A high-stakes two-part scenario was the theme of the monthlong Jackal Stone exercise held in Croatia in September. Jackal Stone is an annual multinational exercise between the United States and European partner nations designed to build special operations capabilities and improve multinational interoperability. 2012’s exercise was a joint effort between about 700 U.S. military personnel and special operations personnel and support forces from 10 European partner nations.
In the first part of Jackal Stone, a criminal gang had infiltrated an industrial plant of the fictitious country Freedonia and stolen nuclear, biological, and chemical toxins, which it planned to supply to a terrorist organization. Personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) worked with Croatia’s Interior Ministry to find the criminals and recover the materials. That, in turn, triggered the second part of the exercise, the elimination of the elements within Freedonia that had ties to the insurgents.
U.S. and Romanian soldiers perform a parachute jump from a Slovakian helicopter at a training base in Udbina, Croatia, Sept. 17, 2012, during exercise Jackal Stone 2012. Jackal Stone is an annual joint special operations exercise designed to enhance capabilities and interoperability among the participating special operations forces as well as to build mutual respect while sharing doctrinal concepts, training concepts, and various tactics, techniques, and procedures. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tyler Placie
The core value of the exercise, noted Army Maj. Gen. Michael S. Repass, commander of SOCEUR, is relationship-building. “One of the fundamental truths of this whole endeavor is that you can’t build trust in a crisis,” he said. “You have to have long relationships, and this is strictly done in the human domain. The more we develop these relationships, the better we will work together in the future. The more capable and interoperable our militaries are, the better we will be as a community to achieve common goals of security, stability, and peace.”
On Oct. 6, at New York City’s Pier 88, the U.S. Navy commissioned the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael P. Murphy, named for the Navy SEAL lieutenant who died in 2005 trying to save his team of SEALs from an insurgent attack. Distinguished guests included Murphy’s parents and friends, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, and USSOCOM Commander Adm. William McRaven. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus delivered the principal address. Murphy’s sacrifice in Operation Red Wings had previously earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor.
Special Forces Regimental Day, held at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, April 5, 2012, was even more noteworthy than normal. In addition to Special Forces Qualification Course graduation ceremonies for the 267th group that passed, there was the dedication of a statue commemorating the meeting between President John F. Kennedy and then-Brig. Gen. William Yarborough that resulted in the founding of Special Forces, part of ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the regiment whose men wear the green berets. The statue was commissioned and donated by guest speaker H. Ross Perot, an honorary member of the Special Forces Regiment. In his address, Perot said, “During this meeting, the green beret was officially authorized for wear by the men of the U.S. Special Forces by President [John F.] Kennedy. President Kennedy showed his continued support for Special Forces, calling the green beret – and these are his words – ‘a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage and a badge of distinction in the fight for freedom,’ and I can’t think of a better series of words to describe the green beret.”
A U.S. Army Cultural Support Team (CST) member from Special Operations Task Force – East, shakes the hand of a young Afghan, while on a presence patrol. The purpose of the patrol was to gain atmospherics from local villagers, and for the CST to interact with Afghan women, Kunar District, May 24, 2011. U.S.Army photo by Spc. Patricia Caputo
Cultural Support Teams (CST) play a vital role in overseas operations, particularly in regions where cultural differences between troops and the local population are vast. The problem in Afghanistan was particularly acute because of the taboos proscribing interaction between females and males who were not family members. To counteract this problem and the resentment it inspired among the Afghanis, special operations components began fielding CSTs in 2010. NSW drew from the lessons learned by these initial teams. After a year of intensive training that also prepared the candidates for working with SEALs, in 2012 NSW deployed its first CST into Afghanistan.
Lt. Jason Booher, officer in charge of the NSW Cultural Engagement Unit and CST, said that though the training of their CST candidates is more extensive than that of MARSOC and USASOC, “The intent is not to make a shooter; it isn’t to make a female SEAL. The intent is to produce an enabler who can stand next to a SEAL in the environment in the population … and who can take care of themselves in an extreme situation.”
Five NSW CST women are currently deployed in Afghanistan. One member said, “We are confident in the training we have been provided and the capabilities of the SEALs we will support.”
Another said, “I hope that we are able to exceed all the expectations placed upon us and that the CST program becomes successful, established, and continues to grow.”
With unconventional warfare and military operations other than war showing no sign of abating, the demands on SOCOM can only increase, which is why it is determined to continue its high level of training.
This interview was first published in Defense: Winter 2013 Edition.