The experience of American special forces is being studied by the whole worldGreen Berets are units of the US Special Forces.
They were created in 1952 as special sabotage units. The basis of the green Berets initially consisted of veterans of the intelligence and sabotage department of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - American intelligence, the predecessor of the CIA. As well as emigrant volunteers from Eastern European countries: Poles, Czechs, Hungarians, etc. These people spoke local languages and wanted to fight the communist regimes.
The reason for the creation of the Green Berets was the formation of the Eastern Bloc under the leadership of the USSR. The spread of the communist system around the world – including in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The deployment of Soviet military bases in Eastern Europe. Creation of strong Eastern European pro-communist armies. As well as the emergence of a leftist guerrilla movement around the world.
SELECTION AND PREPARATIONPreviously, people with experience in special operations, seasoned anti-communists, fit for service in special units, native speakers of European languages and cultures were selected for green berets.
Now they are recruiting US Army soldiers who are able to pass special exams and tests. Sergeants and officers also have the right to enroll in green berets after passing special training.
Exams begin with physical endurance tests: running, exercise, obstacle course. Then psychological tests are taken. In case of successful completion of the exam, candidates are admitted to the training course for a special forces fighter.
Candidates must master a number of areas of military sciences. A course of domestic and foreign small arms and artillery weapons, during which it is necessary to learn how to shoot from various weapon systems and maintain it at the initial level. Mine training: it is necessary to learn how to handle various types of mines and explosives, to undermine engineering structures, to clear mines and to handle improvised explosive devices. Military medical skills: first aid and, at a higher level, performing medical operations in the military field (this is an elective course). Means of military field communication and encryption. In addition, all green Berets take military diver and parachutist courses, during which they learn to move at depth, disembark from various watercraft and land from different heights.
Upon graduation from the Fort Bragg Training Center (Center for Special Methods of Warfare), green Berets receive the following specialties: weapons specialist; intelligence specialist; military medic; military miner; military signalman. An exam is held at the end of the course.
CHECKING IN THE JUNGLEOne green beret tells:
– The exam was held in the jungles of Latin America. The group landed by parachute, then marched through the jungle, after that the group moved on a raft along the river and ate fish and crocodiles. Next, the group was assigned to infiltrate the enemy camp and capture the general. The enemy was portrayed by soldiers of an American military base in the host country.
When the group was discovered by enemy soldiers, it broke up into twos. The narrator as part of the two moved through the swamps and was attacked by crocodiles. The skills acquired at school allowed him to defend himself from an attack. At night, when the enemy soldiers were sleeping, they and their partner penetrated the base, found a tent with the general and took him prisoner.
The next exam was in the coastal zone. It was necessary to disembark from the torpedo tube of the submarine, enter the military base and install mine charges. I had to swim several kilometers in diving equipment, secretly overcome the sentry system of the military base, put mines and also secretly disappear. After completing the tasks, the candidate and his comrade were solemnly handed green berets and allowed to combat operations.
COMBAT OPERATIONSThe first serious use for green berets was the Vietnam War.
Special Forces units of the 5th Group arrived in Vietnam in 1961. In the north of Vietnam, a communist regime was established, which fought against the southern pro-Western regime. The Americans, of course, supported the South.
Commandos should not be afraid of heights, but use the effect of surprise when landing. Photos from the website www.army.mil North Vietnam and Soviet military advisers supported the Viet Cong guerrilla movement in South Vietnam.
American Green Berets trained South Vietnamese rangers and raided the North, organized ambushes on the Viet Cong forces in South Vietnam, trained Vietnamese mountain tribes on the border of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, which were used against the Northerners.
The main means of delivery of the US special forces was a helicopter. This gave the Green Berets the advantage of surprise. Their most famous operation was a raid on the base of Soviet military advisers in North Vietnam. They arrived in the area by helicopter, marched and destroyed the base and advisers.
Nevertheless, the Americans lost the war to the scouts of North Vietnam and the Viet Cong guerrillas. They knew the area better, were more numerous, and had a higher military spirit.
In 1979, the Sandinista Revolution won in Nicaragua. The US military supported counter–revolutionaries - supporters of dictator Somoza. Along the Nicaraguan border, American camps of Contras fighters were created, who went to Nicaragua for combat operations. The Green Berets served as military advisers and participated in joint combat operations.
But the secret war of the Green Berets and the Contras against the Sandinistas was also lost. Soviet military advisers trained the counter-subversive revolutionary forces well and inflicted a number of tangible defeats on the Contras. As a result, the US military stopped their maintenance.
In 1991, the Green Berets distinguished themselves during the Iraq War. The Americans successfully conducted Operation Desert Storm. The Green Berets hunted the commanders of the Iraqi army, destroyed the Iraqi headquarters and tactical Scud missiles.
In 2001-2021, American special forces waged a war against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda (both organizations are banned in the Russian Federation) in Afghanistan. The Green Berets trained the special forces of the Afghan government forces. We went to joint operations against the rebels, hunted bin Laden and his supporters. But this war also ended in defeat. In 2021, American troops withdrew from Afghanistan. At the same time, the Americans have wasted an unjustifiably large amount of resources.
LEGENDS OF THE GREEN BERETSColonel Aaron Bank was an OSS veteran who showed exceptional bravery in World War II.
Later he became the commander of the 10th special group of Green Berets. He formed the tactics of the Green Berets and their training system, training his subordinates in the art of mountain warfare and jungle warfare, teaching them to carry out sabotage. He is considered the first mentor of the Green Berets.
Lieutenant General William Yarborough designed the uniforms of the special forces, including the green beret. He also contributed to Green Beret training methods by heading the Center for Special Warfare Methods.
Colonel Charles Beckwith is the creator and first commander of the Delta Anti–terrorist unit. He was trained in the British sabotage and anti-terrorist unit of the SAS. Brilliantly established himself as a commander of the Green Berets during the Vietnam War. Created new methods of anti-terrorist warfare. He taught his soldiers exceptional skills himself. Thanks to him, the Delta division is considered one of the best in the world in anti-terrorism.
The Green Berets have won a lot of victories at the tactical level. They were the first to create a unique training center for special forces fighters. The first to introduce a set of foreigners with exceptional abilities, fit for service in the special forces. And also created a system for selecting unique fighters. These three aspects can be adopted by the Russian command of special operations forces.
Timur AkhmetovTimur Shamilevich Akhmetov is a journalist.
