Most people don't remotely understand how badass CCTs are, not just from their level of expertise and professionalism, but also how hard their pipeline of training is, which along with the PJs, is the longest of the US special ops community, exceeding 2+ years. Dan Schilling is not only a great author, but he was a 24th STS trainer of other CCTs later in his career, so he knows his stuff. His book on John Chapman is a fantastic read.
I can't imagine how on point you have to be in the middle of a gun fight monitoring all the different comms, calling in support, not to mention fighting along side everyone else. These guys have to be so sharp on top of doing all the things the top tier operators they're with are doing. Crazy stuff.
Going into that a second time should have earned awards for valor in and of itself. The amount of virtue that required of mere mortals frankly boggles my mind.
CCT's were assigned to my Detail (a civilian operation) when I protected Hamid Karzai in 2003 - 2004. These men I worked with were the most lethal men on the planet. Our CCT personally de-escalated an event in Kabul in 2003 that no doubt saved lives that day, by calling off airframes called in by others who had no business getting involved in our operations.
I was in Kabul later than you 2010. The Intercontinental was our home. Very sketchy but was assigned to UN duty doing collection. Had body guards (read counter surveillance) which was twice as sketchy. Thank ya for your service.
20 years ago, I knew a bunch of the Gothic Serpent guys. I heard a lot of stories. To a man they all were thankful for the unsung heroes in the Air Force who got some focus in the book but not much in the movie. From guys like Dan doing the combat control work, to the PJs who were arguably the most hardcore guys on the day.
It’s so important to hear from these other, before-now, unheard from members of the Somalia conflict. CCT’s are the ultimate “speak calmly and carry a big stick” and precision death from the sky is about the biggest stick I can think of. Also, reinforcing the Mogadishu mission was a success is important, too; it’s been framed differently in the “popular” version of history.
Wonder what he feels about the Specter not being allowed on station to conduct Air Support? Would it had been a game changer. Being that Lil bitds ended up being the primary air support.
Air Force Combat Controllers are The most highly trained individuals in our military. You name it, those guys have been trained in it, at a very high level. They don't specialize, medics, engineers, etc..., like other Tier 1 Operators, they are entire teams combined into a single individual.
No one hears about USAF Combat Controllers ( or Forward Weather Teams) because unlike the seals and other spec ops groups, they aren't given advanced training in boasting, bragging and lying.....
Right because I'm sure none have ever done any of those things and that there's no other possible reasons they might not be as well known. I mean the guy even said from his own mouth they're out there in much smaller numbers. There's other groups we probably know even less about
If I remember correctly, the 2010 reboot of the Medal of Honor series of games was focused on Operation Anaconda and featured a combat controller as one of the main protagonists… in real life that controller was a posthumous MOH recipient himself
I’m curious why it seems no one mentions the SEALs that we’re also there? Not in the movie, don’t know about the book but only one interview I’ve seen out of several I watched that mentioned members of DEVGRU that we’re there. Just wondered.🤷🏼♂️
I remember the book mentioning that SEALs were in Somalia, but I don't recall any reference to them during the battle. I got the impression that they weren't actually involved.
The seals who were there were snipers.. They kicked some serious ass on some missions that were not the big one.. This Task Force had other missions and the Seals were doing some serious snipping. One point I guess a very famous Seal was on a rooftop and he smoked a guy who popped out with an RPG and was taken aim at a helicopter that had 3 Delta and one one pilot and one I guess an air force medic. After the Seal took the guy out the helicopter flew by two of the Seals and screamed fuck ya to the seal. This mission was to grab one of the guys they ended up trying to get on the Big mission
We are learning more and more as these Delta guys retire, but I haven't really heard an expanded dialogue of the epic failures of political leaders and the influence of the UN politics on US actions. For example, being denied artillery and air support assets by DOD leadership and Bill Clinton. Yes, the mission was a technical success, but it was a psychological warfare failure and emboldened Al-Qaeda and other hostiles. Both sides learned lessons, but American lives are worth more than to waste them like was done by going too light. Just my opinion.
