Recently, a Combat Diver Special Forces team had the opportunity to make a special dive inside a mountain base used by the Space Force.
A 10th Special Forces Group dive team went into the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, in Colorado, and dived to access the Complex’s reservoirs.
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is a Space Force base that houses several capabilities, ranging from electronic surveillance to missile defense to aerospace operations. In addition, the Complex serves as the alternate headquarters for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Air Force Space Command and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), which are headquartered nearby at Peterson Air Force Base.
The Complex is designed to operate independently from outside help, so the condition of its reservoirs has to be perfect.
“They originally contracted with a civilian company to get this done,” said the 10th Special Forces Group’s Dive Life Support Maintenance Facility’s officer in charge in a press release. “My brother, an Air Force Logistical Officer tasked to the Space Force, recommended they get in contact with (us) to do it for free.”
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex has three reservoirs with water for different purposes, such as cooling generators and expelling exhaust.
The Special Forces dive team accessed the structural integrity of the reservoirs to ensure that they didn’t need maintenance.
“Dive operations don’t happen very often in special forces,” added the Special Forces officer. “This was a good chance for us to go out and showcase our capabilities as a legitimate maritime force within (Special Operations Command) to actually do a real world mission. It’s not infiltrating into enemy country or territory, but it was a chance for us to show everyone that we do have this capability and it’s important to keep the capability within the Special Forces community.”
Green Berets operate in Special Forces Operational Detachment Alphas (ODA), 12-man teams, and specialize in Unconventional warfare and foreign internal defense, among other tasks.
There are four types of ODAs in each Special Forces Group that specialize in different insertion methods. There are dive teams, who specialize in maritime and underwater operations; there are mobility teams, who operate several different vehicle platforms; there are military freefall teams, who master high altitude high opening (HAHO) and high altitude low opening (HALO) parachuting; and there are mountain teams, who specialize in alpine and arctic warfare.
The 10th SFG dive teams are cold-water dive teams, meaning that they specialize in cold-weather maritime special operations. Their focus on cold-weather operations stems from the 10th SFG’s area of responsibility, which is Europe.
The last years have been hard on the Special Forces combat diver capability. The wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, where the opportunities for underwater operations are limited, meant that the combat diver capability was somewhat shunned. Dive teams had to fight tooth and nail for basic funding, and training opportunities were few and far between. Indeed, some dive teams were hard-pressed to maintain their dive status, which requires a few dives per year.
Despite the drawdown from the wars in the Middle East, dive teams across the Special Forces Regiment are still experiencing difficulties. To be sure, the situation varies from Group to Group, but a common thread regardless of unit is the lack of understanding, and thus of appreciating, the capability’s potential.
In response to Mr. Calliari, I was a combat dive team commander in 5th & 12th SFG (A). The army dive regulations specifically EXEMPT special operations divers from ALL Army diving regulation requirements so you can rest easy and know that SF Combat Divers can do ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, without having to be concerned with such trivia (not that we ever worried about such BS anyway). Thanks for thinking of our welfare though…. we’ve got this!
Don’t forget the Stargate program also operates out of the same facility.
This is completely outside the METL for SF dive teams. They’re training to conduct combat diving operations and that is it. The Army does have engineer Diver’s (MOS 21D) who are trained specifically for this task; and they too could have completed this work for FREE. Had this operation resulted in an accident, you can bet the diving officer would have been brought up on charges like so many of our Navy counterparts who have engaged in similar operations that are not within the scope of a given MOS or METL.
Are there any 21D folks stationed at Ft. Carson? If not, they would have to be brought in (TDY) so there would have been a cost. This SF team appears to be based at Ft. Carson so it was just a drive over to the CMC for the task.
Sounds like you are a butt-hurt, regulation quoting, paper pushing, pencil-neck geek. No wonder no one likes you. Get in the corner a color, adults are talking.
I was a civilian PADI qualified SCUBA Open Water Diver in my younger days and made several ocean dives. Most METL’s go out the windon when the balloon goes up. There are under 100 U.S. soldiers witht the PMOS of 21D. 76 was the very dated number that I remember back in the 1980’s when I still played soldier. CBT Diving SFOD-A’s have in the past been used for personnel and equipment recovery, basic ship husbandry, limpit mine hull searches, etc. Cbt Diving as both a way infiltrate, exfiltrate and conduct SR/DA missions. Maritime Teams with MARS Boats and Klepper Boats differ from true Combat Diving Teams. SF ODA’s really only need 3 teams per group and not 9 plus. Combat Diving is a distraction from Army Land Missions. I have been in a SF Grp’s diving locker once when I was on official Army business. I interviewed the NCOIC on a matter unrelated to diving. Maintaining a Dive Locker in anything smaller than a Group or Brigade is differcult when you consider you are under Naval Diving Regulations and subject to inspection yearly. Ranger Battalions no longer maintain a Cbt Diving capability at that level. The Ranger Regiment does maintain a Cbt Diving capability at Benning. This is most likely in conjunction with the Ranger Training Brigade. Does SF really need Cbt Diving Teams? It is a capability and represents a commitment to combat or enemies in any environment we chose to fight them in.
Replaced. Used to be on public domain, though (3/20th official IG).
Gotta love C.Springs!
Also: LOOK UP👆⬆️🔼🌟✨🛸🚀😱
Always good to see you Stavros!
Cheers, Max!
Excellent article I enjoyed reading about our special forces confirming the safety of the resources in the mountain. Great use of our homegrown resources.