• SR002—SR002 was to be tasked with locating a suspected CLF psychological operations broadcast site in the southeastern end of the “box,” known as “Paint.” Like SR001, SR002 would be composed of a combined ODA/SOT-A team, which would then listen in on the enemy broadcasts and hopefully provide targeting data back to JSOTF (Cortina). SR002 would also be extracted following a link-up with the 1/10th Mountain.
• SR003—A major part of the overall JRTC 99-1 scenario was the suppression of enemy weapons of mass destruction capabilities. SR003 was planned as a reconnaissance to assess the CLF’s ability to employ chemical mines (filled with faux mustard gas). Composed of a single ODA, the mission would be inserted into Crosby Airfield (part of the Humochitto National Forest southeast of Natchez, Mississippi, known as JSOA “Gator”) by a pair of 160th SOAR MH-60Ls. The ODA planned to set up several observation posts there to monitor the suspected transshipment site, and send targeting data back to JSOTF (Cortina).
• DA001—The DA001 mission was a rare one these days: They were to perform an assassination. The target was a notional Atlantican-trained CLF officer, who was the only person trained and equipped to supervise the arming and deployment of chemical mines ... Federal laws place considerable restrictions on assassination missions, even in wartime. This, as we’ll see, was an exceptional situation, and a justifiable killing. Here is what made the “hit” legal: He was a uniformed member of a known military service. For this reason, JSOTF (Cortina) had authorized his elimination, and 2/7th SFG was tasked to do the job with a specially formed sniper ODA. The ODA would be inserted into and extracted from Camp Shelby, Mississippi (JSOA “Snake”) via a pair of 160th SOAR MH-60L helicopters.
• DA003—Another WMD-related mission, DA003 was designed to eliminate another chemical weapons technician from the CLF roster. This one would not be killed, however, for this particular specialist had passed the word that he would like to “defect.” The ODA assigned to DA003 would therefore conduct a “snatch and grab” operation to effect that. The ODA would be inserted into the abandoned Stennis Space Center (at one time the primary assembly facility for the various stages of Saturn 5 moon rockets) in Mississippi (JSOA “Magic”) on a pair of 160th SOAR MH-60Ls. Once there, they planned to link up with the defector, establish their bonafides, and then exfiltrate on another pair of MH-60s.
Though these missions would be executed by 2/7th SFG, several others were planned and rehearsed, but not actually run. Each ODA would plan two missions, but only execute one. These planning missions included:• SR004—Designed to deny the CLF use of a new antitank weapon (the Russian-built AT-7), SR004 would have inserted an ODA into Camp McCain, Mississippi (JSOA “Gold”). Once on the ground, the team would have to locate and target the AT-7 missile supply facility for allied air assets.
• DA004—An extremely large and complex mission, DA004 would have inserted two ODAs into the Peason Ridge (JSOA “Nerve”) and Horses Head (JSOA “Horse”) areas on the Fort Polk live-fire ranges to attack and destroy a pair of CLF command-and-control targets. The teams would have located and destroyed a pair of caches for cryptographic machines and materials. By denying the CLF secure communications, allied conventional forces could better anticipate and defeat future CLF operations.
All of these operations, both planned and executed, were designed by JSOTF (Cortina) to directly support the needs and desires of the 1/10th Mountain. Depending upon the results, the 1/10th Mountain might or might not face the threat of WMDs or enhanced antitank weapons.
To better understand the process of planning, preparation, and execution of SF missions in general, I decided to follow one from start to finish. As you might imagine, the one that caught my eyes was DA001. Following ten very intriguing young men on a classic sniper mission all the way to the hit was not only genuinely exciting, it would display some of the most interesting aspects of SOF operations.
Once the shift change briefing was over, I continued on my tour of FOB 72. Despite the decrepit look of the buildings, 2/7th SFG had done an excellent job of turning it into their home away from home. All around the FOB compound there was a sense of gathering momentum. Already, CA001 was in the “box,” generating important data for JSOTF (Cortina) and 1/10th Mountain, while SR001, SR002, and DA001 were due to launch within the next twenty-four hours.
