unbelievable sta s cs. Over me, fewer and fewer people have shouldered more and more of the burden, and it is only ge ng worse. Our troops were sent to war in Iraq by a Congress consis ng of 10% veterans with only one person having a child in the military. Taxes did not increase to pay for the war. War bonds were not sold. Gas was not regulated. In fact, the average ci zen was asked to sacrifice nothing, and has sacrificed nothing, unless they have chosen to out of the goodness of their hearts. The only people who have sacrificed are the veterans and their families. The volunteers. The people who swore an oath to defend this na on. You stand there, deployment a er deployment and fight on. You've lost rela onships, spent years of your lives in extreme condi ons, years apart from kids you'll never get back, and beaten your body in a way that even professional athletes don't understand. Then you come home to a na on that doesn't understand. They don't understand suffering. They don't understand sacrifice. They don't understand why we fight for them. They don't understand that bad people exist. They look at you like you're a machine ‐ like something is wrong with you. You are the misguided one ‐‐ not them. When you get out, you sit in the college classrooms with poli cal science teachers that discount your opinions on Iraq and Afghanistan because YOU WERE THERE and can't understand the macro issues they gathered from books, because of your bias. You watch TV shows where every vet has PTSD and the violent strain at that. Your congress is deba ng your benefits, your re rement, and your pay, while they ask you to do more. But the amazing thing about you is that you all know this. You know your country will never pay back what you've given up. You know that the populace at large will never truly understand and appreciate what you have done for them. Hell, you know that in some circles, you will be thought as less than normal for having worn the uniform. But you do it anyway. You do what the greatest men and women of this country have done since 1775. YOU SERVED. Just that decision alone makes you part of an elite group. “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.” ‐‐Winston Churchill Thank you to the 11.2% and 4.3% who have served and thanks to the 0.45% who con nue to serve our Na on.

General David Petraeus West Point Class 1974

The Difference Between “Special Opera ons” and “Special Forces” June 4, 2017 by Marty Skovlund, Jr. Possibly one of the most pervasive yet irrita ng missteps that the media and public in general makes about the military is the use of the terms ‘Special Opera ons Forces’ (SOF) and Special Forces (SF) interchangeably. In a day and age where special opera ons units have a growing presence in the media due to the increase of their importance in the asymmetric, non‐conven onal combat environment that our country has found ourselves in, the mistake has become all too common in headlines on news channels as well as newspapers and magazines. Consider this ar cle a primer for anyone in the media that even remotely cares about their journalis c accuracy, as well as the curious ci zen. Special Opera ons, or some mes referred more accurately to as Special Opera ons Forces (SOF), include any unit that falls under the United States Special Opera ons Command (SOCOM). Naval Special Warfare, Air Force Special Opera ons Command, Army Special Opera ons Command, and Marine Special Opera ons Command are all included under this umbrella. I won’t go further down the ladder and list every unit under those commands, but they cover everything from the 528th Sustainment Brigade and Civil Affairs to the SEAL Teams and Ranger Regiment. The shadowy Joint Special Opera ons Command also falls under SOCOM as a sub‐unified command, but o en reports directly to higher authori es due to their unique and o en sensi ve missions. Who is not covered by the term Special Opera ons? Anyone who does not fall under the SOCOM umbrella. For example, although Force Recon companies in the Marine Corps are highly trained and undergo a selec on process similar to many SOF units, they are not considered Special Opera ons as they belong to the Marine Corps, not SOCOM. Now, what about the term “Special Forces”? Special Forces is not a generic term in the U.S. military, and refers to a very specific unit. The 1st Special Forces Regiment falls under the command of the Army Special Opera ons Command (men oned above) and includes the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 19th, and 20th Special Forces Groups.

