Green Berets take on spy duties

Hoss68 · 09-09-2004, 16:52

By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The Pentagon will start using the Army's storied Green Berets as spies in addition to their traditional combat roles.

The training is part of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's overall goal of developing more "actionable intelligence" to find terrorists. Some senior Pentagon officials also believe Green Berets, officially called Special Forces, can do a better job than the CIA in preparing the battle space for insertion of Green Beret "A-Teams."

In all, the new spy training will enable more Green Berets to enter countries undercover to survey urban or rural settings and set up networks of informants, missions normally executed by CIA paramilitaries. There are also plans to put them under diplomatic cover at U.S. embassies abroad, according to military sources.

Fort Bragg, N.C., home to U.S. Army Special Operations Command, opened an intelligence-training school in 1986 for a select few Green Berets. They would in turn train other A-Team members in intelligence techniques.

Now, the Army is quietly opening a second intelligence training center at Fort Lewis, Wash., near Tacoma, home to the 1st Special Forces Group.

"You're not supposed to know what they do," said a military source of the planned training site. "They say it's an advanced intelligence course. It's kind of like the 'Farm' in Virginia," referring to the CIA training center for the clandestine service. With two schools, the Army will at least double the number of intelligence-savvy Green Berets and broaden their skills in intelligence collection and preparing the battle space.

The courses now focus on how to create a network of sources and then plan meetings that do not endanger the informant's life. Soldiers are also taught how to handle money that is paid to informants.

According to several military sources, the Green Berets will undergo far more extensive training. They asked that the exact name of the course not be disclosed.

Soldiers quote Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Lambert, the former commander of Army Special Operations Command, as saying intelligence training was a key to success in Afghanistan,where Green Beret teams organized and led anti-Taliban locals.

Sources described the more sophisticated intelligence training as a top priority of U.S. Special Operations Command (SoCom) in Tampa, Fla. Mr. Rumsfeld has given SoCom new powers to plan and execute kill-or-capture missions against terrorists. To do it, SoCom needs intelligence on where al Qaeda operatives are hiding. The hope is that broader training and deployment of Green Berets is one more step toward that goal.

The secretary also created the Pentagon's first-ever undersecretary of defense for intelligence who has met with SoCom officers to coordinate and improve military intelligence collection.

"For too long, the shooters have left intel for the spooks to do," a Pentagon official said. "Our philosophy is: Everybody's an intelligence agent."

The end result, this official said, is that Green Berets will play a larger role in preparing the battle space a chore largely left up to CIA officers and paramilitaries.

Such preparation involves the insertion of small teams into a denied area to recruit agents and setting up landing zones and safe houses.

A confidential briefing chart obtained by The Washington Times shows the Pentagon's thinking on having Green Berets perform preparation of the battle space. The Green Berets would recruit locals who would help them infiltrate the country, and arrange transportation and shelter for soldiers, and organize the local resistance.

The CIA would "gain access to protected information" and conduct covert operations.

One benefit of having the Green Berets do battle space preparation is that it would not require the administration to submit a "finding" or notification to Congress.

Under Title 50 of the U.S. code, which controls CIA operations, the administration would have to notify Congress if the agency took on that mission.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/nati...23000-1473r.htm

Snowden · 09-09-2004, 18:08

Most interesting, Hoss. Really, if we retain our sovreignty, this should be a lot better than the CIA, I think. For one thing, aren't the Green Berets more able to defend themselves than most people?

JohnRN · 09-09-2004, 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowden

For one thing, aren't the Green Berets more able to defend themselves than most people?

Here's what my brother said when I posed a similar question over rumours of Commandos operating in Kashmir ::

"The best men? What do you mean "men"?" he half joked. "Those aren't men. They aren't machines. They are supernatural, ethreal beings. They come and go as they please, nonchalantly passing through layered defence in depth and then carrying out their jobs to be back in time for tea and busicuts".

and then he added ...

"Ofcourse, I'm not saying that they are better than my boys, but just different"

I always thought that Spec Ops were good at intelligence gathering as part of good offensive/defensive tactics. Is this more related to making them better spooks?

I dunno. My Brother taught me the essential difference between a troop and a spook. To a spook, security is secrecy and compartmentalisation. To a troop, security is a bunkered machine gun loaded with ammo and a clear field of fire.

Woodmonkey · 09-09-2004, 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoss68

The CIA would "gain access to protected information" and conduct covert operations.

I would hope. All of our agencies need to be sharing information. That was one of the issues that helped the terrorists succeed on 9-11.

Quote:

One benefit of having the Green Berets do battle space preparation is that it would not require the administration to submit a "finding" or notification to Congress.

Under Title 50 of the U.S. code, which controls CIA operations, the administration would have to notify Congress if the agency took on that mission.

Ok, I'm confused here. Does this mean there will be no oversight by Congress at all?

Woodmonkey · 09-09-2004, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowden

Most interesting, Hoss. Really, if we retain our sovreignty, this should be a lot better than the CIA, I think. For one thing, aren't the Green Berets more able to defend themselves than most people?

Marianne, I'm confused about what you mean by retaining our sovereignty. The Green Berets are a very well trained force. Don't know how that would relate to spying though. Hopefully, we'll get more info on this.

Hoss68 · 09-09-2004, 19:02

Qualifications

To become part of the Army’s Green Berets, you need to be mentally and physically tough, endure difficult training and face all challenges head-on. In addition to that, you must:

Be a male, age 18-30 (Special Forces positions are not open to women)
Be a U.S. citizen
Be a high school diploma graduate
Achieve a General Technical score of 110 or higher and a combat operation score of 98 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
Qualify for a secret security clearance.
Qualify and volunteer for Airborne training
Take Defense Language Aptitude Battery or Defense Language Proficiency Test
Achieve a minimum of 60 points on each event and overall minimum score of 229 on the Army Physical Fitness Test

Primary Missions

Special Forces Soldiers are either on a real-world mission or training for one. Their missions are conducted worldwide and are sometimes classified. They range from Counterterrorism missions to humanitarian efforts to Unconventional Warfare.

