In their latest of a series of videos, the Silent Warrior Foundation takes us through an early Delta Force Custom Made Assault Vest with hosts Dave Hall and Retired Delta Force Veteran Sergeant Major Phill Hanson.
The Silent Warrior Foundation is honoring Operation Eagle Claw during their upcoming Whiskey and War Stories event in August. This will include an auction of artifacts signifigant to the mission.
The MG Eldon Bargewell Delta Park Challenge Coin is a fundraising effort for the MG Eldon Bargewll Foundation (EBF) to assist in the completion of the Delt Park project.
The purpose of the MG Eldon Bargewell Foundation (EBF) is to honor Hoquiam native Major General Eldon Bargewell USA (ret.) by building Delta Park. Our goal is to raise $300,000 to erect a statue of Eldon and three plaques showing his service to our country, his leadership and the honors he earned, including the Distinguished Service Cross (our nation’s second highest award for valor), 6 bronze stars (3 with V for valor and 3 for his service), and 4 purple hearts.
With permission from MG Eldon Bargewll family and the MG Eldon Bargewll Foundation (EBF), Special Operations Group (SOG) www.norbay.com – History of MACV-SOG, www.sogsite.com, has minted the MG Eldon Bargewell Challenge Coin.
The coin is 1.75″ with a diamond twist cut. One Side MG Bargewell picture, the other side MG Bargewell’s units and commands. Years that he served enlisted and years as an Officer with the United States Army. The cost of the coin is $20.00. $15.00 goes to the park project. $5.00 cost and Admin fees. So far $120.00 has been raised for the park.
Donations will also be used to landscape the park and provide a fund to maintain the park in the future.
100% of donations go to the Delta Park Project and are tax deductible.
We will post monthly on this site the amount of funds raised for this project.
You can purchase this coin on: www.norbay.com
NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Ralph Borja, a national military account manager for Rocky Boots, has been selected for induction into the National Ranger Association’s Ranger Hall of Fame. Borja is one of 15 members of the 2021 Hall of Fame class and will be honored in a ceremony July 21st at Fort Benning, Ga.
“Ralph embodies every quality you would expect of a former Army Ranger, and Rocky has been fortunate to have him as a part of our sales team,” said Mark Dean, Vice President of Rocky’s Commercial Military division. “We thank him for his service to our country and salute him for his induction into the Ranger Hall of Fame.”
Borja, a native of Agana, Guam, served a total of 31 years in the military in numerous special operations roles. He entered the Ranger Indoctrination Program immediately after basic training and then joined the 75th Ranger Regiment in January 1980. During his career, he served as a Ranger instructor, Sergeant Major at multiple battalions, Brigade Command Sergeant Major with the 10th Mountain Division, and Command Sergeant Major at the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
He is also a Master Parachutist with two combat jumps, first into Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury in 1983 and again into Panama as a part of Operation Just Cause in 1989. For injuries sustained in Panama, he was awarded a Purple Heart. He later deployed to Afghanistan twice, earning a Bronze Star during one of those tours.
Borja holds several other awards and decorations including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit award.
After concluding his military service, Borja joined Rocky in July 2013 and has demonstrated incredible acumen and leadership as a sales manager. He is a highly valued conduit to the world’s largest tactical distributors and has played an integral role in establishing Rocky’s Commercial Military Brand domestically and abroad.
The Ranger Hall of Fame was formed in 1992 to honor and preserve the spirit and contributions of America’s most extraordinary Rangers. The Ranger Hall of Fame takes particular care to ensure that only the most extraordinary Rangers are inducted, a difficult mission given the high caliber of all nominees. Inductees are impartially selected from the Ranger community and represent all units and eras of Ranger history.
A few weeks ago I participated in an unboxing of a modified M65 field jacket and other gear worn on Operation Eagle Claw, the 1980 raid into Iran to attempt to free American hostages held by Iran.
Since then, several unit veterans have come forward to allow Dave Hall, President of the Silent Warrior Foundation charity to examine their jackets. In this second video, Dave meets with retired Sergeant Major Phil Hanson.
We’re fortunate that they produced not just one video during this visit, but two.
In the first unboxing video there were some surprises like the dog tags and watch cap. This time we get to see the non-issue boots worn by SGM Hanson in Iran along with some other items. You have got to watch these videos, if just to see the rigger modification to the Bianchi holster to make it a drop leg.
The information gleaned from these videos isn’t just of historical significance. The Silent Warrior Foundation is working Bergspitze Customs and Alpha Industries to recreate 10 examples of these jackets for a charity auction as part of their upcoming Whiskey and War Stories honoring Operation Eagle Claw event in August.
The jacket reproductions and many other items will be available for auction on www.auctionfrogs.org during the event.
