France

Delta Force operator awarded Distinguished Service Cross for Mali operation

A Delta Force operator has been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the nation’s second-highest award for valor under fire, for his actions during a terrorist attack in Bamako, Mali in November 2015.

During the morning hours of November 20, 2015, approximately a dozen Islamists associated with the terrorist group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb attacked the Radisson Blu Hotel, a luxury establishment in downtown Bamako, the Malian capital. They took about 170 people hostage, including a number of Americans.

According to the award citation leaked to the Army Times, the Delta operator was serving as team leader of an outfit supporting overseas contingency operations against enemy forces. The citation goes on to praise the operator’s “valorous actions, dedication to duty, and willingness to place himself in great personal risk for the protection of others,” concluding that his actions were critical in the success of the hostage rescue operation.

Alongside the Army commando, Gunnery Sergeant Jared Stout, a Marine Raider from the Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), received the Silver Star, the third-highest award for valor. Master Sergeant Stout was also named the 2019 Marine of the Year.

The awards ceremony for the unnamed Delta Force operator and Master Sergeant Stout—he was promoted since the action—was held in June 2018, but has only now been publicized.

In a statement to the Army Times, Lieutenant Colonel Loren Bymer, a United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) representative, stated that “Army Special Operations Forces are deployed to more than 60 countries around the world on any given day. Brave men and woman [sic] assigned to Army Special Operations units fight alongside each other and our allies and partners towards common goals across the globe.”

The American and Western SOF presence in Africa has been a poorly kept secret for years. Alongside Delta Force teams, the Navy’s SEAL Team 6 and the Army’s Intelligence Support Activity (ISA) are also active on the African continent, intended primarily to curb extremist influence.

“Previous to September 2001 until now, a plethora of valor awards have been bestowed upon ARSOF Soldiers showcasing the value U.S. Army Special Operation Command brings to each other and the Nation,” Lt. Col. Bymer added.

Although the U.S. government is often hesitant to broadcast an American presence in certain parts of the world, awarding valor awards for clandestine actions that took place or to units that weren’t supposed to be somewhere isn’t novel. During the 2012 Benghazi attacks on the U.S. consulate that resulted in the death of four Americans, two Delta Force operators took the initiative and flew from nearby Tripoli in support of the hard-pressed CIA compound that was under siege by scores of Islamists. Eventually, the two operators were awarded the nation’s second-highest awards for valor for their actions, the DSC and Navy Cross. (The latter was awarded as one of the operators was a Marine, which provides an interesting glimpse at the diversity of the Army’s elite counterterrorism unit.)

Feature image courtesy of the U.S. Army

This article was written by Stavros Atlamazoglou at NEWSREP

Watch: 97-year-old D-Day veteran recreates jump into France 75 years later

For Tom Rice, jumping out of an airplane is nothing new. Seventy-five years ago, a 22-year-old Rice fell through the skies over Normandy to the rocking beat of anti-aircraft fire, as one of thousands to participate in the Allied invasion of occupied France. Today, a 97-year-old Rice returned to France to recreate that fateful jump, this time with only the distant echoes of war ringing out beneath him. The last time Rice jumped over Normandy, he and thousands like him were fighting for something greater than themselves. Today, Rice and nearly 200 others recreated that jump with something similar on their minds: honoring the memories and sacrifices of their brothers in arms.

We here at the Loadout Room salute those brave men than did what had to be done on the beaches of Normandy 75 years ago today. We honor your memory, as you honored us with your service.

Image captured from included video

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).

