Friday, August 26, 2016
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Sunday, August 14, 2016
History 5th Special Forces Group
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5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
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Original
Linage WW II 1st SSF "The Devil's Brigade"
On 5 March 1971, the
colors of the 5th Special Forces Group
were returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina by a 94-man contingent led
by Col. Michael D. Healy, thereby terminating their official
Vietnam service.
30 Sep 87 - 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
moved from Fort Bragg to Fort Campbell.10 Jun 88 - Headquarters, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) moved from Fort Bragg to Fort Campbell, Ky.
The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) added to its
Combat History during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
In August 1990 the Group was called upon to conduct theater
operations in Southwest Asia in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
During this crisis the Army's First Special Operations Task
Force, (ARSOTF), consisting of elements of the 5th Special Forces Group
(Airborne) comprising 106 special operations teams performing a myriad of
missions that spanned the scope of operations: support to coalition warfare;
conducting foreign internal defense missions with Saudi Arabian Land Forces,
performing special reconnaissance, border surveillance, direct action, combat
search and rescue missions; and advising and assisting a pan-Arab equivalent
force larger than six U.S. divisions, as well as conducting civil-military
operations training and liaison with the Kuwaitis.
In the words of the Centcom Commander, Gen. H. Norman
Schwarzkpf, "Special Forces were the eyes and ears on the ground."
The border surveillance mission assigned the 5th Special
Forces was among the most vital in providing "ground truth" to the
American and Pan Arab Forces.
A new chapter in coalition warfare was written while new
military relationships were forged which continue their importance today.
In August 1992, a full four months prior to the deployment of
major U.S. Forces, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) were conducting
operations in the country of Somalia, again, providing "ground truth."
On 11 June 1993 Gen. Wayne A. Downing, Commander in Chief of
the U.S. Special Operations Command, presented the Valorous Unit Award to the
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) for service during Operation Desert Storm
17January 1991 to 28 February 1991.
Today, 5th Special Forces Group teams are deploying throughout
Southwest Asia and Africa. Over the past two years, teams have trained in over
14 countries to include: Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia and Somalia.
The soldiers of the 5th Special Forces Group continue to live
the Special Forces motto: To liberate the oppressed.
If you would like more information about the Fifth Special
Forces Group (Airborne), contact the Fifth Special Forces Group (Airborne),
Public Affairs Office at Commercial: (270) 798-7896, DSN: 635-7896.
For current Info see Articles - Stories |
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Tham Dự Đại Hội SOA lần thứ 40, 17 đến 21 tháng 10 năm 2016 Tại Khách Sạn Orleans, Las Vegas.
Huy Hiệu Liên Đoàn 5 LLDBVN được phục hồi năm 2016
tại Fort Campbell, Kentucky 2016
Bàn tiếp tân và ghi danh trong Đại Hội SOA
Châm ngôn treo trên tường trong Đại Hội SOA
Anh
Em Vui là Chúng Ta Vui.
v/v.
Tham Dự Đại Hội SOA lần thứ 40,
khai mạc từ 17 đến
21 tháng 10 năm 2016
Tại Khách Sạn Orleans, Las Vegas. Tiểu bang
Nevada Hoa-Kỳ.
1/. Lịch
Sử
Như anh em cũng biết Hội SOA (Special
Operation Association) khởi đầu thành lập năm 1976 do các quân nhân Hoa Kỳ (Green Beret) đã từng phục vụ cho MAC-V-SOG
tại Việt Nam, 1 đơn vị đối nhiệm (Counterpart) , và họat động chung (Underground- activities) với
Nha-Kỹ-Thuật (STD) QLVNCH.
Hiện nay số hội viên của SOA có khỏang trên dưới 4 ngàn người (có một số đã qua đời), nhưng trong số này, số hội viên SOA gốc NKT (STD) hay ARVN chỉ có khỏang 154
anh em, và năm nay 2016 cũng là mừng năm Sinh Nhật thứ 40 của hội SOA. (1976-2016).
2/.