• First award for satellite communications-enabled beyond line of sight (BLOS) on competitive Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (MEUAS) IV program
• AeroVironment receives task order to provide ISR services at additional customer location
• AeroVironment JUMP 20 is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), fixed-wing unmanned aircraft that AeroVironment uses to provide advanced multi-sensor intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services
JUMP 20 is a VTOL, fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system that can be deployed quickly and requires no launch equipment or runway. (Photo: AeroVironment, Inc.)
ARLINGTON, Va., July 13, 2021 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, today announced it was awarded a competitive task order valued at approximately $22 million on May 21, 2021 from the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for ISR services using JUMP® 20 medium unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at an undisclosed customer location. The ISR services include the first SATCOM-enabled unmanned aircraft system for beyond line of sight operations as part of the existing Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) MEUAS IV contract. The task order specifies a 12-month period of performance and multiple follow-on option years for ISR services.
“The JUMP 20 delivers an unmatched level of versatility, with runway and infrastructure independence, multiple payload configurations, class-leading endurance and a track record of reliability and ruggedness,” said Gorik Hossepian, AeroVironment vice president and product line general manager for medium UAS. “The inclusion of a SATCOM payload adds beyond line of sight operation to the JUMP 20, providing our customer with expanded reach and situational awareness, and representing another game-changing, market-leading capability.”
The AeroVironment JUMP 20 is the first fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) to be deployed extensively in support of U.S. military forces. Ideal for multi-mission operations, JUMP 20 delivers 14+ hours of endurance, a standard operational range of 185 km (115 mi) and is runway independent. The system can be set up and operational in less than 60 minutes without the need for launch or recovery equipment and has a useable payload capacity of up to 30 pounds. The JUMP 20 also features a common autopilot and ground control system architecture providing a highly customizable, modular platform which can be custom-configured to meet operational or customer requirements.
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-CHAPMAN TRAINING ANNEX, Texas—The Special Warfare Human Performance Squadron, SWHPS, recently marked its second anniversary.
The SWHPS is the first squadron of its kind in the Department of Defense, and its sole purpose is to provide Special Warfare Airmen and cadre embedded/holistic Human Performance, HP support.
“We reached our two-year milestone as a squadron and I cannot tell you how immensely proud I am of the team,” said Lt. Col. Shawnee A. Williams, SWHPS, commander. “With all of the hard work done to stand up the SWHPS, I am excited to see this capability propel forward every day!”
The SWHPS mission statement is to optimize the performance, durability, and sustainability of the Special Warfare human weapon system by taking an interdisciplinary approach toward the advancement of science and technology throughout the SW operator’s lifespan.
The organizational structure is made up of five geographically separated units, GSU, across the United States coast-to-coast. Within this construct are nine human performance flights supporting 80 Special Warfare cadre, 500 support staff, and 1,100 Special Warfare students annually.
“Our team sets the foundation for building physically superior, mentally sharper, and spiritually stronger warriors who will go into harm’s way to tackle our nation’s most dangerous and difficult tasks,” said Col. George Buse, Special Warfare Human Performance Support Group, commander. “To this end, SWHPS focuses on being brilliant at instilling HP principles in SW Airmen. We also leverage technological advances, research capabilities, and a holistic approach for the sake of further integrating and professionalizing the SW training enterprise,” said Buse.
Some key accomplishments of the SWHPS include standing up the first SW Human Performance purpose-built facility and hence named the Airman 1st Class Baker Combat Conditioning Center at the Panama City Dive School, Panama City, Florida. This facility occupies 13K square feet, $1.3 million in performance equipment, and serves a joint population of cadre and students with over 700K annual course hours.
At GSU location Yuma, Arizona, the first-ever embedded physical therapist for Army and Air Force personnel position has been established to increase access to care for evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and injury prevention services for trainees and support staff members at Military Free Fall Courses.
Educationally, SWHPS has established a location at the U.S. Air Force Academy and took on their USAF Physical Therapy Fellowship Program for the Air Force Medical Service, and propelled it forward (was not under the old Battle Field Airmen Model). The Fellowship program has since graduated eight fellows with three more due to graduate in 2021 and has secured national accreditation.
Additionally, SWHPS has established a human performance footprint, across the training pipeline that employs integrated wearable technology, along with HP technician support. This footprint enables SWHPS to track parasympathetic/sympathetic system output, sleep, musculoskeletal health, velocity-based training, and water-based event metrics to include heart rate and physiological data points.
“Another first of its kind is the HP portfolio integration with the Learning Management System/database. The integration will soon provide continuity between training and operational units,” Williams said. “This allows for a human performance portfolio to travel with each member throughout their Special Warfare career.”
The Squadron’s Nutrition SMEs created the first stand-alone performance dining facility and now oversee all menus in support of the Special Warfare Preparatory Program. “It provides a much-needed ‘learning lab for trainees when they first enter Special Warfare,” said Maj. Miriam Seville, the lead dietitian for the Special Warfare Training Wing. “The trainees get to practice the sports nutrition principles that they learn in class and experiment with a wide variety of healthful foods and beverages that fuel and sustain optimal performance.