But there was a looming—and growing—problem: the weather. Over the past few days, a number of nasty thunderstorms had moved through the area, and more were expected. The sky continued to threaten as we headed toward the building where ODA 745 was located, another two-story barracks.
ODA 745 occupied the entire first floor, with their team room in the front, and sleeping quarters in the rear. This morning was a busy time for them, as they were preparing to launch DA001 that evening. Even so, they greeted me warmly, offered a cup of coffee, and then gave me a good look at what they were doing.
All around were more than a dozen SF soldiers working away. Some were members of the team that would carry out DA001, others belonged to other ODAs and were helping “push” the mission out into the world. In a comer a sergeant was “stripping” down packages of Meals Ready to Eat of their excess packaging (cardboard boxes). By taking only the sealed pouches of prepared food, three complete meals can be packed in just one of the tough brown plastic MRE bags. These were then resealed with duct tape and put into another zippered plastic bag for protection. Each member of ODA 745 would carry six of these packages, along with enough water for several days. The team could then stay hidden in JSOA “Snake” (Camp Shelby) if necessary, without having to look for water every day.
After a few moments to get the feel of the place, I was introduced to the members of ODA 745 who would carry out DA001.78 ODA 745 was a “pickup team” for JRTC 99-1. That is, several of the SF soldiers assigned to the team normally worked in other ODAs; their specific talents would be needed for DA001.
Let me introduce you to the nine young men of ODA 745:• Commander—The ODA would be led by Captain Greg, who would command the mission in the field and act as part of the security force during the “hit.”
• Team Sergeant—Actual running of the day-to-day operations of ODA 745 would be left to Sergeant Charlie, a long-time 7th SFG soldier. Once in the target area at Camp Shelby, Charlie would run the Mission Support Site (MSS or base camp) for the team.
• Communications—DA001 would place a heavy burden on communications, both within the team and back to FOB 72. For this mission only a single 18E would go along, Staff Sergeant John.
• Medic—All SF missions take along at least one medic (18D). For DA001, ODA 745 ODA 745 had an experienced 18D in Staff Sergeant Brandon.
• Snipers—Two sniper teams would conduct the actual “hit.” Each would be composed of a sniper armed with an M24 sniper rifle and a spotter with a high-powered spotting scope. The two snipers for DA001 would be Sergeants Sean and Shannon.
• Spotters—For this mission the snipers were not actually certified for that role; it was the spotters on the scopes who were sniper qualified. That is, the men assigned to shoot Major Benitiz, while qualified weapons sergeants, had not taken the sniper course. Captain Greg and Sergeant Jim had taken the advice of their two certified snipers, who’d argued that the toughest part of this hit would be spotting the target and coaching the shooters onto it. We’ll call the spotters Sergeants Jim and Glenn.
• SAW Gunner—To provide the two sniper teams cover after taking their shots at the target, the team took along a gunner armed with an M249 SAW light machine gun. Captain Greg and Sergeant Louis (the M249 gunner) would man this “blocking position.”
While this ODA was short several vital personnel—an 18C (engineering), 18D (medical), and 18E (communications)—they were well able to carry out the mission. ODAs these days frequently go downrange short critical personnel; DA001 reflected this real-world trend.
Already, the team was into what they call their “isolation phase,” a period of time where they work out final mission plans, equipment, sc
hedules, and other details. The isolation is not total, and is broken for briefings, inspections, and a mission rehearsal (if that is possible).
The mission rehearsal had in fact already taken place at a local range on Fort Polk, and the shooter teams were proudly showing off their paper witness targets (big paper targets with silhouettes of people on them). Both had scored in the “ten ring” (kill zone). Now all they needed before they were totally ready was time to finish their preparations, and then there’d be a “briefback” and inspection by Lieutenant Colonel Smith.79
After accepting an invitation to join ODA 745 during their briefback at 1600 that afternoon, I headed off to visit other teams. As I moved between buildings, the storm that had been threatening finally broke—followed by several hours of heavy rain, severe thunder and lightning, and high winds. This storm was headed east, into the drop and infiltration zones for SR001, SR002, and DA001. Clearly the chances for a weather delay were high.