Việc Tế Nhị
Vì số
người Mỹ chiếm trên 94% của Hội Viên SOA, họ là những người
bạn chiến đấu (Comrad-in-arms) thuộc đơn vị
MAC-V-SOG cùng sát cánh với NKT trong cuộc Chiến Việt nam.
Hiện nay các Hội Viên SOA ai nấy đều thay đổi, vì tuổi đời chồng chất... cho nên
việc nhận ra nhau trong các Đại Hội SOA là việc không dễ, đó là chưa kể tới
ngôn ngữ khác biệt, do đó có một số anh em Việt nam hơi ngỡ
ngàng hay cảm thấy hơi lạc lõng trong các
Đại Hội SOA .
Tuy nhiên nếu chúng ta biết tìm thấy cơ hội trong mỗi khó
khăn, thì qủa thật mỗi Đại Hội SOA tổ chức vào khỏang cuối tháng
10 hàng năm là dịp cho
chúng ta "lôi-Hổ
qúa giang", tức là lấy sức mạnh của người làm sức mạnh của
ta, giúp anh em Người Mỹ gốc Việt, gồm Hội Viên SOA gốc ARVN cùng bạn hữu và gia đình của chúng ta có cơ hội đòan tụ gặp nhau thật là thuận tiện mà lại vừa ít tốn kém vì:
- Đại Hội SOA tại Las Vegas là nơi tiện lợi trăm bề như: gía vé máy bay đi đến Las
Vegas đều qúa rẻ, khách sạn rẻ, là nơi du lịch nổi tiếng thế giới, tiện cho anh em AZ , những Tiểu bang lân cận và CA lái xe đến v.v...
- Chúng ta không phải lo tìm địa điểm
tổ chức Đại Hội riêng cho ta, không lo lễ nghi quân cách, không lo ban nhạc, không
lo người phục vụ, không lo đặt đại tiệc (banquet) , không lo tìm phòng họp
riêng cho anh em ARVN, không lo cãi kọ,
không phải "nghiến răng với nhau" nhau sau mỗi kỳ Đại Hội v.v... mà tất cả do mấy ông Tây SOA lo 100% và "lãnh đủ" thế cho ta.
3/. Buồn
ơi hỡi chào mi !
Để
tránh cảm giác bị lạc lõng, tránh bị ngồi trong hóc bà tó.. hay không biết được
xắp xếp ngồi đâu? không muốn có cảm giác
bị bỏ quên, hay muốn được giới thiệu trong SOAR, hay muốn được hướng dẫn từ A-Z trong việc ghi danh tham dự Đại Hội SOA, gia nhập hội SOA, hay được giới thiệu tận tình các nơi vui chơi, du lịch, đưa đón, thăm thắng cảnh hay mua sắm v.v...
Riêng năm nay 2016, anh em nào muốn
tham dự SOAR thứ 40, xin đặt khách sạn Orleans trước ngày 15 tháng 9 năm 2016, và phải ghi danh tham dự SOA#40 trước ngày 15 tháng 10 năm 2016
để Hội SOA kịp thời gian làm "Name Tag" cho người tham dự.
Và đề nghị anh em nên ghi danh trọn gói (package)
cho SOAR# 40, gía $160/người cho 4 ngày đêm
từ 17 đến 21 tháng 10 năm 2016, còn nếu ghi danh 1 hay 2 ngày thì xin vui lòng nghĩ lại vì không bõ công mà lại nhọc nhằn, lật đật ...
Trong
4 ngày Đại SOA# 40 gồm có chi ? - từ ngày thứ 1 đến ngày chót
chương trình đều được ghi rõ ràng từng chi tiết đã được đăng trong cuốn
P.R.P (Pre-Reunion Package) mà anh em chúng ta đã được Hội SOA gởi đến từng người trong
tháng 7/2016 vừa qua, tuy nhiên xin được tóm tắt những điều cần biết như sau :
-
Đại Hội SOAR#40 được tổ chức trên nguyên tầng 2 của khách sạn Orleans và được mở cửa từ 6:00 AM sáng đến 12:00 PM khuya, anh chị em
tham dự phải có "Name Tag' (bảng tên do SOA cấp) mới được vào.
