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Revision as of 00:04, 31 December 2005

File:SFOD-D Patch.jpg

Official Names

1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Airborne)
1st SFOD-D (A)
Combat Applications Group (CAG)

Nicknames

Delta Force
D-boys
Delta boys
Deltas
Delta Operators

Branch

Chain of Command

Description

Versatile Special Operations Force, mainly trained for counter-terrorism.

Readiness

Each squadron can deploy anywhere in the world with 18 hours' notice.

Specializations

Conducting Airborne operations, conducting direct action operations, conducting raids, counter-terrorism, infiltrating and exfiltrating by sea, air or land, intelligence, recovery of personnel and special equipment, support of general purpose forces (GPF).

Headquarters

Insertion date

Reason of creation

Global terrorism.

The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Airborne) (1st SFOD-D (A)), commonly known as Delta within the U.S. Army or Delta Force by the general public, (and known in the Pentagon officially as the Combat Applications Group) is a Special Operations Force (SOF) of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). The force's main task is counter-terrorism, although it is extremely versatile. Delta Force is believed to conduct missions similar to those regularly attributed to the British Special Air Service (SAS), after which Delta Force was modeled, the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), the Israeli Sayeret Matkal, the U.S. Navy's DEVGRU, Germany's GSG-9 and KSK, France's GIGN, the Polish GROM, and other elite counter-terrorism forces worldwide.

Background

The Pentagon controls information about Delta Force tightly and publicly refuses to comment on the secretive unit. Many civilian writers allege that the unit took part in Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue American hostages from the U.S. Embassy in Iran in 1980. The failure being the fault of the Helicopter transporting them and not the unit itself. Hence after the debacle the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) were created to transport Special Forces personnel anywhere.

[1] [2] (PDF files)

Since the 1990s, the Army has posted recruitment notices for the 1st SFOD-D [3] [4] [5] (PDF files), which many believe refers to Delta Force. The Army has never released an official fact sheet for the force, however. [6] [7]

In 1999, writer Mark Bowden published the book ‘Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War’ which chronicles the events that surrounded the October 3, 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. The book, in a short brief, relates Delta Force's involvement in the operations that occurred before the events leading to the battle. The book was later turned into a film by director Ridley Scott in 2001.

Operations

Delta Force is believed to subdivide into three operating squadrons, each of which comprises small groups known as "troops". Each troop specializes in HALO/HAHO, SCUBA, or other skill groups. They can each further divide into smaller units, as needed to fit mission requirements.

Recruitment and training

Contrary to popular belief, Delta Force is believed to recruit its members solely from the Army, usually from the Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and the Rangers. Their main compound stands in a remote area of Fort Bragg, North Carolina and is thought to house about 2,500 personnel. Reports of the compound mention numerous shooting facilities (both for close-quarters battle and longer-range sniping), a dive tank, an Olympic size swimming pool, a huge climbing wall, and a mockup of an airliner.


Potential Delta Force operatives reportedly undergo an extremely tough training regime, which can be assumed to be similar to the Army Special Forces Q-course and British SAS selection process.

Delta Force in modern conflicts

One of several operations in which Delta Force operators are thought to have played important roles was the invasion of Iraq in 2003. [8] (PDF file) They allegedly entered Baghdad in advance, along with SEALs from DEVGRU, building networks of informants while eavesdropping on and sabotaging Iraqi communication lines.

In addition, the force was involved in the offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2002. [9] In particular, many observers strongly suspect that members of Delta Force made up one of two units involved in a raid on a residence belonging to Mullah Omar. According to The Pentagon, the level of resistance to that operation was minimal.

The Mullah was not present, but some papers and computer disks were said to have been seized in the raid. Critics later alleged that the second unit was unnecessary, claiming that it was very large and uncoordinated. As a result, they say, the defenders were alerted early and the number of friendly casualties was in fact higher than reported. According to the book Shadow Wars by David Pugliese, Delta Operatives wanted a quiet insertion method which was denied as command opted for a combined Ranger Assault. Apparently Taliban fighters ambushed the team when they were extracting and several Delta Operatives were severely wounded.

Delta Force operators are granted an enormous amount of flexibility and autonomy, as with their Navy counterpart, DEVGRU. They reportedly do not maintain any general uniformed presence and civilian clothing is the norm on or off duty while at Ft. Bragg. This is done to conceal the identities of these "secret soldiers". Uniforms are rarely worn, if at all, with any markings, names or branch names on them. Hair styles and facial hair are allowed to grow to civilian standards in order for the force to be able to blend in and not be immediately recognized as military personnel.

This special status that sets the force apart from the "regular army" is depicted quite accurately in the movie Black Hawk Down. The Army Rangers in the film, elite by their own right, have the standard "high and tight" haircuts, yet the Delta Force operators are seen to be sporting much longer styles with side burns, unshaven faces, and non-military issue helmets and boots from an REI store.

According to Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, Delta Force team members are typically referred to by other personnel only as "D-Boys" or "Operators." Also, the book mentions that they hold little regard for rank within their force, and refer to one another only by nicknames.

Operations

Famous Delta Force operators


See also

References

  1. Schlosta, Matthew. Delta Force recruiting special forces operators on post next week. Fort Huachuca, Arizona: The Fort Huchuaca Scout. November 13, 2003.
  2. Mountaineer. SFOD-D seeking new members. Fort Carson, Colorado: Mountaineer (publication). January 16, 2003.
  3. McGregor, James. Special mission recruiters look for elite to take up challenge. United States Marine Corps: Okinawa Marines (newspaper). June 28, 2002.
  4. Hasenauer, Heike. A Special Kind of Hero. United States Army Publishing Agency: Soldiers. November 1995. Volume 50, No 11.
  5. Eric Haney, former Delta Commando and founding member, 1979-1988, Inside Delta Force
  6. Robinson, Linda, Masters of Chaos: The Secret History of the Special Forces
  7. National Geographic Documentary: Road to Baghdad
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