I arrived back in the ODA 745 team room at 1600. In attendance were Lieutenant Colonel Smith, his command sergeant major, several other 2/7th SFG staff officers, and Major McCollum (acting as a “press” escort). At the front of the room was the entire ODA 745 team, with numerous charts, maps, and satellite photos mounted on briefing boards behind them. What they had put together was part “stubby pencil” and part laptop computer/color inkjet printer, with some butcher paper and marker charts thrown in. It wasn’t elegant, but you had to be impressed with what the team had generated in only a few days.
When everyone was ready, the team presented the details of their mission. Some of the major topics included:• Target—The target for DA001, Major Raul Benitiz, a hypothetical CLF officer, trained in chemical weapons employment by the PRA in Atlantica, was presumed to be the only member of the CLF with the technical knowledge and skills to arm and place land mines and artillery shells filled with nerve and mustard agents. Benitiz’s mission during JRTC 99-1 was to train a cadre of CLF technicians to handle and deliver chemical mines and shells, which could prove disastrous to JTF (Cortina). His elimination would almost surely eliminate the chance that the 1/10th Mountain would face a WMD threat when they entered the JRTC “box.” Allied intelligence had not only located Benitiz at Camp Shelby, deep within Atlantica, but had established a pattern to his daily schedule.
• Timeline—DA001 was scheduled to start at 2100 hours that evening. Should a weather delay occur, a twenty-four-hour “push” pad had been built into the plan. Two windows of opportunity had been projected for the actual hit—one on the evening of the 8th, and the other on the 9th. That meant ODA 745 had to be in the target area before dawn on the day of the hit. Once the teams had taken their shots, the team would rapidly leave the target area, move to the exfiltration area, and wait for pickup on either the 8th or 9th.
• Transportation—The entire infiltration flight on 160th SOAR MH-60L Blackhawk helicopters would be nonstop (except for the team infiltration in to the landing zone), with an in-flight refueling from an airborne tanker on the way back to their FOB at Barksdale AFB. Once on the ground, the team would travel by foot only (there’d be no motor transportation). In the event that the helicopter exfiltra-tioncould not take place, ODA 745 was prepared to conduct a highly classified escape and evasion evolution, and work their way back to friendly lines.80
• Logistics—For DA001, logistics would be a minimal concern. Thanks to the short duration of the mission, there would be no attempt to supply the team while they were on the ground. Team members would carry their allotment of stripped-down MREs and several days’ supply of water. The only real sustenance issue was to locate a good hiding place for the MSS close to potable water. The FOB 72 intelligence staff had suggested several possible MSSs, and the team had determined march routes to each.
• Communications—While ODA 745 did not have to carry a lot of food and water, they were going to lug around a heavy load of communications gear. Along with a man-portable SATCOM set, the team would also have the standard HF radio and a cell phone, in the event of a real-world emergency situation (such as a severe medical problem or personnel injury). For team communications, each team member would be equipped with a Motorola Saber FM radio set. Much of the mission plan depended upon the Saber radios working well, since coordination between the sniper, blocking, and MSS teams would be essential.
• Expected Threat Forces—DA001 was going deep into enemy territory. The flight to Camp Shelby would run over 250 miles/400 km., and the threat of OpFor action was quite real. On the other hand, the terrain was fairly good for the ODA—rolling hills and swampy, stream-laced low areas. These areas were generally overgrown, though there were numerous trails and roads in the target area. Major Benitiz was expected to be found in a small bungalow in a meadow. The bungalow would be surrounded by a personal security force of three to five CLF/PRA soldiers armed with light machine guns and automatic weapons. There was also a platoon (twenty-plus personnel) of enemy soldiers patrolling the area, equipped with mortars and machine guns. Additional troops (sixty-plus) in the area included local forest rangers and Atlantican law enforcement personnel.