-
Mỗi buổi sáng từ 6:00 AM đều có cà phê, điểm
tâm nhẹ và Donut. sau đó anh em có thể mua sắm quần áo, đồ lưu niệm độc quyền của SOA, hay có thể hàn huyên tâm sự lòai
cua biển với bạn bè từ sáng đến khuya, với
tất cả các lọai rượu, tất cả các lọai
bia, nước ngọt và đồ ăn nhẹ như salad,
pizza, thịt các lọai, kem v.v.. đều được phục vụ hòan tòan miễn phí 100% và không
giới hạn (riêng mục này anh em nào biết nhậu thì chỉ
trong 1 ngày là qúa đủ vốn bỏ ra $160 rồi !)
-
Một bữa ăn trưa (Lunch) do SOA khỏan đãi vào thứ Tư 19 tháng 10 năm 2016
-
Một buổi đại tiệc (banquet) vào lúc 6:00 PM tối thứ Năm 20 tháng 10 năm 2016
(xin nhớ mặc đại lễ, hay đồ veston, qúi
chị nên mặc áo dài hay Soiré)
-
Đó là chưa tính bao nhiêu mục vui bên ngòai như dạo phố trên đại lộ Las Vegas đi bằng xe Shuttle miễn phí, để xem show đại chiến Hải-tặc, Núi Hỏa Diệm Sơn, Phun Nước độc đáo, viếng các đại sòng bài như Newyork Newyork,
Ceasar, GMG, Tháp Eiffel, Bạch Tuyết và Bảy
Chú Lùn, Plaza Downtown, hay kéo máy v.v...
Đại Hội SOAR# 40 năm nay là dịp cho anh em chúng ta và nhất là
cho bà xã và gia đình có dịp xả hơi tại
Las Vegas (hấp hôn?) và cũng là dịp cho anh em
chúng ta gặp nhau hàng năm, như "Đến hẹn lại lên" !
Đại Hội SOA #40 năm nay, mà trong 4 ngày Đại Hội, thì Hội
SOA sẽ dành ra 2 ngày cho du lịch (tùy-ý) như: Thứ ba 18 tháng
10 du lịch thăm thắng cảnh Grand Canyon
(đóng thêm $95/người); và thứ Năm 20 tháng 10 thăm thắng cảnh Suối Sa Mạc Bornie
Spring (đóng thêm $75/người
bao gồm ăn BBQ tại Sa Mạc).
Anh em ai đã ghi danh đóng tiền cho
SOA rồi, nếu muốn ngồi chung hay có chỗ
tốt, hoặc cần sự giúp đỡ hay hướng dẫn, xin vui lòng gọi cho chúng tôi biết càng sớm càng tốt trước ngày 16 tháng 10 năm 2016.
Ghi
chú:
-
Rất Mong anh chị Ba, Đại tá Lê Quang Nghĩa
có mặt với chúng em trong SOAR#40 và xin nhắn Anh Lê Minh và 2 anh em nhớ có mặt tại SOAR #40
để nhận PIN 20 năm Hội-Viên.
-
Có 1 số anh em ARVN, và 1 số gia đình Tử
Sĩ ARVN đang ở VN sẽ được mời qua Hoa-Kỳ tham dự
SOAR# 40.
-
Theo kinh nghiệm có thừa nên năm nào gia
đình tôi cũng mang thêm nhiều đồ ăn
VN như mắm ruốc kho thịt ba chỉ, canh rau mồng tơi, cá kho, dưa gía, thịt kho,
mì gói, cơm, cà phê cái nồi ngồi trên cái kốc
v.v.. nên qúy huynh, tỷ muội nào ngán cơm Tây có thể đến phòng khách sạn của chúng tôi để cùng nhau chia sẻ như thường năm cho vui nhá ! Everything on the house!