COUNTERTERRORISM
Special Forces are often deployed to preclude, preempt and resolve terrorist incidents abroad. They prevent, deter and respond to terrorist activities and train other nations' military in the basics of fighting terrorism.

DIRECT ACTION
Direct Action missions are short duration strikes that are used when Special Forces want to seize, capture, recover or destroy enemy weapons and information or recover designated personnel or material.

FOREIGN INTERNAL DEFENSE
This mission is used to organize, assist and train the military and national defense forces of foreign governments to protect their citizens from aggressors.

SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE
These intelligence-gathering activities monitor as much about the enemy's movement and operations as possible.

UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE
Special Forces have long employed the use of Unconventional Warfare (UW), a.k.a. guerilla warfare, to train, equip, advise and assist forces in enemy-held or controlled territory.

Training

As a member of the Army’s Special Forces you will find strength you never knew you had. The road to get there has a number of unique challenges. All Green Berets go through the same basic training as enlisted Soldiers, but are given other opportunities for special training, including Airborne School. For the first time in many years the Army is recruiting civilians to join the U.S. Special Forces.

This is a 30-day course taught at Fort Bragg is designed to help Soldiers prepare for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection course. It focuses on physical training and one of the most important skills a SF Soldier can have—land navigation. This course does not guarantee you will pass the Special Forces Assessment/Assignment and Selection (SFAS).

This is 24 days of training like you’ve never experienced. And it’s all about survival. Your intelligence, agility and resourcefulness will all be tested. If you make it, you can continue on to the SF Qualification Course.

The SFQC consists of five phases (II-VI). If you complete this training, you will be a Special Forces Soldier, one of the Army’s experts in Unconventional Warfare.

The individual skill phase (II) consists of land navigation, small unit tactics and live-fire training.

During the MOS training phase (III) you will be instructed on your specialty skills, which will be based on your background, aptitude and desires.

This phase (IV) consists of Special Forces doctrine and organization, Unconventional Warfare operations, Direct Action operations, methods of instruction and both Airborne and airmobile operations. You will deploy to the Uwarrie National Forest, North Carolina, for an Unconventional Warfare exercise. There you will perform as a member of an Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA). Your specialty and common skills will be evaluated.

Language training (phase V) is a key phase of the qualification course. Proficiency in at least one foreign language is part of being a Green Beret. Arabic, Spanish, Chinese and Russian are just some of the languages learned.

The Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) course will end your training in the SFQC (phase VI).

As an SF Soldier, you might receive training that completely immerses you in another culture. You’ll learn to be fluent in that country’s language, customs and traditions, becoming a virtual citizen of that country.

Team Members

Going unnoticed during their missions is critical for Green Berets. It's important for them to be organized in small, highly trained groups. This way they get things done in a quick and effective manner.

Special Forces groups are organized in small teams of 12 men—a.k.a. Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA). A typical Green Berets Team structure usually consists of two each of the following: Weapons Sergeants, Communications Sergeants, Medical Sergeants and Engineering Sergeants. A Commander, Assistant Commander (Warrant Officer), Operations/Intelligence Sergeant and Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) complete the team. These teams can change according to the type of mission.

Each Soldier in an ODA is specially trained and cross-trained in different disciplines. See below for a brief job description for each ODA team member.

SPECIAL FORCES OFFICER (COMMANDER) (18A)
Each ODA needs a team leader on missions. The 18A is a Commander (Captain) responsible for mission organization, outfitting the team and debriefing the mission objectives.

WARRANT OFFICER/ASSISTANT DETACHMENT COMMANDER (180A)
To back up the 18A leading the team, the 180A acts as the Assistant Detachment Commander. He prepares to take the lead whenever the Captain is absent or non-functional, or if a mission calls for the ODA to be split in two teams

WEAPONS SERGEANT (18B)
Special Forces Weapons Sergeants are the weapons specialists. They’re capable of operating and maintaining a wide variety of U.S., Allied and other foreign weaponry. Some of your tasks might include maintaining proficiency with all foreign high-density light and heavy weapons; selecting weapons placements and sites; assigning targets and areas of fire.

ENGINEERING SERGEANT (18C)
Special Forces Engineering Sergeants are specialists across a wide range of disciplines. Some of your tasks may include working in demolitions, explosives, land and water navigation duties, field fortification, bridging, rigging, reconnaissance and sabotage operations.

MEDICAL SERGEANT (18D)
Special Forces Medical Sergeants are considered to be the finest first-response/trauma medical technicians in the world. Though they’re primarily trained with an emphasis on trauma medicine, they also have working knowledge of dentistry, veterinary care, public sanitation, water quality and optometry.

COMMUNICATIONS SERGEANT (18E)
Special Forces Communications Sergeants operate every kind of communications gear, from encrypted satellite communications systems to old-style, high-frequency (HF) Morse Code systems. They also have serious computer/networking skills and know several computer languages.

ASSISTANT OPERATIONS/INTELLIGENCE NCO (18F)
Since many SF missions require being behind the lines in hostile areas, each team is given an 18F Intelligence Specialist. The 18F collects and evaluates information for transmission, and supplies vital data on the enemy.

OPERATIONS SERGEANT (18Z)
The Operations Sergeant is responsible for the overall organization, functionality and training of an SF team. He makes sure the team is outfitted correctly and supports the ODA commander (18A).

http://www.goarmy.com/special_forces/equipment.jsp

http://www.goarmy.com/special_forces/helicopters.jsp