Task Force 121

Task Force 121 is an example of the United States' 'Joint Task Force' concept of conducting special operations. TF121 is a multi-service force commanded by U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Gregory L. Trebon. The spearhead of the force is a forty-man team made up of operators from the U.S. Army's Delta Force, U.S. Army's INSCOM intelligence unit , the U.S. Navy's DEVGRU, the U.S. Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, the CIA's Special Activities Division, and the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (a.k.a. SOAR, Nightstalkers.) Other Special Operations contributions will include U.S. Air Force Combat Controllers, and U.S. Air Force Pararescue. On occasions, operators from Coalition nations (particularly British and Australian SAS, Norwegian Marinejegerkommandoen, Canadian JTF2 and Polish GROM operators) augment the TF121 and provide direct and indirect operational assistance.

Deployment

TF121 is a combination of the now defunct Task Force 5 and Task Force 20, which operated in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively. Acting on the apparent logistic redundancy of keeping two separate task force teams for Iraq and Afghanistan, General John Abizaid decided to combine both teams into a single streamlined force, forming the TF121.^{[citation needed]}

Mission

TF121's primary mission is the apprehension of "High Value Targets" or HVTs: key figures in organizations involved in the War on Terror, such as Osama bin Laden, Mullah Mohammed Omar and other senior leaders of Al Qaeda, Taliban and high ranking officials of the former Iraqi Regime.^{[citation needed]}

The task force has been organized in such a way that it has a close relationship with intelligence personnel (CIA operators are an integral part of the unit) and has timely and unhindered access to any relevant data gathered by intelligence assets in the area. Such an option is invaluable to any Special Operations team, and especially so to one whose primary mission is hunting elusive fugitives whose hideouts change frequently and randomly.^{[citation needed]}

Many TF121 groups are assigned Special Forces CIRA (Communications Intelligence Reconnaissance and Action) operators with expertise in relevant fields. These operators work closely with the intelligence agencies tied to TF121 and work to pinpoint and identify HVTs aggressively.

Achievements

On 21 July 2003, Saddam's sons Hussein and Qusay were killed in a firefight with TF20 operators and soldiers from 101st Airborne. On the 13 December 2003, Operation Red Dawn netted HVT #1, Saddam Hussein. After intelligence narrowed down the target to two possible locations, TF121 coordinated the raid with 600 soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team and Apache Troop 1-1 Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division. The original team was made up primarily of several elite soldiers from various branches. The team leader, Lt. Richard Van Patten, a brilliant strategist and successful corporate executive who has since retired. Was able to choose several members from the Seals, Rangers, and Marine special forces members. This group which operated mainly from 1979 through the early 1990's. Van Patten lead his elite team through several conflicts. Including Bosnia, Afghanistan (in the 80's), Somalia, Nigeria, Angola, and other unspecified or highly classified geographical locations. They since disbanded due to the significant loss of life and moral issues. They have been either reassigned to other duties. Or moved on to successful civilian careers or general life. Most are sworn to classified material and are unable to discuss missions openly. Some members even today continue to contract through many of military branches. The new TF 121 has operated in and around Afghanistan and Pakistan.^{[citation needed]}

Detainee abuse

According to an internal army investigation leaked to the Washington Post, Task Force 121 was responsible for the illegal abuse of detainees in secret interrogation facilities in Iraq. In 2006, after the unit had changed its name to Task Force 6-26, a Human Rights Watch report recorded evidence of continued abuse, including beatings and waterboarding.

Cultural references

• Groove Games' Combat:Task Force 121
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, includes a top secret joint operations task force named "Task Force 141." The primary purpose of the video game's organization, as in its supposed real life counterpart, is to take on and either kill or capture high priority individuals.
• The Colbert Report used Task Force 121 as an example of a "secret" task force in its television episode airing on 27 September 2010.

See also

• Articles on later incarnations of the same unit, Task Force 145 and Task Force 6-26.
• Good informative article on JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command) http://www.specialoperations.com/Units/JSOC/default2.htm