CIA

Why do Navy SEALs hate the SCAR?

For many of us from the conventional side of the military (or who never served at all) the FN Scar tends to carry with it a certain appeal. As a rifle designed specifically for Special Operations troops (SCAR actually stands for Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle), it’s hard not to look at the jagged angles of the rifle and bulky 7.62×51 magazines with a sense of envy. There we were carrying around our M4s (or often in my era, M16 A4s) chambered solely in 5.56, baby faced and feeling awfully standard issue, when a group of Special Operations bubbas came strolling by with slung SCARs and the sort of beards that could intimidate a bear. In our minds, everything about that life just seemed better. Better training, better grooming standards, and of course, better guns.

But maybe that’s not the case after all. If you’ve spent some time rolling rounds through a SCAR, you might have responded like I did my first few times firing one: by assuming your issues with the platform must have been operator error. Try as I might, I just couldn’t get to liking the SCAR chambered in 7.62 or 5.56, but because I’d seen it in the hands of so many prolific war fighters, I figured any issues I had with the platform must have been a result on my lack of familiarity with it. Sure, it occasionally misfeeds, it’s loud enough to hurt your ears through cheap ear protection at an indoor range, and I would hate to try to clear a house with such a long weapon (standard barrel)… but it’s hard to shake the assumption that it’s not the rifle that’s the problem, it’s got to be the shooter.

Over the years, I’ve spoken to a fair number of special operations veterans that shared my distaste for the SCAR (but with operational experience to pull from, rather than just being a range cowboy with it like I was), and I came to appreciate that despite lacking in the high speed training allotted to SOCOM’s best, a bad feed is still a bad feed, and provided you’re not putting pressure on the magazine or otherwise mishandling the weapon, the fault tends to fall squarely on the platform, not the shooter, when it tries to cram two rounds into the chamber at once.

So, maybe that’s why I enjoyed this video from Vigilance Elite so much — because it features shooters more qualified than myself nit picking the SCAR in much the same way I have in the past. In the video, former SEALs Shawn Ryan and Jeff Reid put a SCAR through its paces, discuss some of its strengths, and then break down exactly why they do not like the platform. Reid goes into detail about his experiences on deployment with the SCAR and how he (as well as many other SEALs) suffered through repeated malfunctions until he finally decided to switch back to the M4 despite often finding himself in 1,000 meter engagements. In his mind, the added range and accuracy of the 7.62 chambered SCAR simply wasn’t worth the headaches.

Check out the video below:

Feature image courtesy of WikiMedia Commons

Special Operations reading list: A few of my favorite hidden gems

I love reading about Special Operations history. It’s amazing what information can be found in published sources if you’re prepared to dig around. There’s a whole hidden history that can only be compiled by doing some deep research and really looking for sources.

Thankfully, some former operators penned books that are well worth tracking down. Here are four of my favorites that aren’t necessarily promoted in mainstream media but are well worth your time.

One Green Beret: Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Beyond by Mark Giaconia

I was fortunate to interview Giaconia for SOFREP Radio before reading his book. I was expecting some stories about how he supported the Kurds, calling in some airstrikes and such during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. However, Mark’s experiences go far beyond that.

He participated in Operation Viking Hammer: a CIA led mission to shore up what would be the coalitions rear areas prior to the invasion. To my surprise, Giaconia was also involved in what is probably the only joint U.S. Special Forces/Russian Spetsnaz mission in history.

Recce: Small Team Missions Behind Enemy Lines by Koos Stadler

The South African Recces performed some of the most audacious missions in Special Operations history that you’ve never heard of. This is largely due to political reasons. Although Recce teams combined white and black operators, the South African Defence Force served South Africa’s (then) apartheid regime.

Nonetheless, this is a history worth exploring, and Stadler wrote an amazing first-hand account of his time in this unit, including experiences with long range small team Recce patrols.

