The US Army celebrates its birthday as June 14, 1775, but it didn’t have the special operators with their distinctive green beret until much later.
Army Special Forces got its start on June 19, 1952 — 65 years ago Monday — and since then its soldiers have been at the forefront of fights in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan and are now advising US-backed forces inside Syria.
They call themselves the quiet professionals, and they are one of the most elite fighting groups in the world.
Their mission is unconventional warfare — taking small teams to train and lead guerrilla forces.
Special Forces soldiers usually work together in a 12-man A-Team, with each man holding a specific job: The ranking officer is the team leader, the weapons sergeant knows just about every weapon in the world, the communications sergeant tees up ordnance or extract, and the medics can take lives as quickly as saving them.
It may seem crazy to send only 12 guys into a hostile country, but it’s not crazy when they are Special Forces.
The US Army Special Forces are known for their exceptional skill and professionalism in modern war.
Alongside the CIA, they were the first Americans on the ground in Afghanistan only one month after 9/11.
There they linked up with the Northern Alliance and brought Hamid Karzai into Kabul.
Riding on horses in the beginning of that war …
… or on ATVs …
… they were both feared and respected.
But the Special Forces don’t take just anybody.
Special Operations Command
