Preparing to foil a possible highjacking in Miami with the Delta Force

My standard workday was over as I casually bounced a basketball across the court and shot a few sloppy baskets. It had been a hard day of physical training and I aimed to just get a light physical shakeout, mainly stretching my overburdened frame. The sound of the basketball brought my troop leader to the gym door:

“Christ, I”m glad someone is still here today. There’s a situation come up and we are in need of a man to fly to Miami, a possible highjacking at the International. Most everyone is gone by this time Friday evening; looks like you are it, Geo.”

I was going to run ahead of the assault force and prepare the ground for it. I was told to change into a suit and pack light for a one-week trip. Flight tickets to Miami were issued from Finance along with $1,500 per diem allowance. I was given information for a point of contact and called him up immediately as I waited to leave to catch my flight.

My POC was a God-send. It was almost like he had worked with the Unit before. He asked very few questions, all of them right and pertinent.

“What do you need to go operational?” my point of contact asked me.

We needed open floor space to build up our assault force – space in the back of a maintenance bay, out of sight of the general workforce of the airport. Office space for the Unit Commander and his command team was desirable, but not a necessity. We also needed a simple six-seater conveyance for use around the airport.

Finally, we needed two large transport trucks to position the assault force at their launch point; from our experience, we had found out that airline catering trucks worked well for this function.

Typically things did not got at all that smoothly right in the beginning. However, this time, I was riding a streak of good fortune and my airport POC was really on the ball. Close to my time to leave for Fayetteville Airport my POC called with a tentative confirmation that we would have the use of a full-size charter moving van to get ourselves where we wanted to be at the airport, and there was a dedicated building for our assault force to use. Things actually couldn’t have been going any better.

Knowing the assault force was soon going to be notified to report in, my phone rang – it was my officer:

“Geo, there is some noise going around about a possible deployment to Florida – just be by your pager and ready for anything.”

“Rgr, man… I already got notified to run ahead of the assault force and perform the advance operations role. I have tickets to fly out ASAP. I’m on my way to the airport now.”

“OK, good luck and do us right!”

Related: Danger, Mines! Delta Force misadventures in Bosnia

That was it, and I was off heading for my car dressed in my suit and carrying a modest bag of personal belongings. Through my windshield I spied my officer as he leaned out the door and waved at me. He was no doubt wishing me a bon voyage… but, no!

“Stand down, Geo… the whole affair was just a false alarm – a misunderstanding. Go home and have a great weekend!”

Well, if that wasn’t a great big fat no shi**er. I changed out of my business suit and back into my exercise gear. I headed to the gym dribbling the same basket ball down the court.

I was put in mind of an old adage: a job characterized by long bouts of boredom punctuated with sudden bursts of sheer terror. Such was my job… minus the long bouts of boredom.

By Almighty God and with Honor,
geo sends

Feature Image: Delta Force members train in counter-highjacking scenarios. (Photo courtesy of author)

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