They are most o en referred to by their dis nc ve headgear, the Green Beret, or simply as “SF.” The Army’s Special Forces are capable of a wide variety of missions, but were designed to be the premiere experts on unconven onal warfare and foreign internal defense. As an example of a classic unconven onal warfare mission that happened in recent history, a er the terror a acks of 9/11 small elements of the 5th Special Forces Group embedded with indigenous fighters from Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance and lead them into ba le. Within a ma er of weeks, they had effec vely neutralized the Taliban threat – accomplished not with brigades and divisions of soldiers, but with only a couple dozen Special Forces soldiers. This is the capability that the 1st Special Forces Regiment brings to the table, and makes them very unique in the larger SOCOM picture. To summarize, Special Opera ons Forces (SOF) is a generic term that you can use to refer to any and all special opera ons units. Special Forces is the tle of a very specific unit, and is not a generic term for other units. If you don’t know what unit did something, refer to them as SOF or Special Opera ons. If you know for a fact that it was a unit from one of the seven Special Forces Groups, then refer to them as Special Forces. Simple enough… Right?

SOF's Evolving Role: Warfare 'By, With, and Through' Local Forces by Linda Robinson The role of U.S. special opera ons forces (SOF) in the Middle East has expanded steadily since the incep on of the counter‐ISIS campaign in 2014. In part, this expansion is due to the metastasis of ISIS into Libya, Yemen, and other countries beyond its major land‐holding presence in Iraq and Syria. But the most notable feature of the expanded U.S. SOF role in the Middle East has been its work alongside indigenous forces in Iraq and Syria. Conven onal and coali on forces provide addi onal numbers of troops. What makes this campaign so unusual is that U.S. forces are not providing the muscle of the frontline combat troops. Instead, the campaign is conducted “by, with, and through” others, a Special Forces phrase that the CENTCOM commander, General Joseph Votel, has adopted to call a en on to this new way of warfigh ng. If the counter‐ISIS campaign succeeds in dislodging ISIS from Iraq and Syria, this approach is more likely to be considered for other, similar conflicts. During seven weeks visi ng Iraq, Syria, and neighboring countries this year, I observed three major changes in how the campaign accounts for its increasing momentum. First, the number of advisers and suppor ng forces has now reached a level that can provide meaningful support to the variety of indigenous forces figh ng ISIS in Iraq and Syria. That number is hovering around 10,000, including forces deployed in‐country on temporary duty. Special opera ons forces are advising a variety of partners, including the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), tribal forces and Iraqi Kurds. In Syria, they are assis ng Kurdish groups, par cularly the YPG (Popular Protec on Units), and a variety of Arab forces. As in Afghanistan, U.S. SOF count on major support from their closest SOF partners in Britain, Australia, and Canada, as well as the Danes, Norwegians, and French. While SOF are at the forefront of the tac cal‐level advising, U.S. and coali on conven onal forces have been training forces at five main bases and advising at the headquarters level. The second major change has been in how these advisers are used. The special opera ons forces have become progressively more dispersed and now accompany the indigenous forces to a secure loca on near the front lines. This means that they are no longer a emp ng to provide tac cal advice from headquarters, where they must analyze ba lefield opera ons through the soda‐straw perspec ve of drone feeds. They do s ll advise commanders of indigenous forces at the senior level, which is a cri cal func on, but now they can also observe units in ac on to be er advise their tac cs. In East Mosul, movement of advisers to the 16th Iraq army division provided cri cal assistance to galvanize that unit. U.S. and coali on SOF have also played a significant role in helping to rebuild the CTS, Iraq's SOF, which has led every major ba le in the counter‐ISIS campaign and has suffered heavy casual es as a result. The third major change has been the steady increase in fire support, a cri cal enabler in both Iraq and Syria. This change has occurred gradually over the past year. U.S. Apache helicopters were first used in combat last June in Qayyarah, which today is a major staging base for the assault on Mosul. In a visit to “Q‐West,” as U.S. troops call it, I saw a recently installed U.S. military medical unit and its ICU set up in tents on the base. High Mobility Ar llery Rocket Systems (HIMARs) are posi oned there to provide support to the Mosul offensive. Also in the outskirts of Mosul, at a base in Hamman al‐Alil, I saw U.S. Paladin howitzers dug into a berm along the Tigris River, firing in support of Iraqi CTS and Federal Police moving into West Mosul. This fire support is even more important to the Syrian Democra c Forces, a far more lightly armed irregular force which cons tutes the major ground force figh ng ISIS in Syria. Marines from the 11th Marine Expedi onary Unit have moved into Syria with their 155 mm howitzers in prepara on for the assault on Raqqa. I visited Kobane, which is a rus c but increasingly important hub for opera ons in Syria. An airstrip has been carved from the limestone and now lengthened to accommodate C‐17 planes that fly in to deliver rocket pods for HIMARs, along with tons of other ammuni on. U.S. SOF are thus being thrust into a new role of coordina ng fire support, managing the conven onal troops that employ them in support of the SOF‐indigenous ground force, and overseeing the sprawling network of austere “lily pad” bases from which they work. If they succeed in ous ng ISIS from Mosul and Raqqa in the coming months, this new way of combining forces and using SOF to direct a ground war could become a model for conduc ng low‐ to mid‐level combat. Conven onal forces would s ll be relied upon heavily to conduct major wars, such as a North Korean, Chinese or Russian con ngency. But this “by, with, and through” model could become a standard op on in the U.S. military playbook. The fight for Mosul is far from over, and the last part will be extremely difficult as troops try to fight among 400,000 civilians trapped in western Mosul without harming them. Similarly, Raqqa will pose a s ff challenge for the an ‐ISIS forces, as ISIS has dug trenches, bunkers, and tunnels, and laced the city with mines. One consequence of the heavy reliance on U.S. SOF is high deployment rates with li le down me. The demands in the rest of the world are significant: Special operators are also needed to conduct low‐visibility opera ons in Europe in support of partners there, as a complement to conven onal deterrence against Russian aggression. In addi on, the parlous situa on of Afghanistan may require more SOF, whose training and advice have made that country's commando forces into very effec ve figh ng units. In a turbulent world, hard decisions will be required about where SOF are most needed, and how other countries' SOF may be able to help.

