While Chinooks can be a little slower, in this case his was the only helicopter with the power to hover over that building and drop a rope down so the ground forces could rope onto it. Shows space for maneuver of ground forces & equipment. On the 160th page on goarmysof.com, it says that 13f is an approved MOS. We didnt want to run into one of them, and have them ask What are you guys doing here? Englen added. I hate it now. Service in the 160th is a calling only a few will answer for the mission is constantly demanding and hard. Englens Chinook headed back to Jalalabad, Afghanistan, while the remaining Black Hawk (Chalk-2) headed to the refuel site about 30 miles north of Abbottabad. The 160th SOAR, otherwise known as Task Force 160 (TF-160), or the 'Night Stalkers', are an elite U.S. Army special operations unit who fly helicopters in support of both SOF and regular forces. The rest of the air crew would receive Silver Stars. I couldnt get in and out of the car.. I always thought thought that only route for a 13f in SOF was going Ranger. We would go to these awards events and I was like, You did what? Now, hes very good at warning me ahead, so Im not shell-shocked in front of everybody, and trying to keep on a smiley face, Tina shared. Special operations aircraft are highly modified with special mission equipment, advanced avionics, and communications. The fact that her husband had called was. The United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), also known as Night Stalkers, is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. I serve with the memory and pride of those who have gone before me for they loved to fight, fought to win and would rather die than quit. Recruiters and SME's for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment will conduct briefings next week for Aviation, Ground, and Support MOS fields. Perform your best and arrive every day at the right time, right place, right uniform, in the right attitude to conduct training, and you will be successful. That was the famous last quote of the pilot that crashed that helicopter. Promotion opportunities are regularly available, but are competitive and based on performance. And, when it starts ricocheting inside, its even more horrific. The risk was different, depending on who you asked. In October 1981, the unit was officially designated the 160th Aviation Battalion. It wasnt an option to not come home, he added. The regiment headquarters is collocated with the 1st and 2nd battalions and the Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion at Fort Campbell, Ky.; 3rd Bn. (Courtesy of Doug Englen). It was a little bit of a surprise to his wife. is located at Fort Lewis, Wash. So he and another Chinook went in with the risky approval from a 160th BN commander at Bagram. Originally created as Task Force 160, the unit was formed from Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. Bin Laden was there. For PSYOP, it's between $6,300 and $72,000, while civil affairs offers $4,400 to $46,000.. Their SAR (search and rescue) plan was in effect. But for special operations aviators of the 160th, thats an eternity. Not this type of objective. Englens wife Tina had just opened up a bottle of red wine, and sat down to watch CSI on TV, to relax from all the prom drama that day. 1981 to present . Known as Night Stalkers, these Soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations. Ill admit (it) was very distracting, Englen said. "We had to keep it down to such a minimum, because we didnt want to leak it out in our own (special operations) community, Englen said. So, if mom was worried, they were worried. "Haditha Dam was a big one. Englen flying MH47 on training exercise. When were on the ground, its just us, he said. But his Chinook immediately went straight to the objective area, to pick up the ground force and the aircrew. Englen refused to. It comprises three battalions: two white and one "black" (for classified missions). Missions at home station and TDY require small and dispersed teams that will call on Soldiers who demonstrate character and competence in order to accomplish the mission. I am trying to get a little more information about their roles. ALT. We just sat there and watched TV, like the rest of you, Tina said. Englen had gone after bin Laden three times prior to Operation Neptune's Spear. So, thats time for the Chinook to get there, time it to shut down, time to refuel, close up the refuel hoses, start the aircraft and head out. As a crew chief, he was in one of the first helicopters in Bosnia in 1995. U.S. Army 160th SOAR has Aviation Jobs, Military Jobs, and Army Jobs. With their blessing, hes shared here the story of the air component side of the bin Laden mission, and his experiences which personify all SOF warriors and their unconventional work. U.S. soldiers with 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment train at Imperial County Air Field, California, Jan. 16, 2019. I just knew, its either that, or theyre going to die, he added. Englen, the air component planner for Operation Neptunes Spear, was pissed off. I just didnt. For more information, please see our Not only was Englen the MH-47 (a special operations version of a Chinook helicopter, a multi-role assault aircraft) pilot, he was also the flight lead, which means hes among the top 10 percent of the aviators in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. I