DELTA FORCE

 "Delta Force," officially known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), is one of the U.S. special missions units primarily focused on the counter-terrorism mission.  SFOD-Delta has been through a few name changes over the years, and even though it will likely always be known as SFOD–Delta, it was recently renamed the Combat Applications Group (CAG) and is now officially known as Army Compartmented Elements (ACE).Though Delta Force is primarily a tier-one counter-terrorist unit, specifically directed to kill or capture high value units (HVU) or dismantle terrorist cells, Delta Force remains extremely flexible and can engage in direct action missions, hostage rescues, and covert missions working directly with the Central Intelligence Agency, as well as high ranking protective services of our senior leaders during visits in war torn countries.  Delta is under operational control of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) though administratively supported by the Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).Delta Force History.Compared to our nation's military history, Delta is relatively young, having been formed in 1977 by its first commander, Colonel Charles Beckwith. With the growing threat of terrorism around the world,Beckwith saw a need for a precision strike force within the Army after working with the British Special Air Service (SAS) in the early 1970's.  Beckwith was tasked to form the new unit and pulled largely from the Special Forces Groups.  The type of missions the SFOD-Delta has been involved with over the past few decades are classified but some have been de-classified and noted publicly in media reports and books written by Delta Operators.  Here is a list of several of the declassified engagements: Operation Eagle Claw - In 1980, during the Iran Hostage Crisis a failed attempt at a rescue due to aviation equipment/operator error led to the death of eight Americans;as a result the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment was created.

Weapons

                                                                  colt M4 commando

                                                                Glock pistol

                                                            
                                                                  Berret M9
         
 

Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada prisoner rescue from the Richmond Hill prison.

Operation Just Cause - Panama invasion to capture Noriega and protect some 35,000 Americans living in Panama.

Gulf War - Iraq invades Kuwait and the US-led alliance defeats Saddam Hussein and his Army, pushing them back into Iraq.

Operation Gothic Serpent - Part of the Battle of Mogadishu (1993) where U.S. helicopters were shot down and two Delta Operators SFC Randall Shughart and MSG Gary Gordon were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for their efforts that day.

War in Afghanistan -Within a month of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Special Forces operators aided in defeating and dismantling the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Battle of Tora Bora - A massive joint engagement to kill or capture Osama bin Laden.

Operation Red Dawn - Locating and capturing Saddam Hussein.

Countless Hostage Rescues around the world

selection

Eric Haney's book Inside Delta Force described the selection course and its inception in detail. Haney wrote that the selection course began with standard tests including push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile (3.2 km) run, an inverted crawl and a 100-meter swim fully dressed. The candidates are then put through a series of land navigation courses to include an 18-mile (29 km), all-night land navigation course while carrying a 40-pound (18 kg) rucksack. The rucksack's weight and the distance of the courses are increased and the time standards to complete the task are shortened with every march. The physical testing ended with a 40-mile (64 km) march with a 45-pound (20 kg) rucksack over rough terrain that had to be completed in an unknown amount of time. Haney wrote that only the senior officer and NCO in charge of selection are allowed to see the set time limits, but all assessment and selection tasks and conditions were set by Delta training cadre.The mental portion of the testing began with numerous psychological exams.The men then went in front of a board of Delta instructors, unit psychologists, and the Delta commander, who each ask the candidate a barrage of questionsand then dissect every response and mannerism of the candidate with the purpose to mentally exhaust the candidate. The unit commander then approaches the candidate and tells him if he has been selected. If an individual is selected for Delta, he undergoes an intense 6-month Operator Training Course (OTC), to learn counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence techniques, in which the individual maintains little contact with friends and family for the duration. Training includes firearm accuracy and various other munitions training.In a recent interview, former Delta operator Paul Howe talked about the high attrition rate of his Delta selection course. He said that out of his two classes totaling 240 men, only 12 to 14 candidates completed the course.

Training

The trainees shoot without aiming at stationary targets at close range until they gain almost complete accuracy, then progress to moving targets.Once these shooting skills are perfected, trainees move to a shooting house and clear rooms of "enemy" targets – first one only, then two at a time, three, and finally four. When all can demonstrate sufficient skill, "hostages" are added to the mix.Trainees learn how to pick many different locks, including those on cars and safes.Advanced demolition, and bomb making using common materials.The new Delta operators use demolition and marksmanship at the shoothouse and other training facilities to train for hostage and counter-terrorist operations with assault and sniper troops working together. They practice terrorist or hostage situations in buildings, aircraft, and other settings.All trainees learn how to set sniper positions around a building containing hostages. They learn the proper ways to set up a  TOC and communicate in an organized manner. Although Delta has specialized sniper troops, all members go through this training.The students then go back to the shoothouse and the "hostages" are replaced with other students and Delta Force members. Live ammunition is known to have been used in these exercises, to test the students, and build trust between one another.Students learn different espionage-related skills

Logo 

                            "These are the precincts of pain. A goddess lives here. Her name is victory."