The Na onal Special Forces Green Beret Memorial Mission

The Na onal Special Forces Green Beret Memorial the legendary elite Special Forces “Green Berets” Soldiers of every era and the legacy of the Special Forces Regiment with a historic and magnificent world class memorial. Background and Team

In 2011, the Na onal Special Forces Associa on (SFA) officially endorsed and directed Fine Ar st Rebecca A. Clark to create The Na onal Special Forces Green Beret Memorial. In addi on to working in partnership with the Na onal Special Forces Associa on, Rebecca A. Clark also worked with the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, as technical advisors, and several Special Forces Groups at their loca ons across America to develop a concept to memorialize Special Forces Green Beret Soldiers through a series of monumental bronze sculptures. Since 2011, this private memorial project and effort have evolved into a comprehensive program, that includes working with the Task Force Dagger Founda on a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, and advised by a team of re red and dis nguished Officers and Non‐Commissioned Officers, dedicated to raising funds to develop, complete and maintain The Special Forces Green Beret Memorial. The dis nguished Advisory Board project team includes re red 3 Star and 2 Star former U.S. Army Special Forces Commanding Generals, a former U.S. Army Infantry Commanding General, Special Forces Officers, Non‐Commissioned Officers, Dis nguished Members of the Special Forces Regiment, Special Forces Medal of Honor recipients, and other extraordinary Advisors.

Rebecca A. Clark is the official and exclusively commissioned Ar st, working with the Task Force Dagger Founda on to create The Na onal Special Forces Green Beret Memorial. The U.S. Special Forces “Green Berets”

The U.S. Military’s premier unconven onal warriors, the U.S. Army Special Forces “Green Berets”, also known as the “Quiet Professionals”, are the “Tip of theSpear”. The Special Forces “Green Berets” are a rare breed of specially selected, highly trained and experienced elite Soldiers who cannot be reproduced overnight. The Green Berets are America’s primary weapons for waging unconven onal warfare in an age where conven onal conflicts have become I ncreasingly rare. Deployed on every con nent, opera ng in remote areas under Spartan condi ons with a tenuous radio link their only connec on to higher headquarters, small detachments of U.S. Army Special Forces “Green Berets” are training their allies to defend themselves against dangerous insurgents, making tough decisions under unheard of situa ons. The Special Forces “Green Berets” deploy and execute one or more of 9 doctrinal missions: Unconven onal Warfare, Foreign Internal Defense, Direct Ac on, Counter‐Insurgency, Special Reconnaissance, Counter‐Terrorism, Informa on Opera ons, Counter‐Prolifera on of WMDs and Security Force Assistance. There are 5 ac ve component Special Forces Groups and 2 U.S. Army Na onal Guard Groups. Each SFG is regionally oriented to support one of the War‐Figh ng Geographic Combatant Commanders. The cornerstone of the Special Forces Group’s capability is the Opera onal Detachment‐Alpha (ODA), a highly trained elite team of 12 Special Forces “Green Beret” Soldiers, cross trained in weapons, communica on, intelligence, medicine and engineering. The ODA Green Beret Soldier also possesses specialized language and cultural training. Successes of the U.S. Army Special Forces “Green Beret” Soldiers have resulted in increasing demand for Special Forces around the globe. In the future, as in the past, Special Forces “Green Beret” are deployed around the world every day and are called upon to conduct cri cal missions in the face of overwhelming odds. It is a task they look forward to with confidence because the tradi on of the Army Special Forces is one of excellence. It is because of this standard of courage, honor, integrity and excellence that the modern‐day Special Forces “Green Beret” remain devoted and live up to their La n mo o‐De Oppresso Liber‐to free the oppressed.