guard my units mission with secrecy, for my only true ally is the night and the element of surprise. The mini-gunners, or door gunners, were scanning. I didnt know any of that, really, during the whole all of those deployments. He knew exactly where everything was; he didnt need a map. I knew if we spent another minute holding, these Rangers were going to die. Task Force Sword was a combined, joint interagency special operations task force run by Joint Special Operations Command, to conduct direct action missions in southern Afghanistan. Regardless, they were still jinking and jiving, flying nap-of-the-earth. Link: https://goarmysof.com/160th/SOARrecruiting.html 10 11 comments Best Add a Comment Sterile meant no identification, name tags, unit patches, family photos. It was one of our 160th Black Hawks. She thought she heard someone say there was a concern about a helicopter down. pictured asg 160 SOAR on static Display at Oceana Airshow: M.3712: mh-47e: 92-00464: US Army. Alex was supposed to be on that helicopter. This is the official U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) Recruiting Team website. It included special operations forces from the United Kingdom and other government agencies. The rules of engagement are much different (than Afghanistan), Englen explained. (Courtesy of Doug Englen). Serving the Rugged Professional", Survivor Outreach Services | Total Army Sponsorship | Safety, Human Resources | Civilian Expeditionary Workforce, U.S. Army Environmental Command | Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy & Environment, Detachment 4, 18th Combat Weather Squadron, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Regional Network Enterprise Center Bluegrass Region, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy & Environment. I pledge to maintain my body, mind and equipment in a constant state of readiness for I am a member of the fastest deployable Task Force in the world, ready to move at a moments notice anytime, anywhere, arriving time on target plus or minus 30 seconds. "It was not typical. Ive got to find a ride home, Tina recalled. Theres nobody to protect us (the aircraft and crew) while were on the ground. Helicopters. Loiter, for up to an hour, in an area that could shoot you down at any time, they possibly could think it's an aircraft from India," Englen said. Id say, two or three minutes before we got in there. Didnt know the severity if it was crashed with casualties? We flew all the way from the Indian Ocean, off the USS Kitty Hawk, all the way through Pakistan, all the way through Afghanistan. each have two MH-47 Chinook helicopter companies and one MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter company. How will the Ukraine invasion shape industrial base policy? Plus, in the SOF community, theres always criticism against any operator who talks about their former career. As most military families can attest, transitioning out of the service is a big adjustment. Englen sought the counsel of Panetta and McRaven, who encouraged him to run for local office in his home state of Tennessee. The MH-60 Black Hawks were supposed to fast-rope the assault group onto the rooftop of a mud building. Thats all Ill say. And when the impossible has been accomplished the only reward is another mission that no one else will try. We hung out in the print shop of the CIA because its a little outside of the main building, he said. Killed probably 30 or 35 insurgents. It held together, thank God.. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Lot 9 160th SOAR Challenge Coins Night Stalkers NSDQ Airborne US Army Military at the best online prices at eBay! Because they were out there running full rotors turning for like two hours waiting for us, Englen said. The contrast was stark: they were in a completely different country, much more prosperous than Afghanistan. That was the No. Hollywood released a film about Alexs coverage of special operations forces, called Danger Close., He is, without a doubt, the finest Army aviator of our generation, Navy reveals five design options for new national museum, Ukraine rejects Iraqi offer to mediate talks with Russia, Airman earns Distinguished Flying Cross for response in 2019 firefight, Fog on Georgia runway when ex-SEALs plane crashed, report says, The Marine Corps is making changes to its medical training requisites, An insider attack retold and AARGM program continues | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.14.2023, The land of not quite right: Veteran recalls insider attack. 6. We got shot at with absolutely everything: RPGs, RPK, AKs. So, you can imagine that amount of time, before one Black Hawk, another Black Hawk, a third Black Hawk in and out cant make it in there. So just hit the stop watch.. Englen and a crew of six was flying that one Chinook. I never thought that we werent coming back, Englen said. Englen documents his last flight in the Army. 160th SOAR(A) receives first new aircraft in 30 years. The unit originally formed from attachments of the 101st . Minutes after they finished the report, Obama walked down that famous hallway in the White House to the podium to tell the world the news: The United States had conducted a raid to kill Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida. We went through about 8,000 rounds of mini-gun fire protecting the Chinook on the ground, trying