“This dining facility introduces trainees to what fueling the Human Weapon System can and should look like, and enables them to build habits here that will support them throughout their training and into operational status,” she said.
In November of 2020, the SWHPS graduated the first Air Force Institute of Technology Performance Nutrition Fellow, who now brings world-class nutrition capability, guidance, and knowledge to Special Warfare programming.
Williams added a final thought on the accomplishments of the program, “Over the past two years, SWHPS has set the foundation for an integrated approach to building and maintaining a human weapon system. We have taken a purposeful and tailored approach to embedded HP and coupled it with real-time physiological feedback to the trainees and are also expanding care to the cadre,” she said.
“The future of this organization will be to shape not only Air Force, but DOD policy to enable a lifecycle platform for the SW operator. The SW Airmen will not just experience high-level/holistic HP support in the training pipeline, but rather, they will see it woven into their career field education and training plans, and expanded services offered in their operational units,” she said. “This then lends itself to the creation or standup of a human weapon system program office just like we have for our hardware.
“We are truly on the cusp of a cohesive training environment where physiological, cognitive, and resiliency elements are assessed weekly, if not daily, to propel the individual to their highest potential versus a binary reactive environment,” Williams concluded.
Members of the Special Warfare Training Wing provide initial training for all U.S. Air Force Special Warfare training AFSCs, to include, Combat Controllers, Pararescue, Special Reconnaissance, and Tactical Air Control Party Airmen.
To learn more about SR Airmen or other U.S. Air Force Special Warfare career opportunities, go to: www.airforce.com/careers/in-demand-careers/special-warfare.
By Andrew C. Patterson, Special Warfare Training Wing/ Public Affairs
SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM PEO SOF Warrior (PEO-SW), will host a series of Assessment Events (AE) to identify solutions for:
1) Lightweight Machine Gun Medium (LMG-M)
2) Medium Range Gas Gun – Assault (MRGG-A)
3) Medium Range Gas Gun – Sniper (MRGG-S)
USSOCOM seeks to enter into non-FAR or FAR-based agreements with Industry, Academic, and National Lab partners whose solutions are favorably evaluated by USSOCOM PEO-SW Subject Matter Experts. As such, the AE is considered competitive in the same manner as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) or Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), and solutions will be evaluated independently of one another primarily for technical merit.
It will consist of four phases:
Phase 1 – 09 July 2021 to 02 August 2021 Submissions to the Assessment Event (AE)
Phase 2 – 03 August 2021 to 10 August 2021 Downselect
Phase 3 – 31 August 2021 to 02 September 2021 Assessment Event (AE)
Phase 4 – Path Forward
Only Phase 4 is a live fire event. Up until that point, only technical merits will be evaluated so have your paperwork together. The performance spec for each weapon is coated at the links above.
SOCOM is kicking all of these AEs off simultaneously so they’ll have their hands full. If you plan to submit weapons to more than one category, or multiple candidates for any of the weapons sought by SOCOM, you must submit separate packages for each one. Additionally, you must submit by 2 August.
Quite frankly, the 338 NM Lightweight Machine Gun Medium is the greatest improvement in US small arms capability in over half a century. Not only is SOF interested, but so is the Marine Corps. Although the Army is currently concentrating on next generation squad weapons, this capability for the Platoon is just a few years out. This is the opportunity to get your solution evaluated.
For more information, visit events.sofwerx.org/sofweapons
If you were like me, you learned about the April 24, 1980 US raid into Iran to rescue American hostages on the news the next morning. Commentators spoke of a secretive US military force and an aircraft accident. While the raid itself was unsuccessful, the units involved only became better and more determined.
My introduction to what was worn by the rescuers on this mysterious raid was from a plate in an Osprey Elite book on Special Forces.
The Black Field Jacket with taped US Flag and Watch Cap became an image burnt into my head. Turns out, like most things, it wasn’t quite that simple. A series of photographs released years later, which were taken at the intermediate staging base in Oman prior to infil, depict a wide variety of clothing and jacket mods being worn.
Dave Hall, President of the Silent Warrior Foundation charity had recently contacted me about a fundraiser in conjunction with their upcoming Whiskey and War Stories event honoring Operation Eagle Claw which will focus on the participants and the hostages they were intent to rescue.
One of the Unit members had offered to allow Dave and team access to his modified M65 and Alpha Industries had donated some Field Jackets to be modified in a similar fashion so that they could be auctioned off to benefit the charity. Knowing how much I love kit and SOF history, he asked if I was interested in helping. I jumped at the chance and put him in touch with Kory Brown of Berspitze Customs to discuss doing the actual modification.
Last Friday, I was lucky to be asked to participate in an unboxing video at S&S Precision for the project, along with Dave and Kory. The box contained quite a few surprises including some sand from Desert One.
The jacket reproductions and many other items will be available for auction on www.auctionfrogs.org during the event.