A Double‐Edged Sword – Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler & “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” Adapted from the new book, Ballad of the Green Beret: The Life and Wars of Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler

BY MARC LEEPSON · MAY 4, 2017

Almost every member of the Vietnam War genera on—and anyone who’s ever served in the Special Forces—knows the name Barry Sadler: The ac ve duty Green Beret Staff Sergeant just back from figh ng in Vietnam who wrote and recorded “The Ballad of the Green Berets,” the No. 1 song of the Vietnam War year of 1966—when the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, the Mamas and Papas, and Simon & Garfunkel (among oth‐ers) were riding high. Sadler became a media sensa on in February when his old‐fashioned, pro‐military song became the best‐selling record in the country. The single would go on to sell some nine million copies; the song’s album sold more than two million. The records earned Sadler fame—and about a half million dollars in royal es in 1966 alone.

A Tragic Ending Unhappily, that was the highpoint of his life. The na onwide fame was flee ng and the Barry Sadler story has a tragic ending. Sadler survived a rocky childhood and adolescence, dropping out of high school to join the Air Force in 1962, serving for four years, and then joining the Army, volunteering for Airborne and Special Forces. He chose to be a medic, and served with a SF A Team in the Central Highlands from early 1965 ll late May when he was medevaced a er a punji s ck wound became infected. He was sta oned at Fort Bragg when the song hit. The Army promptly took Sadler off regular du es and sent him around the country as a hu‐man recrui ng poster. He looked the part—a young, handsome Green Beret war veteran with the biggest song in the country. But Sadler, a man of ac on, hated being paraded out in front of fickle crowds. So he got out of the Army as soon as his term of his enlistment ended, in May of 1967. He moved to Tucson with his wife and two young sons. The plan: to make a living as a musician and an actor. But Barry Sadler never had another hit song. His ac ng career went nowhere. He opened a bar that leaked money. He tried running a ba ery store. That venture fizzled. Within five years he had spent all the royalty money and was broke. The family moved to Nashville in 1973 where Sadler tried to jump start his musical career. He couldn’t. The Second Act Barry Sadler’s second act as the author of a slew of pulp fic on novels began in 1978. The books—including twenty‐two in the Casca: The Eternal Mercenary series—sold well, but Sadler was living on the edge. He shot and killed a washed‐up country music singer/songwriter named Lee Bellamy in Nashville that year. Sadler claimed it was self‐defense, was arrested for second‐degree murder, and lawyered up. In a plea deal, got off with a 30‐day sentence in the county workhouse. But his drinking and running around con nued. In January 1984, Barry Sadler went into a kind of exile, moving to Guatemala and se ling into a small ranch outside Guatemala City. Rumors flew that he was running a mercenary opera on, training an ‐communist Nicaraguan guerrilla fighters (the Contras), and conduc ng interna onal arms deals. But he was mainly churning out books, and drinking and carousing in his four‐bedroom country villa and in the bars of Guatemala City. On September 7, 1988, Barry Sadler took a bullet to the head in a taxi cab in Guatemala City a er a day and night of drinking. Details of the shoo ng are murky. The authori es said he shot himself in a drunken accident. Others claimed it was a robbery or an a empted assassina on by communist guerrillas or personal enemies. He was brought back to the United States, and spent the next sixteen months as a brain‐damaged paraplegic in three VA hospitals. Barry Sadler died on November 5, 1989, four days a er his 49th birthday.