I’d have to argue his comment about CCT’s being the deadliest guys on the battlefield. I was an Army Foward Observer 13F. Calling in sustained artillery for hours I’d think has killed more people than air strikes. We could also call for naval gunfire and MLRS or HIMARS strikes.
Naval gunfire and artillery is part of the JTAC course. Honestly JTACs and JFOs are trained to work together. They speak the same language and play on the same sheet of music.
CCT's can call in other forms of strikes, but they're the experts in calling in precision airpower and why they're relied on for it over other controllers. What they can do with managing a battlespace is not understood fully by many. During many battles in Afghanistan, you had a single CCT stacking up scores of aircraft from multiple services for gun and bombing runs for hours on end. They can easily bring in more strike power than artillery alone. There are numerous instances of 24th STS CCTs in Iraq and Afghanistan saving their own SOC teams from overwhelming forces because of how good they are at utilizing airpower.
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Most people don't remotely understand how badass CCTs are, not just from their level of expertise and professionalism, but also how hard their pipeline of training is, which along with the PJs, is the longest of the US special ops community, exceeding 2+ years. Dan Schilling is not only a great author, but he was a 24th STS trainer of other CCTs later in his career, so he knows his stuff. His book on John Chapman is a fantastic read.
I can't imagine how on point you have to be in the middle of a gun fight monitoring all the different comms, calling in support, not to mention fighting along side everyone else. These guys have to be so sharp on top of doing all the things the top tier operators they're with are doing. Crazy stuff.
I went through a couple of Combat Controller courses. I loved it.
Thank you for this because I had never realized that the actual mission that day WAS a success!! Shame on me!
I really enjoyed that different perspective of that engagement...THANKS!
Going into that a second time should have earned awards for valor in and of itself. The amount of virtue that required of mere mortals frankly boggles my mind.
This was an incredibly informative and inspiring interview! Kudos to you both and thank you and God bless you for your service sir! 👍❤️🇺🇸
CCT's were assigned to my Detail (a civilian operation) when I protected Hamid Karzai in 2003 - 2004. These men I worked with were the most lethal men on the planet. Our CCT personally de-escalated an event in Kabul in 2003 that no doubt saved lives that day, by calling off airframes called in by others who had no business getting involved in our operations.
I was in Kabul later than you 2010. The Intercontinental was our home. Very sketchy but was assigned to UN duty doing collection. Had body guards (read counter surveillance) which was twice as sketchy. Thank ya for your service.
Props to the 10th Mountain Division, for helping out in that engagement. Im from northern NY, about 50 miles from Ft Drum.
Great video!!! I love it when these Tier 1 rockstars mention the baddest pilots on the planet… 160th SOAR!!!!!
Respect brother.
20 years ago, I knew a bunch of the Gothic Serpent guys. I heard a lot of stories. To a man they all were thankful for the unsung heroes in the Air Force who got some focus in the book but not much in the movie. From guys like Dan doing the combat control work, to the PJs who were arguably the most hardcore guys on the day.
😎🤙🏽
Great Program 👍
It’s so important to hear from these other, before-now, unheard from members of the Somalia conflict. CCT’s are the ultimate “speak calmly and carry a big stick” and precision death from the sky is about the biggest stick I can think of. Also, reinforcing the Mogadishu mission was a success is important, too; it’s been framed differently in the “popular” version of history.
Great interview, was interesting for sure!
I read his book when it came out. Great interview.
David be love bombing his guests with that deep stare hahaha
Jeff Bray was in my OLJ Class in 1983. Small world.
Air Force CTT's and all of Air Force Special Warfare for that matter! 👍👍
😎🤙🏽
Wonder what he feels about the Specter not being allowed on station to conduct Air Support? Would it had been a game changer. Being that Lil bitds ended up being the primary air support.
After Somalia is when M.O.U.T.(Military Operations Urban Terrain) training centers and programs started popping up across the United States.
Air Force Combat Controllers are The most highly trained individuals in our military. You name it, those guys have been trained in it, at a very high level. They don't specialize, medics, engineers, etc..., like other Tier 1 Operators, they are entire teams combined into a single individual.
