Operation Just Cause - Working with Legs

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Imagine if you will an eight man Strategic Recon Team from 2/7. All key members are experienced HALO Sky Kings. The Team in question recently had the top three finishers in certification in Panama. Came off an intensive six month training cycle in Panama. Knew the next operation would be in Panama. Team Leader is a WO with CCN experience. Team Sergeant former Batt Boy who supported the Iran Op. Two really good demo guys, one of the best commo guys in Group, and two cherry weapons guys that just joined the Team for what all thought would be the upcoming social event. And the medic, well, the medic...

So, this Team deploys to Panama for 7 months for 3rd Batt augmentation. Really good training, several run ins with the Dignity Battalions, etc. The Team is there for the short-lived coup in which Noriega is taken, but told to stand down. The Team then re-deploys to Bragg and goes to Ft. Bliss for a HALO-HAHO-HAMO train up. Because hey! Nothing's going to happen before Christmas right? Group CSM comes to Bliss - "Best training I've seen all year!" The Team then goes on block leave. Because hey! No way anything's going to happen before Xmas.

Then hey! Something happens before Xmas! The medic's gringa Minion of Satan, "Better wake up, there's shooting in Panama on the news."

Medic, "There's always shooting in Panama. Holy shit!"

So the medic goes to the Team Room just on the off chance another Team needs a fill. And his whole Team is already there! No call in nothing. Team Sergeant drove all the way back from NY. All night.

"SGM, we're ready."

"No birds."

Said medic lived across the street from the JSOC AF liaison officer.

"Bob, we need a ride to the dance."

"You and every other son of a bitch on Bragg. Wait one. I've got a C5A headed down in the morning."

"We'll take it!"

So the Team gets to the dance. Sent to Rio Hato to clear the way for the B Team. The war is won, but "they're going to guerrilla warfare and try to drag it out!" B Team comes in and kicks out Team out of Noriegas beach house. BASTARDS!

Batallion Commander and CSM - "You have a mission. This Detachment will be the 7th Group QRF country-wide. We have A Teams deployed here, here and here. You have one MH 53 on stand by. Questions?"

Now medic knows SF doctrine and this ain't it. "Sir, let me see if I've got this straight. There are A Teams spread out all over this country. All of them bigger than ours. Everybody and their grandmother is worried about them going guerrilla and wiping out a Team."

"Right"

"And you and this came up with a plan."

"Right"

"And the plan is, in case something happens to 12 guys, to put 8 more in to die with them? That's the stupidest fookin' plan I ever heard."

"Righ...wait!"

So there we were with a mission.