• Objectives—The key objective for DA001 would be the elimination (i.e., killing) of Major Benitiz in his bungalow. If possible, the team would assess his condition following the hit, though this was a secondary priority to getting the team to the exfiltration area. ODA 745 was also to assess the progress of Benitiz’s training of the CLF, based on any equipment (KHF-2 chemical mines or chemical warfare garments) that they might encounter during the mission.
• Risk Assessment—Because military operations hardly ever work as planned, planners need to figure out what might go wrong, and then provide appropriate remedies. This is called “risk assessment.” To this end, Captain Greg’s team had evaluated the major mission risks DA001 might encounter. The downside possibilities included events like a helicopter dropping out during the infiltration (in which case a reduced seven-man team would attempt the hit), and “friendly fire” casualties (best avoided by figuring the optimum shoot angles on the target). The bottom line was fairly obvious: DA001 was a high-risk, high-payoff mission, but with good planning, an excellent rehearsal, and the established skills of the team members, it would likely succeed.
It was a solid plan, and Lieutenant Colonel Smith and his staff quickly approved it.
Now the time had come for the team to get some rest, finish packing, and take care of private business.
For me it meant a wait of a day or two until I could observe the hit at Camp Shelby (this would mean a six-hour drive to Mississippi). Until then, I would observe other aspects of the JRTC 99-1 operations.
Wednesday, October 7th—England Airpark, Alexandria, Louisiana
When I arrived at the FOB 72 compound, it was obvious that yesterday’s storms had sent things into the toilet. The weather had forced “pushes” on the launch of DA001 and the parachute infiltrations of SR001 and SR002. (When a delay occurs, the planned operation is “pushed” later in the schedule. Most missions have prearranged “push” points built into the plan in case of weather delays or other uncontrollable events.) These would all be rescheduled to start again that evening.
The morning shift change briefing laid out the new launch plans. To my surprise, the mood in the team rooms continued to be optimistic. For ODA 745, the day’s wait meant extra sleep and a chance to fine-tune the operations plan—though it also meant they would have to move faster than they’d like when they got to Camp Shelby. It took more than bad weather to upset experienced SF soldiers.
After the 0700 briefing, Major McCollum and Lieutenant Colonel Smith made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. There was room on the helicopters for me to accompany ODA 745 on that evening’s infiltration mission. My yes did not come hard.
Meanwhile, Major McCollum and I drove back to the England Airpark where we’d visit the SOCCE (Cortina) coordination team working with the 1/10th Mountain. An hour later, we were at the 1/10th Mountain staging area. The brig
ade was at this point setting off for the JRTC “box,” and the lead elements of truck convoys could be seen heading west toward Fort Polk.
On the way into the staging area, Major McCollum and I had to show our passes several times; the force protection security cordon was extremely tight.
The JTF (Cortina) 1/10th Mountain headquarters were inside a large warehouse at one end of the compound; SOCCE (Cortina) was located at a comer of the warehouse, with plywood walls separating them from the rest of the 1/10th headquarters TOC. The SOCCE (Cortina) team was composed of an ODB/company headquarters team, which had been drawn from 7th SFG. Major David, a 7th SFG company commander, supervised the team with cool efficiency.
As I looked around and asked questions here and there, things seemed pretty quiet. The CA001 mission was still running near Carnis Village, and Major David came and went several times with updates and information for the JTF commander and his staff, but nothing much else seemed to be happening. All around us, the dozen or so SF soldiers assigned to the SOCCE went about their work in near silence.
But an hour later, during a briefing on SOCCE tasking and coordination procedures, things got interesting. At 1430 hours, a message arrived from FOB 72 that the CLF had ambushed the team running CA001 in Carnis Village at 0100 hours. The SF troops had taken heavy casualties and desperately needed relief.
Soon after that, other reports from the Carnis Village constable and World Relief (a team of roleplayers simulating a nongovernmental organization providing civilian relief services) filled in details: The ambush had left seven SF and CA soldiers down; some, it seems, were “dead,” though no one knew how many.
Major David gathered the early fragmentary reports up and headed through the door to the 1/10th TOC to talk to the brigade commander.
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