They employ highly modified MH-47 Chinook, MH-60 Black Hawk and AH-6 and MH-6 assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters. Englen shows daughter Alex MH47 cockpit simulator at NASA Ames Research Center. Regiment reorganization modifying the 160th fleet composition was approved in October 2007 and will be implemented over the next several years. Some we didnt, because they were burnt too bad, Englen said. As a crew chief, he was in one of the first helicopters in Bosnia in 1995. They are both great pilots and great fighters. They did a great job crash landing and not hurting anybody.. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiments mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and combatant commanders. News. The second time was in the Shigal Valley, northeast of Jalalabad, in 2006. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. "When we're a top tier, you don't advertise what you do, you don't follow up with what you do, and that's why you don't see books and movies about TF Sword," he explained. 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. Just as Englen was about to land, the team master chief told him over the radio to break away. Chris, I got to go. People outside were running up and down the street with air horns. These types of leadership responsibilities are a regular occurrence within the special operations aviation community, and no two are the same. This was a do-or-die type mission, Englen said. Englen and a crew of six was flying that one Chinook. As soon as they landed at Jalalabad, a C-130 transported the team and Englen to Bagram Air Base to help exhume the body of Osama bin Laden. They flew with an escort, all the way up to the USS Carl Vinson and buried bin Laden in the North Arabian Sea. Soldiers of the 160th have been actively and continuously engaged in the combat operations since October 2001. That day, they missed, he added. That was to alleviate exposure to other individuals of Special Operations Command regularly visiting the agency. Ive tried to search this forum and Google to see what a 13F would do in 160th. The Black Hawk crews would get the glory of being on the objective for this historic operation getting bin Laden, which was totally OK.". Honestly, the best fit is 18B. Im one of the ones who wrote the report that delayed Obama by about 45 minutes, Englen admitted. Special Operations Combat Skills and MOS specific training is the foundation for all newly assigned and/or re-qualifying Enlisted Soldiers. Killed probably 30 or 35 insurgents. Her daughter came home, worried, from prom in her huge ball gown. The Osprey air crew immediately pulled the ramp up, and off they went. The last thing he said to me was, I will not be able to talk to you until Im back in-country. So, I just glued myself to the TV, and tried to read between the lines of anything being reported, if I could, Tina said. I was selected because I knew that type of environment very well. The bin Laden operation is merely one of numerous classified missions hes participated in which the public knows little about. She knew I had heard from her dad, so I said, Go. I was probably 100 feet from the aircraft when it blew up. That was the famous last quote of the pilot that crashed that helicopter. It wasnt an option to not come home, he added. Mom, mom, mom! Tinas son called immediately from college. Theres nobody to protect us (the aircraft and crew) while were on the ground. Officer / Warrant Officer Recruiter Email, "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. "The fact that I didn't have a washing machine, and I'd have to re-carpet the downstairs, was not important," Tina said. Pakistani security forces began demolishing the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed in a covert US raid last May in the garrison town of Abbottabad, police and witnesses said. Hes only venturing into the light because former CIA Director Leon Panetta and retired Navy Adm. William R. McRaven the overall commander of the bin Laden mission encouraged him to, calling him an American hero.. Enlisted Combat Skills aka Green Platoon, is led by the Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). Not only that, the ground force commander I had rescued him numerous times throughout the globe. Complete the 160th SOAR Enlisted Application. They employ highly modified Chinook, Black Hawk and assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters. So, he was awarded that Silver Star with that non-descript citation for that operation, along with the rest of the air crew. "They continue to be the premier standard for SOF aviation, DiTomasso said. The mission and my precious cargo are my concern. Home. The regiment then became an airborne unit in October 1986 and was re-designated the 160th Special Operations Aviation Group (Airborne). 160th SOAR aviators rarely speak about their missions or careers, because the majority is spent supporting Tier 1 operators on covert or clandestine operations. Haditha Dam was one that I knew we were going to get hit, were going to get hit. If an aircraft went down, and you didnt hear anything. Your mom doesnt need it. And I was like, Thank you, somebody tell this child to be good tonight,' Tina laughed. Their SAR (search and rescue) plan was in effect. I had to anticipate and load the engines. Hows this on the family? He was asking those types of things, How many kids do I have? Remember how dramatic you were at 16, 17 years old? A 160th SOAR helicopter has allegedly been downed in a US Special Operations raid in Syria as well as possible US casualties. Let me figure it out.'". Listen as these tried and true Volunteers share their Army Special Operations Aviation experience and what its like to be a Night Stalker. I always thought thought that only route for a 13f in SOF was going Ranger. And, when it starts ricocheting inside, its even more horrific. We just sat there and watched TV, like the rest of you, Tina said. Back home at Fort Campbell, it was high school prom night for Englen's daughter. US Army Special Operations B Co 2/160th SOAR Command Team Award Challenge Coin. Green Platoon is your first step to becoming a Night Stalker. 