One Thousand Days with Sirius by Peter Schmidt Mikkelsen

Few people have ever heard of Denmark’s Sirius Sled Patrol— Slædepatruljen Sirius—which is a division of the country’s special operation component along with the Frogman Corps and the Jaeger Corps. Sirius deploys two-man dog teams for long durations to Greenland, where they have to constantly patrol the frozen wastelands. Due to a treaty obligation, they essentially have to provide a presence in Greenland and wave the Danish flag.

Additionally, they have a recon mission to ensure bad actors aren’t messing around in Denmark’s backyard. One Thousand Days with Sirius is an obscure but fascinating book, as Mikkelsen, a former Sirius member, explains the ins and outs of his profession—one that primarily relies on dog sleds to this day.

Guardian: Life in the Crosshairs of the CIA’s War on Terror by Tom Pecora

I’ve been able to interview Pecora twice now. He was a member of the CIA’s protective detail for case officers operating in high-risk environments. This detail started off as the POC and over time, evolved into what’s now called GRS. Pecora worked there long before 9/11, and afterwards in some very dicey parts of the world.

His book is a narrative history of these experiences as well as America’s fight in the Global War on Terror. This is the first book ever written on this particular subject, and I suspect it will be the last for at least some time.

I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of these books, but let me know what other recommendations you might be interested in. For instance, I have a pretty extensive collection of hard-to-find books about contemporary warfare in Africa.

And finally, a shameless plug for my own memoir, Murphy’s Law: My Journey from Army Ranger and Green Beret to Investigative Journalist. It includes my experiences serving in 3^rd Ranger Battalion and 5^thSpecial Forces Group in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of my adventures in Syria, Iraq, and the Philippines reporting as a journalist are also highlighted.

Professionals Playbook: Interview with former CIA officer Valerie Plame — whose life was the basis for the movie ‘Fair Game’

Valerie Plame is one of America’s most famous CIA officers. Her life was the subject of the 2010 movie Fair Game staring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. During her time in the CIA she served several tours as a NOC, which stands for non-official cover. NOC’s are the most covert of the Agency’s operatives, working with no connection to the U.S. government and without diplomatic immunity. While much of the work she did still remains classified, Valerie spent time in the CIA’s nuclear counter-proliferation division preventing rouge nations from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

I had a good time talking with Valerie. I was impressed with how open and candid she was about her time in the CIA. I think a lot of her insights are applicable to more normal jobs, especially about how she overcame a gender bias and her tips on networking. In the episode we talk about her time at the CIA’s training center, known as “The Farm,” what being a NOC was like, leadership tips, the types of people who thrive in the CIA, and more. Below are the show notes with the topics we discussed along with the times.

CIA selection 2:15
Initial CIA training 10:30
Follow-on training 12:10
Favorite part of the job 13:30
Org chart of CIA 16:30
Types of cover 18:30
Role of human intelligence 21:00
Being a NOC 22:30
Types of people who thrive 22:45
Is it lonely 24:15
Handling pressure 25:45
Good Stories 26:30
Leadership undercover 28:00
Mentorship vs sponsorship 32:10
How the role of women changed 34:09
Playbook on networking 37:00
Life made into major movie 38:30
Spies lies and nukes conference 39:30

Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Check out all the interviews at https://www.professionalsplaybook.com
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Feature image courtesy of Summit Entertainment

How Special Forces operators commemorate their lineage

What a better way to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day then by jumping into Normandy?

Green Berets assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conducted static line and free-fall parachute drops on a drop zone in Normandy, France, last week. The Air Force’s 352nd Special Operations Wing and 86th Airlift Wing provided three MC-130J Commando II aircraft for the drop. In total, close 135 American paratroopers jumped, some with the exact same gear their forefathers used on D-Day.

“Overall it was a great jump. It was smooth and went as planned,” said a Green Beret from the 10th SFG in a statement to DVIDS. “It’s an outstanding experience to be able to honor the paratroopers who jumped into France during World War II.”