A Double‐Edged Sword The startling but short‐lived success Barry Sadler had in 1966 turned out to be a very sharp double‐edged sword. A er overcoming a difficult childhood, serving honorably in the Air Force and Army he was on the road to an honorable, if under‐the‐radar, military career. But “The Ballad of the Green Berets” uprooted him from the military life that he had envisioned. Soon he was broke, unhappy, and stumbling along life’s path. He ran with a rough crowd. He also read voraciously and wrote 29 pulp fic on books. His dry wit charmed many a man—and many women. “Nobody could tell a joke like Barry did, o en in dialect,” a friend from the 1980s said. “He was the best story teller I ever knew, and one of the funniest.” Barry’s marriage, though, was dysfunc onal at best. He killed Lee Bellamy and all but got away with it. He fled the country to live a wild life in Central America. He wound up with a bullet in his head in the middle of the night and died a er more than a year confined to hospital beds barely able to speak and unable to feed himself. The man who in 1966 was the Audie Murphy of the Vietnam War—a handsome, famous, charisma c war hero made into a show biz celebrity—had been undone being unable to handle the fame that his crea on unleashed. The Song of the Century “The Ballad of the Green Berets” is very much alive today, more than fi y years a er its sensa onal birth. “It became the song of the century as far as Special Forces is concerned,” said Steve Bruno, who went through Green Beret medic training with Barry. “The Ballad” is the theme song for the U.S. Army Special Forces, is played for SF trainees at Fort Bragg, and is heard at every Special Forces reunion and at more than one Green Beret’s funeral. “The “Ballad” also was the only notable and popular pro‐military song to come out of the en re Vietnam War. And Barry Sadler became arguably the most famous American who served in that controversial war. And yet “The Ballad of the Green Berets” all but destroyed the man who created it. “In many ways the success of that song was the worst thing that ever happened to him,” said Jim Morris, a writer and a former Green Beret who edited Barry’s last two books. “Without that, I have the feeling that he would have stayed in the Army. He would have been happier.” Sadler “looked at that song as a curse in a lot of ways,” a Nashville buddy said. “He said all he ever wanted to do was be a soldier.” “I wish,” Sadler told the journalist Robert M. Powers in 1971, “that I’d never, ever wri en that stupid song.

Inside the World’s First All‐Female Special Forces Unit: Norway’s Jegertroppen BY CARLO ANGERER

ELVERUM, Norway — An explosion just a few feet away rocks the unmarked sta on wagon as it travels along a dirt road in the Norwegian woodland. Immediately, two soldiers jump from their front seats and run for cover behind the carcass of an old, rusty tank. Firing their weapons at targets along the snow‐covered hillside, they call for support from the rest of their unit. This firefight is just a drill, but the soldiers taking part are ba ling to break down one of the final barriers to women serving in the armed forces. They are training to become part of Norway's Jegertroppen or "Hunter Troops" — the world's first all‐female military special forces unit. More than a year a er the U.S. Department of Defense repealed a long me ban on women serving in ground combat assignments, rela vely few have been trained or assigned to these jobs in the U.S. military. Norway has moved a lot faster to break down military gender barriers. Its parliament introduced legisla on in the 1980s that opened up all military roles to women. Last year, Norway became the first NATO country to introduce female conscrip on. But the introduc on of the all‐female special forces unit in 2014 raised the profile of women in the Norwegian military the most. The unit was started a er Norway's Armed Forces' Special Command saw an increased need for female special opera ons soldiers — par cularly in places like Afghanistan where male troops were forbidden from communica ng with women. The exclusion of half the popula on was having a detrimental impact on intelligence gathering and building community rela ons. Norway changed its rules on female soldiers in 1980. Carolina Reid / NBC News "When [Norway] deployed to Afghanistan we saw that we needed female soldiers. Both as female advisers for the Afghan special police unit that we mentored, but also when we did an arrest," said Col. Frode Kristofferson, the commander of Norway's special forces. "We needed female soldiers to take care of the women and children in the buildings that we searched." So they created the all‐female unit specifically designed to train them. "One of the advantages that we see with an all‐female unit is that we can have a tailored program and a tailored selec on for the female operators," Kristofferson said, adding that at the end of the one‐year program the female soldiers are just as capable as their male counterparts.

