Many military-themed stories these days say that the U.S. military is too weak, too woke, and can’t stand up to its near-peer adversaries China and Russia. I would tell them to check out our Special Operations Forces (SOF).
Our SOF warriors have done more than their share of the deployments during the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). This past week, I accompanied Col. (ret) Stu Bradin, who runs the Global SOF Foundation (GSOF) to Camp Bull Simons at Eglin Air Force Base to visit our old unit, the 7th Special Forces Group. Bradin and I were on the same SF A-Team in 3/7 SFG, A-775 in Panama. We were joined by Phil Anderson, who is considered one of the top lobbyists in Washington by The Hill.
The 7th SFG commander, Colonel Kevin Trujillo, and his staff pulled out all the stops for the three of us visiting the home of the group. But it was the troops who were the most impressive. Everyone we met was a true professional. They were motivated, extremely knowledgeable, and looked like professional athletes. The 7th SFG has the highest retention rate of all of SOCOM.
We met with the commander in his office, and the four of us discussed the Child Development Center (CDC) which remains the biggest obstacle to readiness for the Group’s soldiers. We then moved to the Group Conference Room for a presentation on the Special Forces missions and a breakdown of the different MOSs.
Top-rate facilities
The SF compound on Camp Bull Simons is a great home to the Group. Although it is about a 45-minute drive from the main base at Eglin AFB, it is set up perfectly to fill the needs of the unit.
All four line battalions and the Group’s Support Battalion are located next to each other making the support personnel easily available for any need that arises. (Most special operations require non-SOF support. SOF Truths)
The Group is surrounded by training areas and ranges. The compound also has an indoor shooting range and an indoor shoot house for A-Teams to train up prior to deploying on missions.
Drop zones are right nearby at Camp Rudder, home of the 6th Ranger Training Battalion. While the facilities are well north of the main Air Force base, there are very few distractions to take away from the training.
The compound’s Human Performance Training Center is much more than a gym. The center has professional trainers who train Green Berets prior to deployments based on the mission profile. They even have the operators wear masks that limit their oxygen intake to simulate working at altitude. Having worked at altitude in Mexico and Colombia (8,000 feet above sea level) and in the Andean Ridge (13,000+), I can attest to this practice’s value.
The outstanding 7th SFG Dining Facility (DFAC) won the 1st Special Forces Command (A) Phillip A. Connelly Award for best DFAC among the Special Forces groups on December 8, 2022. The Group has nutritionists on the staff to help the operators attain and keep peak fitness.
Related: Dignity and Respect: An exclusive look at how the Army is training drill sergeants for a new era
Helicopters galore and A-Team missions
After getting a chance to put a few rounds downrange in the indoor shooting range courtesy of some outstanding NCOs from B/3/7 (cordite is still better than any aroma therapy), we joined the group staff at their dining facility.
Next up we headed to Hurlbert Field where the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers) had several of their aircraft supporting A-Teams which were conducting very realistic training missions in Camp Shelby, MS, and Fort Benning, GA.
The most impressive of the aircraft there was the newest MH-47 which is configured for Special Operations. This new aircraft is an impressive airframe for Special Operations. The pilot of the aircraft said he had 4,700 flying hours, of which 75% of which were combat time. That is impressive.
A number of other helicopters, including the MH-6 “Little Birds,”, MH-60s troop carriers, and the MH-60 DAP (Direct Action Penetrator) that contains a variety of weapons systems that can support operators on the ground, was also in the field.
The SF company commander and sergeant-major conducting the training allowed us to attend the mission profile. The teams had conducted a direct-action mission the night before at Camp Shelby and were preparing for a mission that night in Fort Benning. Professionalism and preparation were everywhere on the site. All of our questions were answered and we had some great conversations with the officers and NCOs about their experience, education, and the equipment they were using.
Related: Breaking out of a POW camp on a Russian helicopter
Gone to the dogs
No trip would be complete without visiting the most underrated operators in Special Operations… the military working dogs.
The SF working dogs have a nice working kennel on the base. The troops and dog handlers met and spoke to us, giving us some of their own experiences before taking us all into the kennel to meet the dogs. As soon as the large group entered, the dogs’ enthusiasm and alertness were off the scale.
The handlers took one female Malinois out on the obstacle/agility course and put her through her paces — and she had such an impressive burst.
They then put her in a building where there were almost 20 PVC tubes sticking through the walls. In one of the tubes, there was a scent of explosives. The dog found the explosive-scented tube very quickly and alerted the handler. These dogs are amazing.
While the military is preparing for a new Cold War with Russia and China by getting ready for a conventional conflict, what’s transpiring in Ukraine should give all of the bad actors time to pause.
A conventional conflict can absolutely happen, but the chances of that happening are very low. The conflicts in the near future will continue to be irregular warfare scenarios. And the 7th SFG Green Berets are more than ready, along with the rest of SOCOM warriors to handle the next challenges that our country will face.
It is refreshing to see such dedicated, professional troops. Too weak? Too woke? Not a chance. DOL
Feature Image: Members of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conduct maritime, medical, and direct-action training on Camp “Bull” Simons, Fla., Dec. 8, 2021. (US Army photo by SPC Aaron Schaeper)
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Cheery picking like this scarcely settles the question the article promises to address. Heck 5 out of 6 players agree Russian Roulette isnt so dangerous. Same illogic here: Tom says Army is broke. Dick finds a part that isnt and tells all us Harrys ‘False alarm！’ Have some pride. If you need to write kiss-bu** articles, ok. Just dont make it a French-kiss
Great that SOF is up to snuff. However, it’s the rest of the Army that has to close with the enemy, then take and hold the ground. Recruiting and retention is a major problem. With the current climate in the services, would you recommend to friends or family that a young person raise their right hand? My son was an Infantry officer(Captain when he separated). He told me if he was considering joining today he would pass.