The local mayor, David Nicholas, said: “We invited them because it’s a very good opportunity to have them jump at Avranches to start the World War II commemorations and celebrations leading up to the anniversary of the liberation of Avranches. It’s also good because today we are opening a new exhibition about World War II in Normandy at the history museum.”

The 10th SFG was the first Special Forces Group to be activated in 1952. Its area of operations includes Europe and North Africa. It has a battalion forward-deployed to Germany.

Representing the French military, Sgt. Maj. Pierre-Andre Integlia, who is the senior non-commissioned officer of the French airborne section of the French Military Academy, said: “We’re here to facilitate the exercise, and work in accordance with the civilian authorities as part of the French and American partnership for D-Day celebrations. It’s a privilege to help commemorate the Allied veterans and their part in the liberation of France.”

Another 10th SFG operator said the jump was a way to trace back their unit’s lineage, and specifically Jedburgh teams of the Office of Strategic Services, which is considered the predecessor of both the CIA and the U.S. Special Operations Command.

“We’re celebrating their combined effort to liberate Western Europe with local forces,” added the operator, who had to remain anonymous for operational security reasons. “The airborne operation celebrates the long relationship between America and France and 10th SFG’s commitment to continuing the tradition of training and working with our allies in Europe.”

In addition to these commemorative jumps, 600 movie theaters across the U.S. will be screening the critically acclaimed movie, “Saving Private Ryan.”

This article was written by Stavros Atlamazoglou at NEWSREP

Feature image: A Special Forces soldier from the U.S. Army’s 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) prepares to land on the drop zone near Mont Saint Michel, Avranches, France on May 18, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alexis K. Washburn).

Introducing ‘The Professionals Playbook’ – F-35 pilot Justin Lee interviews CIA Officer, author Michele Rigby Assad

*Editor’s note: Here at the Loadout Room, we pride ourselves on being well prepared and well rounded individuals capable of performing under whatever circumstances life throws at us. That’s just what Justin “Hasard” Lee’s podcast, “The Professionals Playbook” is all about. Lee, an active duty F-35 pilot with multiple combat deployments under his belt at the stick of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, devotes each episode to learning about what it takes to perform at the most elite levels of human capability — from fighter pilots to Navy SEALs, from astronauts to pro football players. If there’s a recipe for becoming the most capable man in the room, Lee’s podcast will find it — and we couldn’t be happier to partner with Lee to bring his podcast to the Loadout Room.

So without any more dancing around it, here’s Lee to discuss his latest interview.

Michele Rigby Assad is a former undercover officer in the National Clandestine Service of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Trained as a counterterrorism specialist, Michele served her country for ten years, working in Iraq and other secret Middle Eastern locations. Upon retirement from active service, Michele and her husband (also a former agent) began leading teams to aid refugees, including a rescue mission to Iraq that was featured on ABC’s 20/20. Michele holds a master’s degree in Contemporary Arab Studies from Georgetown University. Today she serves as an international management consultant, splitting her time between the Middle East, Florida, and Washington, D.C.

In this episode we talk about (in order):

Building rapport with members of Al-Qaeda
Mental toughness
Emotional Intelligence
Living in combat zones for nearly a decade
What she does to de-stress
What traits new CIA officers should have
What to do during an attack
Who she was allowed to tell that she worked in the CIA
What inspired her book
What projects she’s working on now

Photo of the day: A special operations watch reborn

When I first saw the Paradive MKII Gen 3, to be honest, I didn’t think much of it. It was clean no doubt, but it failed to show any type of sophistication that I frequently see. So when I started seeing some of my close friends sporting the piece, I hopped on the web and headed to their website which only raised more questions as to why Bill Yao created this piece. I had no clue this was an interpretation replica watch made after the Benrus Type 1 that was issued to Maritime Special Forces and CIA personnel from the 60’s into the 80’s. Being not only a watch nerd but also an Army veteran, I dived deep into the story of the Benrus and its heritage. Little of the originals are around today and the ones that are show pretty serious wear given the badass men that wore them. You can check out the history of the Benrus here.