Người
Ăn Cơm Nhà Thổi Tù Và hàng Tổng,
L,
Chieu, SOA # 947 GL (B-15 Kontum).
loihosoa@yahoo.com
714-733-
9089
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Aircraft emergency frequency
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Contents
History
The choice of 121.5 MHz was made by the ICAO in conjunction with ARINC and the ITU.Monitoring
The main civil voice frequency 121.5 MHz is monitored by most air traffic control towers, FSS services, national air traffic control centers, and other flight and emergency services, as well as by many commercial aircraft.In the UK, 121.5 MHz is monitored by the Royal Air Force Distress and Diversion cells (known as "D&D") at the London Terminal Control Centre and the Shanwick Oceanic Control, from a nationwide network of antennas. Depending on the aircraft's altitude and location, the personnel in the centres may be able to use triangulation to determine its exact position which can be useful to the pilot if the aircraft is lost or "temporarily unsure of position".
Use
Both guard frequencies can be used by any aircraft in distress or an emergency and in addition it can be used by air traffic control to warn aircraft if they are about to fly into restricted or prohibited airspace.Aircraft will also be contacted on 121.5 MHz when intercepted by air defence aircraft, to ask for identification and intentions and to pass on instructions.
Locating beacons
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Check Out This New Wish List for U.S. Special Ops
High on their list: a "Concealable/Take Down Urban Sniper Rifle" The U.S. military’s commandos are among the best in the world. But they can always get better. That means faster, lighter, deadlier, cheaper. So that’s why U.S. Special Operations Command issued a formal request for “Advancement of Technologies in Equipment for Use by U.S. Special Operations Forces” on Monday.
“USSOCOM is interested in receiving white papers from all responsible
sources from industry, academia, individuals, and Government
laboratories capable of providing the design, construction, and testing
of SOF related technologies,” Special Ops headquarters in Tampa, Fla.,
says.
Many of the wished-for technologies simply improve on existing gear. But others seem like blue-sky fantasies.
Since everyone else seems to be carrying concealed weapons lately, why not U.S. Special Forces:
Many of the wished-for technologies simply improve on existing gear. But others seem like blue-sky fantasies.
Since everyone else seems to be carrying concealed weapons lately, why not U.S. Special Forces:
Concealable/Take Down Urban Sniper Rifle (CUSR). The CUSR is a small and light sniper rifle that can be rapidly dissembled for concealed carry and rapidly reassembled by the operator to engage target. CUSR desired characteristics include accurate (1 Minute Of Angle at 300m), lightweight (12 lbs. Threshold, 8 lbs. Objective), fit in small case (12 in. x 20 in. Threshold, 12 in. x 16 in. Objective), and compatible with current suppressor or include suppressed barrel.Not to mention their everyday weapon:
Personnel Defense Weapon (PDW). The PDW is significantly smaller and lighter than the M4A1 with capabilities beyond any pistol. There are two types of interest, those based on an operator/unit armor modification to a M4A1 carbine and those based on a unique weapon design, both of which must fire standard 5.56mm X 45mm NATO ammunition. PDW desired characteristics include lightweight (6 lbs. Threshold, 5 lbs. Objective), concealable (18 in. Threshold, 16 in. Objective), effectively fired in its collapsed configuration, semi/full automatic, and rapidly employed from concealed carry.Some high-powered bullets would be nice:
.338 Lapua Magnum Anti-Materiel Ammunition. .338 Lapua magnum anti-materiel ammunition that would be fired from the Precision Sniper Rifle at ranges from 500m-1500m. Anti-materiel .338 Lapua desired characteristics include armor piercing capability to penetrate Level IV body armor (500m Threshold, 800m Objective), cinder block greater than 12 in., 10% Gel, and stop vehicle/small boat engines.As would kinder, gentler rounds:
Stopping/Disabling Individuals. Technologies that can stop/disable individuals for an extended duration, remain less lethal, and be useable on combatant and noncombatant individuals. The effect must immediately prohibit the individual’s ability to perform a useful function at ranges greater than 6 ft.Not to mention area-denial options:
Deny Area/Isolate Objective. Technologies that use less lethal payloads to prevent combatant and noncombatant individuals from entering a specific area for a specified period of time.We’ve got guided missiles … why not guided bullets?