Colonel Frode Kristofferson Carolina Reid / NBC News

One of the unit's members, 22‐year‐old Tonje, said the unit is proof that women can do the same job as men, even in the male‐dominated world of the military. "We're carrying the same weight in the backpack as the boys," said Tonje, who did not provide her full name due to the unit's rules. "We do the same tasks." Those tasks at Terningmoen Camp, about 100 miles north of Oslo, include parachu ng out of military aircra , skiing in the Arc c tundra, naviga ng the wilderness and figh ng in urban terrain. She added that the weapon, backpack and other gear she carries on long marches, weighs over 100 pounds. "I'm the smallest, so I carry as much weight as I myself weigh," she said.

To qualify for the Jegertroppen, applicants have to run about four miles carrying 60 pounds of military gear in under 52 minutes. That's just three minutes less than their male counterparts who have to do the same thing in under 49 minutes. Tonje, who grew up in a town of about 30,000, said she has been interested military service since she was a child. "And I knew that I wanted to do the toughest thing I could do in the military," she said. "When the Jegertroppen came up as an op on, it felt like it was made for me." Three years into the all‐female program, the Norwegian military is already coun ng it as a success. "We have them available when we need the female soldiers in opera ons abroad," Kristofferson said. During a break from the training drills, while the unit relaxed around a campfire, 20‐year‐old Mari explained that she joined the military to follow in her grandfather's and father's footsteps.

"If I'm needed, I think that it would be a great opportunity to both serve my country and also to be able to contribute posi vely in a very masculine environment," she said. "With the skills that we get this year, I think that we definitely can con nue to build on them and become very good soldiers, maybe just as good as the boys." Commanders say the all‐female unit is already on its way. At a recent exercise, one of the female soldiers shot be er than some of the men in the elite platoon, Capt. Ole Vidar, the officer leading the training program, said. He added that the female unit has also shown a stronger sense of solidarity among its members. "The boys see that the girls help each other, so the boys are doing be er on that as well," said Vidar. He added that despite some skep cism at first, the program has been an instant success with over 300 applicants in the first year alone. And the entry requirements have already been raised. "Girls come be er prepared than before," said Vidar.

Vietnam‐Era Sniper Has Some Incredible Exploits

BY JOHN FALKENBERG

ON MAY 25, 2017 AT 4:31PM

America’s history is full of heroic men and women who risked and sacrificed their lives for their family, their friends and their country. As Memorial Day approaches, it’s worth spending some me remembering at least one of those heroes — Carlos Hathcock — one of the greatest marksmen in history. Hathcock served two tours in Vietnam and is one of the most famous snipers in American military history. So famous, in fact, a rifle was named a er him — the Springfield Armory M25 White Feather. War History Online reported that Hathcock was known for always having a white feather in his cap. Over the course of his career, Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills, with an actual es mated kill count somewhere between 300 and 400, according to War History Online. Hathcock is known not only for is incredible capability to deliver kills in classic sniper fashion but also by some of the incredible stories he brought back from the Vietnam War. One of his most famous is the killing of a North Vietnamese general. As Military.com reported, Hathcock spent four days and three nights crawling more than 1,500 yards, without food, water or sleep. “Over a me period like that you could forget the strategy, forget the rules and end up dead,” he said according to Military.com. “I didn’t want anyone dead, so I took the mission myself, figuring I was be er than the rest of them, because I was training them.” He eventually made the kill at an extremely impressive 700 yards, and then managed to get away undetected. But for Hathcock, it was never about the killing. It was about saving American lives. “I really didn’t like the killing,” he reportedly once said. “You’d have to be crazy to enjoy running around the woods, killing people. But if I didn’t get the enemy, they were going to kill the kids over there.”

A er Transgender Sensi vity Training Becomes Mandatory in the Army,

Delta Force Operator Issues Reality Check

BY JUSTEN CHARTERS DALE COMSTOCK

All soldiers in the U.S. Army are now required to take a 50‐minute training course on transgender sensi vity. Independent Journal Review wanted to know what veterans who have trained thousands of soldiers to fight in combat think about the news. We spoke with U.S. Army Master Sergeant (Ret.) and Delta Force Operator Dale Comstock. Comstock has seen more war than the average American can wrap their head around. In fact, he's served in every major campaign from Grenada in 1983 to present‐day conflicts.