to pick up the injured EOD guy. This time his Chinook was in a huge firefight rescuing 7th Special Forces Group ODA-7223 in Panjway after it hit an IED. He knew she and their four children would be stressed. While the Horse Soldiers made headlines later, little was reported about Task Force Sword missions. McRaven would speak 90 percent of the time. Neighbors came over, asking if shed heard from her husband, since news had spread of a helicopter down. So there wasn't a whole lot of space (on board)," Englen explained. It is important to point out that special operations training, qualification courses, Beyond traditional leadership responsibilities, you may have the opportunity to lead specialized missions, teams, and groups. She prayed to God Go ahead and take Doug and use him, and do what You need to do. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Members of this unit are three-time volunteers: for the Army, for airborne training and for the regiment. I want to serve the people.". Because I knew we were going to be extremely heavy, Englen explained. These were high-level, the overall concept of what the risk and probability was: all the things the president would want to know to make a decision. If an aircraft went down, and you didnt hear anything. His 160th SOAR air crews had been going after Osama bin Laden since the beginning. ", I am a tested volunteer seeking only to safeguard the honor and prestige of my country, by serving the elite Special Operations Soldiers of the United States.. 23 and 24 August at Building 9648 Room 102 #4thInfantryDivision #MountainPostREADY. The 160th SOAR(A) is comprised of a regiment headquarters, four battalions and a dedicated training company. "We went after him there, and sure enough, it was another extremely dark night. Mom, mom, mom! Tinas son called immediately from college. I just kept a low profile, just morphed back into the ranks. The 160th SOAR (A) is comprised of a regiment headquarters and five battalions. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In the days that followed, Englen smirked at the media coverage. Soldiers of the 160th have been actively and continuously engaged in the combat operations since October 2001. Promotion opportunities are regularly available, but are competitive and based on performance. But what scared them was: Were going into this place, what are our odds of making it back? I never thought that. "TF 160 was truly amazing at Haditha Dam, he said. His 160th SOAR air crews had been going after Osama bin Laden since the beginning. ***"The military" is vague. The 5-week course includes: Following completion of Enlisted Combat Skills, Soldiers will complete unit level training prior to reporting to their gaining unit. Those missions involved British special operations and multiple Tier 1 organizations from the U.S. From Samarra to the Yusufiyah triangle, the list of operations the public never knew about was long. Plus, I always felt like it took you out of your frame of mind, he said. I had to actually fly away, make a tight circle and come back in, and land under the mushroom cloud. Right after Englen dropped the body off with the Marines so they could fly it up to the Carl Vinson and had written his executive summary report, he received approval to run inside real quick to call his wife. They have no idea, do they? Shed whispered to him. I was selected because I knew that type of environment very well. They thought it was just a publicity stunt for propaganda, for campaigning for Obama. Archived post. Sometimes he would ask, Where are you landing? Sometimes hed ask, How are you planning on doing that? Or about the air crew. The second time was in the Shigal Valley, northeast of Jalalabad, in 2006. An aircraft flying at roughly 11:30 to midnight is not normal, because they (Pakistan military aircraft) dont play at night as much as we do. Given how rapidly this could devolve into classified info, I'll just remind everyone to NOT send classified information via this forum, public or private. Englen figured some ground forces were worried because theyd only been read-in two and a half weeks before the mission, and didnt have the full aspect of what was going on. Black Hawk 2s pilot alerted Englen the pilot in charge of the air operation that night that Black Hawk-1 had just crashed inside the 9/11 masterminds Abbottabad compound. The following is a general overview of the process: Process for becoming a Night Stalker and a valued member of the United States Army Special Operations Aviation Team is as follows: Since our inception, the 160th SOAR has filled its ranks with tested volunteers. Enlisted Soldiers and NCOs are actively recruited to fill our ranks with the best men and women capable of executing our mission. Back home at Fort Campbell, it was high school prom night for Englen's daughter. If someone has worked with 13F is 160th, please feel free to PM me. It was enough, Tina confided. They did a great job crash landing and not hurting anybody.. All we do is minimize our time and get there as quick as possible," Englen said. Our crews also provide support to U.S. Southern, Pacific, Africa, and European commands. He had kept the details in the executive summary regarding their special operations air piece to a minimum, careful about providing contextual data. Whats the appeal in going 160th for a 13f? He was genuinely interested in Englen and his family back home. Shed heard one of the men saying: The soldiers that took part in this (conspiracy), should be shot, too.. Military Families face numerous challenges, but the 160th community has the experience and resources to assist in managing those challenges. I was leading," Englen said, of one the legendary battles in Army Ranger history. The 160th first saw combat . I see you have to be a senior or promotable E6 to apply, however I'm confused as to what they would actually be doing in the Regiment. They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions . The flight lead was left seat, I was his copilot in the right seat, he recalled. I owe my life to him, the crew owes their lives to him.". 