This post is not intended to slight anyone, nor start any dust-up about yada yada yada...just wanted to relay a few interesting paragraphs from the book I'm currently reading and almost finished with.
I figured that some of the CCT's out there, or CCT hopefuls as well as others might find it interesting like I did.
This comes from the book Kill Bin Laden by Dalton Fury. Now while I know this alone will make some groan about whether or not this book should have been written (I waivered about whether or not to buy it, but at least hopefully some of the proceeds are going to help familes of fallen warriors), it isn't the point of this post. Anyhow, in the book he talks about the different components of the force that Delta worked with in Tora Bora. SEALs, SBS Commandos, CIA operatives, the Afghans, and two AF STS CCT's as well as a couple CCT's assigned to an ODA that they worked with while there. He generally has good things to say about everyone, except for frustration with the fighting style of the Afghans, you'll have to read the book to learn more.
I just found it interesting (and kinda cool) that he seems to go out of his way to praise the CCT's that were attached to them. Make of it what you will..
The passage is as follows:
Fury, Dalton. "Bomb Like There Is No Tomorrow." Kill Bin Laden. St. Martin's Press. New York. 2008. pp 236-237.
I figured that some of the CCT's out there, or CCT hopefuls as well as others might find it interesting like I did.
This comes from the book Kill Bin Laden by Dalton Fury. Now while I know this alone will make some groan about whether or not this book should have been written (I waivered about whether or not to buy it, but at least hopefully some of the proceeds are going to help familes of fallen warriors), it isn't the point of this post. Anyhow, in the book he talks about the different components of the force that Delta worked with in Tora Bora. SEALs, SBS Commandos, CIA operatives, the Afghans, and two AF STS CCT's as well as a couple CCT's assigned to an ODA that they worked with while there. He generally has good things to say about everyone, except for frustration with the fighting style of the Afghans, you'll have to read the book to learn more.
I just found it interesting (and kinda cool) that he seems to go out of his way to praise the CCT's that were attached to them. Make of it what you will..
The passage is as follows:
Fury, Dalton. "Bomb Like There Is No Tomorrow." Kill Bin Laden. St. Martin's Press. New York. 2008. pp 236-237.
...if you asked what tool of the trade would be the very last thing they would leave behind, you might be surprised at the answer. You would likely hear that is is not a toolthat makes one nervous when it isn't there, but rather a capability that is not organic to a troop of Delta operators or Navy SEALs.
Just because you are the best of the best does not mean you are the best at everything. Any Delta operator can vouch for the capabilities of the air force combat controllers, and very rarely goes on a "hit" without the men who wear the scarlet berets.
Arguably they are the best-rounded and uniquely trained operators on the planet. The initial training "pipeline" for an air force special tactics squadron combat controller costs twice as much time and sweat as does the journey to become a Navy SEAL or Delta operator. Before their training is complete someone brainwashes these guys into thinking they can climb like Spiderman, swim like Tarzan, and fly like Superman---and then they have to prove they can do so if they plan to graduate. And that is just to get to a place where they can do the job for which they are really trained, calling those deadly air strikes. the life of a combat controller is split between working with Delta and SEALs, with a little moonlighting with the 75th Ranger Regiment now and again.
They carry the motto that would be hard to look another operator in the face and say---if it weren't true. "First There." In Tora Bora, we counted ourselves lucky to have the Admiral and Spike, and their capability