Precision Guided Small Arms Munitions. Small unit organic munitions capable of delivering highly accurate kinetic effects on stationary, moving, soft targets, or the interior of hardened targets at ranges beyond crew served weapons effective range. Potential material approaches may include guided 40mm tube launched grenades; self-propelled, precision-guided, handheld grenades; guided 84mm Carl Gustav munitions; and handheld guided kinetically armed unmanned aerial systems.And boosted brainpower, via drugs or other means, would surely be an advantage:
Electroencephalography monitors for real-time measurement of brain activity and quantification of loading, applicable technologies to measure/quantify neurocognitive loading, technologies (i.e. nanotechnology/biotechnology) and neutraceutical and/or pharmacological enhancements to increase neuroperformance.Time lag in video games is a drag. Inside battlefield electronics, it can be deadly:
Decrease in latency of ground systems to less than one millisecond from external activity to viewing by Operator. Decrease in latency of ground systems to less than one millisecond from Operator activity to external action.Calling Google!
Heads up Display (HUD) technology for day or night operations that is low profile (e.g. form factor of eyeglasses/sunglasses), securely and wirelessly imports and exports FMV or data feeds, supports augmented reality, integrated sensors, is configurable with software applications (“apps”), offers or collects actionable battlefield information, and provides map displays with situational awareness data.Finally, a technology that would be hailed by civilians just as much as soldiers:
Through-wall imaging/sensing.“The intent,” the Special Ops command says, “is to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the SOF warfighter.” Developers are invited to submit five-page proposals, complete with cost and schedule estimates, before June 12 for possible Pentagon funding.
Special Operations Forces in the Market For Global Communications Technology
A special operator listens to aircraft communications during training.
When they deploy to combat zones, special operations troops bring along a multitude of gizmos. Besides basic line-of-sight radios to communicate with their peers, they need devices to connect with other U.S. government agencies and allies. They also have satellite receivers, smartphones, tablets and custom terminals to upload streaming video.
At a time when special operations forces are seeking to expand their presence around the world, there has to be better ways to connect operators and allow them to share information in real time, said Adm. William McRaven, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.
“We are trying to enhance the SOF network,” McRaven said during a presentation at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. “How do we push communications down to every liaison officer at a U.S. embassy, to every operator in the field?”
McRaven’s plan is to transition SOCOM from a force that is primarily in the Middle East and Afghanistan to one that is spread around the globe.
In the future, special operations forces will face challenges that “cut across geographic combatant command boundaries, demanding integrated global approaches,” said Jim Thomas, vice president of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. In a new CSBA study on the future of special operations forces, Thomas suggested that SOCOM’s vision to build a “global network” will require greater collaboration with foreign forces and interagency partners.
To realize its ambitious goals, SOCOM needs more advanced communications systems, industry experts said. Command officials are now scouring the marketplace for new products and fresh ideas on how to use existing technology. In a recent “request for information” that was published in FedBizOpps.com, SOCOM asked vendors for white papers detailing how they could help improve tactical communications. The solicitation warns that the RFI is only for “planning purposes” and does not commit the government to acquire any products or services.
High on SOCOM’s wish list is a multipurpose device that would lighten the operator’s load. It wants single handheld and backpack size devices that can simultaneously operate legacy radio waveforms, more advanced digital waveforms and that can also receive and distribute encrypted video, imagery and telemetry. These radios would be connected to Android or BlackBerry phones and tablets.
The Pentagon’s major suppliers of military tactical communications systems are expected to submit proposals, which are due June 3.
Industry officials said in interviews that they see this RFI as an effort by SOCOM to put its finger on the pulse of industry.
“They want to see how close we are to meeting what is in that RFI,” said Mike Iacobucci, a retired SOF officer and currently account manager at General Dynamics C4 Systems.
“They want to consolidate devices to take the burden off the operator,” he said. The number of radios that SOF teams now carry has grown significantly over the years, and the problem could get worse as their communications needs become more complex.
“SOCOM is looking to push the envelope,” said Christopher Aebli, vice president of Harris Corp. RF Communications. The company sees the RFI as a call to industry to produce a “next-generation radio” that merges high-speed voice and data communications, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) functions into a single box, Aebli said.
