Rivers of Gold (21 page)

Upon initiation of Operation Enduring Freedom (fall 2001), Subject selected for advance insertion with 3/75th Rangers and 23rd STS as part of an ITG FORECON contingent for securing FOB “Rhino” following Operation Crescent Wind, October 2001. (NOTE: Subject should be considered at this stage a “Green Side” operator.) Subject witnessed firsthand the friendly-fire mishap between USMC gunships and USN SEAL recon team during local area operations. (NOTE: While no casualties were suffered, the incident undoubtedly had a pronounced effect on Subject's inclination toward FAC [Forward Air Controller] training.)

Following the establishment of Rhino as a FOB for 15 MEU(SOC) and 1 SASR, Subject was involved with push on Konduz. Due to CJSOTF requirements, such as
, Subject accompanied SASR on at least one and perhaps more long-range reconnaissance patrols, which often took him near or in some cases across the border into Pakistan. (NOTE: This period saw Subject building extensive contacts in the SOF community, particularly among US ODA SOF TACPs, as well as SASR and NZSAS units.)

Upon hearing of the friendly-fire accident involving ODA 574 on 5 December (NOTE: An inadequately trained TACP caused a JDAM to be dropped on his own unit's position, resulting in at least 25 killed or wounded, including a near-miss for soon-to-be-installed President Karzai), Subject immediately requested transfer to JSOTF-N (TF Dagger). Request denied.

Subject returned to LRRPs, staying out for longer and longer periods with mixed SOF units; longest patrol recorded was 41 days. Upon returning to base, Subject volunteered whenever possible for training in local area languages (e.g., Pashto, Dari, Punjabi, Urdu, etc.) before resuming patrols.

Subject's activities eventually attracted the attention of OGA
/
. When approached, Subject formally requested TACP (or FAC in USMC parlance) training. Upon completing his first Afghan tour of duty (late 2002), Subject did not go home; instead, Subject was promoted and transferred to the Udairi Ridge TACP facility in Kuwait. (NOTE: Udairi not a formal facility, nor exclusive to any one branch of service. Other attendees present from USMC, as well as USAF/STS and OGA
units.)

Subject returned to Afghan theater in late 2003, assigned to
. Subject returned to long-range patrols, often involving mixed personnel and equipment. (NOTE: During this period Subject's unit patrols grew longer, with a rate of engagement well above most JSOC units. Cross-border incursions became deeper and more frequent.)

Subject's unit ambushed on
in
. Although seriously wounded, Subject nevertheless called in a JADAM-equipped B1B (NOTE: How Subject was able to raise this specific aircraft, with these specific munitions, all the way from the airbase at
, is unknown) and guided in a “danger close” airstrike. Enemy force completely destroyed; Subject's unit exfiltrated to
and successfully extracted by joint SOAR/MWSS airlift. Subject MEDEVACd to Rhine-Main, Germany.

During his convalescence, Subject was visited several times by
and
, as well as
/
throughout early 2004. (NOTE: Subject declined to have family members notified; no inquiries from Subject's family were recorded as to his condition or his prolonged absence.)