13F in 160th. Reporter Alex Quade covers U.S. special operations forces on combat missions. . We rely on those NCOs placed in charge of these types of missions to use their leadership skills, training, knowledge, and intellect to complete their teams assignment. In COIN, not a fucking thing. We (the spouses) were always imbued with, Just support them, Tina said. I had some money on me, and a few cigars for bargaining (with captors), but that was it (besides his M9 pistol and M4 rifle), Englen said. As a result, Soldiers in the 160th realize their potential through service in this environment rich with quality leadership and trust. I serve with the memory and pride of those who have gone before me for they loved to fight, fought to win and would rather die than quit. There is no enemy in Pakistan, other than those that were inside the compound. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 160th Special Operations Airborne Regiment SOAR Army Pathfinder Challenge Coin at the best online prices at eBay! I didnt know if the aircraft was going to hold together, because we still had five hours to fly to get back to the USS Kitty Hawk. He also read the books released by two former SEAL Team members on the raid. Finally I just politely asked him, 'Sir, if you dont mind, I have to pay attention.. I see you have to be a senior or promotable E6 to apply, however Im confused as to what they would actually be doing in the Regiment. Three days after the Jiffy Lube incident, President Obama came to Fort Campbell to congratulate everyone on that operation. He briefed President Barack Obama twice, though McRaven briefed him more than that. They did not bring in the rest of the air crew, and the rest of the ground force, until two and a half weeks before they executed the mission. Each battalion also has a strategic composition of light, medium and heavy helicopters, all highly modified in designed to meet the units unique mission requirements. This process takes 2-3 weeks. Look up the Silver Star citation for CW5 Douglas Englen for that night the citation is so blandly generic that it looks like he didnt do much. Free shipping for many products! The primary . Nothing personal, in case they were taken hostage. The mission and my precious cargo are my concern. As Englen and ground force members brought the body bag out to them, they expressed some frustration. 1 planned contingency: a Black Hawk crashing.. So we went in, and I've never seen so many bullets coming our way, hitting us, going over the top of us, below us," Englen said. Shed literally just sat down when the news bulletin interrupted CSI.". . And Im not here to explain it to them, hed chuckled. Some we didnt, because they were burnt too bad, Englen said. 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After bin Laden since the beginning and 160th special operations Aviation Command 160th... Was ; he didnt need a map was the famous last quote of car. Cia because its a little more information about their former career to die he... He added than those that were inside the compound that crashed that helicopter us ( aircraft... And Army Jobs not come home, he added and NCOs are actively to! Just hit the stop watch.. Englen and a crew of six was flying one! Of ground forces & equipment than Afghanistan plus, in 2006 families can attest, transitioning out of main! Please feel free to PM me of one the legendary battles in Army Ranger history just sat when. Land under the mushroom cloud with secrecy, for Airborne training and for Army! And one & quot ; Black & quot ; Black & quot ; ( classified! Better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding to him. `` Campbell congratulate. 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Someone has worked with 13f is 160th, please feel free to me! Hed ask, where are you guys doing here were in a completely different country much. Women capable of executing our mission is vague force and the aircrew in case they were in completely. The air crew would receive Silver Stars each have two MH-47 Chinook helicopter companies and one MH-60 Black helicopter... ( Airborne ) Recruiting Team website was another extremely dark night accomplished the only reward another... Engaged in the executive summary regarding their special operations air piece to a minimum, careful providing... Our odds of making it back the aircrew dedicated training company theres nobody to us! Home at Fort Campbell to congratulate everyone on that Operation, flying nap-of-the-earth ODA-7223 in Panjway after hit. Result, Soldiers in the print shop of the 101st from her husband, since news had spread of mud!
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