A jack-of-all-trades radio does not yet exist in the marketplace, but SOCOM wants industry to push the technology in that direction, said Joe Adams, a sales manager at Harris. “Every one to two years, the SOF community will surface with an RFI like this,” he said. “They want to see where technology is. If they like what they see and it matches the user requirements, then it might lead to an acquisition.”
SOCOM has been a proponent of buying commercial technologies, rather than investing in costly development programs, Adams said. “We are starting to notice tighter technology cycles,” he said. “That is because of SOCOM’s willingness to leverage commercial technology.” Products from the commercial market, however, do not always meet SOCOM’s rigorous security demands, he cautioned.
Suppliers regard SOCOM as a coveted customer because the command has independent buying authority and does not get bogged down in the Pentagon’s procurement bureaucracy. At the same time, SOF customers can be more challenging than the conventional military services because operators are more seasoned and demanding.
The average special operator has greater needs for information than conventional troops, said Kevin Merrigan, a former operator and now vice president and general manager for battle management systems at General Dynamics. “They are the ‘strategic corporals’ who must make decisions on the ground,” and need access to lots of information, he said.
In the SOF global network, “everybody would have the same command-and-control situational awareness,” said Merrigan. “They need a network capable of real-time information sharing. Today that does not exist.”
If and when SOCOM decides to start investing in new technology, it will probably need to establish a “base architecture” to start building a global network, said Merrigan. “This will not be a single procurement solution.”
SOCOM already has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on radios, computers and networking systems. But those were bought as individual components, he said. A better approach would be to set basic standards for a network and then buy devices that can plug and play. The command might decide to go with commercial standards such as the Android or Linux operating systems. A SOCOM network also would have tough bandwidth and throughput requirements, and would need to be interoperable with vehicles on the move and dismounted forces.
The
Army is building its own soldier network that has similar goals. For
vendors, SOCOM’s network presents more difficult problems because
special operators must be linked with outside organizations. “The Army is doing this just for the Army,” said Merrigan. A small Special Forces team that deploys to any given country has to work with the State Department, the CIA, the National Security Agency, coalition partners and the host nation. The Army’s problem, conversely, is one of scale, as its goal is to deploy a brigade of 5,000 or more soldiers and have them all share information and collaborate in real time.
Companies such as General Dynamics and Harris have huge stakes in an upcoming Army procurement of thousands of new radios. The Army intends to buy “software programmable” radios that must run Joint Tactical Radio System software — the soldier radio waveform and the wideband networking waveform.
SOCOM officials have been watching the JTRS program and are not yet convinced that they should move in that direction, said Adams.
JTRS waveforms are more uniquely suited to Army needs, whereas SOCOM is interested in multifunctional devices, he said. “The Army can have single-purpose soldier devices that are part of a larger network. SOCOM doesn’t have the benefit of infrastructure.”
There is probably room in the SOCOM architecture for a JTRS radio, said Adams, “but not to the same density that would exist in the Army.” SOF teams, for instance, must be in communication with aircraft, and they usually rely on conventional line-of-sight ultra high-frequency radios. “The soldier radio waveform does not support that,” he said. “That’s a big deal for SOCOM operators.”
Aebli said he believes SOCOM is not satisfied with the current state of technology and wants to “leap frog over the JTRS radios.”
Iacobucci said some of the JTRS technology would be valuable to SOF teams. In recent trials, he said, the 75th Ranger Regiment tested General Dynamics’ JTRS radios and gave thumbs up to the reroute and retransmit features of the waveforms. “You can pull in legacy waveforms that SOCOM uses,” said Iacobucci. “That’s important for them.”
Merrigan said companies are simply trying to “figure out where SOCOM wants to be … and what is the right waveform that we should develop to put on that radio?”
McRaven’s plan to boost “theater special operations commands” will stress the ability of current communications systems, Merrigan said. “TSOCs will be used as deployable command-and-control cells. They will take a bigger role in the future. They will be forward deployed. They need a communications architecture that can fly to a location.”
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