A suit designed for Bond: Introducing Grayman and Company

“Grayman and Company (Grayman.co), a made-to-measure tactical tailoring house, the first of its kind, announced that its suits are now available for public purchase. The company, which prides itself on combining traditional hand-tailoring techniques with performance-ready tactical features, is accepting made-to-measure orders”

Over the past few years, I have been closely following and talking to the owner and founder of Grayman Co. We were first introduced via a mutual friend when I was working overseas conducting diplomatic security. Due to the team, I was assigned to, we were required to wear suits on every mission. Now in the contracting world, you make good money. And the only way to really show that air of arrogance in country is by your watch, and your suit. There was a large majority of us on the Embassy that took great pride in looking as dapper as we could. Some of us would take leave to Italy and get a custom suit tailored to our body with extra dimensions added for our required body armor. It was hard to find a suit you could move in that didn’t look like a bag of ass. And due to operational frequency, and excessive heat and sweat, our $3,000.00 custom suits would only last us a year in country. So when I found out there was an angel currently working on suits specifically for guys like me, I was all in.

From outward appearance, these suits and blazers look impeccable and truly demonstrate how Grayman Co. “Prides itself on being old school tailors, first and foremost”. What they’ve done is built a suit from the ground up and added the features versus building the suit around the features. This allows the user to wear the suit to a night out with a lady as well as providing security for some of the worlds most notable clients.

How exactly are they tailored?

“The measuring process is powered by an online platform, which uses an algorithm to generate a fitting-garment which is then mailed to the customer for feedback before the final suit is constructed. The end-to-end process is approximately eight weeks and the result is a made-to-measure, half-canvas construction with a floating chest piece in any number of luxury or performance fabrics.”

Now when they state luxury and performance fabrics, they aren’t talking Cordura here. They have sourced some of the finest fabrics in the world from Italy, France and Shanghai. Not only are there luxury fabrics, but they are capable of light weight hot-weather options as well for those guys working in arid climates.

“Tailored in Shanghai’s French Concession, the suits carry the pedigree of its 1930s, when adventurous tailors from America, Europe and London’s Savile Row flocked to tailor suits for spies, diplomats, and journalists on the brink of war. Grayman and Company’s tailors are descended from that traditional skill, knowledge and artistry. Expertly crafted suits are cut with traditional Italian fabrics side by side with modern technical textiles designed for active pursuits. The result is a sophisticated, timeless suit that can stand up to the demands of a security professional’s day-to-day while upholding the company’s guiding design philosophy: Elegance is Deception.”

Some of the design features include an action back gusset on the shoulders that allow the wearer to get into the perfect fighting stance allowing you to fully bring the pistol up into your line of sight to engage a threat. Previously this position was next to impossible without having to shrug the jacket up the shoulders to get more room. The next stand-out feature are the quick detach buttons. When I was going through EP (Executive Protection) training, we were banned from ever buttoning up our jacket due to the restrictions it created if we need to draw our pistol. I agreed with that rule, however, it still left the possibility of showing your sidearm to someone unsuspecting. Now, there is no need since the button easily pulls away during a draw.

A few more features include slash resistant fabric sewn into the sleeves, custom weight pockets sewn into the jacket for swift opening to get access to your pistol faster, microphone loops to weave the wires from your radio, Magazine pockets sewn into the pants and the list truly goes on and on. You will be able to choose which features you want and those you don’t when you start the online ordering process. Everything is bespoke and customized for the wearer for truly one of a kind suit that demonstrates versatility beyond the protection of life.

Watch: Raw interviews of the Special Operations veterans who participated in the ‘Thrills before Pills’ Big Mountain Heroes Documentary

SOFREP TV’s Kickstarter campaign to fund their “Big Mountain Heroes” documentary is open through the end of April. This project follows five Special Operations veterans on a journey into the outdoors and captures their “thrills not pills” approach to addressing personal challenges from their military service. Leading filmmakers shot the documentary on 4K RED cameras in some of the most beautiful and challenging mountains in the world outside of Chamonix, France.

Check out the raw interviews from the veterans (Former Army Ranger Isaiah Burkhart, former Army Sniper Nick Betts, former Army Ranger Leo Jenkins, and former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb ) who participated in the documentary.

Help get this veteran project kickstarted by clicking here.

Originally published on SOFREP