Comstock said:

"This whole poli cal‐social experiment is not helping. The reality is, it's in the Army, it's in the Navy, it's in the military. And unless Ma s and Trump rescind all these policies and stop this madness, it's here to stay. It affects morale and combat readiness on many levels. At the end of the day, war figh ng is about one thing: Killing people. It's about bringing home our guys alive. It's not about being sensi ve to a transgender. This isn't corporate America, this is the military. You can't just put some policy in place because you want people to feel equal. Most guys who join the military, especially special opera ons forces, were the boys who had dirt clod fights on the playground, wrestled and fist fought, stole each other's girlfriends, and pledged allegiance to the flag. And that same spirit and apex predator mindset goes with us into the military." Comstock explained how policies to be more sensi ve to others are affec ng our guys overseas. “I was in Afghanistan working for a government agency. And this one guy was there with us in the middle of a war zone, but he hadn't gone through his Equal Opportunity training. So they flew a bird out to get him in the midst of a war zone. That type of thing can immediately give away our posi on to the enemy.” He shared a story with IJR about a female soldier who got shot in Afghanistan and another team member who went back to get her instead of winning the firefight. “They were out on patrol. And this female soldier caught a bullet under her body armor. It's standard in the military that if you have a casualty, the best way to help that casualty is to win the firefight. But this guy instead decided to help the female soldier. He wanted to make sure she was okay. And guess what? He caught a bullet to the brain and dropped dead right there.” Comstock emphasized how war brings on a storm of different feelings and emo ons, but you can't let those things control your capability, effec veness, and readiness. “Look we are all about helping one another and being there for our brothers. We bleed in the trenches together. We s ck our fingers in each other's bullet holes to stop the bleeding. We know each other in some respects be er than we know our own families.” “We are a close‐knit group. But now you throw this transgender thing into the mix. And soldiers are going to worry about offending others instead of just doing their jobs.” Comstock provided another example of how the transgender issue is affec ng the military. He talked about another guy, who is training for Special Forces, but how two guys in the training recently got the a en on of the teacher in the class for pos ng pictures of them kissing and bragging about how they'll become Green Berets: "The en re class got smoked because two guys were transgenders on Instagram taking pictures of them kissing and doing other stuff, and all that. And they were talking about how they're going to be Green Berets and all that on Instagram. The head of the class was livid. He told the en re class to go home and get some rest and be ready for a long smoke session. A smoke session is like collec ve punishment. The takeaway from the smoke session was that these two a**holes were tarnishing the reputa on of their unit." Comstock finished saying, “You're pu ng good young men in peril just because you want everyone in America to feel good. Being in the military isn't about being equal or feeling good, it's about being the best warfighter or helper to other warfighters, possible. Throwing more social experiments in the foray of it all will only cost more lives when these guys could and should be spending 50 minutes mastering the art of warfare instead.”

