Quote:
Originally posted by CRad
Why not ask "Not the '80s?" when special Forces received an infusion of much needed funding? Two books that are very interesting to read side by side are Susan Marquis' Unconventional Warfare: Rebuilding U.S. Special Operation Forces and Special Forces: The First Fifty Years
What we are seeing today is the media reporting what SF has been doing all along regardless of funding or press coverage. Which is why I ask why not ask "the '80s?" You could as easily ask any timeframe. Special Forces has been doing the job with or without funding and press coverage since its inception.
One could say SF's Hey Day was the Vietnam Era when it was called upon to go above and beyond, or the '80s when funding was better, or now when its the media darling. The truth is Special Operatons soldiers have been performing better than the rest for more than 200 years.
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In the early 80s, I was an instructor at SOT-D, whose "forefathers", for lack of a better word, was BLUE LIGHT. IIRC, BLUE LIGHT was a stop-gap kinda thingy until Delta got on line.
Folks, we had no budget, tho we had all the ammo and demo we could use. We, the instructors, maintained and refurbished S & K Range. We did it with alotta blood, sweat and tears. We got reject tires from Kelly-Sprinfield plant in Spring lake. We begged, borrowed and stole plywood, 550 cord, tools, target cloth etc.
My point is that, even back then, when budget money was tight, good ol SF ingenuity kept things afloat.
You FOGs remember back in the 70s when we routinely force-marched back from DZs after jumps, cuz there wasn't 'nuff fuel to truck us back from the DZ???
With the national and world-wide pub Spec Ops in general is getting, and the promise from The Prez, his opponent and Congress Critters for support for funding for Spec Ops projects, I gotta believe it'll be a cold day in hell 'fore SF and Spec Ops drops offa da map.
Later
Toby
1-2, RTG Caliofornia