Yet still only are support role.
Imagine what this guy could do to my noisy neighbors…
No one hears about USAF Combat Controllers ( or Forward Weather Teams) because unlike the seals and other spec ops groups, they aren't given advanced training in boasting, bragging and lying.....
Right because I'm sure none have ever done any of those things and that there's no other possible reasons they might not be as well known. I mean the guy even said from his own mouth they're out there in much smaller numbers. There's other groups we probably know even less about
If I remember correctly, the 2010 reboot of the Medal of Honor series of games was focused on Operation Anaconda and featured a combat controller as one of the main protagonists… in real life that controller was a posthumous MOH recipient himself
Or perhaps they aren’t actually doing anything interesting such as the other units.
@@muthafukajones1513LOL. USAF SOF have been literally the first ones on the ground in almost every single planned op since the late 1970s.
@@quasar8898 False. And if they were?
great story
Should have combined CC and Pathfinders from the beginning. This would have evolved yet, a 3rd tier
I’m curious why it seems no one mentions the SEALs that we’re also there? Not in the movie, don’t know about the book but only one interview I’ve seen out of several I watched that mentioned members of DEVGRU that we’re there. Just wondered.🤷🏼♂️
I did hear this guy say he drug a wounded SEAL out of line of fire during his interview...But, you don't hear much..
I remember the book mentioning that SEALs were in Somalia, but I don't recall any reference to them during the battle. I got the impression that they weren't actually involved.
I've heard it mentioned but if I recall there was something like only 4 DevGru(a very small component of the overall force)
The seals who were there were snipers.. They kicked some serious ass on some missions that were not the big one.. This Task Force had other missions and the Seals were doing some serious snipping. One point I guess a very famous Seal was on a rooftop and he smoked a guy who popped out with an RPG and was taken aim at a helicopter that had 3 Delta and one one pilot and one I guess an air force medic. After the Seal took the guy out the helicopter flew by two of the Seals and screamed fuck ya to the seal. This mission was to grab one of the guys they ended up trying to get on the Big mission
@@thewestfaceofdhaulagiri6697 there was a sniper team there. Provided overwatch but not sure what else they did. Looking for info.
SGDM!
We are learning more and more as these Delta guys retire, but I haven't really heard an expanded dialogue of the epic failures of political leaders and the influence of the UN politics on US actions. For example, being denied artillery and air support assets by DOD leadership and Bill Clinton. Yes, the mission was a technical success, but it was a psychological warfare failure and emboldened Al-Qaeda and other hostiles. Both sides learned lessons, but American lives are worth more than to waste them like was done by going too light. Just my opinion.
Should of brought the spook
I’d have to argue his comment about CCT’s being the deadliest guys on the battlefield. I was an Army Foward Observer 13F. Calling in sustained artillery for hours I’d think has killed more people than air strikes. We could also call for naval gunfire and MLRS or HIMARS strikes.
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but can't CCT's call in MLRS/arty?
@@weirdmood8102 honestly I don’t know. I never saw it happen, but that doesn’t mean they can’t.
Naval gunfire and artillery is part of the JTAC course. Honestly JTACs and JFOs are trained to work together. They speak the same language and play on the same sheet of music.
@rzr2ffe325 Yeah, it sounds as if JTAP's and CCT'S are each side of the combat airspace coin. One does the shootin' and one orders the scootin'.
CCT's can call in other forms of strikes, but they're the experts in calling in precision airpower and why they're relied on for it over other controllers. What they can do with managing a battlespace is not understood fully by many. During many battles in Afghanistan, you had a single CCT stacking up scores of aircraft from multiple services for gun and bombing runs for hours on end. They can easily bring in more strike power than artillery alone. There are numerous instances of 24th STS CCTs in Iraq and Afghanistan saving their own SOC teams from overwhelming forces because of how good they are at utilizing airpower.
Black Special Ops. Lol
Informative, but his ego and condescending behavior was hard to listen to.
It doesn't matter what you are bullets don't care. Randomness probability and luck have more to do with it than anything else