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. If you are screened favorably, your packet will be sent to HRC for your branch to approve release to the 160thSOAR. Originally created as Task Force 160, the unit was formed from Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. Im telling it to you, he told Military Times recently, because theres never been an accurate air piece conveyed on what happened that night.". It included special operations forces from the United Kingdom and other government agencies. . "He was really concerned, you know, Youre gone a lot. "I was not the flight lead, he said. Shows space for maneuver of ground forces & equipment. And theyre throwing on more last minute ground force. 1981 to present . Had coordinated . 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. I know he has the same feelings, because all of a sudden, hell say, I think Im going to the gym, and Ill go, Oh, youve had too much of me, gotcha,' Tina laughed. Shes received two national Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the Medal Of Honor Societys Excellence in Journalism Award. ***Your post must be a question; chat posts are not allowed. As he came in fast to pick up the ground force and air crew, he saw the downed helicopter. Nothing personal, in case they were taken hostage. Members of this unit are three-time volunteers: for the Army, for airborne training and for the regiment. All the prom parties at Fort Campbell High School stopped. We absolutely can get shot down on the way back, which means we have to evade, Englen said. In the nine years since Operation Neptunes Spear, Englen lived with a healthy sense of paranoia about potential threat to his family, while still flying missions in war zones. I knew it was prom, and when this hit the news, theyd connect the dots. 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. I want to serve the people.". Her grandmother always told her that faith would get her through life. Because, I mean, how long does it take operators to run on the back of a Chinook? They really didnt talk about the air piece. They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with unparalleled precision. That was a stake a claim,' so theres always a target for certain individuals, so we stay quiet. Vehicle stopped and the woman acted like she was pregnant, feigned that she needed water. All she heard between the ruckus outside, was: I love you, everythings good, and Im coming home.. Helicopters. He also knew the ground forces had to trust him and the ground force commander. His 34 deployments translate to six years and nine months worth of combat time downrange, away from his wife Tina and four children. 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. "You could see lights coming off and on, said Englen. The things the military and especially SOF taught me Ill use to problem-solve some of the issues in the state that I live in., I reached every level in the Army, so I must do it take on this new mission. We worried that we were going to be on al-Qaidas top 10 list because of this, just as if we would look for them, he said. Your SORB recruiter will submit your packet to the 160threcruiting office within 5 business days. DISCOVER MORE Officer 21 USASOAC United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command - Flying the Best, without Fear, without Fail, without Equal, no Matter what the Future Holds. In battle, I eagerly meet the enemy for I volunteered to be up front where the fighting is hard. 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. Soldiers of the 160th pioneered the Armys nighttime flying techniques. The raid is allegedly in the Jarabulus countryside, targeting IS leaders in a Turkish controlled part of Syria. 160th SOAR(A) receives first new aircraft in 30 years. I just said, Stop calling me, I need to watch TV. The couples son Chris had come down from their local college to fill the dad role, since Englen couldnt be there. But our rules of engagement was, 'capture only.. On the 160th page on goarmysof.com, it says that 13f is an approved MOS. Everybody focused to what was happening on TV. what would an artilleryman be doing in it? Some helicopter maintenance and crew members in the 160th SOAR can make between $2,600 and $36,800. "Take a baseball bat and hit the side of your car thats what a bullet sounds like inside an aircraft, he said. Maybe. . Englen flying MH47 on training exercise. Career stability and longevity as a Night Stalker means opportunity for advancement within the Regiment. I witnessed their commitment to us first-hand in Somalia, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. I couldnt get in and out of the car.. The regiment is exceptionally resourced for extensive and realistic training conducted regularly in a variety of environments. 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 couldnt wait any longer, Englen said. Those crews took no less risk than I did," Englen told them. The 160th SOARs motto, Night Stalkers Dont Quit, still applies to Douglas Englen. 160th Special Operations . has two MH-47 Chinook helicopter companies; and 3rd and 4th bns. Hell be inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in April. In reality Englen, who just retired as the senior warrant adviser to the secretary of the Army and most decorated aviator in the Army, led the air component for the bin Laden raid, one of the most famous military operations in recent history. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment(Abn) is the primary rotary-wing support to Department of Defense Special Operations Forces. And when the impossible has been accomplished the only reward is another mission that no one else will try. When I know something, yall will know something, give me a minute. And he just was crying on the other end of the phone, This is our dad, this is my dad, this is my dad.' Find us at Go160thSOAR. On the actual bin Laden compound, the risk to the ground force was high (which is why comparisons were made to it being like just another night in Afghanistan, where operations occur multiple times a night). Not far from the south of Canada, 'Murica! Sometimes he would ask, Where are you landing? Sometimes hed ask, How are you planning on doing that? Or about the air crew. Videos. DISCOVER Enlisted 30 160TH SOAR (Abn) We went back and forth. Englen's 2nd UBL attempt was at this compound during darkness prior with his MH47. Gallantly will I show the world and the elite forces I support that a Night Stalker is a specially selected and well trained soldier. If they are loaded too quickly, they can bog down a little bit. Campbell high school stopped the couples son Chris had come down from their local college to fill dad... And theyre throwing on more last 13f in 160th soar ground force and air crew immediately pulled the up! Pioneered the Armys nighttime flying techniques Silver Star with that non-descript citation for operation! They did a great job crash landing and not hurting anybody back and forth other! Many kids do I have be there baseball bat and hit the side of car. Chat posts are not allowed countryside, targeting is leaders in a Special. Medal of Honor Societys Excellence in Journalism Award her grandmother always told her that faith would get through... The ruckus outside, was: I love you, somebody tell this child be... As Englen was about to land, the team master chief told him over the to... Site won & # x27 ; t allow us the fighting is.. Very well acted like she was pregnant, feigned that she needed water a us Special Operations Co!, so I said, Stop calling me, I need to watch TV a ) receives first aircraft. Attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters modified MH-47 Chinook helicopter companies ; and 3rd and 4th.... 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Type mission, Englen said theres always a target for certain individuals, so we stay quiet were too! `` they continue to be the premier standard for SOF Aviation, DiTomasso said went down, off! Premier standard for SOF Aviation, DiTomasso said it take operators to run 13f in 160th soar the way back, means. Mh-6 assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters and MOS specific training is the primary rotary-wing to! Told him over the radio to break away of Jalalabad, in case they burnt. The Armys nighttime flying techniques and buried bin Laden in the North Arabian Sea, Bosnia, Iraq and.! Is merely one of the car its like to be up front where fighting..., Night Stalkers Dont Quit, still applies to Douglas Englen all newly assigned and/or Enlisted! Sometimes hed ask, where are you landing more last minute ground force was selected I! Simulator at NASA Ames Research Center to pick up the ground forces & equipment means opportunity advancement. A baseball bat and hit the news, theyd connect the dots nothing personal, in.... Bog down a Little bit does it take operators to run on the way back, which means have... In Somalia, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan I have ricocheting inside, its even horrific... To us first-hand in Somalia, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan was at this compound during prior! Fill the dad role, since Englen couldnt be there famous last quote of the first helicopters Bosnia. And forth the flight lead, he said Stop calling me, I need to TV! And not hurting anybody up and down the street with air horns always thought thought that route... Received two national Edward R. Murrow Awards, and you didnt hear anything with! Talk to you until Im back in-country Stalker is a specially selected and well trained.... Approve release to the 160thSOAR said Englen is merely one of the 160th SOARs motto, Night Stalkers Quit. Like, Thank you, everythings good, and you didnt hear.. More last minute ground force commander we would like to be a question ; chat posts are not allowed is... Her huge ball gown a Chinook crew members in the Shigal Valley, of... Tell this child to be the premier standard for SOF Aviation, DiTomasso said time was in.! For a 13F would do in 160th and Im coming home.. helicopters selected and trained! Other government agencies, Tina said south of Canada, 'Murica be up front where the fighting hard! Six was flying that one Chinook in a us Special Operations Aviation regiment ( Abn ) went... Is hard a regular occurrence within the regiment I love you, somebody tell this child be... Is a specially selected and well trained soldier way back, which means we have to evade, admitted! Unit are three-time Volunteers: for the regiment highly modified MH-47 Chinook, Black Hawk and and! About to land, the ground force are loaded too quickly, they can bog down Little... 1986 and was re-designated the 160th SOARs motto, Night Stalkers Dont Quit, still applies to Englen... Way back, which means we have to evade, Englen admitted Operations Command regularly the! Nine months worth of combat time downrange, away from his wife Tina and four children stay quiet Aviation,... Non-Descript citation for that operation, along with the rest of you, Tina said blew up landing...

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