Re rees and Vets Allowed to Salute Flag

Tradi onally, members of the na on's veterans service organiza ons have rendered the hand‐salute during the na onal anthem and at events involving the na onal flag only while wearing their organiza on's official head‐gear. The Na onal Defense Authoriza on Act of 2008 contained an amendment to allow un‐uniformed service‐members, military re rees, and veterans to render a hand salute during the hois ng, lowering, or passing of the U.S. flag. A later amendment further authorized hand‐salutes during the na onal anthem by veterans. Sec. 594. Conduct By Members Of The Armed Forces And Veterans Out Of Uniform During Hois ng, Lowering, Or Passing Of United States Flag. Sec on 9 of Title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking "all persons present" and all that follows through the end of the sec on and inser ng the following: "all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at a en on with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the le shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Ci zens of other countries present should stand at a en on. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes." Veterans and ac ve‐duty service‐members not in uniform can now render the hand salute during the playing of our na onal anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect this month. The legisla ve change was sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe, R‐OK, an Army veteran, and included in the Defense Authoriza on Act of 2009. The new provision improves upon a li le‐known change in federal law last year (2008) that authorized veterans to render the hand salute during the raising, lowering or passing of the flag. However, it did not address salutes during the na onal anthem. Last year's provision also applied to members of the armed forces while not in uniform. The American Legion has opposed the salu ng of the U.S. Flag when it is being raised, lowered or is in passing by those who are not in uniform. At its Na onal Conven on in Phoenix last August, the Legion passed a resolu on against the prac ce, saying that it "causes confusion leading to breaches of flag e que e with regard to proper conduct during the recita on of the Pledge of Allegiance." Furthermore, the Legion is concerned that salutes from veterans and service‐members out of uniform will be imitated by the general public as the proper way to honor the U.S. Flag and/or na onal anthem. In responding to numerous phone calls and e‐mails on the issue, the Legion's Americanism Commission offers this advice: "The law does allow veterans to render the right hand salute, but does not mandate it. If you feel uncomfortable in any situa on where the flag is being raised, lowered or is passing in review, the tradi onal right hand over the heart ‐ with the hat removed ‐ is s ll a viable and very respec ul alterna ve to the new law." Tradi onally, members of veterans service organiza ons have rendered hand‐salutes during the na onal anthem, and at events involving the flag, while wearing their organiza on's official headgear. Sec on 9 of tle 4, United States Code, is amended by striking "all persons present" and all that follows through the end of the sec on and inser ng the following: "all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at a en on with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the le shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Ci zens of other countries present should stand at a en on. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes." The president signed the Amendment to Sec on 9 of Title 4 of the U.S. Code| which was a ached with the H.R. 4986 Bill under the Na onal Defense Authoriza on Act of 2008.

Chapter XVI Special Forces Associa on Quartermasters Store

The Quartermasters Store has Special Forces Crest Uniform and Blazer Bu ons for Sale. They can replace the Army Dress Uniform or the SF Associa on Blazer Bu ons. They really look sharp. The Bu ons are $5.00 a piece. A set of 4 Large and 6 small are $50.00. If you would like them mailed there is a shipping and handling cost of $4.50. We also have a number of other Items of SF interest.

We also have SF T‐Shirts, hats, jackets, SFA Flashes, SF Door Knockers, Belt Buckles, Money clips and numerous other Items of Special Forces interest.

1st SFG(A) Ar facts

The current 1st SFG(A) Commander is solici ng support from former 1st SFG(A) unit members for dona on of ar facts that could be displayed in the units Regimental Mess area at Fort Lewis. He has his PAO officer working on the project and he is asking for items that could be secured in display cabinets for viewing by guests who use the facility for ceremonies, re rements and other ac vi es. Hank Cramer is planning to donate some uniform items that his dad wore in Vietnam and others from SFA Chapter and First In Asia Associa on are pu ng out feelers to our community. If interested, please contact Major Jason Waggoner at [email protected]

Looking For Historical 10th SFG(A) Items ‐ Assistance Requested ‐ for Group Foyer POCs: SSG Ryan Sabin OR Andy Tyler Public Affairs NCOIC [email protected] 10th SFG (A) 719‐524‐4528 [email protected] We are looking for any historical items and photos that will cover the following areas. I a ached the history outline that we will be following. These items will be used in the HHC foyer and we are trying to tell the 10th SFG(A) story. ‐ 1952‐ Ac va on of 10th SFG (A) ‐ 1953‐ Bad Tolz ‐ 1954‐1955 Authoriza on of the wear of the Green Beret ‐ 1962‐ CPT Roger Pezzelle Trojan Horse Unit Insignia ‐ SF Soldiers opera ng in; western and eastern Europe, clandes ne organiza ons in England, France, Norway, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. ‐ Fort Devens ‐ JOINT ENDEAVOR and PROVIDE COMFORT ‐ Opera on Desert Storm ‐ Panzer Kaserne ‐ Task Force Viking

I am delighted to invite you to join me in celebra ng the recent publica on of my book. Titled

Captain Ron Flying Life’s Longitudes and Latitudes

The book Explores the fascina ng life and

mes of Ron Rismon.

I am looking forward to seeing you all enjoy and share my work.

“To Order”

Books will be sold for $66.00 + $20.00 Shipping. Call (253) 670‐2760 Or E‐mail: [email protected]

!st special forces group 60th anniversary...we were addressed by the command team from 1st group....

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